Tibits

This small Swiss chain updates the buffet concept with a modern feel. Essentially a pimped-up salad bar, it's popular as a rest stop for shoppers.

There's outdoor seating in a courtyard dubbed 'the Regent Street Food Quarter', and several punters were just treating it as a bar. It's less pretentious than its neighbours and perhaps that's what draws the crowds - the place was buzzing on a midweek evening.

Staff explain the 'concept' as you enter - pile up a plate (or takeaway container) on the central buffet boat and pay by weight, minus a free bread roll.

For the Mayfair location, prices aren't bad, though the large choice of dishes can make it easy to overload your plate. Prices per 100g vary depending on the time of day, moving upwards from breakfast. Thirty-odd salads and hot dishes span the globe in their influences, and could include flavoursome coconut and tofu curry, good, crisp samosas, creamy gratins and pasta bakes made with organic eggs and cheese. Salads were fresh and embraced a varied array of produce from celeriac to chickpeas.

The minimal selection of desserts (slabs of cheesecake and sticky toffee pudding) looked unappetising, but in general Tibits has hit on a successful formula.