Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill

This grande dame of the capital’s restaurant scene (established 1916) remains as polished as ever, with art deco windows, the original marble oyster bar and wood panelling. Weeknights in the more formal first-floor Grill restaurant have a restrained business-dinner vibe, but the downstairs oyster bar is pleasingly laid-back.

Theatrics at the gleaming marble counter (part staff speedily shucking, part competitive knocking ‘em back) provide entertaining distraction as you decide between menu classics including exquisitely fresh oysters, and imaginative daily specials.

Despite its proximity to touristy Piccadilly, Bentley’s retains a distinctly London buzz. Take a pew among gregarious City boys, Notting Hill couples on third dates and Regent Street shoppers – the bar’s tightly packed tables mean eavesdropping is inevitable.