London

Exclusive guide to the best holiday destinations in London, independent reviews from award-winning travel writers

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Avani Indian Restaurant, Radlett Herts

The word is that nearly 80% of Indian restaurants in the UK are Bangladeshi. So when I hear about a new restaurant in Radlett specialising in Mumbai cuisine, naturally I want to know more about the Avani Indian Restaurant.

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Sofitel Hotel. Gatwick Airport.

Anthea Gerrie reviews the Sofitel hotel Gatwick Airport’ one of the airport’s better on-site hotels. Convenience for early fliers but does it stack up?

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Collete's at The Grove

Colette’s at The Grove.

Colette, so I am reliably informed by Head Waiter Dominic, is the mother of the Levi brothers, the owners of The Grove. So, any mother who lends her name to a classy eating establishment must be reasonably confident the food is going to live up to her billing. So, no pressure on Colette’s at The Grove then.

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The Balcon at the Sofitel St.James

The Balcon at the Sofitel St.James

The Balcon at the Sofitel St. James is that rare beast, a French restaurant in a French hotel which has turned its back on its upbringing and decided to go native. What used to be Le Balcon, a rather stuffy eatery on London’s posh Pall Mall with rather heavy French dishes, has been reborn as THE Balcon under the helm of a talented Antipodean chef.

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Island Grill

Island Grill

Having one of the finest locations in London is a pretty big feather to have in your cap when you’re a restaurant, after all it’s ridiculously exciting when you can boast you are literally opposite London’s Hyde Park on the famous Bayswater Road. The Island Grill has another pretty big feather to play too, it’s the main dining outlet within the Lancaster London, formerly the Royal Lancaster, one of the capital’s iconic clutch of famous hotels dating back to the sixties.

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Hunter 486 Restaurant

As I walk in, Gary Durrant, Head Chef of Hunter 486 restaurant, is standing in front of the stone oven of his open plan kitchen, tucked away at one end of the small but perfectly formed restaurant. This is clearly an eatery where “tucked away” is an art form, as it is itself tucked away in the boutique Arch London Hotel, which in turn is tucked away in a quiet corner of Great Cumberland Place behind London’s Marble Arch.

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