Discreet Soho hotspot Bocca di Lupo quietly continues to blow

away diners with "great, reasonably priced" food and an "original"

Italian menu. The small, "extremely busy" space suŠ ers from bad

acoustics however, so it's fortunate proprietors Jacob Kenedy and

Victor Hugo have expansive plans. A huge spin-oŠ in Cambridge

Circus will open later this summer. We hope the

food there has the same "wow" factor as

the perennially appetising original.

Victoria isn't exactly the coolest part

of town, but for an "authentic" taste

of Venice and "great

tapas", unassuming

Tozi has many of you

talking. Go for "divine" artichoke

fritti or sword  sh cicchetti and

stay for "good quality Prosecco on draught",

smug in the knowledge you're ahead of the

curve. With the massive restaurant and

shopping complex Nova opening nearby

next year, we expect "stylish" Tozi's stock to

rise considerably.

Is Brasserie Zédel

leaning too heavily on

style and foregoing

substance? The golden interior still wins "gasps

of astonishment", and while some diners love the

"always impeccable" service, others feel it "can get

somewhat lost" in the large room. Critics also bemoan

the "underwhelming" and "distinctly unimaginative"

menu, whereas fans are enraptured by the "delectable"

food and great value. You may be guaranteed a

spectacle at this Piccadilly "hidden gem", just don't

expect food that sets your world alight.

Spital  elds has seen much restaurant action recently thanks to

Taberna do Mercado, Blixen and Ottolenghi launching, but Galvin

La Chapelle remains the area's grande dame. The converted chapel

is still "over owing with ambience", food is "consistently exquisite"

and the cocktails are "wonderful". A lone dissenter cites "bland" food

and overpricing, but criticisms are drowned in a deluge of

(we say) well-deserved praise - besides,

the weekend set lunch is a steal.

"The duck shepherd's

pie is a must"

Imogen S on Balthazar

"The Thai salad had so much

chilli it would have made an

Aztec wince"

Frank C on Smokehouse

Chiswick

Spotted

squaremeal.co.uk | 31

Pippa Middleton getting a cup of (Belgravian) Joe at L'Eto Caœ é

The Ivy Chelsea Garden serving an ace meal to Boris Becker

Robert Lindsay hanging out with the luvvies at Joe Allen

Cara Delevingne proving supermodels can handle the heat at Boom Burger

Jourdan Dunn   lling her tum with Peruvian at Pachamama in Marylebone

Magic man Troy playing his cards right at Cottons Rhum Shack Camden

Arnold Schwarzenegger terminating the Soho snails at L'Escargot

Duncan Bannatyne swapping Dragon's Den for Scott's in Mayfair

Harry Styles at The Wolseley, hiding from the mob with two young ladies

Kristin Scott Thomas with a sandwich   t for the Queen at Whaam Banh Mi

M.I.A. goes missing in Dalston during The Richmond's oyster happy hour

Joey Essex   nding an easy-to-spell restaurant in Nobu

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WEEKEND BREAKS TASTING MENUS HOTEL STAYS CASES OF WINE