34 - Mayfair, London

Caprice Holdings has effectively cornered the market in classic London restaurants. It requires mental gymnastics to think of three spots that more effectively embody old school fine dining in the capital than The Ivy, J Sheekey and Scott's. However, the Caprice Group also has the ability to produce new hotspots, the kind of well-oiled, recherché joints that feel as if they've been seating very important people for decades. Though they've only just launched, these places feel well used and well loved. Balthazar may be the most recent of these, which you'd have to be hiding underneath a giant bowl of French onion soup to have missed. However, 34 deserves at least equal attention.

Nestled in a swish corner of Mayfair just off of Grosvenor Square, 34 offers the same kind of insider sensation that accompanies dining in a restaurant frequented by the likes of Pharrell Williams, Naomi Watts and Robert De Niro. The appeal is plain to see upon entering, the room is steeped in elegance. Designer Martin Brudnizki has composed a symphony of parquet flooring, burnt orange banquettes and crisp white tablecloths, with Edwardian and Art Deco gracenotes interspersed. The major movement, however, is the parrilla charcoal grill imported from Argentina, which quietly holds sway over the room.

This is where 34 really comes into its own, in preparing sumptuous fare to match the settings. Alongside superlative slices of beef from Scotland, Australia and the USA, the kitchens produce delicious alternatives including truffled lobster mac and cheese or crispy lamb sweetbreads with purslane. However, 34 is certainly a strong option for both brunch and lunch. You'd be remiss not to order a lobster Thermidor omelette during a lazy weekend or tuck into a crab and grilled asparagus frittata. Guests looking for a quick lunch will also have the reasonable option of indulging in 34's Mayfair Set, which showcases the kitchen's signature dishes at a very reasonable £22.50 for two courses or £27.50 for three. We highly advocate such an excursion, for a taste of the upper crust.