Defune

A troop of smiley Japanese waitresses pounce on visitors to Defune, ready to seat them at the ground-floor sushi bar, where you can watch the masterful knife-strokes of the chef, or in the sleek, arched teppanyaki dining room below, which is a bit low on atmosphere if the restaurant’s not full. To be honest, though, ambience is not really the point of Defune: aficionados of Japanese cuisine come for the quality of food, from meltingly fresh sashimi & the highest quality sushi to delicious soft-shell crab rolls & black cod, all elegantly presented. Expect some of the most authentic Japanese food in London, but be prepared to pay for the experience – the beef teriyaki can be prepared with Wagyu beef at £45 per 180g – though lunchtime sets from £21.50 offer a relatively affordable way in.