In contrast to the stagnant D&D dominated restaurant scene in Shad Thames, its great to see the buzz of new Bars and restaurants around the London Bridge / Bermondsey St area. Pizarro has replaced the uninspiring Bermondsey Kitchen, which we only visited once and didn't return to.

Having enjoyed Jose tapas a few times (when relatively quiet off peak), we thought we'd pop into Pizarro for a long Saturday lunch. Since we strolled up at midday, there was no wait for a table. They have a no bookings policy, which I don't like. If, like The Hope & Anchor at The Cut, Pizarro becomes too popular, we simply won't try to eat there at any popular eating hour.

It became surprisingly busy soon after we sat down, and quickly had a good buzzy atmosphere. Together with wood furniture, warm decor and friendly staff, Pizarro has a nice cozy feel, as another reviewer has commented. Staff could be a bit better organised, but some were charming.

There was a small but sufficient choice of circa 6 starters and 6 mains. We had a wonderfully tasty and light lambs tongue, and a delicious artichoke salad starter. We then went for a 3rd starter, a very tasty quail. Our appetisers were followed by 2 very good mains, a tasty and nicely cooked patridge and a Hake. We really enjoyed the simplicity and lightness of the cooking. Everything was flavoursome and tasty, but not at all oily, fatty or heavy.

Like Jose, an all Spanish wine & sherry list, with a very good selection by the glass or carafe (1/3 bottle). We had a good rioja with our mains, followed by a lovely rich sherry with dessert.

At roughly £55 for 2 for 2 courses, extremely good value – so I guess everyone will just have to queue to enjoy it ! A great addition to SE1. We wish them well.

Being “Easties”, we rarely travel this far west for a meal. Our previous visit had been about 5yrs before, but we felt that a return visit was needed. A good decision. Our late summer mid week long lunch was possibly our most enjoyable meal of 2011. As others have mentioned, the riverside location and large glass wall make it ideal for lunch. Having read them afterwards, I was very surprised by some of the very negative reviews. A complete contrast to our own experience, which was hard to fault.

Food style: Standard Italian style choices, with a focus on seasonal, fresh and simple. All our dishes had super high quality ingredients, and were wonderfully simple and delicious. No pretension, just high quality dishes in good “man sized” portions. Some may not like the lack of design or style in how the food is presented on the plate, but to me this is all a part of the focus on the food not the fripperies.

Since we liked the sound of so many dishes, we decided to go for the “full Italian”: Starter, pasta, main & dessert + lots of wine. Oddly enough, we didn't feel like eating anything that evening ! We had beautifully fresh grilled squid and sardines, followed by excellent al dente pasta ribbons with new season porcini mushrooms. Couldn't fault. This was followed by a lovely large piece of delicious hake and a good size lean and very tasty / gamey new season grouse. Staff very kindly warned us about the gamey taste – but that was exactly what I wanted. One of the most tender and tasty grouse I've eaten in 2011. All topped off by a wonderfully fresh English fruit summer pudding.

Atmosphere: Bustling and relaxed, no background music, and not too noisy (high ceiling must help). Ideal for lunch. Incredibly busy, and not just politicians on PR expenses – what downturn ?

Service: Informal (sometimes the staff actually seemed to be enjoying themselves !!) but professional. Could be perfunctory rather than friendly. Generally not pretentious or arrogant, which can be a big problem in such successful places. Questions were answered properly, and we weren't rushed at all. Pretty good, but could be better at this price.

Pricing: Certainly a bit toppy, but high quality ingredients are not cheap. The informal service, decor and atmosphere may lead you not to expect Locatelli or Zafferano type pricing ? Anyway, our fantastic 3hr lunch cost us about £300, including a lot of drink. To benchmark, 2 courses for 2 inc service ex all drinks worked out at £115. Great value. More generally, Starters were £15-£20, Pasta circa £20, Mains £30-£40.

We will definitely be back. For me, The River Cafe is now my Italian version of Hix in Clerkenwell. We deliberately went for a mid-week lunch, since I wasn't sure how different our experience would be on a busy weekend, with the locals and their over indulged children ?! I think that it was a good call.

Most recent visit July 2011, and our (circa) 20th since the place opened. We love the professional but very friendly and usually charming service. When combined with the décor and furnishing, it gives the place a very relaxing and informal atmosphere, where you can be equally comfortable in jeans or a suit.

The focus is on very high quality British ingredients; so no olives – but some great “local” alternatives ! Their meat is always extremely good quality & very tasty. On past occasions, we've eaten superb quality porterhouse steak, tasty grouse and crispy succulent pig. They are also adventurous enough to have a go at something different – we had some very gamey squirrel on one visit. Most recently, we had very simple but incredibly fresh and tasty watercress soup, followed by beautifully lean and tasty rack of venison. Accompanying vegetable side orders are always incredibly fresh and tasty. High quality simple and unfussy dishes – but very tasty. The ingredients are the very best, with cooking and preparation designed to bring out the flavour of the food, not to smother it. A pleasant change to go to a restaurant that is not working to the maxim that using more ingredients must be better.

Sunday lunch is also very worthwhile, and especially suited to a bigger group of friends / family. Normally have a very good roast of the day. A great way to spend a sunday afternoon.

Seems to work out at £90 for 2 for 2 courses, inc service ex all drinks – but we do tend to choose the more expensive dishes (eg fab Porterhouse steak @ £65 for 2). Total bills including £40-£60 on wine average £180 for 2. Its not cheap, but quality costs (as anyone buying food at Borough Market knows), so I consider it very good value.

One of our current favourite London restaurants. Strongly recommended. Difficult to criticise if you're looking for simple but great tasting food and friendly service in a characterful and relaxing environment. The cooking, decor and service are perfectly suited to the Smithfield location.

Gaulthier is discretely located in a characterful townhouse, in a surprisingly quiet Soho side street. The downstairs dining room is small and intimate, and has been simply updated and modernised.

Our small taster portions were innovative and interesting variants on traditional French cuisine – very refined and surprisingly light, with delicate flavours. Everything was beautifully presented. Our fois gras fondant and seabass / squid dishes were extremely good. Tasty, but very subtle. Our piglet was less appealing, and in comparison with the other dishes was rather bland. Dessert was very enjoyable. The cheese was good, but not great – I'm afraid I'm a big fan of the big cheese board. Overall, a good hit rate. We received good explanations of each dish as they were served.

Service was efficient and friendly, and there were certainly lots of staff around, especially given the limited space ! We were particularly impressed with the sommelier, who was extremely helpful and informative. His choices were interesting, but most importantly (all but one) were delicious and superbly matched with the food.

Four taster dishes (to be equivalent to a starter + main) will be circa £110 for 2, inc service. Worth trying the tasting menu at c£65 pp. With suitable drinks, expect a total of c£250+. Seems fair value given the quality.

A good choice for a sophisticated and modern take on classic French food, with nicely professional but not over formal service. Recommended. We will return to try some different dishes.

We've been here quite a few times over the years, usually just before or after something at the Almeida or Sadlers Wells.

It’s a decent buzzy busy restaurant, serving consistently good, simple and tasty Spanish / Moorish dishes. On our last visit our sardines were very fresh and very nicely prepared, cooked and presented, as was our lamb; although the lamb was luke warm. On previous occasions, we've had some very tasty tapas dishes. The food may not be great, but its always reasonable or good.

We normally seem to pay £60-£65 for 2 for 2 courses, inc service, ex all drinks. Seems fair. They have a very good Iberian wine selection with a wide range of prices. Normally get something interesting and good for c£35. Total bills are normally £140 – £160.

I think service is the weakest part of their offering, since it can vary a lot. Waiting staff are not always that friendly, and can be very slow and sometimes forgetful. However, front of house are normally very good.

Overall, I think it’s a good place, but perhaps they simply struggle to cope with their own 2hr table churn policy ? We've always found Moro to be noticeably better and more pleasant at their much quieter times, such as a late evening mid-week dinner or late afternoon tapas.

Worth trying, especially at a non-standard time.

Our 5th or 6th meal in the Hoste restaurant in the last 2-3 years. As always, it was very busy. They have nice large sofa / coffee / lounge type area in a large conservatory at the back, plus a more atmospheric old pub front bar area – although both get very busy.

The restaurant food is quite good, but not great. Some dishes beautifully cooked, others overcooked, but in general did not live up to expectations, given the menu emphasis on best quality local ingredients. We have eaten some very good carefully cooked Holkham Estate venison, but on our most recent visit had some not particularly great tasting crab and sea bass. Normally seem to pay £55-£60 for 2 for 2 courses, inc service ex all drinks, which seems fair.

Over several visits, service has been very variable. Overall, they are all just too rushed and too busy to have any time to even try to be charming or attentive, and sometimes spend too much time being self important. Given the very high churn of customers on a busy weekend, plus the prices, staff really need to concentrate on being very well organised and very professional. Last year, we'd not previously seen so many plates being dropped in a restaurant in an evening. Also, not impressed at not being offered a fresh glass to taste a second bottle of £40 wine, nor offered a bottle cooler for a £50 champagne. OK for a £25 bottle in a gastro pub, which I think is their real level. Perhaps much better at much quieter times mid-week ?

A gastro pub with rooms that has perhaps now expanded beyond its capabilities, and if not very careful is on the verge of becoming much less appealing ?? Clearly a great ££ business for the owners.

Overall, a mixed impression. The restaurant is really a good gastro pub, but no more. Go casual and don’t expect any more – especially from the service, which can be very pot luck and could do with more professional management for the high traffic volume. Hoste prices very much reflect its popularity, but they are not OTT. Remains one of the better quality eating destinations in North Norfolk.

A good example of the classic gastropub. Used to eat here monthly, but have only been here 2-3 times in the last 6-9 months.

The Gun has a great river side position, in a building which retains its old pub charm.

With the exception of the odd glitch in choices on the menu, the food is consistently good. We prefer their classic gastro pub dishes (like rib-eye or rump of lamb), and tend to stay away from their more complex offerings. Had some very good simple starters, but a recent terrine was simply bland.

Front of house management is usually very good, professional and charming. However, on recent visits we have found many of the other staff to be much less impressive – not as friendly or engaging, and less evidence of good training. We were particularly unimpressed on a visit last year when they adopted a “wine bottle on the table” approach to marketing wine, which the waiter then tried to push. Fine in Pizza Express, but not a gastropub. Luckily, this seems to have been dropped.

We normally pay £65-£70 for 2 for 2 courses, inc service ex all drinks. Seems fair value. A good wine list, from the low to the top end prices. Can normally find something I'm happy with for c£35.

A big downside is the inconvenience of getting a cab home or getting back to Canary Wharf at the end of the evening. In the past, staff would always offer to order a taxi when you asked for your bill. They didn't offer last time.

A decent gastropub. Recommended. Especially if there is ever any sunshine for a weekend lunch !

We've eaten at Club Gascon every 6-9 months for many years. The main reason we don't come more often is usually the lack of an available table !

The dining room itself is relatively small with a high ceiling, with luxurious but understated décor and furnishing. They usually have impressive cut flower displays !

The staff are always attentive, professional and friendly. The sommelier in particular being knowledgeable and helpful, and the maitre'd always engaging and friendly. A complete contrast to the “attitude” that can sometimes be encountered in high end French restaurants, especially in France. Despite this, the atmosphere can sometimes still be a little too hushed and formal for my taste.

Meals have included some fantastic foie gras, venison and partridge. Beautifully cooked and presented, with wonderful taste and flavour. A sophisticated mix of the traditional and the innovative. Also, dishes are often surprisingly light given the very rich ingredients. Portions are small, but having 3 pre dessert courses is sufficient for all but the very biggest appetites.

The set taster menu with a glass of wine matching each course can be recommended. Very good and sometimes unusual pairings with the food, and you'll certainly feel merry by the end !

We tend to pay £100-£110 for 2 for the pre-dessert courses (normally 3 rather than 2), inc service ex all drinks. Total bills tend to be £250-£300 for 2 depending upon wine. Given the quality and service we regard this as very good value.

A great place for sophisticated and refined Gascon / Perigord food, served by very professional friendly staff. Strongly recommended.

Our most recent visit is always “not long ago”. We've been eating here 15-20 times per year for many years.

The food is of a very good Italian trattoria standard, rather than of a formal up market restaurant (ie they're not competing with Zafferano or Locatelli). Very dependable, comfort style food. Nothing too sophisticated or to get excited about, just decent quality traditional dishes. Perfect for a relaxing end of weekend Sunday evening meal.

Like any very well run trattoria, the dining room tends to have a very pleasant and very buzzy atmosphere, and the staff are normally very pleasant, friendly and efficient, despite being busy. Its very much run as a friendly family local, even though it’s a part of D&D, with regulars being acknowledged and recognised by staff. Very nice given the volume of covers, and a lot better than many owner managed restaurants I've been to !

The wine list is sufficient for most meals, and includes some very reasonable less expensive bottles at £25 level. We normally spend £30-£35.

The menu is relatively short, which is fine. We normally have spicy chicken or tuna, or the very popular seafood linguine. Over the last 6 months we've paid on average £47 for 2 for 2 courses, inc service, ex drinks. Total bills tend to be about £90. Seems fair value given the quality of food, service and the prime riverside location (with outside tables, with heaters and a waterproof canopy !!).

One of the best of the ex Conran restaurants in Shad Thames. We like the combination of the casual and informal environment, with friendly staff, plus the very reliable comfort type food.

All the features of an upmarket Trat. We shall be back, very soon …

As locals and regulars (circa monthly) for the last few years – and with many meals under our expanding belts, we regard Magdalen as the best restaurant in the southbank Waterloo to Tower Bridge type area.

It attracts a very mixed crowd of diners – friends, lovers, anniversaries, birthdays, business. Despite many clients coming from local offices mid-week, the atmosphere remains very pleasantly relaxed and informal – helped by the staff. It’s also invariably very busy, giving it a good buzzy atmosphere.

The décor and furnishing adds to the warmth, although perhaps more suited to autumn / winter than summer: Dark woods, terracota colouring, thick curtains, a bit reminiscent of a traditional French bistro.

I think I would classify the food style as Anglo-French earthy, with a bias to high quality meat, game and offal dishes, plus increasingly fish. The style is relatively simple and traditional, but the food is always high quality, very tasty and full of great flavour, and sometimes very gutsy. Our favourite starters include superbly flavoursome quail, grouse or pigeon, and English Hertfordshire snails. Over our many many meals, the food has been reliably very good – very very rarely having an unenjoyable meal. We’ve had some excellent French style fish stews, with lots of big chunks of quality fresh fish, some of the best rib-eye we’ve ever eaten, plus a superb tasty suckling pig, with moist meat and a great crispy skin. However, such meals are probably not suited to a quick light snack !

Front of house and service is almost always very charming, friendly and professional, even when very busy. Not at all formal or pretentious.

The wine list is good, although it could do with more choice at the £25 /£30 end. We normally spend £35-£50, although sometimes more if we feel like a splurge.

Pricing seems very fair, and represents very good value for money given the high quality – and considerably better value than any other nearby restaurants, which we also know very well.

We seem to pay an average £65/£70 for 2 for 2 courses, ex drinks, inc service; although we tend to choose the more expensive dishes. Total bills tend to fluctuate around £150, very much determined by our wine choice.

Overall, an excellent restaurant, only a short hop from London Bridge station or Tower Bridge. Very hard to fault if you enjoy quality earthy food. They certainly deserve their continuing success. If they were located in France they would probably have a Michelin star.

Tried Brumus in Feb 2011 for a post theatre dinner, due to its proximity to the Comedy Theatre. The play didn't finish until 10pm.

Decor and furnishing is very trendy and warm, with unusual colours, which works well. However, the dining room was virtually empty, so naturally lacked atmosphere – but at least it meant that we could take a window seat and watch the world go by in the Haymarket, which can be entertaining.

We chose some of the more expensive items from the a la carte menu. The food was fairly good, although nothing exciting or great, but much better than we had expected for this very touristy part of London.

Unfortunately, our waiter's service approach switched between a) being completely unattentive (chatting to a colleague) and b) being rather patronising, talking to us as if we were newly arrived tourists who had never eaten in a decent restaurant before. Remarkably similar to that irritating habit of some French restaurants !!

Cost £100 for 2 for 2 courses inc service ex all drinks, or £160 in total. In my view, completely mis-priced and very poor value for the quality of food and the poor service. Felt like a “fleece the hotel residents” price level. A shame, because it’s a nice room, conveniently located, and the food was perfectly OK.

We won't be back.

Eaten here a couple of times. With the unusual arrangement of serving a set menu (a la Sally Clarke) at a set time 8pm, with (effectively) oligatory pre-dinner drinks and canapes at 7-30pm, it is never going to be a standard restaurant evening. Everyone is shown through to their tables within minutes of each other – a formal procession being presented to the head(chef) !?

Service was reasonable, efficient and pleasant. However, it noticeably lacked the sophistication or refinement of the dishes, or what you might expect at Mich star level and prices. The simultaneous food service also constrains any enagagement with serving staff. On one occasion, at the end of the evening, staff disappeared pretty rapidly, and we had to hunt out someone so that we could pay our bill and leave. The “weakest link”.

Our meal included quails egg, asparagus soup, gaspacho, deep fried cod and duck. All was very well cooked and tasty, with some dishes being more imaginative than others. Good or very good, but other than our duck, nothing special. The duck was really excellent, and beautifully undercooked, so very tasty. As a “cheese-ophile”, I was a little disappointed at the cheese serving. Wine choices good and fairly priced.

£55 /£60 per person seemed fair value, although London prices. With wine and pre-dinner drinks expect a total of circa £200 for 2.

Overall, a good experience and definitely worth trying if you're in the area. Having eaten at most good restaurants and gastropubs along the north Norfolk coast several times, Morston is clearly the best. However, the slightly annoying pre-dinner seating and drinks, set menu and set service time are clearly for the benefit of the restaurant, and of no possible value to customers. Whilst it remains the best restaurant along this coastline, like others, we will return.

The restaurant occupies a very sympathetically and beautifully restored room attached to the gallery. Big windows, mirrors and light wood furniture gives a very airy feel. Hence, despite the lack of space between tables, normally has a very pleasant breezy atmosphere. A bit of a contrast to most of the other buildings and restaurants nearby.

Eaten here 5-6 times in the last 6-8 months, either midweek dinner or Saturday lunch. The menu is normally short but certainly sufficient. The food is usually pretty good, and has been improving. A bias to simpler and more seasonal dishes, which I think works very well and suits our taste. We've eaten some very tasty risotto, lamb, mackerel and some very moorish truffle chips, plus some other less memorable dishes. Service is usually friendly, informal but professional. Also improved.

We usually pay £45-£50 for 2, for 2 courses, inc service ex all drinks; or average £85 in total inc drinks / extras. Very reasonable bills and very good value.

Overall, a great venue which has noticeably improved over the last year – very much “on the up”. Can treat as a formal or informal dining experience, given the attached gallery. A very good option for modern Euro / English cooking in this area.

Very much recommended – and you can combine with a look around one of London's leading contemporary galleries – normally something of interest !

Eaten at St John 3 times in the last 18m. Our most recent visit was April 11, having not eaten there since early 2010 (always booked up). Its pretty much unchanged, and every bit as good, with its focus on simple high quality English dishes, especially the “unpopular cuts”.

The main white walled dining room is rather stark and cold, especially with its warehouse style lighting – but perfect abattoir décor ! OK when busy, but it must be very “cold” if there are times when the restaurant is quiet.

The waitress and serving staff were very professional and knowledgeable, able to properly answer questions about the menu. However, not particularly friendly or charming. They coped very well with the very busy restaurant.

We love the simple high quality, very tasty and very earthy style of the dishes (eg fantastic pigeon), unusual off-cut and offal dishes (eg chitterlings). Our venison offal was a little uninspiring; mainly liver. However, on a previous visit, it would have been difficult for the very gamey grouse to have been any more “red”, which might not be to everyone’s taste. The menu really focusses on the gutsy stronger tasting cuts and dishes.

We had absolutely delicious trifle and apple cake for dessert. Possibly the best restaurant trifle I've eaten – Following on from Gary Rhodes great achievement 10+ yrs ago with Shepherds Pie ?

We liked the wine list, with its unusual bias to well selected regional French.

Great value at circa £75 for 2 for 2 courses inc service ex all drinks.

Overall, a great restaurant, with professional staff serving very tasty and sometimes very unusual dishes. Long may it continue.

Eaten here 4-5 times since late 2010, most recently March 2011. It’s certainly a quality venue, and undoubtedly the best restaurant in Canary Wharf.

The food is very good, and has that sense (perhaps incorrectly ?) of also being very healthy – because so much of it is either grilled or in a broth, or because the tempura is so light ? Never heavy or oily. And we've never had a bad dish. Always very tasty, with high quality ingredients, whether sushi, tempura, beef, cod or soft shell crab.

We tend to drink the sake, which is always very good, and often very reasonably priced.

Service is very slick and professional, rather than being charming or friendly – but they do cope very well with high volumes, without obvious mishaps or excessive delays.

Interior décor is very stylish and relaxing. Lots of wood, and chic furniture. Also, has a good busy and buzzy atmosphere, with the odd large group. On a Saturday evening, some of the diners look as if they've just walked off the TV set of “The Only Way is Essex”. All part of the experience.

I would regard Roka as very good value, despite the high prices, because of the high quality. Have paid £90-£100 for 2 inc service ex drinks in the evening, and nearer £70-£75 for 2 for “special” weekend lunch menus (with a few extras on top of the basic menu).

Overall a high quality restaurant, serving tasty and healthy modern japanese food. A good place for a Japanese food novice to try. The only downside is the price, but at least you get the quality.