The Ivy

With its liveried doormen and celebrity clientele, the Ivy is a showbiz event in itself. The English menu lists dishes like shepherd's pie, steak tartare, kedgeree and Cumberland sausages with onions and mash. Comfort desserts like sticky toffee pudding finish things off. The top place on the London dining scene, scoring a reservation is the trickiest part.

Once upon a time, Noel Coward and Gertrude Lawrence lingered over witty meals at The Ivy. Now today's celebrities and London's beautiful people are making a valiant effort to fill the fabulous gap they left. The Ivy is as famous for the impossibility of getting a reservation there as it is for the quality of the food. You might have a chance if your name were Nicole Kidman. There are still some 1920's motifs but updated to accommodate 21st century ideas of style. There are dark-coloured banquettes everywhere, diamond-shaped stained-glass windows for privacy, and a slight breeze generated by the fleet-footed servers. Make sure your health insurance is up to date - you may get whiplash from all the star-spotting.