The current iteration of Marine Ices on Chalk Farm Road still invokes its original ‘Britalian’ leanings, albeit with a knowingly retro twist. This is a true parlour, no restaurant trappings here, and putting nostalgia aside, its ice creams are the antidote to a scorchingly hot summer day. Raspberry ripple, malted milk and cookie cream are all fantastic, and their take on a knickerbocker glory — all sticky raspberry sauce, glazed peaches, and obscene measures of whipped cream — might not have anything on South Shields, but is a delicious treat nonetheless. 

Each of London’s diaspora cling to the traditions of “home” far more than the original population, and Lemongrass provides an anthropological case study. London’s only Khmer restaurant, chef-owner Thomas Tan arrived in the UK in 1969, bringing a handful of recipes predating the Khmer Rouge’s 1975 invasion. Tender lok-luk fillet steak is pan-fried in lashings of butter (echoing the region’s French colonisation), while mild amok fish curry — infused with fresh lemongrass, kaffir lime, and traditionally steamed in a banana leaf — needs only a bowl of rice. The dining room has dated, but affords a rare opportunity to sample dishes from one of the world’s least-appreciated cuisines. It’s temporarily closed, but intends to return in 2023.

There’s good reason for the phrase “too much of a good thing,” and anywhere with an entire menu revolving around cheese teeters dangerously close. Matthew Carver’s counter-only space is absolutely worth busting out a few warm-up lunges for, showcasing British and London cheeses through well-considered dishes. The standard toastie (Ogleshield, Keens cheddar and grilled onions) rivals Borough Market’s Kappacasein, while the four-cheese fondue and Devon blue cheese ice cream (with honeycomb and poached pear) are unrepentantly decadent ways to eat oneself into a lactose-induced stupor. 

One of London’s best burgers is just a quick schlep over the canal at KERB, and it’s well worth the effort of battling crowds to get there. Every step in creating a perfect burger is nailed, from provenance to execution — aged beef comes from the stall’s own farm (Herons Farm in Colchester), and is dry-aged 90 days to ensure maximum bovine heft. Patties are seasoned and hand-pressed before being sandwiched between soft demi-brioche in creations like the B.B.B (Bacon Butter Burger), along with crisp bacon, burnt butter mayo and onion.

Descend a staircase on Delancey Street to enter one of London’s only proper izakayas, an atmospheric basement bar with perfunctory wooden booths, plenty of bar stools and a largely Japanese staff and clientele. As with any izakaya worth its salt, the focus is on booze, with the holy trinity of shochu, sake, and beer flowing freely (with a decent selection of Japanese single malts for good measure). The simple but delicious food is a perfect accompaniment: start with small plates like silky mackerel and seabass sashimi — otoro is also available — before moving to more robust dishes like husky nuggets of chicken karaage, à la mode katsu sandos, or grilled onglet with sweet yakiniku sauce. 

Edging towards Mornington Crescent, this friendly neighbourhood Japanese spot gets packed with office workers who come for fantastic, inexpensive set lunches. For a first visit, gravitate towards expertly made gyoza and ramen; the former arrive stuffed with pork or salmon, with slippery, soft skins and crisped undersides. Steaming bowls of ramen demonstrate the kitchen’s soft-spoken aptitude for coaxing maximum flavour from ingredients — the miso ramen, in particular, is a quiet riot of simmered chicken and pork bones, umami-packed miso, flavoursome chashu and tender bamboo shoots. 

Revered Parisian pâtissier Phillipe Conticini’s first stint in London ended abruptly, when his “Pastries of Dreams” closed in 2016. Judging by today’s Instagram lexicon, they were simply three years ahead of their time. If his return to the capital was a surprise, its location, in Camden’s main market, was a genuine shock. What’s not a surprise is how his sense of theatre has crossed the channel with aplomb, and the execution on the patisserie is top-class.

The latest in the group’s expansion out of Chinatown, Jinli isn’t changing anything about a formula that has taken it to five well-regarded restaurants in the capital. Owner Yi Fei hails from Chengdu, in Sichuan, and continues the focus on typical dishes of the province. A very reliable option, good for groups, and good quality: exactly what diners need close to home.

A little along towards Belsize Park, this largely Sardinian restaurant is a disguised heavyweight of the city’s Italian scene. Its real knockout blow comes in the pasta section, where a changing array of three-to-four dishes are judged al dente, with a pappardelle luxuriating in a gamey ragu, or malfadine getting to know truffles and cheese handsomely.