St John

St John at 26 St John Street in Clerkenwell EC1 is one of the most influential restaurants in Britain. Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver opened it in 1994 in a former smokehouse near Smithfield meat market, and the nose-to-tail philosophy Henderson developed here — using every part of every animal, presented with monastic simplicity on plain white plates — changed British cooking permanently. Time Out names it the best British restaurant in London (2025). Hardens rates it among the finest in the capital. Signature dishes: roast bone marrow and parsley salad on toast, eccles cakes with Lancashire cheese, devilled kidneys, Welsh rarebit. The bakery produces some of London's best bread and the doughnuts are legendary. Henderson was awarded an MBE for services to the culinary arts in 2005.

Available for dine-in at 26 St John Street, Clerkenwell EC1M. Phone 020 7251 0848. Own website: stjohnrestaurant.com. Open Mon-Sat lunch and dinner.