Britain’s hottest chef has an impressive eight restaurants in London and is building a reputation for gastronomic excellence around the world. When Jason’s not globetrotting to oversee his culinary empire, he loves nothing better than hanging out in his hometown with his family. Here, he gives the lowdown on his top spots for enjoying the capital’s fantastic food scene

Weekend brunch worth battling the queues for
As a family we always head to a little place near where we live in Balham, south London, called Milk. It’s a fantastic local hotspot and hugely popular for brunch – there’s always a queue, whatever the weather. I order the Convict, a homemade sausage patty in brioche with melted cheese, crispy bacon and spicy tomato ketchup.

Best ‘grab-and-go’ snack
Bao (above) on Lexington Street in Soho is great for a quick bite. I always go for the classic steamed pork bun with spicy sauce.

Breakfast spot worth getting up early for
The Wolseley is lovely for breakfast. It has a fabulous interior and the service is incredible. As a treat, I order the haggis with fried duck eggs. If I’ve not eaten at home, I’ll often pop into a simple little place near my work on Pollen Street called the Sunflower. It’s a typical Italian-run café, perfect for a good bacon sandwich with HP sauce, a round of toast and cup of really strong English breakfast tea.

Local independent that deserves to stay in business
The Monocle Café on Chiltern Street in Marylebone is a wonderful, cute and quirky place. Its menu is Japanese and Swedish-inspired and has the most fantastic cakes and pastries, including delicious little mochi balls.

Lunch spot for taking care of business
I tend to go down to Savile Row, either to Sartoria (above) where chef patron Francesco Mazzei has done a marvellous job with the menu and décor, or Cecconi’s, a great spot for a semi-informal business lunch that isn’t too expensive.

Hip hangouts where children are welcome
My wife and I sometimes take our children to Scott’s on a Sunday night as a treat. They love getting dressed up and putting on their best table manners. Both of my kids are addicted to jamon so they enjoy hanging out at Social Wine and Tapas. It’s very child-friendly and the portions are perfectly kid-sized, with dishes like mini pork burgers, croquettas and little cinnamon doughnuts.

Top spot for afternoon tea
It absolutely has to be The Ritz (above). Executive chef John Williams is the afternoon tea guru – what he doesn’t know about the institution isn’t worth knowing. He doesn’t try to be cool or quirky; it’s a classic afternoon tea simply done and served with elegance and panache. And I love the fact that you still have to wear a jacket and tie, because that’s the tradition.

Foodie souvenir to take home
It would have to be a bottle of Sipsmith’s London Dry Gin. Sitting down with a really good-quality G&T is a cool little reminder of London, the place where gin was invented and home to all of the old gin palaces.

Foodie experience worth leaving town for
Nottingham’s Restaurant Sat Bains (above). It’s one of the finest restaurants in the country and worth making the hour-and-a-half train trip from London. Last time I went I had an amazing wood-fired baked potato – you have to try it to believe how good a simple potato can taste. The wild mallard – served as a sausage roll and wrapped in cabbage – was absolutely delicious too.

A reliable place for pre-dinner drinks
The American Bar at the Savoy. Head bartender Erik Lorincz does a fantastic job with the cocktails. My drink of choice there is a classic negroni – you can’t beat it.

Interview by Rachel Truman


Jason Atherton’s new restaurant Hai Cenato has just opened in London’s Victoria

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This article has been tagged Food + Drink, Travel Tips