Frenchie

What for: Bistro bites
There’s a new head chef in town: 26-year-old wunderkind Ivan Vukadinovic, who as of August this year leads an equally young and talented team at Frenchie – the super-fresh, super-French brasserie on London’s Henrietta Street. Portions aren’t huge but, as the old adage goes, good things come in small packages.
Starter: We’d recommend the light-as-a-feather, well-paced tasting menu (five courses for £70), which kicks off with the restaurant’s legendary bacon scones. These are Frenchie’s signature snack, so don’t leave without trying them.
Main: The tasting menu shows off lamb saddle and monkfish (the latter is £36.50 on the à la carte menu, making the tasting menu price a steal), but, if you are going à la carte, chef Ivan’s seasonal mushroom ravioli with truffle is the one.
Dessert: A flower-flecked corn crémeux is the stuff of Instagram dreams. Fancy yourself a traditionalist? Beeline for the signature banoffee bonanza.
Fun fact: The original Frenchie, found in Paris, was so named by its founder and chef supreme Greg Marchand after his own nickname, ‘Frenchie’, given to him by none other than our very own Jamie Oliver.

Ten Avios per £1 spent; reservations available in 2022

Sussex

What for: Bolshie British grub
One of five restaurants from the Gladwin Brothers, Sussex’s informal atmosphere belies a serious mission to bring sustainable and seasonal food to the heart of Soho. It runs an intimate monthly Wine Club, sourced from British suppliers (including from its own farm and vineyard) and leaves diners feeling outright patriotic.
Starter: Hold up. Before you get to the carpaccio or spicy pork and apricot terrine, start with the ‘snacks’. You’ll be talking about the one-bite mushroom marmite éclairs for months.   
Main: The beef Wellington for two may seem to be the favourite in the room, but don’t overlook the daily fish special.
Dessert: Let a Kingston Black cider brandy satisfy your sweet tooth and go for the cheeseboard – British, of course, with generous portions.
Fun fact: So obsessed with the county of Sussex is this restaurant that even the plates are from a local ceramicist. And very nice they are, too.

Ten Avios per £1 spent

Margot

What for: Italian fine dining
It’s been five years since this Art Deco diner first opened its doors, and in that time it has earned a legion of ardent fans (food critic Jay Rayner called it a “special kind of right”) who know the best food can be found on the edge of Covent Garden’s central drag. It’s not cheap (pasta dishes average £25) but, boy, is it worth it – and just think of the Avios.   
Starter: The burrata is fantastically gooey and flavoursome, but we had a soft spot for the artichoke salad with confetti-like Parmesan.  
Main: You could devour the selection of cured meats and cheeses and be on your way. To make a real meal of it, though, try the risotto with grated truffle or the golden, crispy-skinned chicken breast with wild mushrooms.
Dessert: Tiramisú. Always Tiramisú.
Fun fact: Another day, another nickname. The restaurant’s Dachshund motif is a nod to the owner’s mother-in-law, Margot, whose nickname translates to ‘Dachshund’ on account of her short legs.

Ten Avios per £1 spent