No WhatsApping at the table! First Dates guru Fred Sirieix reveals his top tips for dating in London

London's most romantic restaurants

• 1/19 Bob Bob Ricard

  Bob Bob Ricard Soho

  This sexy Soho spot is glamorous, fun and endlessly impressive — if not at all cheap. Highlights of the 20s style décor include the ‘press for Champagne’ button, while the kiev is a must-try from the Russia-meets-Europe menu. So long as a spot of garlic won’t kill the mood, that is.
  bobbobricard.com

• 2/19 Galvin La Chapelle

  Spitalfields

  This high-ceilinged, architecturally stunning former chapel makes an impressive backdrop for French-minded fine-dining, with doting but not disruptive service sealing the deal. This is romance at its most classic.
  galvinrestaurants.com

• 3/19 Clos Maggiore

  Covent Garden

  It’s been voted London’s most romantic restaurant time and time again, and has the stats to back it up — the restaurant is witness to several marriage proposals each week. The winning formula includes high-end French food, a stellar wine list, slick service, a cosy open fire and a glass roof showing off the starry night sky. What more could you want?
  closmaggiore.com

• 4/19 Boundary Rooftop

  Shoreditch

  Occupying an enviable spot overlooking the City and Shoreditch, Boundary’s rooftop — complete with decking and lemon trees — feels like a slice of the Med in London. Because the weather is unlikely to match its appearance, it’s also entirely weatherproof and heated, allowing for scenic views without the shivers.
  The menu includes a delicious selection of oysters and fruits de mer as well as mezze and tapas-style sharing plates and grilled meat and fish from the robata grill.
  As well as access to the main restaurant’s extensive wine list, there’s a dedicated gin & tonic selection as well as aperitivo cocktails.
  theboundary.co.uk

• 5/19 Andrew Edmunds

  Soho

  Relaxed but smart with an exceptionally well-priced wine list, Andrew Edmunds is quite rightly a Soho classic. It oozes a romantic old-school charm, especially of an evening when it is tightly packed and lit almost entirely by the wine bottles filled with candles that adorn each table.
  andrewedmunds.com

• 6/19 Petersham Nurseries

  Richmond

  Who said that romantic had to mean low lit, candles and corners? The stunning floral-flanked setting of the greenhouses at Petersham Nurseries offer a loved-up vibe of an entirely different kind and the pretty setting is matched by equally beautiful plates of fresh, seasonal food. A good bet for a lunchtime date, followed by a stroll through Richmond Park or along the river.
  petershamnurseries.com

• 7/19 The Wolseley

  Piccadilly

  It may be large and bustling rather than intimate, but this exquisite high-octane brasserie from Corbin & King makes for a mighty impressive date place nonetheless. Steak tartare, oysters, shellfish and schnitzels are among the highlights — some of which are more classic aphrodisiacs than others.
  thewolseley.com

• 8/19 Le Pont De La Tour

  Shad Thames

  This classic French restaurant which majors in seafood has a particularly special feature up its sleeves — breathtaking views of Tower Bridge and the Thames. Obviously you should be gazing into your partner’s eyes for most of the meal, but should that not be the case you won’t be short of somewhere to look.
  lepontdelatour.co.uk

  Adrian Franklin / D&D London

• 9/19 Wright Brothers

  Various locations

  What better for a romantic meal than oysters? And where better to get them than Wright Brothers? The restaurant group also sells wholesale and has its own oyster farm in Cornwall. While the original Borough Market site is cosy and charming — though often packed — the newer South Kensington venue comes complete with the elegant downstairs Mermaid cocktail bar. Because the oysters are fairly good value, you’ll be able to consume more of their aphrodisiac goodness.
  thewrightbrothers.co.uk

• 10/19 Aurora

  Soho

  This longstanding spot on a Soho sidestreet feels much less central than it is, thanks to classy but informal service and intimate tables. Its good value menu spans French, Italian and British classics and is matched with a decent selection of Old World wines. Great for date night on a budget.
  aurorasoho.co.uk

• 11/19 Duck & Waffle

  City

  There’s one very obvious reason why Duck & Waffle features in this list — the views. The restaurant is the highest in London and it has the impressive outlook to match. That said, there are plenty of other reasons to come. The modern British food, overseen by exec chef — Dan Doherty — is an impressive affair in itself, and given it’s open 24 hours, any time is good for a date.
  duckandwaffle.com

• 12/19 La Poule Au Pot

  Chelsea

  Featuring rustic stone walls and an abundance of candles, this brasserie delivers a slice of rural France to the streets off Sloane Square. Escargot steak frites and rabbit in mustard sauce are among the classics served alongside a well-priced all-French wine list.
  pouleaupot.co.uk

• 13/19 Rules

  Covent Garden

  Laying claim to the title of London’s oldest restaurant, Rules has character by the bucket load. Cosy up with your date on one of their cosy red banquettes and lose yourselves in a time gone by. Its traditional menu majors on game, while oysters are also a popular choice.
  rules.co.uk

• 14/19 Little Social

  Mayfair

  This smaller off-shoot of Jason Atherton’s Pollen Street Social offers some of the city’s best European dishes in an intimate though bustling bistro setting. Leather booths, warm lighting and great cocktails will make a date all the more romantic.
  littlesocial.co.uk

• 15/19 The Ledbury

  Notting Hill

  This isn’t your average date night restaurant — it has two Michelin stars and is considered one of the nation’s very best. But it’s clever but relatively straightforward produce-led plates are sure to woo any dinner guest who fancies the best that money can buy without the pomp often associated with it.
  theledbury.com

• 16/19 Le Gavroche

  Mayfair

  Let’s be clear; this is very much a special occasion kind of a place. Michel Roux Jnr’s exquisite French restaurant is unbeatable for old-school fine-dining, but it has two Michelin stars and a price to match.
  le-gavroche.co.uk

• 17/19 Zelman Meats

  Soho

  Now, this isn’t your most classically romantic of restaurants — it’s casual, busy and oh so Soho. But if your date is of a carnivorous mindset, then it’s hard to beat this spot for succulent, sexy strips of steak at a very affordable price. Plus there are both oysters and uber-buttery mash, which is pretty romantic - no?
  zelmanmeats.com

• 18/19 Bleeding Heart

  Clerkenwell

  Gutsy French classics are served with rustic flair at both the Bleeding Heart bistro and restaurant, with the restaurant upping the level of formality just slightly. Intimate, well-spaced tables ensure you don’t share your date with the table next door while an excellent wine list will ensure you don’t run dry.
  bleedingheart.co.uk

• 19/19 Bel Canto

  Bayswater

  Disclaimer: this is not for everyone and some will hate it. However, if dining while opera singers perform around you sounds like your idea of a romantic evening then this is the place to come. It’s a little intense, very different and the loosely French food is far from the best around — but in all honesty, you and your guest are likely to have a great time that you’ll remember for a long time to come.
  belcantolondon.co.uk