Nobu London Old Park Lane

It's "still an all-time favourite", but the late 90s origins of Nobu Matsuhisa's first European outing have given it a time-capsule quality. It's a lovely bubble to be in though, with Hyde Park views through full-height windows and calming wood and stone all around. If the pale walls could talk, they might tell eyebrow-raising tales from a livelier past; that duty now falls to the party-hard Berkeley Street outpost. Here, it's clear to see what all the fuss was (and is) about: the fusion style hits umami squarely in the face. You can't go wrong with langoustines and red chilli shiso salsa, sashimi salad with Matsuhisa dressing, fiery Peruvian anticucho skewers and, of course, the emblematic black cod with miso – served on butter lettuce for that contemporary kick of clean-eating satisfaction. However, cocktails, saké and a wine list priced for big budgets will undo all that good work in an instant.

Nobu London Old Park Lane first opened in 1997 and at the time, was the first European site for this now-iconic, luxury chain of Japanese restaurants, founded by world-renowned Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Its nearly 30 years of history makes it a must-visit spot for fans of the chef, or Japense cuisine in general. Housed in a contemporary, art gallery-style building on the edge of Hyde Park, guests can enjoy London views through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and a sleek, modern feel. 

As for the menus, there are plenty of options to choose from for both lunch and dinner. For an evening sitting, for example, you might start with padron peppers with yuzu miso, alongside a caviar and avocado nori taco and umami chicken wings. Speaking of tacos, this hybrid dish is a much-loved favourite with fillings like spicy salmon, lobster and wagyu beef. 

The menu highlights both classic and contemporary dishes thanks to the restaurant's long and storied reputation. Diners are encouraged to mix cold and hot plates, with cold dishes looking like miso chips with tuna or salmon, alongside salmon skin salad and seafood ceviche. While, hot dishes might look like the must-try black cod miso, rock shrimp tempura with three sauces, as well as beef toban yaki. 

Nobu specialises in Japanese grade A5 wagyu beef and offers a choice of new style, tataki, toban yaki, steak, ishiyaki and tacos. Another must try is the kushiyaki skewers with options like chicken, scallop and beef. Be sure to load up on sides, too. We like the sound of the grilled asparagus with dry miso and warm mushroom salad. Finally, for dessert there are sweet treats like the chocolate bento box, mango cheesecake and oat crumble with Thai basil sorbet. 

Nobu London Old Park Lane also offers sushi classes which are really fun to do with friends and will give you a whole new insight into the world of Japanese cuisine.