Portland, London
If there's one restaurant you visit in 2016, make it Portland. Situated on London's Great Portland Street, the small restaurant (it has just 45 covers) has become one of the city's best since it opened in January 2015. Portland is the latest venture of Will Lander, co-owner of Quality Chop House, and Daniel Morgenthau, formerly of 10 Greek Street. That, along with chef Merlin Labron-Johnson who cut his teeth at Michelin-starred In de Wulf in Belgium, already makes it a recipe for success.
Set in a former clothes showroom, Portland has style - and substance - at its heart. Inside it embraces Scandinavian minimalism; think retro wooden school chairs, stark white walls, pendant lighting, and an open kitchen at the rear. The menu is small and selective but the the food is always incredibly well-executed. Labron-Johnson's Belgian background is evident in the menu, with fermented vegetables (nicer than they sound) and white truffle and Gruyère macarons making an appearance, while British flavours are found in the likes of Yorkshire mallard and wild Cornish seabass.
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