Nobu, London

As the restaurant of the super-swish Metropolitan Hotel, it's no surprise that this is one of London's hottest venues and one that will burn a hole in your pocket if you're not careful. It seemed that only stars stood a chance of securing a table among these minimalist walls, but it's getting easier nowadays. The cuisine is a creative blend of Japanese and South American, courtesy of chef and co-owner Matsuhisa Nobu, whose first restaurant was in Peru. There's excellent sake, a fantastic wine list and great cocktails to quaff. But when you consider this is where Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts dined in Notting Hill, and that Boris Becker's love child was conceived in the laundry cupboard, it's not really surprising.