(1e Via Eleonora Duse in Rome, Italy)

All’Oro restaurant in Rome’s Parioli quarter north of the Villa Borghese is a news-flash addition to... the Roman dining scene. Chef Riccardo di Giacinto has worked with Europe’s hottest chefs – Ferran Adria and Marco Pierre White to name two – assimilating their perfectionist tendencies about flavour and quality. All’Oro, his first restaurant, is a tiny gem in shades of cream and gold. The décor is modern in a Pan Am, dolce vita retro kind of way, with classy dark wood tables, pale seating, cutout screens, and spotlit walls. Just sixteen dishes adorn the menu, changing all the time. Breads and puds are home made and everything exalts cooking to the highest level. Dishes might include starter of parmesan soufflé with calamari ragu and roast porcini, first course of lasagne of duck ragout with juniper berries and orange peel and formaggio ubriaco, main course of roast cod with chickpea and rosemary butter, carrot marmalade and saffron sauce, and dessert of bavarois of crema catalana with caramel sauce and chocolate cannoli. The short wine list is entirely Italian and you may find yourself greeted by di Giacinto’s beautiful fiancée, Ramona. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. A credit card is required to reserve a table for groups of 6 people or more, if there is availability - this is simply to secure your booking, absolutely no money will be charged to the card except in the case of late cancellations. A fee of 30€ per person will be charged for a cancellation within 2 days or for a no show Opening hours: Mon - Fri 12:30pm - 2:30pm & 7:45pm - 11pm Sat 7:45pm – 11pm Sun: closed all day Closed during the month of August [moreless]

(25 Amsteldijk in Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Altmann restaurant just beyond Amsterdam’s downtown, a stone’s throw across the Amstel river from th...e Amstel Hotel, is a chart-topping spot to see and be seen. Set in a big 19th century corner building, Altmann’s décor is sexy, luxurious and modern – lots of creamy walls, chocolate banquettes and enough candles to light St Paul’s. So smart, some call this restaurant ‘London on the Amstel’. Host Arne Altmann is on the scene, setting the tone of relaxation and fine personal service. For VIPs at heart, there’s a raised platform at the heart of the restaurant with just four tables for Olympic-level posing. Chef Mohammed Mahraoui earned his stars at Amsterdam’s Blakes and is working culinary magic here, too. Try starter of ricotta tomato cakes with gazpacho of tomato and basil, main course of Mahraoui’s own tagine of lamb, sweet potato, preserved lemons and coriander and dessert of espresso milkshake with vanilla ice cream, Baileys and bitter chocolate. Private groups up to ninety trendsetters can gather themselves in this special place. Valet parking. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. Opening hours: Mon - Sat 6pm - 12am Sun: closed all day [moreless]

(29 Via del Proconsolo in Florence, Italy)

Hidden deep in the heart of Medieval Florence, Angels Restaurant and Wine Bar is a welcome surprise ...for those who need a change of historical scene. It might be a stone’s throw from the 15th century Duomo, but this futuristic restaurant is a cathedral of hip, with a mood-lit space and high vaulted ceilings that are more about martinis than the Medici. Inside, beautiful Florentine fashionistas meet at the sleek American bar to sip champagne and nibble on antipasti in a modern-day Fellini fantasy. But while the vibe - and crowd - at Angels Restaurant and Wine Bar are molto trendy, the food is still hearty enough to fill you up. The popular Sunday brunch is a spread of classic international treats such as omelettes and luscious crepes, while the restaurant’s regularly changing, seasonal lunch and dinner menu is built resolutely around the sunshine flavours of traditional Tuscan cooking. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. Opening hours: Daily12pm - 3pm & 7:30pm - 11:30pm The space age interior is hidden behind a historical façade on one of the city’s oldest streets... [moreless]

(39 Avenue de l'Opéra in Paris, France)

Michelin-starred Gilles Choukroun is one of the enfants not-so-terrible of a new esthetique of Frenc...h cooking that has advocates swooning in delight. It employs the classic methods, exotic flavour combinations and playful eating methods to superb effect. His restaurant, Angl'Opéra, is set in the beautifully refurbished Edouard VII hotel, and is smart, slick and welcoming, with a curving dining room and waitstaff kitted out in jogging chic. The fusion menu, written in Dadaist style, includes dishes like starter of hot boullion, ginger, soft-boiled egg and foie gras, main course of salmon with lemon risotto with a shot glass of hot coconut milk. Great wines. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. Opening hours: Mon - Fri 12pm - 2:30pm & 7:30pm - 11pm Sat - Sun:closed all day [moreless]

(24 Haymarket in London, United Kingdom)

Angus Steak House in London’s busy Haymarket is one of a chain that has anchored London’s love affai...r with American-style steakhouse for absolutely decades. The blood-red interior with its leather banquettes, prints of beef-themed artwork, figured carpets and dark wood is what generations of carnivores know well. Steak is the dish, of course, in eight cuts and three sizes ranging up to the 16 ounce Angus T-Bone. There’s trad fish and chips and salmon for others as well as veggie dishes. No, seriously. The location is great for theatre and the tourist sights of the West End. Angus Steak House is one institution that you can depend on. Please note - this restaurant does not take toptable bookings in the evenings. Opening hours: Mon - Thurs 11am - 11:30pmFri & Sat 11am - 12amSun 12am - 11:30pm [moreless]

(Paradise Lane in Hazlewood, United Kingdom)

The Anise Restaurant is tucked away in the orangerie of the Hazlewood Castle Hotel in Yorkshire. The... castle itself has been around since Norman times, but it was elegantly, and thankfully, restored in 1997. Guests at the hotel can enjoy activities such as archery, cooking lessons, and dining like a knight at a rectangular table in the Anise Restaurant. French chef, Valerie Hamelin, oversees a Mediterranean-inspired menu that includes Moules Frites and Tangine with Cous Cous. Light and airy, the restaurant has slate floors and windows surrounding the dining room, offering stunning views of the castle grounds. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the Anise Restaurant offers superb food in unique surrounds. Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 12pm - 4pm & 6pm - 9:30pmSat & Sun: 12pm - 3pm & 6pm - 9:30pm Hazlewood Castle got a mention in the Doomsday Book in 1086 [moreless]

(The Tree Hotel, 63 Church Way in Oxford, United Kingdom)

Situated in the tranquil village of Iffley at a stones throw from the Iffley Lock Annora serves con...temporary Continental Thai and Indian cuisine as well as a wide rage of menus in its traditional pub. Annora has managed to win a lot of hearts and awards in the first two years of operation. This award winning restaurant believes in freshness of ingredients and simplicity of cuisine. Don’t miss the must eat Grand Sunday lunch buffet serving a wide selection of international salads, cold cuts and starters with an extensive selection of Indian 7 thai curries and traditional roast and trimmings. Opening hours: Mon - Sun: 12pm - 3pm & 6pm - 10pm [moreless]

(, 9 Largo Del Teatro Valle in Rome, Italy)

The Antica Biblioteca Valle restaurant, (formerly Acqua Negra)in the heart of Rome is a new incarna...tion for a new century of an iconic club that prospered during La Dolce Vita. The new restaurant arises on the very spot where stylish stars of that era played, but now you can build an entire day around this smart, hard-working restaurant. From breakfast of Italian delicacies and superb coffee at 6.30 am through lunch, tea, happy hour, dinner and lingering snacks with wine until 2 am, the smiling hospitality never falters. The dining room features a swooshing leather banquette, woven chairs, informal table settings and elegant wine storage. The dinner menu, all modern Italian, concentrates on fish and on stunning presentation – try starter of citrus-marinated fish carpaccio, pasta course of spinach pappardelle with gorgonzola and walnuts, main course of a tower of beef fillet with herbs. The breads and decorations are works of art in themselves. Use the private dining room or hire the entire venue for private events, from weddings to corporate parties. Antica Biblioteca Valle – La Dolce Vita is now. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. Opening hours: Mon - Sun 7am - 11:30am & 12pm - 4pm & 7pm - 1am [moreless]

(14 Rue des Fosses Saint Bernard in Paris, France)

l'AOC is named for those important little letters you find on your bottle of wine, not the grands vi...ns, but the darned drinkable ones of more quotidian price. This small, welcoming restaurant is like a proper country eaterie, but in the heart of lively Blvd St Germain. There are tiles on the floor, charming prints and cookware adorn the walls, yet white tablecloths and smart service. You generally choose your plate of mixed starters, charcuterie and the like, from the buffet laid out on the polished antique chest-of-drawers. Then move on to one of the wonderful grilled dishes that are the speciality of the house. As you might suspect, the wine list is well worth exploration. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. Opening hours: Tue - Sat 12pm - 2pm & 7:30pm - 11pm Sun - Mon: closed all day [moreless]

(Pereiras de Almancil in Almancil, Portugal)

Situated just outside the centre of Almancil, in a quirky octagonal building on the road to Vale do ...Lobo is homey restaurant Aquarelle. Surrounded by greenery, whether you choose to enjoy an airy evening at an outside table or retreat to the air conditioned dining room, carefully decorated in tasteful Mediterranean colours, you’ll be ensured a relaxing evening, hosted by friendly and welcoming staff. On menu you’ll find a host of glorious French delights, all attractively served with great attention to detail. Don’t miss the fabulous homemade ice creams from the dessert menu – even if you don’t think you could eat another thing they really are unmissable. Upon arrival, please inform the restaurant that your booking was made via toptable. Opening hours: Mon 7pm - 10:30pm Tue - Sat 12pm - 2:30pm & 7pm - 10:30pm Sun: closed Aquarelle is situated close to the Sir Henry Cotton designed golf resort of Vale do Lobo... [moreless]