The unfortunate divorce between restaurateur Jeremy King and his crown jewel, the Wolseley, left a void in Mayfair’s all-day-brasserie scene. Happily, talented chef Francois O’Neill has stepped in with his winning Maison François, a French-tinged restaurant (and charming underground bar, called Frank’s) in St. James. The restaurant’s modernity and suaveness is almost at odds with its formal (dare we say fussy) surroundings, but that’s just one more reason to love it. O’Neill and his skilled team deliver perfectly-executed omelettes (and roast chicken, and entrecôte de boeuf, and pommes frites) every single time, and the dining room is inevitably filled with an intriguing mix of financiers, artists, and other assorted style-setters. See, be seen, and eat well—a winning combination. —Ashley Baker

Ashley Baker is a Deputy Editor at AIR MAIL and a co-host of the Morning Meeting podcast