This Victorian fish and oyster bar has been serving prawn cocktails and lobster bisques since 1889. And while restaurants all over the city are concocting brunch menus to entice more customers through the doors, Sweetings continues to open for just three and a half hours (11.30am-3pm), Monday to Friday. The homemade gravlax might come with sliced brown bread we’re pretty sure is straight out of a packet, but this is a charming microcosm of London’s financial district that feels like stepping back in time.

Think Soho House but for bankers. This sleek hotel and member's club is located in the heart of the City of London, so it's an ideal outpost if you're in town for business.

A shape-shifting fantasy of a gallery that has become a pioneering catapult for early-career artists. Housed in a former sandwich shop, the all- white space helps bring a young, unconventional and diverse creative scene to the public. For those even vaguely interested in art, Ginny on Frederick is worth a look. And admission to the gallery is free.

This is the late chef and Italophile Russell Norman’s ode to a Florentine trattoria. Instantly atmospheric, the downlit restaurant has linen draped over bulbs and tables set on various levels. Red-and-white checked tablecloths are covered in plates splattered with tonnato sauce and caperberries or raw porcini mushrooms topped with shards of aged Parmesan. A restaurant with one of London’s most authentic Italian moods and menus.