London Restaurants

  1. Addis

    Cheery Addis serves pungent Ethiopian dishes like ye beg tibs , chunks of tender lamb cooked with onions and spices, and doro wat , chicken cooked with hot pepper and spices, which are eaten on a platter-sized piece of soft but slightly elastic injera bread. It's normally full of Ethiopian and Sudanese punters, which is always a good sign. The Addis Special Platter (around £16 ) lets you sample all the highlights.

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  2. Couscous Café

    This cosy and vividly decorated place does a faultless line in familiar favourites from all over North Africa but really excels with Moroccan-style couscous and tajines , pastillas (filled savoury pastries) and slightly exaggerated service. Alcohol is served but you can BYO (no corkage fee).

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  3. Momo

    Sister of the celebrated 404 in Paris' Marais district, this wonderfully atmospheric North African restaurant is stuffed with cushions and lamps, and staffed by all-dancing, tambourine-playing waiters. It's a funny old place that manages to be all things to all diners, who range from romantic couples to raucous office-party ravers. Service is very friendly and the dishes are as exciting as you dare to be, so after the meze (from £4 ) eschew the traditional and ordinary tajine and tuck into the splendid Moroccan speciality pastilla , a scrumptious nutmeg and pigeon pie. There's outside seating in this quiet backstreet in the warmer months.

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  4. Moro

    As its name implies, this landmark restaurant run by husband and wife Sam and Sam Clark serves 'Moorish' cuisine, a fusion of Spanish, Portuguese and North African flavours. Some diners love it, while others complain about odd seasonings and small portions; we're in the former camp and have been since we attended launch night in… well, a long time ago. The constantly changing menu might include such dishes as wood roasted bream with moros y christianos (black beans and rice) and fennel cooked in anise and chicken cooked in Pedro Xímenez sherry.

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