"In a world of excessive tasting menus, Plates is different. Maybe it’s the plant-based approach. Or maybe that seven or eight courses come in at under £100. More likely, it’s that everything at this countrified Shoreditch restaurant tastes brilliant. Be it a barbecued mushroom sitting in a pool of black bean mole, or a luminous green ‘herbaceous’ ice cream, this is a restaurant that will leave you thinking about the food. It’s fully booked until May 2025, but it’s worth trying your luck with same-week cancellations. Input all the dates you want and join the waitlist for an email if a cancellation pops up. Alternatively, they’ve been known to have space for solo diners so give that a try too." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak