Wasn't it Johnson who said 'He who tires of London tires of life'? I don't have much experience of New York, except a superb meal at Daniel's so I can't compare London v New York in terms of breadth of quality and quantity. My feeling is that London is worst at the lower to mid-range for what it delivers. At the high end, the dining experiences can become memorable, but the prices are higher than USA or continental Europe. Some personal favourites: 1) Gordon Ramsay. Yes, he's practically a brand name now, forever in the media and involved with so many outlets. Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed my meal there. Food was superb. Something unexpected for me was the quality and creativity of the presentation. 2) Tom Aikens. My wife and I had dinner last autumn, and would love to return. Very imaginative presentations, in the style of modern art. Clever use of ingredients. Our only complaint was the quantity- we both felt overstuffed by the end. Only one other high-end restaurant, Pierre Gagnaire, has had that effect on us. 3) Lindsay House. Good honest cooking with a modern British flair. The waitstaff kindly let us eat our own cheese that we'd just bought at Neal's Yard. 4) Zaika. I'd rate the tasting menu there as the most creative Indian meal I've had. Fusion, but in an absolutely correct and harmonious way rather than confusion. 5) Nahm. A different world altogether than the typical Thai. Perhaps a bit too spicy for the average Western palate, but this is the real thing cooked with flair and top-class ingredients. Washed down our meal with a bottle of Grosset Riesling with a reasonable markup. Besides these big names, London does have plenty of less expensive options. Many will be duds, but there are gems too- it comes down to your personal preference. Rather than break the bank on dinner, check them out first for lunch or a pre-theater prix fixe. A few we've liked: 1) Cigala. Spanish food. Any restaurant that serves nice pimentios padron gets my vote. 2) Singapore Garden. Singapore/Malaysian cuisine. Authentic chilli crab. 3) Malabar Junction. South Indian Kerala cuisine. Most UK Indian restaurants feature North Indian cuisine, not this one. 4) L'Escargot. Classic French, single Michelin star.