"Price: $$ Since Cafe Cecilia opened in 2021, it has maintained a steady flow of plaudits from all the coolest places, in part because of chef-owner Max Rocha’s connection to the world of fashion (father John and sister Simone are designers). However, there’s a surfeit of substance as well as style in this stark, minimalist cafe-bistro. And playfulness, too, seen in the likes of recreations of chicken Kievs or deep-fried bread-and-butter pudding in a pool of cold custard. Rocha and his staff are direct descendaents of the ingredients-obsessed tradition of St. John, the River Cafe, and Quo Vadis. Like peer Anna Tobias’s cooking at Cafe Deco, Rocha’s can be colored a bit beige, but it deserves the attention it has received. Must-try dish: Do not miss the steak and chips with peppercorn sauce, nor fruit tart at dessert." - Adam Coghlan