"A lot of fine dining places leave you feeling like the foam you’ve just been served—very fancy but rapidly deflating, and, eventually, completely flat. But not Core. The cooking at Clare Smyth’s British Notting Hill restaurant is flawless, the presentation of dishes make us feel like we’ve stepped on to the set of a live-action fairy tale, and the service is slick but never stuffy. The easiest booking to nab is at 9:45pm, but don’t be put off. The late night only adds to the feeling that you're at an exclusive midnight feast, one with thimble-sized lobster rolls and mini caviar sandwiches. It’s a special meal worth confusing your circadian rhythm for. Make full use of the ‘show next available’ button on OpenTable because you’re never going to be able to book the specific date you want. Even then it’s a torturous game of playing around with dates until something close enough to what you’ve chosen triggers a hit. And then, take it. Take it even if it’s for 9:45pm in three months' time." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley