Inside, you’ll find a room of high contrast: a Scandinavian-esque decor of sharp blacks and white brick, marble tabletops and leather seats. Among the booths and tables stand a dozen birch trees – a surprising and striking addition that creates the atmosphere of an upmarket outdoor cafe. It’s a carefully crafted aesthetic that’s contemporary and minimal, with just enough low lighting and colour for warmth.

The food at Ethos is served buffet style. In the evenings, a table service is offered; a server will seat you and bring a menu with additional starters, drinks and desserts. Otherwise, the buffet is spread across three serving areas: cold salads, hot food and desserts. You help yourself and pay at the till; the weight of your plate will determine the cost.

All of the buffet dishes are made on the day and refilled until they run out (sometimes earlier than may be expected). The last top-up is 30 minutes before closing time. As with most buffets, the selections change depending on the time of day. In the evening, you might find Middle Eastern cuisine (baba ganoush, falafel, pitta), Italian (gnocchi, ricotta marinara, arancini), Asian stirfry, Thai corn fritters, sweet potato shepherd’s pie, and an impressive array of spinach dishes. And each week there’s a new ‘chef’s special’.

Breakfast is served on weekdays, brunch on Sunday, and takeaway is available daily. There’s even afternoon tea, with a changing selection of sandwiches, cakes, scones and clotted cream.

Ethos’s particular offering – a variety of healthy, tasty food and sophisticated presentation – has proven to be a popular combination. There’s often a queue, so get in early. It’s worth the wait.

Food at Govinda’s is served canteen-style: you get to see the options, order and pay at the counter, and dine wherever there’s a free seat. At peak lunch and dinner times, the restaurant fills up with people from all walks of life, and there’s an informal, friendly atmosphere.

There’s a wide selection of Indian and non-Indian food. All dishes are vegetarian, and many are suitable for vegans. In line with Hare Krishna beliefs, all of Govinda’s food is free from onion, garlic and mushrooms – you may expect this to impact upon the taste of the Indian dishes, but it doesn’t, they are expertly flavoured.

The restaurant’s signature dish is the all-you-can-eat thali: two vegetable curries, rice, chapattis and a side salad, all served on a large silver plate with the invitation to come back for more. If you’re not feeling quite so hungry, you can choose a smaller thali, or any of the curries as a main.

If you’re not in the mood for Indian cuisine, you can try a veggie burger, pizza, lasagne, egg-free quiche or spinach roll instead, all of which can be served with salad. There are at least 10 different fresh salads available, from simple greens to more adventurous combinations like mango, celery and walnut. All of the menu items are available to take away too.

For dessert, if you can fit it in, there’s homemade ice cream, cheesecake and traditional Indian sweets. So, again, you’re spoilt for choice.

Govinda’s is definitely one of a kind – and one not to be missed.

The restaurant is housed in an 18th-century townhouse on Lexington Street: a small building, but one filled with character. The owners have always had a ‘no bookings’ policy, which means a healthy crowd inside and out. Tables, mostly set for two, are placed closely together. With a bar at the front (the best place to bide your time before being seated), the narrow space is lively and full of chatter, but not uncomfortable or too loud.

The daily specials chalkboard has been replaced in a recent refurbishment, but the menu continues to offer reliable, hearty mains like a mushroom and ale pie, Sri Lankan sweet potato and green bean curry, and smoked tofu burger. Most of the dishes are vegan or a vegan option is offered. The starters take inspiration from different cuisines; you’ll find small plates such as gyoza dumplings, pan-fried manouri cheese, artichoke crostini and pizzetta. There are also ‘superfood’ salads, and plenty of sides and desserts to choose from. A few options on the menu change seasonally.

The bar serves organic wines, beers and ciders alongside cocktails and mocktails. Most alcoholic drinks are suitable for vegans. There are fresh juices and soft drinks as well. At lunchtime, a takeaway bar offers salads, soups and quiches.

Mildreds is often said to be as popular with those who aren’t vegetarian or vegan as those who are, and it shows at the door. It’s always warm and friendly, with a busy cafe ambiance. The owners are now applying their winning formula elsewhere: a second Mildreds opened in Camden, and a third in King’s Cross.

Inside, tables for two or four sit beneath dimmed pendant lights, creating a cosy, if simple, interior. Near the back, a spiral staircase leads upstairs to more seating. Enclaves in the wall house small statues and icons, and several gold-coloured textiles hang from the wood-panelled walls. If the surroundings are modest, the menu is a blazing contrast: a wide-ranging list of over 50 individual options.

To start, there are South Indian specialities such as: vada, a serving of lentil donuts soaked in warm soup or served on their own; samosas; and rice dumplings with spices, nuts and chutney. Along with other fried snacks and soups, you can find different types of puri, an unleavened bread served with vegetables or chutneys.

For mains, there’s a terrific choice of vegetable curries (over a dozen including bhindi bhaji, channa masala, saag paneer); thalis (huge platters of starters, sides, curries and desserts), and uttapams, a thick rice and lentil pancake similar to a dosa but topped, like a pizza, with vegetables and spices.

The dosa is perhaps Sagar’s signature offering; it’s stuffed with potato, onions and carrots, flavoured with different spices, and served with coconut chutney and soup. If you don’t mind upstaging those around you, try the impressive paper dosa, a table-sized crispy pancake.

Drinks-wise, you have the option of lassis (yoghurt and milk), soft drinks, vegan wine, beer and hot drinks. The dessert menu includes sweet puddings made with rice, raisins and nuts, and a selection of ice creams and sorbets.

Dishes on the menu are clearly labeled for allergies, and dedicated menus with lots of options are available for vegans and those wanting dishes free of onion and garlic. The standard menu doesn’t explicitly mention ghee (a dairy product), so ask your server if you’re unsure.

Its lively atmosphere, great food, and friendly, attentive staff, make Sagar the perfect spot for a relaxed lunch or dinner in central London, for tourists and Londoners alike.

What this means in practice is a self-service buffet with an abundance of cold fruit and vegetable salads, soups, hot mains and desserts. Food is priced by weight: all dishes cost the same and you only pay for as much as you have on your plate. The price per 100g changes throughout the day, providing more affordable options at lunchtime.

Like any buffet, the dishes – about 40 in total – vary based on the availability of ingredients and the season, but there are cuisines that carry through one day to the next. You might find influences from Asia (noodles, dumplings, stir fry), Italy (gnocchi, lasagna, frittata, risotto), the Middle East or the Americas (guacamole, jalapeño poppers), not to mention a tantalising selection of puddings and cakes. The buffet is topped up regularly and it’s rare to see an empty dish. You can order cocktails, beer and wine at the counter, along with other drinks like cold-pressed juice and coffee.

Tibits say that 80% of their food is vegan and that everything is local and organic where possible. Breakfast is served on weekday and Saturday mornings from 9am to 11.30am. Every Tuesday is ‘Vegan Tuesday’, offering an entirely vegan afternoon and evening buffet. An ingredient guide notes whether each dish contains allergens (eggs, nuts, celery, gluten) and onion or garlic.

The restaurant is large with an additional space downstairs for groups and busy evenings. Tables that seat four or more can be booked in advance. Many tables seat two people, which, when combined with the lighting and warm decor, creates a cosy, intimate setting.

In their words, Tibits have always strived to cater to vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, and the number of customers bears this out. With a consistently impressive spread of dishes, it’s not hard to see why so many people are drawn here for a delicious meal.