Until husband-and-wife team Sam and Samantha Clark opened their Andalusian-inspired restaurant in 1997, Exmouth Market was off the radar as far as most food lovers were concerned when dining out in London. These days, people travel from across town to sample their authentic food. And you can't blame them. Influenced by the two Sams' travels through southern Spain and North Africa in a campervan with a small gas hob, it is as mouthwatering as it is inventive (they've since published two cookbooks on Moorish cuisine). The deceptive simplicity is matched by the no-frills dining room - bare wooden floors, tightly packed tables and a zinc-topped bar along one side for tapas and sherry (13 available by the glass), plus an open kitchen where the Clarks are kept busy over the charcoal grill and wood-fired oven (the bread here is sublime). Despite their success, the pair remain charmingly unassuming - something that has obviously rubbed off on the front of house. Service, though not always the most efficient, is friendly to a fault, ensuring that a meal at Moro is always a relaxed experience.
Food: 8, Service: 7, Atmosphere: 8
GBP 42
34-36 Exmouth Market
+44 20 7833 8336
Open: 12.30-2.30pm, 7-10.30pm Mon-Sat (tapas all day)