Alto by San Carlo | London

You're taking the lift up to the fourth floor of Selfridges, and suddenly you're somewhere that doesn't feel like Oxford Street anymore. Alto spreads across the rooftop with floor-to-ceiling windows framing those views across London—it's the kind of setting that makes you understand why people actually leave their postcodes to eat in the West End. The kitchen focuses on Roman cuisine done properly: think cacio e pepe that tastes like it was meant to, fresh pasta that hasn't been sitting under heat lamps, and seafood that's treated with actual respect. Service is slick without being stuffy, which matters when you're paying these prices. It's the sort of place you take someone to impress them, but genuinely nice food means you're not just paying for the view.