Arros QD Restaurant

You're walking down Eastcastle Street in Fitzrovia and suddenly there's this streamlined Spanish restaurant that doesn't feel precious about it. The kitchen here takes rice seriously—proper paella valenciana, seafood versions that don't skimp on the good stuff, and arroz negro that actually tastes like it should. It's the kind of place where you can tell the cooks care about technique without it becoming some fussy tasting menu situation. The room itself is calm and moderately buzzy, depending on when you go, which means you can actually have a conversation whilst eating properly good food. Service moves at a sensible pace, and the wine list leans into Spanish bottles that actually pair with what you're eating rather than trying to show off.