Blacklock Covent Garden

You know that feeling when you walk into a restaurant and immediately sense something's different? Blacklock has that. It's a fairly compact space on Bedford Street—proper Covent Garden, so expect the energy that comes with the territory—but the whole operation revolves around a simple, slightly mad concept: you're cooking your own meat on cast-iron grills built into the tables. Sounds gimmicky. It absolutely isn't. The quality of the cuts is exceptional (they're selective about their suppliers), the staff know their stuff without being annoying about it, and there's something genuinely fun about having agency over your dinner. The wine list punches above its weight too—knowledgeable without being pretentious. Come hungry, come ready to chat with whoever's next to you, and definitely book ahead.