My favourite restaurant with... Oliver Peyton, founder of Peyton and Byrne

From crab pasta to sharing meat dishes and pints of prawns, the founder of Peyton and Byrne restaurants and cafés tells us what and where he likes to eat in London.
Victoria Stewart25 March 2013

Oliver Peyton is the founder and chairman of Peyton and Byrne, overseeing the restaurants and cafés for the majority of London’s great art galleries including The National Gallery, The Royal Academy, The British Library and the Wellcome Collection. Born in Ireland, Peyton came to London as a student, later running two successful nightclubs, masterminding the UK distribution of Absolut vodka, Japanese beer Sapporo and a number of other brands. He moved into restaurants in the early Nineties with the opening of the Atlantic Bar & Grill. He is one of the judges on BB2’s Great British Menu, the author of two cookbooks and was recently awarded an OBE for his services to the hospitality industry. Here he tells us where he likes to eat out in London.

Why? It's a place to go for a treat. I am often asked what it is about the River Café… it’s that intangible thing. It has a little piece of magic that you can’t describe. I think it’s simply years and years in the pursuit of excellence.

What do you eat there? Some sort of crab pasta and always the caramel ice cream.

Who do you take? My wife and I go every year on our anniversary and will continue to do so as long as our Zimmer frames allow.

Find it: The River Café, Thames Wharf, W6; rivercafe.co.uk

Why? It's a place to go for every day dining - one of those restaurants you could go to once a week. So little changes – except for the excellent use of seasonal produce. Chef Tom Pemberton is always on the pass. Every neighbourhood needs a quality restaurant like this.

What do you eat there? The sharing meat dishes are always good.

Who do you take? A group of friends. It’s full of Notting Hillbillies who don’t like Notting Hill.

Find it: 3 Hereford Road, W2; herefordroad.org

ANGLESEA ARMS, Chiswick

Why? It's a pub that has the right balance of good food and drink. It’s a bit like the Eagle in that’s it’s been around a long time and it feels like a local. Plus it’s not on the ‘gastro pub tourist trail’.

What do you eat there? The good quality fish. Gurnard.

Who do you take? My kids and we’d share a pint of prawns.

Find it: 35 Wingate Road, W6; anglesea-arms.com

Oliver will host a Thursday Night Social at the National Dining Rooms with Food Network’s Andy Bates on April 4, peytonandbyrne.co.uk. Follow him on Twitter @oliverpeyton

READ MY FAVOURITE RESTAURANT with Alfred Prasad, director of cuisine and executive Chef at Tamarind

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