Five restaurants: worth queuing for

Charles Campion lists the five London restaurants worth waiting for...

Barrafina
54 Frith Street, W1 (020 7813 8016)
It takes a confident restaurant to enforce a "no-booking" policy and the ever-present queue at Barrafina is an indication that this small tapas bar - modelled on Cal Pep in Barcelona -serves some really good, fresh food. This place is a contender for the best-ever tortilla. The seafood is very fresh and very good. Call up a glass of chilled fino.

Hoxton Breakfast Club
2-4 Rufus Street, N1 (020 7729 5252)
Queues on the Hoxton Square pavement outside the Breakfast Club last almost all day on Saturday and Sunday when bookings are not taken until after 5pm. The wait is rewarded with giant portions of eggs, pancakes, maple syrup and bacon, juices fiery with ginger and maybe a bit of celeb spotting. Keira Knightley and Jarvis Cocker have both been seen here.

Canton Arms
177 South Lambeth Road, SW8
(020 7582 8710)
When there is a chill in the air it pays to wait for the giant-sized and perfectly prepared stews and pies you'll find on the menu at the Canton Arms. You can't book a table but hang about in the bar and you'll soon have a seat and be serving yourself a feast from casserole dishes brought to your table.

Morito
32 Exmouth Market, EC1
(020 7278 7007)
Moro, in Clerkenwell, is now popular enough to generate its own queues (although they do take bookings) but their new next-door venture called Morito - also run by Sam and Sam Clark - is a small tapas bar with a resolute no-booking policy and a persistent queue. The food here is worth the wait.

Franco Manca
4 Market Row, Electric Lane, SW9 (020 7738 3021)
Once open only for lunch, the
original Franco Manca in Brixton
now stays open until 9.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The no-bookings policy still applies but the sourdough pizzas are freshly baked and have the perfect balance between toppings and bread.