Allens of Mayfair

This stately Mayfair landmark (see above left), dating back to 1830, is the ultimate boutique butcher and a true food hero in this age of supermarket shrink-wrapped meat. It is a temple to proper food and a gourmet destination as the rich harvest of the game season arrives. Look for grouse, partridge, pheasant, geese and venison alongside rarer bags like woodcock, snipe, hare, ptarmigan and black game. Allens has benefited from new owners, Justin Preston and David House, who cherish its history. A sympathetic refurb has refreshed but not changed the shop's interior with its decorative tiled walls, huge wooden chopping block, and master butchers - some of whom look as old as the street itself. They can tell you how to cook and serve these autumn delicacies, and there are pots of genuine beef dripping for the true flavour of Olde England. If you prefer other people to do your cooking, look for game birds from Allens at superior Mayfair restaurants like Le Gavroche and the Square, and don't believe doom-mongers who say there is a shortage. Despite this dreadful summer, the Yorkshire moors are having their best season for years. 117 Mount Street, London W1, 020 7499 5831 www.allensofmayfair.co.uk

 

Rules

This 200-year old legend (see above right) is a movie-maker's dream but it's not a film set, it's a very fine restaurant, a warren of busily decorated rooms and rich stained glass, every inch crammed with pictures and memorabilia of a glorious British past. The owner, John Mayhew, has country estates in Teesdale that supply top-quality meat and game, (the grouse season lasts until 10 December) and there's beef from a rare and ancient breed, Belted Galloways. You're likely to find unusual game like teal, snipe, widgeon and golden plover on the menu as well as the more familiar birds. Traditional British cooking is safe in the hands of head chef, Richard Sawyer, (try Morecambe Bay potted shrimps, steak and kidney pudding, or rabbit casserole with smoked bacon, peas and mustard mash another time, outside the game season). Top man Ricky McMenemy runs the busy show with a ringmaster's skills. "Game is good for you" he says. "It's free range and low in fat." Plus, it's delicious. To get close to the action, Rules organises shooting parties at Lartington Hall Park in the High Pennines, England's last wilderness. 35 Maiden Lane, London WC2, 020 7836 5314 www.rules.co.uk

 

Aubergine

A restaurant that consistently punches above its weight and has steadily built up a reputation for very fine food. It's a favourite with the swish local crowd of Chelsea's investment bankers. Can the second Michelin star be far behind? Although classically French in style, any sense of stuffiness is dispelled by the glass ceiling, fresh and lovely during the day, and the pale wood floor, creamy walls and unobtrusive modern art. Chef/patron William Drabble currently has a seasonal game menu featuring roast grouse with blackberries and port wine, mallard with braised root vegetables and Madeira, boudin of wood pigeon with caramelised turnips and thyme, pheasant with foie gras sauce, and saddle of wild fell deer with juniper. Let maitre d' Jean Kessler, formerly of Le Gavroche, guide you through the impressive wine list. Don't forget your wallet.
11 Park Walk, London SW10, 020 7352 3449

 

The Goring

A family-run hotel for nearly a century, the five-star Goring is still a favourite with the Royal Family at nearby Buckingham, and the movers'n'shakers of government. A recent update is the subtle refurbishment of the dining room, a beautiful old space that needed a face lift. David Linley has made it lighter and brighter than before, ditching heavy country house-style curtains to open up large windows. There are three dramatic Swarovski chandeliers and the new open fireplace confirms the classical atmosphere of this fine old building. The food continues to be the best of British cooking supported by a fine French wine list. At this time of year, head chef Derek Quelch supplements his normal menu with grouse and partridge followed by pheasant and venison as they come into season. The traditional of the Michaelmas goose is still alive at the Goring. Michaelmas falls on 29 September and after an extensive tasting of specialist suppliers, the menu for the first week of October will feature the winning breed.
15 Beeston Place, London SW1, 020 7396 9000

 

Launceston Place

This is the smart older sister of Kensington Place but with its oil paintings, antiques, mirrors and rich carpets, it's more cosier and far less noisy. During October, Launceston Place is serving a three-course game menu cleverly matched with wines from the Rhone, at a very reasonable £45. Chef Dan Edwards features home-smoked venison, game terrine, ptarmigan and grouse, both served with traditional bread sauce and game chips, and you can round it off with a classic savoury, Scotch woodcock. (The full menu is still available of course.) 1a Launceston Place, London W8, 020 7937 6912 www.launcestonplace-restaurant.co.uk

 

Quaglino's

Craig James, head chef at Quaglino's, is a champion of seasonal British food and he's teamed up with the Brogdale Horticultural Trust to mark the start of the English apple season. From 17 September - 14 October you can try his A-Z of apples. It is a daily-changing menu showcasing traditional, but less well-known varieties, a welcome change from insipid commercial brand names. What about spiced parsnip and Bloody Butcher soup; herrings with beetroot and Greensleeves salad; sausage, choucroute and Lord Lennox sauce; slow roast pork with Red Army gravy; and Wolf River soufflé with vanilla ice cream? (The usual restaurant menu runs alongside the specialist apple dishes.)
16 Bury Street, St James's, London SW1, 020 7930 6767 www.quaglinos.co.uk

 

The days are short and colder. The game season is here, native oysters are back and it's a bumper year for orchards, mushrooms and berries. Tuck in.

Must try...

The oyster bar is fashionable again and now everyone wants one. There's a new Champagne and oyster bar in the Liberty store, next to the menswear department on the lower ground floor. It has a cool elegance with a marble counter, crisp white tiles, custom made black stools and lighting. There are Cuan oysters from Northern Ireland and home grown Colchesters plus smoked salmon, herrings and gravadlax. 210-220 Regent Street, London W1, 020 7734 1234 www.liberty.co.uk Despite the Regent Street address, the main entrance is in Great Marlborough Street.

On 1st October, a new Champagne and Seafood bar opens in the legendary food hall at Harrods. It will be a dramatic creation of glass and marble, with seafood platters, dressed crab, Morecambe Bay shrimps and other fishy delights. The original oyster bar just a few yards away will concentrate on what it does best, serving a wide variety of French, British and Irish oysters, both native and rock, and with regional specialities as they come into season. Knightsbridge, London SW1, 020 7730 1234 www.harrods.com

From 1st September - 31st October, the new look Bluebird restaurant is serving an Oyster and Champagne menu devised by executive chef Mark Broadbent. Wright Brothers are supplying him with a wide variety of oysters including West Mersea Pearls, Papillon, Duchy of Cornwall, Maldon Rock and Spéciales de Claires Premier Cru. Great to guzzle with Tabasco, shallot vinegar and juicy Amalfi lemons or traditional "tracklements" like spicy sausages or laver bread bubble & squeak. 350 Kings Road, London SW3, 020 7559 1000 www.bluebird-restaurant.com