From the beginning, it's been harder to get a table at The Wolseley, the new Viennese-style brasserie in Piccadilly, than at Buckingham Palace. But the food's a lot better (the company, too): burgers, escargots, eggs Benedict, Hungarian goulash, ice cream mit schlag. Inside the gilded gates of this grand café, opened by Jeremy King and Chris Corbin of The Ivy, is a heady mix of famous folk—Nigella (Lawson) and Charles (Saatchi), Ruthie (River Café) Rogers and her husband, Richard (that's Lord Rogers, the architect). So go off hours if you can't get in at eight (it's open for breakfast). The air crackles with excitement, and the cheery, never-snotty staff make you feel like part of the scene. Dinner, $180. At 160 Piccadilly; 44-207-499-6996.
Restaurant prices reflect a three-course dinner for two, excluding beverages and gratuity.
