Simon Callow's five faves

In between starring in such films as Shakespeare in Love, Four Weddings and a Funeral and A Room With a View, Simon Callow enjoys a bit of fine dining in our fare old city. Here he shares his favourite five places to catch a tasty bite.

The Engineer, 65 Gloucester Avenue NW1. Tel: 020 7722 0950. Tube: Chalk Farm

I love The Engineer. It has a witty, ever-changing menu and they mix fruits with meats to have a constant surprise in any dish. It's very relaxed and easy, especially during the summer when you can sit outside. It's very much my local.

Camden Brasserie, 9 Jamestown Road NW1. Tel: 020 7482 2114. Tube: Camden Town

Apart from the Greek restaurants, it's the only decent one in the centre of Camden. It's run by two Uruguayan brothers, Enrique and Julio. The dishes are very simple but absolutely delightful. They have a genius for gazpacho, so much so that I normally have three in a row.

J Sheekey, 28 St Martin's Court WC2. Tel: 020 7240 2565. Tube: Leicester Square

I love Sheekey's elegance and precision. Being a fish-eater, I find it impossible to resist the halibut. If the worst comes to the worst (and it's not a bad worst), when they're busy I sit at the bar and eat there, which is lovely.

Orso, 27 Wellington Street WC2. Tel: 020 7240 5269. Tube: Covent Garden/ Charing Cross

It's an old favourite of mine and one I love more now than when it was an old-fashioned theatre restaurant. It's very calm. The level of the cuisine, again, is consistent, a witty variation on Italian food. I particularly love their warm artichokes, fava beans, peas and mint, which makes a fantastic little stew of green things.

L'Escargot, 48 Greek Street W1. Tel: 020 7437 2679. Tube: Tottenham Court Road

I'm very fond of L'Escargot, both upstairs and downstairs. The Picasso room upstairs is very, very elegant and houses some wonderful Picasso prints and a couple of sculptures. Downstairs is a simpler version of the same thing, which is one of the best bargains in London.