Rebecca Seal's top three meat skewers

Best for lunch

Shoryu

It may be best known for its terrific ramen dishes, but don’t overlook the yakitori at Shoryu — skewers stacked with delicious meat. The kurobuta, salted black pork belly (£3.50), is dangerously moreish, but for variety order the jumbo yakitori beer set — one pork skewer plus two chicken thigh ones and a beer (from £11).

3 Denman Street, W1 (shoryuramen.com — no bookings)

Cabana

With the World Cup coming up, Brazilian food is finding its form, so get a taste of the country’s winning flavours at Cabana. At the Islington branch, it’s all about huge skewers cooked over hot coals. Try the pork tenderloin, malagueta chicken or steak (from £7.95), or the veggie chargrilled peppers and courgettes (£6.95).

56 Upper Street, N1 (020 3227 0460; cabana-brasil.com)

Best for Italian stallions

Terra Vergine

This Italian restaurant specialises in food from Abruzzo. As well as lots of to-die-for cheese dishes and excellent homemade pasta, you have to try the arrosticini (£15 for ten), which are skewers of mountain lamb cooked over charcoal on a special rotating grill. It’s a chic little place, with not a red-checked tablecloth in sight.

442 King’s Road, SW10 (020 7352 0491; terravergine.co.uk)