How cool customers get the city's hottest meals

Some places are rammed and impossible to get into, while others are empty and staring bankruptcy in the face. Success is all down to the buzz, like that surrounding Jason Atherton's Pollen Street Social which opened on Monday, and diners are depending more than ever on personal recommendations. But that means more and more customers chasing a limited number of seats, which is fine if you have one of the prized reservations but not so good if it's your nose that is pressed up against the glass. Here are a few of London's hot-ticket restaurants and some advice on how to get in.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1 (020 7201 3833, dinnerbyheston.com)
If you call Blumenthal's new restaurant at the Mandarin Hotel and ask for a table for dinner at Dinner the polite lady fielding your request will tell you that the restaurant is fully booked until the end of July and that bookings for August cannot be taken until 9am on May 1. But there is a strategy to get around this impasse, if you have deep pockets you could take a room at the hotel and so become entitled to one of the tables saved for residents.

Spuntino
61 Rupert Street, W1 (spuntino.co.uk)
The latest speakeasy-style venture from Russell Norman of Polpo and Polpetto only has seats for 26. It may be open from 11am until late but you need a serious strategy to get in for a bite of boiled egg and soldiers or calamari in ink. You might be lucky if you run in to save a seat at 11.45am or otherwise any time after the lunchtime madness, so after 2 and before 6pm. But don't even think to call - there isn't a telephone.

Viajante
Patriot Square, E2 (020 7871 0461,
viajante.co.uk)
Despite this restaurant being well off the beaten track, starred chef Nuno Mendes is squarely on the radar. It's difficult to secure a table here and the phone system can seem impenetrable (having only 30 or so covers doesn't help). Best to turn up in person and lay on the charm. Strangely, the next couple of weeks is a good time to book any hot restaurant as half-term, the royal wedding and bank holidays mean lots of people are away and the pressure may ease.

Trullo
300-302 St Paul's Road, N1
(020 7226 2733, trullorestaurant)
The "restaurant full" phenomena is not confined to haute cuisine. Trullo is living proof of the power of the buzz, this neighbourhood Italian runs two sittings, one at 7.30pm and one at 9.30pm - ask nicely and you could get a prime table in six weeks' time. The best option is to call at 7pm and ask if there have been any cancellations. This will probably only work if you're a local, and if you are, you've probably already booked a table.