1 | For Chic Eats: Serge et le Phoque

One of the charming boutique hotels to have opened its doors in London this autumn is The Mandrake in Fitzrovia. It's artsy and a bit cool, and you walk through a darkened corridor before coming into the glow of the restaurant, Serge et le Phoque, which is run by two Frenchman. It thus oozes an undeniably Parisian chicness, with hushed music, shiny white surfaces and imposing chairs in deep purple velvet that, whilst noticeably modern in style, manage to be disconcertingly comfortable.

The original Serge et le Phoque is in Hong Kong and has a Michelin star, and so, with hopes of something equally special here, it is a relief not to be disappointed. Like at the original, local ingredients are given a contemporary French makeover and every plate is thus a stunner to look at (lots of striking colours and dashes of eccentricity) yet full of solid, noise-inducing flavours. There are influences from all over, but savoury embellishments (a bit of dashi here, or matcha there) add a delightfully Asian lightness to this fine-dining style of cookery. The menu is compact, with the set lunch starting at just £22, making this a definite one for your list.

The Mandrake, 20-21 Newman Street, London, W1T 1PG; themandrake.com

2 | For Fancy Gin: Chapel Down Cocktails @ Mr Fogg's Gin Parlour

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Drinks ahoy at Mr Fogg's, the cocktail parlours extraordinaire, where you can try an exclusive menu of gin and vodka cocktails using the spirits newly released by the Chapel Down winery. Based in Tenterden, Chapel Down has been doing some seriously impressive things for English wine, and they've also been experimenting with some of their discarded grape skins to make gin and vodka, which you can now buy. If you'd like to sample them first, then the Mr Fogg's bars are the only places serving them, with a concise menu highlighting their Kentish origins. There's an English 75 for a refreshing version of a classic lemony drink, a Garden of England mixing gin with Chapel Down's Curious Apple Cider, plus lime and syrup. You've got a similar concoction with the vodka with the addition of black pepper, and then a dry Martini. Something new and delicious that offers an excellent talking point? Win-win.

1 New Row, London, WC2N 4EA or 15 Bruton Lane, London, W1J 6JD; mr-foggs.com

For further information, visit chapeldown.com

3 | For Your Next Brunch: Granary Square Brasserie

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If, like us, you've been mourning the loss of The Grain Store up at Granary Square in King's Cross, you'll also be curious to see what's in its place. Be warned: you will barely recognise it. Gone is the open kitchen and pale farm shop kind of vibe, and in has come the velvet furniture, block colours and mirrored walls as the Ivy collection makes its stamp. An all-day brasserie, it opened this week serving breakfast onwards, with brunch the real draw since you find a bit of everything to suit the tastes of whoever you're with. Eggs all ways? Check. Buttermilk pancakes with Greek yoghurt and berries? Check. Proper prawn cocktail? Indeed. Steak sandwich with thick chips and a red wine dipping sauce? You betcha. It's also a useful place for drinks in King's Cross. And if you share a picture of their Christmas scene some time before 28 December, tagging the venue and using the hashtag #GSBunwrapped, you could win a free dinner for 12 people. Now that would make January a lot less depressing.

103 Stable Street, London, N1C 4AB; granarysquarebrasserie.com

4 | For Traditional Merriment: Town Hall Christmas

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Christmas has come to the Town Hall hotel in Bethnal Green. And we whole-heartedly approve of their old-world style as opposed to some of the more avant-garde variations that the silly season occasionally spawns. It has teamed up with the nearby Dennis Severs' house, an interactive museum that takes you back to the 18th century using sounds and smells to boost its curated interiors, giving you a greater sensation of stepping back in time. When you do so at this Christmas installation, you will have carol singers, gentle candles, the scent of pine needles and all sorts of little tricks to make you feel genuinely festive. Christmas shopping can be done at the J. Glinert pop-up shop, conveniently, and the Peg + Patriot bar is showcasing its greatest hits throughout the month. If you're struggling to get into the dreaded seasonal spirit, give this place a try.

8 Patriot Square, London, E2 9NF; townhallhotel.com

5 | For The Day After: Ichibuns

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'Tis the season of the hangover, which is when you need establishments like Ichibuns more than ever: Japanese fast food with overtones of an American diner. So think wagyu beef ramen, shitake and truffle-laced burgers, panko-crusted fish fingers and umami milkshakes. There's even a fried cheeseburger spring roll made with the wagyu, so these guys don't hold back. Start off with one of the giant cocktails, and finish up with the peanut crunch shake – a satisfying hulk of sesame ice cream mixed with peanut butter and topped with maple syrup and salted peanuts. It is creamy but by no means too sweet – an irresistible challenge to try and finish off (depending on how much burger you downed first).

22 Wardour Street, London, W1D 6QQ; ichibuns.com