London restaurant-goers are eating out 3.7 times a week, up from 2.2 times in 2012, according to the latest survey from Zagat.
On average restaurant-goers in the capital eat out 1.7 times per week for lunch and 2.0 times for dinner.
The average meal out in London cost £37.35 a head this year, a 14% fall on the £43.40 paid two years ago, however it still makes a more expensive place to eat out than New York, where the average bill is $48.56 (£31).
The survey found that if takeaways and home deliveries are included, only half the 14 lunches and dinners eaten a week are now prepared in kitchens at home.
Italian cuisine is favoured according to 23% of surveyors, followed by Japanese (17%) and last year’s runner up, French (14%). In fact, 18% of London diners declare that they would prefer to see even more Japanese restaurants popping up in the near future, supporting Japanese’s rise in the ranks this year from third to second favourite cuisine.
The biggest gripes among restaurant goers were revealed as slow service, inattentive staff and rude staff. The survey also revealed that more than half of all bookings are made on line for the first time.
Tim Zagat, co-founder of the Zagat restaurant guides, told the Evening Standard that London was going through an eating out revolution over recent years with far more informal cheaper options appealing to younger diners springing up in areas such as Soho, Shoreditch, Brixton and Bethnal Green.
He said: “There are more younger people looking for good food but not in in places with fancy decor and linen tablecloths. Eating out has become almost like eating in another room in a house, people are looking for a good meal but not looking to dress up.”
He said that the arrival of the new wave of burger bars such as Honest Burgers in Brixton, Soho and Camden and meat shacks such as Pitt Cue in Soho, many of which started as “street food” vans had brought down the cost of high quality eating out.
Zagat said: ”In terms of diversity and depth of restaurants London passed Paris eight to ten years ago. I still think New York is ahead. I used to say New York was way ahead but I think London could pass New York soon, it is coming on strong.”
The Wolseley was again voted most popular restaurant in the survey, with the Waterside Inn being named top for food and service. In terms of best value (top-rated places at £25 or less), Pitt Cue Co came out on top.
