Plate Restaurant at M by Montcalm

Infuse the best of British ingredients with a little French finesse and a dash of Shoreditch cool, and you have Plate, a favourite rendezvous for the Tech City start-up set.

Lauded Chef Patron Arnaud Stevens (Sixty One, The Gherkin) brings classical French training and experience working with a roll call of celebrated chefs to his newest venture, though the vibe is refreshingly unstuffy and service is informal yet informed. Evoking the long, lazy lunches of his southern French homeland, Plate is all about the simple pleasures of sharing good food. Arnaud's menu features small plates and sweet plates as well as more substantial mains, so diners can mix and match as they please.

There's a real sense of theatre thanks to the lively open kitchen, and the long mezzanine bar buzzes with animated conversation, while downstairs from the restaurant, Plate Bake and Bar delights locals with in-demand homemade breads, cakes and pastries. A la carte breakfast is also served in this inviting all-day eatery, a space that fills with maverick mixologists and wine connoisseurs by night.

Alive with the energy of one of London's most happening neighbourhoods, it's an inviting spot to spend a few hours connecting over coffee or cocktails, and savouring some of the capital's finest Anglo-French flavours.