£900 for a steak? London dining scene rises to a whole new level

THE cost-of-living crisis might have made many of us think twice about an expensive dinner out over the past year.

- Jonathan Prynn

But it has not stopped dozens of "hyper-luxurious" restaurants in London upping their prices to dizzying new levels, according to a new guide.

The latest edition of Harden's London Restaurants found that there are now 54 venues in London where a couple could expect to receive a bill for at least £300 for their evening out. That is up by almost half from 37 last year but as recently as 2016 there was just one restaurant, The Araki London in Mayfair, that exceeded the £150-a-head barrier.

But the fastest growing gastronomic "club" in London is at the £250-a-head tier. Their ranks almost doubled from six to 11 last year, according to the guide, which is published next month.