Cult blogger and bestselling author Maggie Alderson has insider advice for your next London trip.

The Wolseley is the most well-loved restaurant in London. It serves excellent food, with great style, in an airy see and be-seen scene. There is nowhere better to catch up with old friends, or have a business lunch. It has been a classic from the moment it opened its doors in 1921 as a showroom for the car of the same name.

So what’s not to like? Trying to get a table.

Here’s how: forget dinner which is just a little too much of a scene. Forget lunch, or even breakfast, unless you want to book ages in advance.

Instead, London insiders go for impromptu morning coffee, or afternoon tea and cake. You can pretty much turn up at 10.45 or 3.45 and grab a table, or ring ahead if you’re not nearby.

It’s also a great way to have The Wolseley experience on a budget. You will be served with the same élan as punters having a three-course meal and tea served in one of their vintage silver pots, with a little something from the pastry chef is a serious treat.

The Wolseley, 160 Piccadilly, LONDON W1