It is the city where a 30-second tube journey can cost £4, houses the size of cupboards sell for many times the annual average wage and tourists find themselves spluttering "how much?" after every cab ride. So it may come as no surprise that London is also now the most expensive place in the world to eat out.
According to the new Zagat guide, the average meal in the capital now costs an eye watering £39.09, up 2.9% from last year. In Paris the cost is £35.37, Tokyo £35.10, New York £19.30 and Los Angeles £15.63, for three courses with one glass of wine.
Among the 20 priciest restaurants in London, the average meal costs £87.90, a 6.1% increase over last year's figure. At Gordon Ramsay's flagship venture 68 Royal Hospital Road, the only eatery in the capital to boast three Michelin stars and the most expensive restaurant featured in the guide, the average diner can expect to part with £107. Unless they plump for the seven-course "menu prestige", that is, in which case they will be shelling out £110 - plus an extra £8 for the French cheese course. And that's before you factor in wine or even water.
No wonder Londoners eat out less than gourmands located in more sensibly priced cities: 2.5 times a week as opposed to 2.9 weekly restaurant visits for Parisians, and 3.6 for New Yorkers. Tokyo dwellers eat out every other day, according to Zagat.
But despite the sky-high prices, Zagat's 5,336 citizen reviewers - who visited 1,119 London establishments and ate some 705,000 meals between them to compile the guide - gave their top accolade to one of the more modestly priced venues in the capital. Chez Bruce in Wandsworth was voted Zagat's favourite restaurant, pipping Gordon Ramsey's Royal Hospital Road to the top spot. A "flawlessly executed" Modern British meal at Chez Bruce cost £57.
Tim Zagat, CEO and co-founder of Zagat Survey, said: "It's astonishing to see how expensive the London dining scene has become but, as indicated by this survey, the city still offers many great values - both in terms of quality and price.
"It's interesting to note that the average cost of a meal at the top-rated Chez Bruce is a full £50 less than the runner-up, Gordon Ramsay. Clearly our surveyors feel that a restaurant must offer more than haute cuisine to make it #1."
London is expensive for good reason, said Russell Norman, operations director of Caprice Holdings, which runs a string of top restaurants including the Ivy, Le Caprice and J Sheekey.
"I think that over the last 15 years London chefs and restaurateurs have, for a variety of reasons, become more exacting and more demanding when it comes to provenance and sourcing. And top ingredients don't come cheap," he said.
"The prices are also consistent with the fact that London is among the most expensive cities in the world for many things, from taxi fares to buying houses, and that includes running a business."
A flick through the Zagat guide shows that more and more London restaurants are sourcing sustainable or organic ingredients, such as well-rated newcomers Bumpkin, Acorn House and Butcher & Grill.
Some 59% of Zagat's surveyors said they were willing to pay more for sustainably-raised food, with 54% happy to pay more for organic fare.
"Today's diners have a better understanding of what their food choices mean - not only to their health, but their impact on the environment," said Tim Zagat.
It is not just on price that London fares badly. The city's restaurants also fall short on service.
Zagat says 53% of London complaints relate to service, and puts the UK capital above only New York, Tokyo and Paris. Vancouver waiters, however, can breathe easily: Zagat deems them the best in the world.
Prices, although high, received 12% of complaints, while food received 7%. However, irritants like these aren't keeping people at home in the kitchen - on average, Londoners eat or take away nearly half of their meals.
