Let’s be honest - we've had a pretty miserable start to spring. Yes, the days are a little longer, but the weather? It's been incredibly... soggy. So, all I've wanted for the last couple of months was to hop on a plane to somewhere sunny, but instead, I settled for the next best thing - Meraki in Fitzrovia. I'd heard about this elegant Greek restaurant on the grapevine, and I couldn't wait to head along and be transported to the Mediterranean for the evening.

For special occasions, you can also pop by Meraki for private dining.

Funnily enough, when I visited Meraki it was actually one of the wettest, windiest, most miserable days yet - but that just made walking into the warm, cosy restaurant even more inviting. Brolly shaken, sopping coat off, I headed inside to an eatery that echoed the laid-back charm of a classic Greek taverna, although this was Fitzrovia don’t you know, so of course the place had a bit of a fancy spin to it. Rustic-chic, bare-brick walls met with muted-tone furniture, including the very snazzy rounded booth my pal and I were seated in. There was a warm, bustling ambience, with flickering candlelight at each table and an open kitchen where you can see the chefs at work.

We kicked off with a round of cocktails from the signature list. I went for the incredibly tropical tasting What Happens Stays Here (£18). Inspired by the Aya Irini beach, it was a heady mix of vodka, Aperol, pineapple juice, lime, passion fruit and Greek sparkling wine. My friend decided on the Thunderbolt (£20); a blend of Whistle Pig Piggyback whisky, Metaxa, Cocchi di Torino, fig leaf and orange liqueur; it was strong, tart and would have made Zeus proud.

While we went for cocktails, Meraki's wine list also looked fabulous.

Everything on the menu was designed for sharing, which is great for me because I get serious food envy. We dipped our pita bread (£3.50) into an incredibly rich and creamy bowl of hummus (£6) and a thick, almost cheesy take on tzatziki (£6). Alongside this, we scoffed a Mykonian salad (£15), made up of cucumber, multicoloured tomatoes, chunks of goat's cheese, slices of green pepper, olives and kritamo.

We then dove into the tuna ceviche (£16), a serving of high-grade fish swimming in a delectable pool of black truffle, with an added crunch courtesy of a few barks of crispy filo pastry. Between mouthfuls of that, I savoured the beef carpaccio (£17), which came paired with subtle flecks of black truffle, walnuts and metsovone cheese. It was undeniably delish, although there was something sweet on top that disrupted the balance a little - it felt like there was just a bit too much going on. And the redefine ‘lamb’ keftedes (£14), a vegan kebab that, I’m not joking, actually had the flavour and texture of lamb, plus was juicy and seasoned to perfection.

I'll be honest, Meraki's Greek food was absolutely delicious.

If you can believe it, we managed to cram in even more... The roasted seabass (£28) was soft and juicy with a delightful tang from the lemon, complemented by a bed of wilted spring greens and courgette. I couldn't help but also try the grilled ribeye (£36), a beautiful cut of meat accompanied by florina pepper chimichurri and padron peppers. On the side, we had Greek rock potatoes (£7), smashed and sprinkled in herbs, which we dipped in the kopanisti sauce. And, of course, we need a little veg alongside our meaty feast, so ordered a serving of hispi cabbage (£9) with garlic chips and harissa.

The DesignMyNight Digest

I wasn't sure what to expect from an upmarket Greek restaurant - until my visit to Meraki, my only experience of the cuisine was cheap tavernas or street food spots. But from the moment I walked through the venue's doors, it felt warm and cosy, yet oh-so-elegant. The food was top-notch - although I would definitely recommend ordering less than we did, as we went a bit overboard and had to waddle home - and the cocktails were fun and creative. If you're looking for a unique date night spot, I would highly recommend this Fitzrovia gem.

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