On Monday, Daily Traveler reader oneofthoseknights asked: Be in London, UK, 25 Sept.-4 Oct., 2009. Would like to know about 'must-try' restaurants (any cuisine) & nightlife/'mix & mingle' clubs/bars in Victoria/Westminster/ Chelsea areas . . . Pubs serving traditional British food where locals go/hang out?

Here's the lowdown from Condé Nast Traveler senior editor--and London native--Kate Maxwell:

"If you want to splurge, try Gordon Ramsay's three-Michelin-star flagship, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay; Tom Aikens's eponymous resto; or Aubergine, for high-end French fare. My family has a Christmas tradition of going to Bibendum for oysters--the stunning Art Nouveau Michelin building in which it's located is also home to the fantastic Conran Shop. There's a great posh Indian restaurant called Chutney Mary on the King's Road, and you could also check out Bluebird there, which has a buzzy café, bar, and restaurant.

Westminster, Chelsea, and Victoria aren't the best areas for nightlife (Chelsea, in particular, is a Sloane favorite--think rugby shirts with collars up and red jeans, à la Wills and Harry), but there are some good pubs. See the Sloanes in their natural habitat at the White Horse in Parson's Green, a.k.a. the Sloaney Pony. The Admiral Codrington serves food and has a small beer garden; The Red Lion, on Duke of York Street, is a magnificent-looking place; and the Drayton Arms, on Old Brompton Road, has a DJ on weekends. I used to like the Cadogan Arms, a handsome place on the King's Road, when I was a teenager. They served a mean Cointreau and lemonade and accepted fake IDs."

Further reading:
* A Tourist in My Own City: Check out Kate's map from a weekend in London
* The 2009 Hot List restaurants and nightspots in London