Sept. 12 (Bloomberg) -- London has overtaken Tokyo as the most expensive city in the world for dining out, with a meal now costing more than twice as much as in New York, according to Tim Zagat, whose guide to London restaurants is published today.

Dinner for one with a single drink in the U.K. capital costs 39.09 pounds ($79.44), compared with 35.10 pounds in Tokyo, which has slipped behind Paris, at 35.37 pounds. Meals in New York and Los Angeles cost 19.30 pounds and 15.63 pounds, respectively.

``London prices have been edging up, but still it's a surprise,'' said Zagat, who founded the guide with his wife, Nina. ``It's now one of the greatest places in the world to eat: It's got depth and diversity. Paris, which used to be best, has never diversified, maybe because they like their French food so much.''

Among the 20 most expensive restaurants, the average cost of a meal rose 6.1 percent from a year earlier to 82.96 pounds, Zagat said. Londoners tend to eat out 2.5 times a week, compared with 2.9 in Paris, 3.4 in New York and 3.6 in Tokyo, he said.

Tom Aikens, the British chef who opened a brasserie last year near to his flagship Chelsea restaurant, said that while high prices for dining out are in line with the cost of living in London, people shouldn't have to face huge bills to eat well.

Locatelli, Roux

``High prices are part and parcel of living in London, which is very much an expensive city now,'' Aikens said today in an interview at One-O-One restaurant in Knightsbridge, where Tim and Nina Zagat hosted a party for chefs including Giorgio Locatelli of Locanda Locatelli and Michel Roux Jr. of Le Gavroche.

``Everyone should have the chance to get good food, good service and a good experience,'' said Aikens, who plans to open a fish-and-chip shop in coming weeks. ``London provides a huge diversity of restaurants, and restaurants in the future are going to be more moderately priced and more focused on green issues.''

Roux said he disagreed with Zagat's findings on price and that Paris is much more expensive than London for fine dining.

``Anyone who eats in a Michelin two- or three-star restaurant in Paris knows exactly what I mean: It's almost double,'' he said in an interview at the Zagat event. ``Lunch at Le Gavroche costs 48 pounds and that includes everything. It's a bargain.''

Gordon Ramsay's flagship establishment loses the top place in ``Zagat London Restaurants 2008,'' overtaken by a suburban eatery. Chez Bruce, which holds a single Michelin star, beats Ramsay's three-star establishment on Royal Hospital Road, where dinner costs 107 pounds, compared with 57 pounds at Chez Bruce. Ramsay had held top place for food for seven years.

Ramsay Openings

Ramsay's decline follows a similar finding in ``Harden's London Restaurants'' guide last month, which showed Chez Bruce taking over top place for food. Ramsay, known for his appearances in TV programs such as ``Hell's Kitchen,'' has nine eateries in London alone and opened a restaurant in New York last November.

``He's a great chef but he may have spread himself a little thin,'' Zagat said in a telephone interview yesterday. ``Maybe he'll put a little extra effort in and be No. 1 again next year. He's going to be very happy when the New York guide comes out on Oct. 12.'' Zagat declined to elaborate.

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon was named best newcomer by Zagat, followed by Theo Randall at the InterContinental and Mews of Mayfair. The three most popular restaurants are Wagamama, Nobu London and the Ivy, all three unchanged from last year.

Zagat, 67, said New York was his favorite city for dining, followed by London and then Tokyo or Shanghai, with Paris fifth.

The guide's rankings are based on input from 5,336 diners. Tim and Nina Zagat founded the guides as a hobby in 1979.

Top 10 food rankings, with last year in parentheses:

1.  Chez Bruce (9)
2.  Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road (1)
3.  Hunan (-)
4.  Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons (4)
5.  The Square (8)
6.  Petrus (10)
7.  Pied a Terre (7)
8.  La Trompette (-)
9.  Le Gavroche (3)
10. River Cafe (-)

Top restaurants by cuisine:

American -- Sophie's Steak
Asian -- Eight Over Eight
British (Modern) -- Chez Bruce
British (Traditional) Ffiona's
Chinese -- Hunan
Chophouses -- Rib Room
Eclectic -- Mosimann's (club)
European (Modern) -- La Trompette
Fish 'n' Chips -- Two Brothers
French (Bistro) Galvin Bistrot
French (Classic) -- Le Gavroche
French (New) -- Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road
Indian -- Rasoi Vineet Bhatia
Italian -- River Cafe
Japanese -- Nobu London
Lebanese -- Ishbilia
Mediterranean -- Moro
Pizza -- Osteria Basilico
Seafood -- J. Sheekey
Spanish -- Cambio de Tercio
Thai -- Nahm
Vegetarian -- Morgan M

``Zagat London Restaurants 2008'' (9.99 pounds) is published by Zagat Survey LLC.

(Richard Vines is London food critic for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer of this review: Richard Vines in London at rvines@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 12, 2007 07:42 EDT