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Planning | Spotlight on St. James’s, Mayfair, and Marylebone | Spotlight on Soho and Convent Garden | Spotlight on Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia, Marylebone, and Hampstead | Spotlight on the City, Clerkenwell, and South Bank | Spotlight on Kensington, Chelsea, and Knightsbridge | Spotlight on Notting Hill and Bayswater
Updated by Alex Wijeratna
As anyone knows who reads the Sunday paper’s travel section, London has had a restaurant boom, or rather, a restaurant atomic bomb explosion.
More than ever, Londoners love their restaurants—all 6,700 of them—from its be-here-right-now, wow-factor West End gastro-emporiums, to its tiny neighborhood joints, from stripped-back gastropubs where young-gun foodniks find their feet to swank boîtes where well-traveled, soon-to-be celebrity chefs launch their madcap ego flights. You, too, will be smitten, because you’ll be spending, on average, 25% of your travel budget on eating out.
Today, nearly everything on the culinary front has dramatically changed from the days of steamed puddings and overboiled brussels sprouts. Everyone seems to be passionate about food, while a never-ending wall of City money has souped-up standards unimaginably. Celebrity chefs abound. One week it’s Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental that’s flavor of the month, the next it’s Jason Atherton at the Pollen Street Social in Mayfair. Thankfully, pride in the best of authentic British food—local, regional, wild, foraged, and seasonal—has made a resurgence and appears on more menus by the day. The new wave of waste-not, want-not “nose-to-tail” eating—where every scrap of meat is deemed fair game for the plate—made its first spectacular comeback at St. John’s in Clerkenwell, and fits perfectly with the new age of austerity.
Needless to say, it’s the top of the food chain that makes all the news. Throughout London you’ll find an ambitious bunch of haute cuisine heroes kickin’ butt to world-class standards. Clare Smyth sets the highest bar as head chef at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea; Heston Blumenthal protégé Ashley Palmer Watts single-handedly revives olde-English gastronomy with ultramodern methods at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal; Aussie Brett Graham is cooking on gas at the Ledbury; Portuguese Nuno Mendes creates a modernist escapade at Viajante in Bethnal Green; and French whizzo Hélène Darroze does it sublimely for the girls at the regal Connaught.
To appreciate how far London has risen in the global culinary firmament, just look back at the days of famed author Somerset Maugham, who was once justified in warning “To eat well in England, you should have a breakfast three times a day.” Change was slow in coming after World War II, for then it was still understood the British ate to live, while the French lived to eat. When people thought of British cuisine, fish-and-chips—a grab-and-gulp dish that tasted best wrapped in old newspaper—first came to mind. Then there was always shepherd’s pie, ubiquitously available in smoke-filled pubs—though not made according to the song from Sweeney Todd, “with real shepherd in it.”
These days, shepherd’s pie has been largely replaced by city’s unofficial dish, the ubiquitous spicy Indian curry. London’s food quake is built on its incredible ethnic diversity, and you’ll find the quality of other international cuisines has also grown immeasurably in recent years, with London becoming known for its Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Spanish, French, Persian, and North African restaurants. With all of the choices, traditional British food, when you track it down, appears as just one more exotic cuisine in the pantheon.
Planning
London’s Hottest Tables
These hotties are more than just see-and-be-scene food ‘n’ flesh pots—truly exceptional cuisine adds to the buzz. To save, book lunch, when set menus can be half the dinner price.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal: Book months ahead for star-chef Heston Blumenthal’s “olde” English ultramodern gastronomy in Knightsbridge. Overlook Hyde Park, and marvel at 1730-style hay-smoked mackerel or 1810 spit-roast pineapple “Tipsy” cake. | 66 Knightsbridge, Knightsbridge | www.dinnerbyheston.com | 020/7201–3833 .
Hedone: Swede Mikael Jonsson debuts with extreme provenance-driven cuisine in outlying Chiswick, from Cévennes onions and wild Dorset sea bass to 55-day aged Darragh O’Shea Black Angus beef. | 301–303 Chiswick High Rd., Chiswick | 020/874–0377 | www.hedonerestaurant.com.
The Ledbury: Aussie Brett Graham burnishes his world-class reputation with complex modern French haute cuisine in this handsome, high-ceilinged Notting Hill gourmand temple. | 127 Ledbury Rd., Notting Hill | 020/7792–9090 | www.theledbury.com.
Pollen Street Social: Whizz through a small-or-large dish-tasting extravaganza at Jason Atherton’s Mayfair gastro-playpen. Swoon over scallop ceviche and ox cheeks with capers, and scoff chocolate pavé perched at London’s first-ever dessert bar. | 8–10 Pollen St., Mayfair | www.pollenstreetsocial.com | 020/7290–7600.
Spuntino: Polish off a New York “slider,” grits, mac and cheese, or truffled egg toast at this moody, no-reservations, 26-bar-stool “Lower East Side” diner and hipster speakeasy in Soho. | 61 Rupert St., Soho | No phone | www.spuntino.co.uk.
Viajante: El Bulli–trained Portuguese star Nuno Mendes bedazzles with urban foraged and art-on-a-plate contemporary cuisine in far-off but happening Bethnal Green. | Patriot Sq., Bethnal Green | 020/7871–0461 | www.viajante.co.uk.
Eating Out Strategy
Where should you eat? With thousands of London eateries competing for your attention, it may seem like a daunting question. But fret not—our expert writers and editors have done most of the legwork. The selections here represent the best this city has to offer—from hot pudding to haute cuisine.
Reservations
Plan ahead if you’re determined to snag a sought-after reservation. Some renowned restaurants are booked weeks or even months in advance. In the reviews, we mention reservations only when they’re essential or not accepted, though it’s always a good idea to book as far ahead as you can and reconfirm when you arrive in London. Note that some top restaurants also now take credit-card details and charge a penalty fee if you’re a no-show.
What to Wear
When in England’s style capital, do as the natives do: Dress up to eat out. Whatever your style, dial it up a notch. Have some fun while you’re at it. Pull out the clothes you’ve been saving for a special occasion and get a little glamorous. As unfair as it seems, the way you look can influence how you’re treated—and where you’re seated. Generally speaking, jeans and a button-down shirt will suffice at most table-service restaurants in the $ to $$ range. Moving up from there, many pricier restaurants require jackets, and some insist on ties. Shorts, sweatpants, and sports jerseys are rarely appropriate. Note that in reviews we mention dress only when men are required to wear a jacket, or a jacket and tie.
Tipping and Taxes
Do not tip bar staff in pubs and bars—though you can always offer to buy them a drink. In restaurants, tip 12.5% of the check for full meals if service is not already included; tip a small token if you’re just having coffee or tea. If paying by credit card, double-check that a tip has not already been included in the bill.
Children
Unless your children behave impeccably, it’s best to avoid the high-class establishments; you’re unlikely to find a children’s menu there, anyway. London’s many Italian restaurants and pizzerias are popular with kids. Other family-friendly establishments include chains like Byron, Pizza Express, Wagamama, Giraffe, and Carluccio’s.
Hours
In London you can find breakfast all day, but it’s generally served between 7 am and 11 am. Lunch is between noon and 3 pm, and brunch between 11 am to 2 pm. Tea, often a meal in itself, is taken between 3 pm and 6 pm, and dinner or supper is typically eaten between 7 pm and 11 pm, though it can be taken earlier. Many ethnic restaurants, especially Indian, serve food until midnight. Sunday is proper lunch day, and some restaurants are open for lunch only. Over the Christmas period, London virtually shuts down and it seems only hotels are prepared to feed travelers
Prices
London is a very expensive city by global standards. A modest meal for two can easily cost £45, and the £120-a-head meal is not unknown. Damage-control strategies include making lunch your main meal—the top places have bargain midday menus—going for early- or late-evening deals, or sharing an à la carte entrée and ordering a second appetizer instead. Seek out fixed-price menus, and watch for hidden extras on the check, that is, bread or vegetables charged separately.
Spotlight on St. James’s, Mayfair, and Marylebone
Mayfair and St. James’s—home to Buckingham Palace and Clarence House, where Prince Charles and Camilla live—have a decidedly old-world, royal feel. Appropriately, most of the restaurants here are fit for a future king or queen.
This is where you’ll find London’s top restaurants, including Pollen Street Social, Hélène Darroze at the Connaught, Scott’s, Bibiscus, and ageless Le Gavroche—dining experiences that are geared toward a well-heeled, deep-pocketed clientele. Mere mortals should make reservations well in advance to dine at any of these restaurants for dinner (and reserve for the earlier shank of the evening, when demand is less). Keep in mind that no-shows mean last-minute tables often crop up, and lunching here can be a great money-saving strategy.
If you’re looking for something more wallet-friendly, head north to Marylebone, formerly dowdy but now prized for its chic “village”-like feel. Here are an array of low-key little cafés, boîtes, and tapas bars, offering everything from Moroccan and Spanish to Thai and Japanese.
“Pop-Ups”and …
An underground food revolution of here-today-gone-tomorrow “pop-up” restaurants, chef-led supper clubs, and home-based supper nights is sweeping the London foodie scene. Start your hunt for supper clubs and “anti-restaurants” at | supperclubfangroup.ning.com. A top pop-up is the Rambling Restaurant (www.ramblingrestaurant.com). Originally founded by star chef Nuno Mendes, “supper club” meals cooked by leading guest chefs are featured at the Loft Project (www.theloftproject.co.uk), with tasting-menu extravaganzas for 16 people around a communal table in a trendy loft in east-side Dalston (£120).
British to a T: Top London Teas
It was a peckish Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford, who began the tradition of British afternoon tea in the 1840s, and taking tea is now once more the height of fashion. Here’s the best around. (Sorry: longtime favorite Fortnum & Mason has one of the worst!)
Tea at the Palm Court at the Ritz (The Ritz, 150 Piccadilly, St. James’s | W1J 9BR | 020/7493–2687 | www.theritzlondon.com) would moisten the eye of Marie Antoinette and is still an ultimate afternoon tea experience, with a rococo star-burst of gilt work, crystal chandeliers, and vast floral displays. Expect egg and cress and cucumber sandwiches on three-tiered silver cake stands, plus scones, cakes, and dainty pastries (£54–£64).
A Hungarian quartet play at suave and swank Claridge’s (Brook St., Mayfair | www.claridges.co.uk | 020/7629–8860), where the green-and-white-striped porcelain tea service is straight out of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. You’ll find 30 loose-leaf teas to choose from, including rare Darjeeling First Flush tea (prices from £38, or £62 for a Rosé Champagne tea).
Not far away off Mount Street in Mayfair, fashionistas splurge on flourless caramel sponge cake at the soigné Connaught (Carlos Pl., Mayfair | www.the-connaught.co.uk | 020/3147–7100). Loyalists dig the open fires, Laurent-Perrier bubbles, smoked salmon and wasabi finger sandwiches, Christine Ferber jams, and loose-leaf Ceylon tea.
If you can’t afford to stay at London’s best hotel, why not take tea for an hour or two and indulge in the fantasy of Noel Coward’s favorite city spot for a fraction of the cost. Just a few blocks over from Mayfair in Soho, the Savoy (Strand, Soho | www.claridges.co.uk | 020/7836–4343) offers the prettiest settings in London. In the heavenly Upper Thames Foyer—all pink orchids and a black-and-white chinoiserie fabric, and now home to the hotel’s own Savoy Tea boutique, with great bespoke tea accessories. In adjacent Thames Foyer savor the Savoy’s High Tea.
Hotel Dining
Some of London’s finest restaurants are found inside its top-end hotels.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (Mandarin Oriental, 66 Knightsbridge, Knightsbridge | 20/7201–3833) wows at the Mandarin Oriental with modern takes on olde-English dishes like “Meat fruit” mandarin-shape chicken liver parfait (circa 1500) and “Spiced pigeon” with ale and artichokes (circa 1780).
French dynamo Hélène Darroze shows off virtuoso skills at her self-named wood-paneled Edwardian dining room (The Connaught, 6 Carlos Pl., Mayfair | 020/3147–7200).
Catch veteran Pierre Koffmann while you can at Koffmann’s (The Berkeley, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge) where you simply must try his pig’s trotters with morels and pistachio soufflé before he retires.
Star chef Daniel Boulud pulls in a crowd for his posh French charcuterie and Yankee hamburgers at Bar Boulud (Mandarin Oriental, see above).
Spotlight on Soho and Convent Garden
Soho and Covent Garden are the city’s playground, an all-day, all-night jostling neon wonderland of glitz, glamour, and greasepaint. This area is London’s cultural heart, with old and new media companies, late-night dive bars, West End musicals, and highbrow theater, ballet, and opera houses.
In the last decade, high rents have forced out many of Soho’s seedier businesses and ushered in top-notch restaurants, including French brasserie deluxe Les Deux Salons (40–42 William IV St., Covent Garden | 020/7734–0623), speakeasy diner Spuntino (61 Rupert St., Soho), Italian upstairs hideaway Polpetto (Upstairs at the French House, 49 Dean St., Soho | 020/7734–1969) and high-quality Spanish tapas bar Barrafina (54 Frith St., Soho | 020/7813–8016), a magnet for modern Iberian food. Because of its popularity with visitors, Soho prices can be absurdly expensive: £12 cocktails and £30 main courses are not unheard of. For a quick bite without breaking the bank, head to Chinatown’s festooned and cobbled streets.
Street Eats
Head to Mooli’s on Frith St. (50 Frith St., Soho | 020/7494–9075 | www.moolis.com), where you can find fine Indian street food. Try the unleavened flatbread roti wraps crammed with Punjabi goat and cumin potato. Other good-to-go rotis, which cost under £5.50, are stuffed with Goan pork and pomegranate seeds or the Keralan beef with coconut. Just around the corner, there’s a friendly welcome, comfy booths, and a longer street-based Thai menu at Rosa’s (48 Dean St., Soho | 020/7494–1638 | www.rosaslondon.com), where it would be a crime to miss the deep-fried Thai calamari or soft shell crabs.
Meal Deals and Steals
Pre- and Post-theater Dining
Opening night West End and Hollywood stars celebrate at J Sheekey (28–32 St. Martin’s Ct., Covent Garden | 020/7240–2565 | www.j-sheekey.co.uk) for late-night seafood dishes in a low-lighted chic mahogany salon and raised-counter oyster bar.
For a highly romantic £19.50 set French meal in a cute conservatory, head to candle-lighted Clos Maggiore (33 King St., Covent Garden | 020/7379–9696 | www.closmaggiore.com), just off Covent Garden piazza. Meander through duck rillettes, French charcuterie, and natural terroirs-based wines at Terroirs (5 William IV St., Covent Garden | 020/7036–0660 | www.terroirswinebar.com). Savor watercress soup and cod with sea purslane in a classy French brasserie deluxe at Les Deux Salons (40–42 William IV St., Covent Garden | 020/7420–2050 | www.lesdeuxsalons.com), where three-course theater deals are only £15.95. Polpetto (Upstairs at the French House, 49 Dean St., Soho | 020/7734–1969 | www.polpetto.co.uk) above the historic French House pub is a moody, tin-tile-ceiling, 28-seat hidden gem, which whips up winning Italian small plates like hare papardelle, char-grilled octopus, or pork in milk.
Budget Eats
European: Regular Twitter feeds from Fernandez & Wells (43 Lexington St., Soho | 020/7734–1546 | www.fernandezandwells.com) about their latest European stews, soups, cheese, and cured meat baguettes help pull in the punters.
Pan-Asian: Try the great Japanese udon noodles with mackerel and green leaves for £10.50 at no-reservations Koya in Soho (49 Frith St., Soho | 020/7434–4463 | www.koya.co.uk), or hit Busaba Eathai (106–110 Wardour St., Soho | 020/7255–8686 | www.busaba.com), a wildly popular Thai canteen with low lighting and shared tables.
Bars and Pubs
One of the top spots for a truly romantic date is the elegant champagne bar at Brasserie Max inside the stylish Covent Garden Hotel (10 Monmouth St., Covent Garden | 020/7806–1007).
Café Bohème (13 Old Compton St., Soho | 020/7734–0623) opposite the Prince Edward Theatre has an atmospheric zinc bar, low-risk brasserie fare, curbside tables, and is popular with the fashion crowd (open until 3 am Monday–Saturday). The snazzy basement hangout Mark’s Bar (66–70 Brewer St., Soho | 020/7292–3518 | www.hixsoho.co.uk) has old-fashioned bar billiards and English heritage cocktails (think Picador’s, Hanky Panky’s, milk punches, and lovage gin). Or mind the bouncer and battered front door at the Experimental Cocktail Club in Chinatown (13A Gerrard St., Chinatown | 020/7434–3559) where it’s all fanatical cocktail bar staff and antiques-shop chic.
Spotlight on Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia, Marylebone, and Hampstead
From money-is-no-object expense-account dining in Fitzrovia to the bluestocking haunts of Bloomsbury and the bracing fresh-air and leafy tranquillity of Hampstead, you couldn’t imagine three more strikingly different dining zones.
Show off with the Gucci Gucci crowd at sceney sushi sanctum and robata bar Roka (37 Charlotte St., Fitzrovia | 020/7580–6464 | www.rokarestaurant.com) on restaurant-central Charlotte Street, where there’s lush scallop skewers and sea bass sashimi. Or hang with the asymmetric fringed, design-school hipsters that koo over the squirrel taxidermy at New York–style Riding House Café (43–51 Great Titchfield St., Bloomsbury | 020/7927–0840 | www.ridinghousecafe.co.uk) where gourmet burgers are a snip at £9.60. Or experience classic English flavor at one of the homey Georgian gastropubs of Hampstead (more millionaires in Britain than anywhere else): the Wells (30 Well Walk | 020/7794–3785 | www.thewellshampstead.co.uk), just off the Heath, serves traditional roast beef and Yorkshire pudding (£16).
The Service Situation
What London’s restaurant boom of seismic proportions means to you, the visitor, is, naturally, a great many more choices, though the hot competition among the hundreds of new restaurants for the handful of good staff means there’s been no improvement in the standard of service—in fact, quite the opposite. If you don’t expect your waiter to introduce him or herself, smile, notice your frantic semaphoring, know anything about the dishes, or apologize for whatever goes amiss, you’ll be quite happy. Sir Terrance Conran tried to remedy this situation with a restaurant school but, alas, that shut its doors some time ago.
Global Tapas
The small-plates trend marches on in London, especially in Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia. Here’s where to go: Barrica (62 Goodge St., Fitzrovia | 020/7436–9448) serves notable Spanish tapas in a long Madrid-style tapas room. Plough through meatballs, pork, and oxtail or squid or veal cheeks. At Salt Yard (54 Goodge St., Fitzrovia | 020/7637–0657) the tapas have a seamless Spanish–Italian twist. And Siam Central (14 Charlotte St., Fitzrovia | 020/7436–7460) is a popular corner spot on buzzy Charlotte Street that offers 30 Thai tapas, such as tamarind duck, battered mussels, and drunken noodles with beef and Thai basil.
Cupcake Central
London’s turned into cupcake central, and Bea’s of Bloomsbury (44 Theobald’s Rd., Bloomsbury | 020/7242–8330 | www.beasofbloomsbury.com) is one of the best cupcake and tea shops in town.
With its on-site bakery, Bea’s churns out freshly baked sugary delights like blackberry cupcake with vanilla sponge, butter cream, and a fresh blackberry on top, or heavenly chocolate fudge cupcake with fudge icing.
Don’t miss the brightly colored peanut butter, praline, or carrot cake cupcakes.
And try not to drool over the cornucopia of three-layered chocolate truffle cakes, New York cheese cakes, lemon drizzle Bundts, fruit cakes, and pecan pies.
Afternoon tea (noon–7 pm weekdays and Saturday, and 2–7 pm on Sunday) with cupcakes, scones, minimeringues, flavored marshmallows, and Valrhona brownies is £22.
Spotlight on the City, Clerkenwell, and South Bank
Historic and just-beyond-The-City-limits, Clerkenwell is one of the most cutting-edge, radical, and trendy quarters for London gastro-dining, which sets it in marked contrast to the adjacent City, which caters overwhelmingly to business-focused conservative dining. Across the Thames, the South Bank anchors itself to its foodie mecca, the Borough Food Market.
For The City, join the bailed-out City bankers trooping over to Hawksmoor (157 Commercial St., The City | 020/7247–7392 | www.thehawksmoor.com) for dictionary-thick, 35-day-aged, char-grilled British Longhorn steaks. Farther over toward Clerkenwell, there’s a more relaxed, trendy vibe at Morito (32 Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell | 020/7608–1550), where a bright orange Formica counter often displays high-quality Spanish tapas at fair prices.
The Borough Market for Under £10
Follow the Tumblr online photo feed at the amazing brick-walled Elliot’s Café (12 Stoney St., Borough | 020/7403–7436 | www.elliotscafe.com) bang opposite Borough Market for incredible curios like cage-caught gray squirrel rillettes on toast for £7.50. Or for slightly more traditional “olde” English fare, sit at wooden oyster barrels and treat yourself to four Cumbrae rock oysters for under £10 at Wright Brothers Oyster & Porter House (11 Stoney St., Borough | 020/7403–9554 | www.wrightbros.eu.com).
Off the Tourist Track
Chef-Centric Clerkenwell
The area where the buttoned-up starchiness of The City fades into the relaxed artiness of Clerkenwell is a fertile ground for avant-garde chefs and restaurants. Within walking distance of Farringdon Tube and the Smithfield Meat Market, Bistrot Bruno Loubet (86–88 Clerkenwell Rd., Clerkenwell | 020/7324–4455 | www.bistrotbrunoloubet.com) at the Zetter hotel pulls no punches with highly expressive southwestern French cuisine like hare royale or daube of beef. Facing Loubet’s on St. John’s Square, New Zealander Anna Hansen’s Modern Pantry (47–48 St. John’s Sq., Clerkenwell | 020/7553–9210 | www.themodernpantry.co.uk) is doing something extremely rare and special with modern fusion food at this all-day two-floor pantry and deli. Her sugar-cured New Caledonian prawn omelet with Sri Lankan chili “sambol” is famed. At nearby stark-white fronted St. John (26 St. John St., Smithfield | 020/7251–0848 | www.stjohnrestaurant.com) pioneering Fergus Henderson prepares British nose-to-tail carnivorous cuisine, famed for its no-nonsense approach to offal and all fiddly bits in between.
Bustling Borough Market
First mentioned in 1276 and believed to have existed in Roman times, Borough Market on the South Bank is a firm favorite with tourists, chefs, and foodies alike. From Thursday to Saturday, the unassuming location under Victorian wrought-iron railway arches at London Bridge is packed with food trekkers eager to pick up the finest and freshest fruit, veg, and grub in the capital. There are more than 140 stalls, plus a bunch of pubs, bars, and restaurants and specialist shops like Neal’s Yard Dairy (6 Park St., Borough | 020/7367–0799 | www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk), where you’ll be bowled over by the great truckles of pungent blue Stilton cheese stacked floor to ceiling.
Mondo Vino
It’s all about the wine at 28°–50° Wine Workshop & Kitchen (140 Fetter La., The City | 020/7242–8877 | www.2850.co.uk) at this oenophiles’ honeypot and French restaurant.
Here, sommelier and co-owner Xavier Rousset has assembled a cracking wine list of 40-odd wines available by the glass, carafe, or bottle.
Plus he offers an awesome collectors’ list with rare vintages seldom seen in London restaurants—all sold at bargain prices.
With bottles sourced directly from private collectors, look out for gems like Château Cheval Blanc Grand Cru 1976 from Bordeaux for £399.
Another top selection was a highly prized Château Rieussec 2003 Sauternes sweet dessert wine for a knockdown £59.
Authentic French breads, charcuterie, duck rillettes, and cheese selections provide a tasty foil for the outstanding wines on offer.
Spotlight on Kensington, Chelsea, and Knightsbridge
If you think you’re fabulous, famous, wealthy, or all three, chances are you’ll be living—and dining—in one of these neighborhoods among its world-class museums, parks, shops, hotels, monuments, fashion stores, and top restaurants (do super-chef Heston Blumenthal and Harvey Nichols ring a bell?).
Chelsea, made famous in the swinging 60s, is where today’s Prada velour–clad yummy mummies bomb around in Range Rovers 4x4s, which locals have dubbed “Chelsea tractors.” Known for its shopping, Chelsea’s restaurants range from bijou boîtes to exclusive little places ideal for a girly gossip and a bite on the go. Over in upscale Knightsbridge, you’ll find Harrods and the high-end fashion boutiques of Sloane Street, plus a heap of world-class hotel-based restaurants. Come here for an amazing dining experience, but don’t expect bargains (except at lunch). Nearby, Kensington is a residential neighborhood with a wider range of restaurants, from French bistros to funky Vietnamese hideaways.
Cultural Eats
The food’s almost as good as the art and artifacts at some chic London locales. Marvel at portraits of pop stars and queens before bagging a seat with an amazing view of Trafalgar Square at the rooftop Portrait Restaurant (National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin’s Pl., St. James’s | 020/7312–2490 | www.npg.org.uk), which offers fairly decent British fare. At the world-famous auction house, the Café at Sotheby’s (34–35 New Bond St., Mayfair | 020/7293–5077 | www.sothebys.com/cafe) attracts a classy in-the-know crowd for bargain afternoon tea services (£7 to £12).
Pit Stops for Shoppers
Whether you’re looking for a quick bite or a more relaxing meal, there are plenty of options for every shopper.
Londoners still adore Wagamama (26 Kensington High St. | 020/7376–1717 | www.wagamama.com) for its healthful, cheap, and cheerful Asian noodles, ramen, and rice dishes.
This branch overlooks Kensington High Street and is clogged with mummies, toddlers, and buggies.
Slip in for a lemon sole or a Botanist salad—with squash, Jerusalem artichoke, and spinach—at the Botanist (7 Sloane Sq., Chelsea | 020/7730–0077 | www.thebotanistonsloanesquare.com), the ultimate posh hangout on Sloane Square.
Or dispatch a cheeseburger topped with Monterey Jack and courgette fries at Byron (93–95 Old Brompton Rd., Chelsea | 020/7590–9040 | www.byronhamburgers.com).
It’s bright, breezy, and perfect for young families, with two courses for kids for £6.25.
Rising Star: Mikael Jonsson
Swedish food blogger, former lawyer, and extreme-provenance fiend Mikael Jonsson shakes up the London dining scene with his ultrasourced produce-driven set menus at Hedone (301–303 Chiswick High Rd., Chiswick | 020/7747–0377 | www.hedonerestaurant.com) in leafy Chiswick.
His hand-dived Devon scallops are the most scallopy scallops that you’ll have tasted, his Cévennes onion the most indescribably oniony.
Eschewing grains and carbs, Jonsson lets rip with fully marbled 55-day aged Darragh O’Shea Black Angus beef, wild sea bass with wild chives, and his steamed John Dory with a stuffed courgette flower tastes like no other.
Musical Food
It’s hard to hear yourself speak, and the food’s a bit pricey, but everyone enjoys the 1950s bohemian scene, folksy live music, and poetry readings at the Troubadour (263–267 Old Brompton Rd., Chelsea | 020/7370–1434 | www.troubadour.co.uk), a restaurant, coffee shop, and music venue.
The site of Bob Dylan’s first London gig and host to Led Zep, Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Hendrix, and Nick Drake, this place is where latter-day bohemians lounge around and dine on breakfasts, burgers, pastas, omelets, and strong coffee.
Nearby off the King’s Road, there’s more live music at the 606 Club (90 Lots Rd., Chelsea | 020/7352–5953 | www.606club.co.uk).
Enjoy the sounds as you dine on grilled sea bass with fennel, or Welsh lamb and rosemary gravy while enjoying up-close-and-personal live jazz in a low-ceiling basement setting.
Spotlight on Notting Hill and Bayswater
World-renowned Notting Hill’s trendy atmosphere, designer shops, and oh-so-hip residents, and nearby Bayswater’s ethnic eateries, entice Londoners and travelers in droves.
Notting Hill has a reputation as one of London’s most fashionable neighborhoods, with numerous boutiques, chic cafés, pâtisseries and restaurants, buzzing bars, and the famous Portobello Road market’s collection of antiques shops, bric-a-brac, vintage-clothing stands, and delicious food stalls. The gentrification of Notting Hill has led to hordes of bankers and high flyers moving into the area, and hence prices are stratospheric. If you are in London at the end of August, be sure to check out the fanfare of the multiethnic Notting Hill Carnival street parade—a celebration of Caribbean and West Indian culture.
Bayswater is seedier, more transient, and known for its diversity. This neighborhood’s main artery, Queensway, boasts some of the best cheap ethnic restaurants in London. Here, the Greek, Indian, Chinese and Persian restaurants are all cheek by jowl. Visitors love the affordable hotels and shops here.
Snacking Spot
Portobello Road market is one of London’s most popular outdoor street markets. Get there early on Saturday morning (the market is open 8 am–6 pm) to beat the crowds. Peruse the antiques and vintage clothes and when you want to snack head to the north end of the market. Get ready for fresh fruit and veggie stands, bakeries, Spanish olive and French cheese purveyors, and numerous hot-food stalls peddling savory crêpes, hamburgers, German chicken, wraps, paella, kebabs, and Malaysian noodles.
How to get there: Take the Tube to Ladbroke Grove or Notting Hill Gate station and follow the signs (and crowds).
Gastropub Tour
These upscale pubs specialize in high-quality, innovative fare in a low-key bar setting. The Cow (89 Westbourne Park Rd., Notting Hill | 020/7221–0021 | www.thecowlondon.co.uk) is one of the best-known gastropubs in London. Eat oysters or prawns and down a pint of Guinness at the stylish ‘50s bar or head upstairs to the slightly more formal dining room. Over the road, the Westbourne (101 Westbourne Park Villas, Notting Hill | 020/7221–1332 | www.thewestbourne.com) attracts a good-looking boho-chic set and serves hearty regional food and rustic dishes, with specials like cuttlefish with capers, and sea bream with olive tapenade (£14). Lauded Italian eatery Assaggi (2nd fl., 39 Chepstow Rd., Notting Hill | 020/792–5501) sits above the Chepstow pub and excels with regional dishes like stuffed squid and grilled sea bass. The Mall Tavern (71–73 Palace Gardens Terr., Notting Hill | 020/7229–3374) specializes in nostalgic British favorites like pork scratchings, chicken Kiev, Cow pie, and Arctic Roll ice creams.
Cheap Eats
If you’re looking for a filling meal that’s not too pricey, head to Bayswater and Queensway. Alounak (44 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater | 020/7229–4158) is a local favorite featuring lively Persian cuisine served in a cramped dining room. Set piece lobster noodle platters, king oysters, and fried baby squid are three super-popular Chinese dishes at the Mandarin Kitchen (14–16 Queensway, Queensway | 020/7727–9012). Hereford Road (3 Hereford Rd., Bayswater | 020/7727–1144 | www.herefordroad.org; ) champions pared-back British seasonal fare like roast guinea fowl, game chips, and the rice pudding with baked fig. Or there’s always a big fat Greek party going on at Aphrodite Taverna (15 Hereford Rd., Queensway | 020/7229–2206 | www.aphroditerestaurant.co.uk), festooned with Greek drachmas, bouzouki mandolins, and a big bottle of Metaxa brandy.
Around the Park
A Sunday afternoon stroll around Holland Park can lead you in many culinary directions.
After a glimpse of its flower gardens and resident peacocks, you may be inclined to stop for a scoop or two of luscious Italian ice cream at Gelato Mio (138 Holland Park Ave., Notting Hill | 020/7727–4117 | www.gelatomio.co.uk), an ice-cream parlor on nearby Holland Park Avenue.
Try their fantastic Sicilian pistachio, Piedmont hazelnut, black cherry, or their biscotto (cookies and cream).
If you’re not in the mood for ice cream, head down Portland Road and sit outside at pavement tables at Julie’s Restaurant & Bar (135 Portland Rd., Notting Hill | 020/7727–7985 | www.juliesrestaurant.com) at quaint Clarendon Cross.
Here you can enjoy a Kir Royale or dry martini, along with a bowl of vegetable tempura with French beans, courgette, and sage leaves (£14.25).
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