Going to London and Paris in a month...where should I go to eat? What to see?

In My Humble Opinion
1

In a bit over a month I am taking a trip to London and Europe and I am looking for recommendations for places to eat in either city.

Sure I can Google with the best of them but that gives me the standard tourist stuff. I am looking for the places the locals love to eat at. Preferably local cuisine but it doesn’t have to be (which is to say I am not really in London to hit up an Italian joint much as I like Italian food but if it is something really great go ahead and mention it).

Price range can be anywhere from cheap to $100/person (no I do not generally eat at such expensive places but this is a special trip so would consider one such meal).

Likewise looking for any tips on things worth seeing. The obvious ones need not be covered (Big Ben, Eiffel Tower, etc.) but rather some little gems that may not be as well known.

All opinions welcome.

Thanks in advance!

2

It’s probably too late to get tickets to a show, but you should take a tour of The Globe Theater. And, if you can get tickets, you should absolutely go.

3

I checked with a friend who has been to London & Paris a few times.

4

A while ago, I had asked for the best place to get breakfast in London, and JacobSwan suggested this place. I’ve been there three times now, and their “World Famous Butcher’s Breakfast” is awesome.

As far as sightseeing is concerned, I really liked the Imperial War Museum (they also have a branch somewhere between London and Cambridge, where most of their airplanes are), and London Walks. If you’re into that sort of thing, Spies’ & Spycatchers’ London is a must! The guide, Alan, is a cranky old bastard, but a great storyteller nevertheless.

ETA: As Ethilrist’s friend has suggested, you should definitely attend a service in Westminster Abbey, whether you’re religious or not. They’re very accommodating in that respect anyway.

5

Wife and self went to London and Paris about 3 years ago. A couple of things off the top of my head:

[ul]
[li] Churchill’s War Room museum. The bunker from which Churchill and staff ran most of the Battle of Britain. It was sealed immediately after the war and not opened again until the 70s. Lots of stuff preserved as it was left.[/li][li] Steak and ale pie from the pie shop in Covent Garden (lower level; can’t remember the name). Definitely local food. Excellent quality.[/li][li] Not local cuisine, but try to find some good Egyptian barbecue or Indian food. Like the US, England is now a nation of immigrants, and those are pretty large communities.[/li][li] The food hall at Harrod’s is the only part of that store where things aren’t insanely overpriced. We got takeout lamb kebab sandwiches and pastries to eat on a park bench nearby. With some candies and tea we got for souvenirs, I think we spent about 30GBP (less than the price of a hair comb we saw there by about a factor of 10).[/li][li] Les Philosophes in the Marais District is precisely what you’d expect from a Paris bistro: tart tatine, steak au poivre, waiters in black vests and white aprons, locals dining there with their dogs under the table, the whole thing. Good food, not super expensive (under 30EUR for 2 courses).[/li][li] There’s a falafel and shwarma place on the Rue de Rosiers (the old Jewish neighborhood) that’s very good, though obviously not French food. Still some Jewish businesses on the same street, including a Sephardic kosher deli. The Tunisian salami with pistachios and garlic is outstanding, whether or not you are a Jew or kosher. North African food is common in Paris (we had Moroccan bistilla made with duck a one place–very fusion), which reflects the colonial history of the country.[/li][li] Go to all the tourist spots you can manage in Paris. The art museums are fantastic; the Eiffel Tower is spectacular; Notre Dame is stunning (though the audio tour was waaaay too explicitly Catholic for my taste–the place is still a working church, not a museum).[/li][li] Almost forgot the Museum of the City of Paris. Off the beaten track a bit, but free, IIRC. Rooms reflect the history of the city from various time periods. [/li][/ul]

Have fun!

6

If you like street/market food: either Borough Market or the Real Food Market at Festival Hall. Just a range of really good food of all types.

If you want to find a show and you haven’t booked, there is a kiosk in Leicester Square that sells last minute tickets to shows.

On a recent visit to London I was running late, and the friends I was meeting managed to get tickets for The Lion King afternoon show. They felt bad, but my comment was -

I walked from Covent Garden (where there are street performers most of the time) to Trafalgar Square (fun in it’s own right), and visited the National Gallery - free. Go to the V and A or Natural History museums, free. Walk, Boris bike or tube depending on the weather/distance/personal inclination.

London is really a great place to visit. I don’t much know about Paris (you will queue more and pay more, but it is still worth it).

7

I endorse all of Ethilrist’s friend’s suggestions = the Wolseley is an absolute gem for afternoon tea. Ignore the Ritz next door or Fortnum & Mason up the street as touristy mediocrities; the Wolseley is the bomb.

And for cheap tasty eats Pret is a pretty good option. and Speaking of chains, I’m also a huge Nando’s fan if you like spicy chicken but they’re not really “destination restaurants”.

If you’re down by Borough Market / London Bridge around breakfast time, I can recommend Brindisa down by the market for a tasty Spanish tapas-style breakfast menu.

In Paris we usually get dinner at Bofinger near the Bastille, or Au Pere Louis near the Sorbonne. For sweets, if you’re a chocoholic, Angelina on the Rue de Rivoli (the Place de la Concorde end) is a must for the hot chocolate.

I do touristy stuff too, but mostly it’s the food I remember when I travel.

8

There is an interesting restaurant there that serves “genuine” WWII food. It’s an, um, experience :dubious:

No trip to Paris is complete without visiting the Sewer Museum

I love eating in Paris, but there are an awful lot of resaurants that do not exist online at all. There is a placed off the back of Montmartre that I really like, and only exists through a couple of google reviews. Basic but good French cooking. I really like Basque food but it’s hard to find in Paris with one exception O Beret Basque which is very close to the Gare du Nord which is where you’ll be arriving assuming you take the train from London to Paris

9

Also near the Sorbonne- The Musee National du Moyen Age (formerly the Musee de Cluny) which holds the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. Medieval monastery, Roman bath ruins and awesome small museum.

10

In London not only the Natural History Museum but also the V&A and the Science Museum are must-sees, and they’re all on the same road a minute or two’s walk from each other. Tip: avoid queues by entering the natural history museum via the earth galleries entrance. Also walk along the road on the way back instead of the subway (meaning underground walkway rather than tube) - it’s much quicker.

There are no good restaurants that I’ve ever heard of in that area. Go elsewhere to eat on that day.

There are lots of small museums near the British Museum, which I assume you have thought about visiting. The Petrie Museum is OK - basically like an offshoot of the Egyptian section of the BM - but the Grant Museum of Zoology is excellent for jars of pickled moles, etc. Nearby are also the Cartoon Museum and the Charles Dickens Museum, which you have to pay roughly a fiver for (the others are all free).

Near there is a decent and really old-fashioned chip shop - actually old-fashioned and run by a family, not pretend-old-fashioned. The Fryer’s Delight on Theobald’s Rd.

A 55 bus ride away is my favourite Korean restaurant, Tohbang.

St John’s in Smithfield is one of the best English (English food) restaurants, as long as you like meat.

Globe tickets probably will still be available. If you can stomach standing up for the whole performance, then groundling tickets cost £5 and are pretty much always available, particularly for matinees. Wear a rain mac with a hood - no umbrellas allowed.

From the Globe, a walk up the South Bank is unmissable for the views, the life, the river, etc.

Marks and Spencer, the supermarket chain, do AMAZING salads to take to the park with you. There are lots of parks that are worth visiting in their own right; it should still be warm enough for a quick stop.

In Paris, I’ve never actually been to the catacombs, but so many trustworthy people have recommended them that they seem to be a must-see.

Check the Eiffel Tower site before you go; it seems to be OK right now, but last time I planned to go it was right out, because the lifts weren’t working. You can also buy timed tickets in advance, so you could check out sunset times and plan to arrive at the top around then.

11

I wouldn’t call Pret particularly cheap. Anyway, I came here to say that you must visit the Tower of London. Make sure you attach yourself to a tour led by one of the guards.

12

The information is about 4 years old but…

I second the vote on the British Museum. It has such a vast array of artifacts that it took me two days to see them all - Magna Carta, a deed to the original Globe theatre, a Gutenberg Bible, the cocktail napkin that John and Paul scribbled the lyrics to “Hey Jude”, and countless others. Best of all the cost of admission is free, although they have a donation bin if you are feeling generous.

A day trip to Greenwich will let you stand astride the Prime Meridian and tour the old tea clipper Cutty Sark. There is also the National Maritime Museum that is quite nice. It features a great number of artifacts, and shows many of the more notable engagements. The period between 1776 and 1815 is somewhat sparse - something about those unruly and ungrateful colonials. :smiley: - but is still worth a visit. When I was there, you could travel to Greenwich by boat from the Tower, which was quite nice.

13

Thanks! Already did.

Got tickets to go see The Mousetrap since, apparently, it is only running in London (so I have been told). With over 25,000 performances I am guessing it must be good.

14

For tea it was recommended to me by my friend’s mother that I do it at Brown’s Hotel.

Opinions?

15

I second this (I took the Tower guided tour with a couple of US Dopers and we all enjoyed it.)

An excellent way to get to the Toweris to go to Westminster (both Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament are nearby), then take a guided boat tripdown the Thames.
As with the Tower, the guides are knowledgeable and since London was built around the river, there’s lots to see.

Also you can go from St Paul’s Cathedralacross the Millennium Bridgeto the Globein just a few minutes.

Sadly I haven’t eaten in London for a long time, but Chinatownis well worth a look.

16

The Pompidou museum for modern art and the Louvre for classic art. Each can consume an entire day and totally worth it. The Latin Quarter is great for walking and restaurants and night life. The flea market is a lot of fun and just great to browse and shop. (Dang I wish I went to Paris more often!)

17

In re: London –

Pret is a ubiquitous sandwich shop - there are a jillion of them. Kind of like a healthier version of Subway, but with everything pre-made. Not knocking it, but you can do better.

If you like Indian cuisine you won’t go wrong with The Empress and even better is Tayyab’s. If you want to visit a cool food space in a high-end store Harrod’s is great but my wife and I prefer the food shop at Selfridge’s. I second Nando’s – good food at a good price; on the slightly more expensive end of the scale, I’ve heard good things about Sushi Samba on the 38th floor of the Heron Tower.

As for what to do/see, here are a couple of “nonstandard” ideas:

If you’re in London on a Saturday, check out the Portobello Road Market. Or on any day just wander through the market stalls of Camden Town, that is if kitschy/trendy is your thing, and you don’t mind mingling among swarms of hipsters and assorted Gen Y types. On the complete other end of the scale is the sleek magnificence of Canary Wharf – sure it’s just a bunch of skyscrapers, but it’s a really well-conceived urban space. There are dozens of restaurants and pubs to choose from, just be aware they get pretty crowded on evenings towards the end of the work week.

And if you’re a fan of Pink Floyd, go check out the pop-up park in front of Battersea Power Station and listen to the full album of “Animals” (via mobile phone & Youtube!) while gazing up at the chimneys…sublime.

Enjoy your trip!

18

I don’t remember finding anything worth eating in London. But I wasn’t there very long. The best food I had was nondescript lunches in local pubs. My favorite thing in London was riding The Tube. Also loved the Tate Gallery (modern art; an acquired taste).

In Paris, the Latin Quarter is great; you can drop in at all the places Hemingway and the Lost Generation used to hang at (can’t remember any names at the moment; they’re all listed in A Movable Feast). The best food I found was at the food carts; great little baguette sandwiches that they heat up for you on the spot. For fancy cuisine, you’ll have to go with other folks’ suggestions. Sites I enjoyed: The Rodan Museum, the miniature Statue of Liberty, walking along the Seine, and of course the Eiffel.

Have a great time!

19

Seconded. Au Pere Louis is awesome. I’m blanking on a lot of names (its been 5 years almost since I was last in Paris!), but there’s a really good Moroccan pizzeria on Rue St Michel also.

20

If you couldn’t find anything worth eating in London you either weren’t looking, didn’t like food (like me, I don’t like food) or simply found better things to do than eat. And I’m a bit like that in London - I’ll eat just about anywhere, because there’s so much else to do and I only need food to keep me alive while I do other stuff.

But if you like good food, and can’t find it in London, you’re simply not trying. Or you believed the bullshit about British food being bad. Or something, I dunno. Point is, there’s plenty worth eating in London, if food is your thing.