I’m traveling to London soon and am looking for restaurant recommendations. Anything from really fancy to gastropub to cutting edge to ethnic hole in the wall. Thank you all in advance!
There’s a kebab place called Bosphorous Kebabs at 59 Old Brompton Road, near the Lambo dealership, easy walking distance from a tube station; if you try to Google Street View the address you’ll be one alley too far to the right but click the left arrow and you’ll see it. Green sign. Warning: if you go to their website, it autoplays music; that’s why I’m not linking.
It’s so amazing that I can still remember exactly how good it tasted, and I’ve only eaten there once about a year ago, when my fiancé dragged me there after raving about it for the whole time I’d known him. I had an amazing plate of lamb, and there was this stuff that I don’t even know what to call, but kind of like salsa? Only better.
Loads to choose from - check the Time Out London Restaurant Guide:
My favourite gastropub:
[QUOTE=Time Out]
Bull & Last
168 Highgate Road, NW5 1QS
Locals are spoiled with this gastropub on their doorstep, though good luck to them on a weekend – the food is certainly worth travelling for, and people do. The attraction is a combination of chummy pub service (dog- and child-friendly), well-kept ales and a menu that keeps on giving
[/QUOTE]
There are hundreds and hundreds. Might be an idea to pin it down a little, location-wise. Or just get out there and have an adventure.
Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck … or if you can’t get into that then “Dinner” … fantastically amazing!
That’s a pretty loose definition of “London”, given that it’s west of Slough. But if you’re looking for a “destination restaurant” and money is no object (and you can get a table), you’ll always remember your meal there.
I recommend the Wolseley on Piccadilly for afternoon tea. Ignore the Ritz or Fortnum & Mason’s or Claridges - the Wolseley is awesome.
If you want great steak, any branch of Hawksmoor is fantastic, though pretty expensive. Also, there is a great Argentinian place in Battersea called Santa Maria Del Sur, which does pretty damn good steak too. Avoid the Aberdeen chain though - will be easy to see in central London, but not worth it. Better to get something decent somewhere else.
For fish, J Sheekey is excellent, imo - though expensive as it is in the heart of theatreland. Bentley’s also good but pricey.
For cheaper, chain stuff, I quite like Wahaca (basically a Tapas take on Mexican street food crossed with Wagamama) but it will likely pale in comparison to “proper” Mexican if you’re an American. Still, you can get in and out in an hour if you time it right, the food is decent and not excessively priced.
Also, find a good fish restaurant for REAL Dover sole. The stuff they sell in the US and call “dover sole” is a sham.
And there are zillions of wonderful Indian restaurants. And pubs.
Basically, your question is like asking for restaurant recommendations in New York. There are (literally) thousands, you need to specify area and what type of food you like, and price range. When I’m in London (alas, haven’t been for several years, which is why I’m not being specific), I always found fun and terrific restaurants, just by walking around the major areas and picking something that tickled my fancy for whatever reason.
At the cheap end there are of course decent chain restaurants and suchlike. I had an American friend who went gaga for Pret a Manger (a sandwich chain) of all places, and I spend far too much time and money in Nando’s. So those are options if you’re near one at lunchtime. But they won’t be particularly memorable.
I understand that there are lots of restaurants in London. There are lots in LA, where I live, and in NY, where I lived for many years. That wouldn’t stop me from recommending a few if someone asked.
Rules Restaurant, billed as London’s oldest restaurant, was recommended to us. Peruse the menu and history. We enjoyed a wonderfully memorable Christmas Eve dinner there a few years ago when visiting our daughter. Reservations are an absolute must.
Ooh, ok, here’s my favourites:
Made in Camden at the Roundhouse (in Camden, funnily enough). Have a cocktail, and order a few of the small plates rather than one main meal.
Namaste Kitchen: awesome Indian in Camden.
Latium, off Tottenham Court Road. Italian. I especially recommend the mixed seafood ravioli.
Jays, on Regents Park Road. Another Italian, much more affordable than Latium. My favourite is the salmon tagliatelle. They also do breakfasts, including rather good eggs benedict.
Marine Ices: ice cream parlour in Chalk Farm. Something of an institution, has been there for years. Also does food, but I feel I’ve already recommended enough Italians. But the spaghetti vongole is very good.
Tierra Brindisa: tapas restaurant in Soho. The olives and padron peppers are particularly good. Fun fact, it’s also the location for the scene in A Study in Pink, season 1 of Sherlock, where Sherlock and John have their awkward conversation about Sherlock’s sexuality and spy on cab drivers.
If you’re not staying in or near north-west London, this list may not be much good to you though.
Ooh - one of my favorite hidden wonders: if you’re anywhere near the Forest Hill/Honor Oak Park area in southeast London, check out Babur, around the corner from Honor Oak Park station. Modern fusion South Asian (Indian/Afgani with a twist). Surprisingly good for such an odd location.
You can’t miss it - there’s a tiger on the roof.
On the cheap and cheerful end, Pret a Manger is a solid bet for a nice sandwich at lunchtime. Other supermarket/sandwich shops worth a visit if that’s what you fancy are Marks and Spencer (including their Simply Food brand) and Waitrose.
If you’re visiting the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Abbey around lunchtime, just down Victoria Street you’ll find Strutton Ground, which is filled with cheap sandwich shops and often has a street market with hot food as well. Lunchtime mecca for the civil servants in the area.
London Eating is a great resource for finding restaurants in London, including reviews and the ability to search for cuisine or for restaurants near a particular tube station. Also check out its partner website Top Table to find out which restaurants have offers on while you’re in London.
Indian food is definitely a must-do. For the full-on tourist experience, go to Brick Lane (near Aldgate East tube) - the whole thing is lined with Indian restaurants, and you’ll often get waiters trying to out-bid each other for your custom. For something more like what (some) Indian people in Britain actually eat, head into North London - Ealing Road in Wembley is good for Gujarati food, if you don’t mind eating vegetarian.
London is also good for Lebanese/Middle Eastern cuisine. There are loads of places along the Edgware Road near Paddington - if you want something closer in, I really enjoyed Yalla Yalla near Oxford Circus.
I love cheese, so two of my favourite restaurants in London are cheese specialists: Androuet, in Old Spitalfields Market (near Liverpool Street station) is good and reasonably priced. L’Art du Fromage/ in Chelsea is pricier, but very, very nice and has a slightly wider selection, both of fondues and of other dishes.
Finally, my favourite Italian, Incanto is gorgeous, but miles out of town in Harrow. We don’t get out there as often as I’d like, both because of the distance and the price. It’s set in the middle of the buildings belonging to the eponymous posh public school, so potentially you could visit that at the same time!
Lots of good suggestions so far.
Borough Market is always worth a look as well. It is a bit of a middle class cliche but some of the food stands are really good. The fresh produce there isn’t cheap but it mostly is good quality and pretty much everyone has little nibbles set out for you to try (I had tempura squid last time I was there…very nice).
Plus the surrounding streets have lots of little restaurants piggy-backing on the market’s success so there is a lot of choice.
Rodicio Rico in Angel for meaty south American goodness is a good one. For steak, see Gaucho.
There’s a Rodicio Rico at the O2 as well. Definitely one for the meatlovers.
And you can go on the new cable car before or after dinner, which is fun.
If you like Indian food, make sure to stop at Veeraswamy.
This a HUUUUGe question. Could really do with some parameters.
In the meantime, off the top of my head…
For a classic, old-world and possibly star studded but not too expensive experience:
Try the Ivy (book well in advance) or The Wolseley(big brasserie that’s open all day, great for breakfast, brunch or afternoon tea).
For hot tickets on the scene right now that don’t take bookings:
Small plate restaurants such as Polpo, Polpetto, Spuntino
Hot tickets that need booking well in advance:
Dinner, Pollen Street Social
Fantastic tapas:
Barrafina in Soho. No booking, just rock up.
Best for steak:
Hawkesmoor
For the best south asian food in very casual settings, vastly superior to anything on Brick Lane:
Lahore Kebab House, Tayyabs(neither sell alcohol, but you can bring your own). Both in scruffy, non-touristy locales.
Off the main tourist trail:
Brawn On Columbia Road, Go on a Sunday morning to visit the famous open air flower market, browse the funky shops selling graphic art and book here for lunch.
Zuccaon Bermondsey Street, great contemporary italian. It’s walking distance from Borough Market, so combine visits. Bermondsey Street is very ‘hip’ and rarely sees a tourist.
New, cheap, huge, central french brasserie attracting great reviews for simple, very affordable classics:
Brasserie Zedel
I have barely scratched the surface.
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese - on the Strand.
The oldest pub in London (since 1667), with amazing classic English food.
Toulouse Lautrec - on Kennington Lane, south of Elephant and Castle.
International cuisine with a vast wine selection and live piano music.
Archipelago - on Tottenham Court Road.
Unusual food, mainly, such as Wildebeest Stroganoff and curried Kangaroo, locust salad and chocolate coated scorpion.
The Bangalore - on Waterloo Road.
Indian Restaurant with very good food, unusual in that it has cubby holes in the wall so you have to climb a ladder to get to your table.
The Archduke - on Belvedere Road.
Live Jazz on saturday nights and one of the best steaks I ever had.