Hello London!
London is our second home. The city is predominantly known overseas for its history, the Royal Family, and the inclement weather. It's perhaps not so widely recognized for its cuisine. However, the London restaurant scene has undergone a revolution in the last decade and is now on a level much closer to the gastronomic mecca that is New York City. Here are some of our favorite places to stay, places to eat, and things to do when visiting.
Dream
Firmdale Hotels, with multiple locations in central London. This is one of our absolute favorite hotel chains, with properties ranging from luxury boutique townhouses to larger hotels with comprehensive facilities. All have quintessential British decor designed by owner Kit Kemp. The common areas and restaurants are particular highlights and are fun and playful spaces. The chain includes such notable sites as the Charlotte Street Hotel in Fitzrovia, Haymarket Hotel, and the Ham Yard Hotel with a cinema, spa, bowling alley, and polished restaurant. Choose your hotel based on your favorite location and the sites you want to see.
London Edition Hotel, Fitzrovia: Designed by Ian Shrager and set in a landmark building, this was one of the first of the Edition chain of hotels to open back in 2013. It is just up the street from another hotel opened by Ian Shrager 15 years prior, the salubrious Sanderson Hotel, with its storied Long Bar. The stunning lobby bar at the Edition is a great place for a pre-dinner cocktail, across from Berner’s Tavern - the hotel restaurant, more of which are below. The rooms are mid-century modern and comfortable, while the white-tiled bathrooms can be a little minimalistic as regards shelf space.
Dine
London has so many distinct neighborhoods, but many who visit London for the first time spend the bulk of their time in the West End. So if you are looking for a good meal or cup of coffee, try some of our favorites:
Roka, Fitzrovia: Award-winning Japanese restaurant on Charlotte Street, in striking yet informal surroundings, with a central open grill kitchen. Quite possibly one of the best restaurants in London. Not to be missed.
Circolo Popolare, Fitzrovia: Spectacular new Italian restaurant on Rathbone Place in the heart of Fitzrovia serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. With an incredible “must-see” fit-out and plenty of authentic Italian touches, this Sicilian trattoria is well worth a visit.
Bocca di Lupo, Soho: One of our favorite London restaurants serving fantastic, authentic Italian food in a very compact setting. We try to visit this restaurant on every London trip. We recommend sitting at the chef’s counter, as the service at the tables can sometimes be a little patchy.
Barrafina, Soho: Modern, a stylish Spanish tapas restaurant on Dean Street in the heart of Soho, serving 1st-rate small plates. No reservations are accepted, so walk in for a great meal in a lively setting.
Yauatcha City, Broadgate Circle, at Liverpool Street Station: This sister restaurant of Alan Yau’s original Soho location opened in 2015 and serves high-end Chinese cuisine, including top-notch dim sum and hand-made deserts in a contemporary setting.
The Palomar, Soho: Serving the food of modern-day Jerusalem with a contemporary approach in an intimate space (read small) with a 16-seat zinc bar at the front and a small dining room with 40 covers at the back. This restaurant mainly operates a walk-in policy with a waiting list.
Berner’s Tavern at the London Edition Hotel: Serving seasonal contemporary British cuisine by Michelin-starred UK chef Jason Atherton in a striking dining room designed by Ian Shrager. Good for a posh dinner or a nice breakfast.
Hakkasan, Mayfair: High-quality dim sum and other Cantonese cuisines on two floors with upscale décor.
Bocconcino, Mayfair: Chic Italian dining room serving wood-fired pizza and fresh pasta, just off of Berkely Square.
Chilton Firehouse, Marylebone: Great setting in summer for brunch in the outdoor courtyard.
The Ivy Café, Marylebone: Upscale setting for a good breakfast or lunch in the heart of Marylebone.
Pizza Express – various locations throughout London and the UK: the best pizza chain in the UK, hands-down, selling great quality pizzas at a very reasonable price.
Coffee Time!
London is now home to a vast array of high-end coffee shops, with more than enough options to satisfy the Coffeeholic.
Kaffeine: Australian-inspired, with a location around the corner from the London Edition Hotel and its original location at 66 Great Titchfield Street.
Grind: A group of six café-bars and three restaurants across London, originally founded in trendy Shoreditch, where the Grind House Espresso blend is roasted daily. We visited London Grind on London Bridge, serving a top-notch flat white and breakfast in a convivial atmosphere.
Monmouth Coffee Company: Now over 35 years old, Monmouth has three locations. We drank first-rate coffee at the Borough Market branch near London Bridge.
Workshop Coffee: This coffee shop has four locations. We regularly visit the second home of the Marylebone Coffeebar, originally on Wigmore Street and now inside nearby St. Christopher’s Place, W1.
Sourced Market: This shop has four locations showcasing a cornucopia of food and drinks from some of the best independent British producers in a food store, come restaurant, come coffee bar environment. A good place to meet friends and grab a great coffee.
Rapha Clubhouse, London Soho: a meeting place for road-cycling enthusiasts with a retail store selling Rapha clothing and accessories and a café serving fine coffee and food. Second clubhouse location is in Spitalfields, E1.
Do
See something truly unique at the Sky Garden, 20 Fenchurch Street: Spectacular landscaped gardens and social spaces split over three levels on the 35th, 36th and 37th floors of London’s 5th tallest completed building, commonly known as the Walkie-Talkie. The observation decks and outdoor terrace afford fantastic views of the city below, with the River Thames snaking through it. There’s also a collection of five restaurants and bars to choose from. We dined at Darwin Brasserie and had a great time. A unique way to spend some time and get an overview of the City of London. Avoid the queue and make a dining reservation.
London has eight spectacular Royal Parks which are great places to take a stroll, cycle or do something more strenuous. These include Kensington Gardens - site of Kensington Palace, the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge; Hyde Park - location of the Serpentine lake and Serpentine Gallery; but our favorite is Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill, with excellent views of the London skyline.
Listen to the lovely sounds of a Symphony: London is home to many great orchestras, including the world-famous London Symphony Orchestra, based at the Barbican Center; the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, resident at Cadogan Hall; and the London Philharmonic and Philharmonia Orchestras, both resident at the Royal Festival Hall. So there’s plenty of opportunity to listen to some live classical music in the UK’s capital.
Have a drink at a Firmdale Hotel: We love having cocktails at the many Firmdale hotels in the capital, with their eclectic interior design by Kit Kemp. Among our favorites is Brumus at the Haymarket Hotel, the Ham Yard Bar at the Ham Yard, and Oscar at the Charlotte Street Hotel.
Enjoy fantastic views over London whilst sipping on a cocktail at the Shard. Try the bars at Aqua Shard or our favorite, Oblix. A great way to take in the view without stumping up the admission charge for "The View from the Shard" observation gallery.
Spend a few hours in any of London’s many incredible museums. The Tate Modern, National Portrait Gallery, and Royal Academy of Arts are our top three favorites.
Visit The Ned, the Soho House chain's new 5-star hotel and restaurant venture, set in a former Midland Bank building opposite the Bank of England. This architecturally majestic venue contains 250 bedrooms and 10 restaurants, including Cecconi’s City of London.