We recently took a trip to London and to be honest I wasn’t expected to be blown away by their cuisine. You always hear about the food in Italy or Paris but no one really mentions London. So I was pleasantly surprised to find not only did I enjoy the food in London, it was home of some of my most favorite meals ever! Full disclosure: we stayed in West London near the Mayfair, Covent Garden, and Soho area so most of these places are in that general area. We ate at a few places outside of this area but they weren’t my favorite. London is such a fun, vibrant city and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. If you’re planning a trip to London soon, you have to check these places out (in no particular order).
1. Dishoom
This was hands-down my favorite restaurant in London and definitely one of the top three of our entire Eurotrip. Dishoom is talked about a lot and it definitely lives up to the hype. Everything is seriously so good. I had never tried Indian food before this and I was blown away by all of the complex flavor and spices. Seriously try this place even if you don’t think you like Indian food because their menu is so diverse there is something for everybody. Dishoom recommends ordering 2-3 dishes per person because the portions are smaller and then everyone can share the different dishes. I loved this concept because we got to try a ton of different dishes without getting overly stuffed. Some of our favorite dishes we ordered were the Chicken Ruby, Spicy Lamb Chops, House Black Dahl, the Steamed Basmati Rice, Cheese Naan, and the Murgh Malai. Seriously just typing this makes me want to go back. I’ve even looked up how to make some of these recipes on Pinterest just so I can eat them at home. I’ll keep you guys posted if they’re close to the real thing. Dishoom has locations all over. We went to the location at Carnaby but I heard all of the locations are great. Pro tip: Dishoom only takes reservations for parties of 6 or more at dinner time so either go with a big group or make a reservation for a late “lunch.” We had a party of 5 and made a reservation for lunch at 5:30pm. So definitely an earlier dinner but we had plans to go somewhere after so it worked out. Either way I would recommend having a reservation because the line was out the door with wait times over an hour and you definitely don’t want to miss this place.
2. Mr. Fogg’s Residence
I stumbled upon this place randomly online while searching for some fun bars and pubs to check out while in London. I loved the mysterious vibe it gave off and I booked a drinking table for the five of us. Inside the decor is very steampunk and over-the-top in the best way. From eccentric, vintage furniture to a hot air balloon in the corner, Mr. Fogg’s did not disappoint on ambiance. The servers are all extremely knowledgeable on their drinks and can make great recommendations. Their menu is a wheel that you can spin that shows different regions around the world where Mr. Fogg has traveled to and the corresponding drink that goes with it. Then there’s the presentation of the drinks. I wish so badly that I could have sampled some of these beverages but my party said the drinks were spectacular and even my virgin cocktail was amazing. My sister’s beverage, came in a dainty tea cup in a glass cloche filled with smoke. Seriously so cool and an awesome place to check out if you’re winding the evening down and want a fun and different nightcap.
3. Chiltern Firehouse
Guys. You NEED to go here for breakfast and you NEED to order the Blueberry pancakes. Seriously some of the best pancakes of my life. They’re perfectly soft with a sort of crispy edge to them that make them so so good. On the side they serve fresh blueberries, creme fraiche, and maple syrup. Order these with a cup of coffee or tea and you have perfection. Other delicious breakfast items on the menu include the Eggs Benedict Royale and the Spiced Avocado and Tomatoes. The restaurant itself is romantic and cozy with hanging greens and comfy booths. Chiltern Firehouse also serves lunch and dinner which I’m sure is excellent but unfortunately we weren’t able to go. Overall such a delicious find and I’ll be dreaming of those pancakes for awhile.
4. Burger & Lobster
As our blunt and straight-to-the-point waitress told us upon arriving, we only have two things here: burgers and lobster. Such a simple concept but OMG is it amazing. Because we were on vacation and living our best life we all ordered the B & L Combo which consists of 1.25 lb lobster and a 5oz burger plus chips (or french fries) and a salad. So much food but oh so good. The burger is perfectly juicy and the secret burger sauce is yummy. Our server gave us the option of having our lobster steamed or grilled or done half and half. Because we wanted to try both we did the half and half but I’m here to tell you the grilled is better. The lobster is so fresh and grilled to perfection and the lemon garlic butter it’s served with is amazing. With the fries and salad you have the perfect surf and turf meal. Check this place out.
5. Tea at Fortnum & Mason
I had a really hard time picking out a place to do afternoon tea in London. There are a ton of options and most of them require an obscene amount of money. I finally settled on Fortnum & Mason for a few reasons and I’m so glad I did. One, I wanted something more classic and traditional rather than trendy because I wanted the full experience. Two, I was looking for a place with classy and elegant decor where we could dress up for an actual event. Maybe it’s because I had just watched the Royal Wedding, maybe it’s because I’m always a little bit fancy, either way it just worked. Third, I liked the idea that if I liked the tea, Fortnum & Mason has a shop down below where you can purchase and take home as a souvenir–which I promptly did as soon as tea was over. We had our afternoon tea in the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon and it was one of my favorite things we did in London. First, our server explained each of the teas and helped us figure out which teas we would probably like based on our preferences, then he showed us the traditional way the English drink and prepare their tea. I ordered the Countess Grey tea and I loved it. Next they serve the tea with tiered trays of both sweet and savory treats. Traditionally, the English start with the savory items on the bottom and end with the sweet. The sandwiches were all amazing with our favorites being the chicken and egg salad. Then there were savory scones served with a mustard based spread or a sun-dried tomato spread and savory canapés. The sweet trays had their traditional scones with strawberry preserve and clotted cream. Seriously, I’m drooling. Finally, there were tiny little desserts to be enjoyed at the top. Did I mention that you can have as much as you want of these items. Loved this experience and I would highly recommend the next time you’re in London.
6. The Blind Pig
If you enjoy a good speakeasy with fun and inventive cocktails then you’ll really enjoy the Blind Pig. What I loved most about this place is the drink menu. Every page is so cutely illustrated with popular British children’s tales including Winnie the Pooh, Paddington the Bear, and even Harry Potter. Then there are the drinks that correspond to each of these tales with the cutest garnishes. Our party ordered the Paddington Bear and the drinks were served with a tiny marmalade toast. Another table order the Hunny Pot from Winnie the Pooh and it was actually served in a Hunny Pot. So. Cute. Can you tell I’m a details person? Also the drinks were yummy and the bar had such a fun and chill vibe. I would highly recommend for some drinks if not for the pictures alone.
7. The Breakfast Club
If you’re looking for a mom and pop type of restaurant with American sized portions and a great breakfast then look no further than the Breakfast Club. Tons of yummy options for breakfast and you won’t leave hungry. Some of our favorites include the Breakfast Burrito, Eggs Benedict, Banana pancakes, the English breakfast, and the Egg sandwich. Everything was super fresh and the price was right since London can get expensive. Get here early because the line can wrap around the building and they don’t take reservations.
There you have it. My 7 favorite restaurants in London. To me, the food is half of the experience and I remember the cuisine of a trip just as much as I remember the tourist spots and national monuments. I hope you guys get the chance to eat and drink at some of these places because we had the best time and will remember these experiences forever. What are your travel plans this summer? Have you tried any of these places before? Let a girl know.
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