Places to eat in London

London travel facts

Currency: £ GBP

Visas:
Generally tourists from Europe, USA and the Commonwealth do not require Visas for UK holidays. Check out: www.ukvisas.gov.uk
Getting there:
Flights into Heathrow and Gatwick are serviced by Express trains to the centre (Paddington & Victoria).
Getting around:
London Underground, "Tube". Buy a Day Travel Card which also valid for London buses.
Tipping:
10-15% is normal in cabs and restaurants (where a service charge is usually included in your bill).

Restaurants

Child Friendly Restaurants:
TGI Fridays
TGI Fridays Leicester Square Tube: Leicester Square
25/29 Coventry Street, London, W1D 7AG. Tel: 020 7839 6262
Established in New York in 1965, their reputation for homespun US hospitality now spans the globe. Famous for fresh food and generous portions and a cocktail list longer than your arm served with dazzling bar-tending skills, TGI Fridays have become the ultimate destination for diners looking for something distinctive and different.
Nearby Hotels: to TGI Fridays
Giraffe Restaurants in London
Giraffe Restaurant - Islington Tube: Angel
29-31 Essex Road , London, N1 2SA. Tel: 020 7359 5999
Giraffe Restaurants wanted to create a friendly, welcoming place where a smile goes a long way. Their ethos is all about exploring the wonderful foods from around the globe and opening your ears to music from around the world.
Nearby Hotels: to Giraffe
Smollensky`s
Smollensky`s The Strand Tube: Charing Cross
105 The Strand, London, WC2R 0AA. Tel: 020 7497 2101.
Smollensky`s is one of the great names in grill restaurants and has been at the forefront of the London bar & restaurant scene for over 20 years. Smollensky`s Bar & Grill continues to operate with the same values that Smollensky`s flagship restaurant, Smollensky`s on the Strand, began with back in 1986; namely fantastic food, superb service & great value for money. With a fantastic site now in Canary Wharf, as well as the flagship site on The Strand in Covent Garden, Smollensky`s Bar & Grill is one of London`s favourite bar & restaurant destinations, perfect for all occasions.
Nearby Hotels: to Smollensky`s
Morellis Gelato at Harrods Foodhall
Morellis Gelato at Harrods Foodhall Tube: Knightsbridge
Ground Floor, Morellis Gelato at Harrods Foodhall, Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7XL
Morelli`s Gelato, the heavenly Italian ice cream parlour is housed in Harrods Foodhall. Unlike most other ice-cream brands, Morelli`s produce their ice-cream fresh, on-site, every day in the traditional artisan Italian method - and have been doing so since 1907.
Nearby Hotels: to Morellis
More Restaurants:
Number Twelve
Number Twelve Tube: Euston
Ambassadors Bloomsbury Hotel, 12 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0HX
Set at the junction of Upper Woburn Place and the delightful Dickensian pedestrian walkway, Woburn Walk, Number Twelve takes advantage of the best market produce cooked to order by Chef Santino Busciglio, from the Michelin stared and multi-AA Rosette awarded a-z restaurants. Neutral décor with pillar-box red accents gives a modern, clean feeling to the dining area, perfectly complimenting the British-inflected menu. Focusing on locally-sourced, seasonal produce whenever possible, the regularly-changing menu pulls no punches, featuring gutsy flavours and presentations.
Nearby Hotels: to Bloomsbury
The Ivy
The Ivy Tube: Leicester Square or Covent Garden
1-5 West Street, London WC2H 9NQ Tel: 020 7836 4751
Well known for both celeb spotting and the excellent food, the Ivy must be on everybody`s to do list. It offers everything, good food, excellent service, a wonderfully diverse menu and of course pop stars, movie stars and the odd royal!
Nearby Hotels: to The Ivy
Le Pont de la Tour
Le Pont de la Tour Tube: Tower Hill or London Bridge
The Butlers Wharf Building, 36d Shad Thames, London, SE1 2YE Tel: 020 7403 8403
There is no better view or location than this great restaurant, directly next to Tower Bridge and snugly located on highly trendy Butler`s Wharf, this Conran restaurant is great for modern Euro/Mediterranean cuisine at affordable prices.
Nearby Hotels: to Le Pont de la Tour
Oxo Tower
Oxo Tower Tube: Blackfriars
Barge House, London, SE1 9PH Tel. 0207 803 3888
The restaurant and brasserie dining overlooking the River Thames from the 8th floor of the Oxo tower. Fabulous terrace views and 5 star dining in this famous waterside landmark.
Nearby Hotels: the Oxo Tower
Chez Gerard
Chez Gerard Tube: Covent Garden
45 The Plaza, Covent Garden, WC2E 8RF Tel: 020 7379 0666
Chez Gerard in Covent Garden makes full use of its bright, light piazza setting, with a lovely arching conservatory dining room, terrace and outdoor seating with heaters to extend the nice weather for as long as we can stand it. This is a great place for meeting mates before excursions to shops, theatre, cinema, or the famous Covent Garden Opera directly opposite. It`s also perfect for reviving yourselves after your exertions. See and be seen here, with a perfect view from above the street madness below.
Nearby Hotels: Chez Gerard
Spicers
Spicers Tube: Blackfriars
19 New Bridge Street, London, EC4V 6DB Tel: 08714 269 490
The food is fresh, inventive, and very tasty. Now this delicious deli has got a proper restaurant where you can enjoy their gorgeous salads, sushi, sandwiches and more in a smart and relaxing setting. The style is minimalist, but comfortable, too. Spicers dining room is just right for low-key business lunches or easy after-work meals. The ingredients used here are fresh as can be and the service is just right.
Nearby Hotels: to Spicers
Momo
Momo Tube: Piccadilly Circus
25-27 Heddon Street, Regent Street, London W1B 4BH
Enter a Moroccon souk of a restaurant with terrific North African cooking and interior with lots of exotic furnishings - coloured glass and gilt lanterns and lots of cushions and original furnishings. Terrific lunchtime atmosphere but romantic in the evening. Prior to your meal visit the sumptuous bar area and dream of recreating the look at home. This is perfectly possible since only next door is the Tea Room where you can buy everything from babouches and kaftans to original North African antiques.
Nearby Hotels: to Momo
Simpson`s in the Strand
Simpson`s in the Strand Tube: Charing Cross
100 Strand, London WC2R 0EW Tel: 020 7 836 9112
Simpson`s is a stalwart English restaurant in the Strand that never fails to deliver. Eating in their Grand Divan dining room is an experience to be savoured. Wood paneling and exquisite paintings are the order of the day. Choose a classic roast carved at your table or try the Knight`s cocktail bar for a cocktail, salad or burger.
Nearby Hotels: to Simpson`s in the Strand

Bars

Abacus Bar
Abacus Bar Tube: Bank
21 Cornhill, London, EC3V 4ND
The City`s best bar and club from lunch to late nights. Upstairs, Abacus has the stylish atmosphere for lunch or after work chill out drinks, while downstairs the party revs up in the cool and sophisticated club until 2am.
Nearby Hotels: to Abacus Bar
Tiger Tiger
Tiger Tiger Tube: Piccadilly Circus
29 The Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4SP
Eat, drink and dance all under one roof, with 5 bar environments, 2 dance floors, a restaurant and club - Tiger Tiger is London`s premier late night venue. The main Tiger Bar, Lounge and Club combine funky music with more cosy booths for you to enjoy even more comfort and style.
Nearby Hotels: to Tiger Tiger
Counting House
Counting House Tube: Bank
50 Cornhill, London, EC3V 3PD
The old banking hall (the Counting House) has been cleverly converted into this fantastic traditional pub. With overly tall ceilings and a first floor gallery, even when this pub is full (and it is always full after 6pm), there is still room to get around. Definitely worth a visit for the décor alone.
Nearby Hotels: to Counting House
The Player
The Player Tube: Tottenham Court Road
8 Broadwick Street, London, W1F 8HW
Deep underground, underneath a ladies` underwear emporium is The Player, one of London`s finest late night members bars (non-members before 11pm). Exclusive airport chic, crooner`s boudoir, Vegas den. Beautifully dark and moody, low ceilinged and filled with the sort of sultry bar staff you`ll gladly leave your partner for. As you would expect from this kind of bar, you should always pre-book and Smart/Casual is the way to go. A cocktail haven in velvet - just take a seat at the bar, order a drink and watch the world come to you.
Nearby Hotels: to The Player
Light Bar
Light Bar Tube: Covent Garden
St Martins Lane, London, WC2N 4HX
A more eclectic drinkerie than this is hard to imagine: designed by Phillipe Starck, this is a bar without a bar (it`s screened off) within a trademark minimalist setting. As the name intimates, light is the focal point and the ceiling lighting of pure colour is breathtaking. This is table service only, so you`ll soon be on first name terms with your divinely dressed neighbours as you share some of the finest cocktails together, if you can get on the guest lists that is.
Nearby Hotels: to the Light Bar
Detroit
Detroit Tube: Covent Garden
35 Earlham Street, London, WC2 H9LT
Stylish subterranean bar with long spiral staircase taking you way, way down to the seating area, which is divided into little capsules that all link up. Quirky but intimate, with a busy bar filled with bright young things on their way up. Hefty bar prices and the food is hardly free, although it is very good, so we forgive them.
Nearby Hotels: to Detroit
Chinawhite
Chinawhite Tube: Piccadilly Circus
6 Air Street, London, W1B 5AA
Prepare to be amazed as you enter the dragon in the bowels of the Café Royal. This is as oriental, louche and decadent as it gets this side of Ming the Merciless`s pagoda - Chinese day beds, opium platforms and oriental furniture set against a deep red canvas make for an intoxicating experience for all you smartly dressed urbanites. It`s members only on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Thursdays if it`s busy, maybe that`s why 9 out of 10 celebs prefer it?
Nearby Hotels: to Chinawhite
Milk and Honey
Milk and Honey Tube: Oxford Circus
Poland Street, Soho, London, W1F
Sister bar of the equally secretive Milk & Honey New York, this speakeasy-style reservations-only bar is an intimate and calming alternative to the usual Soho bar scene. 30`s swing and jazz provide the background to what may well be the most polite bar in London. House rules such as "Gentlemen will remove their hats" and "Do not bring anyone unless you would leave that person alone in your home" are intended to be taken seriously and it all helps to attract a friendly, well mannered crowd. Dark and cosy booths are the setting for excellent cocktails from a menu designed by cocktail guru Dale DeGroff, with a members only floor providing an even more relaxed environment upstairs. Anybody can make a reservation on a first-come, first-served basis by calling in advance, but turning up at the door won`t work - especially as we`re not allowed to tell you exactly where it is!
Nearby Hotels: Milk and Honey

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