The London Recommendations I Send to Everyone
Discover London's vibrant culinary and cultural scene with this curated collection of recommendations, spanning trendy cafes, historic pubs, and world-class museums. From the bustling markets of East London to the elegant squares of the West End, explore the best the United Kingdom's capital has to offer.
The De Beauvoir Deli
A popular spot in De Beauvoir, known for its house-made blueberry muffins, chicken mayo sandwich, scones, and discounted treats.
Leigh’s
A smaller and quieter alternative to The De Beauvoir Deli.
Day Trip
A cute café known for its croissants and pain au chocolat.
Batch Baby
A tiny local favorite in Dalston, located in the Rose Lipman Building, known for its rotating roaster 'themes,' orange cafeteria-style trays, vintage mugs, and baked goods like banana bread.
Rose Lipman Building
A creative hub with a retro, 1970s feel, housing Batch Baby.
Pophams
A bakery born out of a love for traditional viennoiserie techniques with a creative twist, known for its pain au chocolat, honey & smoked salt bun, and cardamom bun.
London Fields
A park, buzzier and younger, full of energy.
Victoria Park
A big and beautiful park, perfect for runs, long walks, dog-watching, and picnics in the summer.
Dusty Knuckle
Known for its sourdough, sweet feta and honey swirl, and sticky bun, starting from a converted shipping container.
Harringay
Location of one of Dusty Knuckle's locations.
e5 Bakehouse
Located by the railway arches in London Fields, known for its excellent eggs on toast, fresh bread, and wholesome energy.
Friend of Ours
An Aussie brunch spot with lots of outdoor seating and a fresh, seasonal menu.
Ozone Coffee
A coffee shop that roasts its own coffee in-house and offers fresh bakes, good for working out of.
Esters
A quiet, refined brunch café known for its considered food, ceramics, and playlist.
Stoke Newington
Location of Esters cafe
Kuro Bakery
A Japanese-inspired bakery with meticulous design and delicate pastries.
Notting Hill
Area where Kuro Bakery is located.
Toad Bakery
Known for its excellent morning bun and everything bagel croissant.
Camberwell
Location of Toad Bakery and Cafe Mundo.
Fortitude Bakehouse
A secret weapon in Central London, right behind Russell Square, offering genuinely good pastries and coffee.
Bloomsbury
Location of Fortitude Bakehouse.
Russell Square
Location near Fortitude Bakehouse.
Alma Cafe
Known for its Hammersmith location that feels like a solid option out west and its great açaí bowl.
Hammersmith
Location of one of Alma Cafe's locations.
Rochelle Canteen
Located inside an old school building with a leafy courtyard in Shoreditch, serving simple British dishes done really, really well.
Shoreditch
Area with many restaurants and shops.
De Beauvoir Arms
A Victorian corner pub that feels like a secret, known for its chorizo in red wine and hummus and bread for nibbles.
The Hunter S
A sister pub to De Beauvoir Arms with a similarly cozy pub energy.
Cafe Mundo
A little sandwich café in Camberwell, known for its turkey caesar sub.
Lucas Gardens
A place to 'touch grass' near Cafe Mundo.
Ottolenghi
A forever-favorite for salads, roasted veg, and sweet things, offering quick but fresh and colorful options.
Towpath
One of the most beloved spots on the canal.
Haggerston
Area where Towpath is located.
The Garden Café
A peaceful café in the Garden Museum with a view of the Thames, known for its excellent food.
Garden Museum
Location of The Garden Cafe.
Lambeth
Location of the Garden Museum.
Thames
The river that can be viewed from The Garden Café.
Brawn
A Mediterranean, seasonal restaurant on Columbia Road.
Columbia Road
Location of Brawn and Campania & Jones restaurants and the Columbia Road Flower Market.
Campania & Jones
A candlelit Italian trattoria with handmade pasta and cured meats on Columbia Road.
Perilla
A Modern British small plates restaurant with a Nordic influence.
Newington Green
Location of Perilla restaurant.
Brat X Climpson’s Arch
Open-fire cooking in a wild back-alley archway in Hackney.
Hackney
Location of Brat X Climpson's Arch.
Firebird
A Mediterranean fire-cooked dishes restaurant with a fantastic wine list in Soho.
Soho
Location of Firebird restaurant and Liberty shop.
Brigadiers
An Indian barbecue-style food restaurant in a high-energy setting in the City of London.
City of London
Location of Brigadiers restaurant.
Dishoom
A restaurant, often compared to Brigadiers.
Scolt Head
One of the best neighborhood pubs full stop, great for a pint, but also for a proper dinner.
Burro e Salvia
A homemade pasta shop + intimate dining spot on Redchurch Street.
Redchurch Street
Location of Burro e Salvia restaurant.
Ciro’s
An independent, women-led Italian restaurant & natural wine bar located near Essex Road.
Angel
Area near Ciro's restaurant.
Essex Road
Road near Ciro's restaurant.
Levan
Part of the ‘bistronomy’ movement with casual vibes yet bold flavors, located just outside the Peckham station.
Peckham
Location of Levan restaurant.
Elliott’s
Offers fire-cooked veg, flatbreads, and a great location if you’ve just wandered into Borough or London Fields and are overwhelmed by the surrounding food stall options on a market day.
Borough Market
Location near Elliott's restaurant.
The Duke of Cambridge
Britain’s first organic gastropub with proper food and a quiet, grown-up vibe.
Islington
Location of The Duke of Cambridge pub and Pophams bakery.
Tofu Vegan
A totally plant-based Chinese food restaurant with huge portions.
Berber & Q
A Middle Eastern/North African grill under the arches, serving grilled lamb, roasted cauliflower, and harissa everything.
Exmouth Market
Location of a Berber & Q restaurant with a more polished setting.
Three Sheets
A tiny and quietly world-class cocktail bar with a minimalist interior and maximum cocktail precision.
Jaguar Shoes
An art bar-slash-gallery space with rotating artist installations.
Assouline Swans Bar
A luxury cocktail nook inside the Assouline bookstore with velvet chairs, glossy books, and very expensive martinis.
Piccadilly
Location of the Assouline Swans Bar.
Assouline bookstore
Location of the Assouline Swans Bar.
These Days
A neighborhood bar bringing aperitivo culture to South London, serving up delicious spritzes.
Bermondsey
Location of These Days bar.
Goodbye Horses
A natural wine bar that’s small, stripped-back, and refreshingly unpretentious.
El Vermut
A Spanish vermouth bar with character and charm.
Netil 360
A rooftop bar with views over Hackney, long benches, and a casual vibe.
V&A East Storehouse
A museum curation backstage experience.
V&A
Grand without being stiff, full of art, design, fashion, and unexpected beauty.
Victoria & Albert Museum
Grand without being stiff, full of art, design, fashion, and unexpected beauty.
South Kensington
Location of V&A museum.
Stratford
Area near V&A East Storehouse.
The Barbican
A mix of things to do: cinema, music, architecture tours, art & design expos etc.
The Conservatory
A massive indoor garden with over 1,500 species of plants inside The Barbican.
National Portrait Gallery
A mix of history, modern portraiture, and British storytelling through faces.
Trafalgar Square
Location of the National Portrait Gallery.
Wellcome Collection
A free museum and library exploring health and human experience, mixing science, medicine, art, and anthropology in unexpected ways.
Euston
Area where Wellcome Collection is located.
Tower of London
A historical site with real history and great Beefeater tours.
Tower Hill
Location of the Tower of London.
Buckingham Palace
Opulent and surprisingly human at times, open to the public once a year.
Westminster
Location of Buckingham Palace.
Regent’s Canal
A canal for walking or biking, passing houseboats and willow trees.
Hampstead Heath
Wild, sprawling, and a little magical with long grass, muddy trails, and sudden panoramic views of the city.
Hampstead
Location of Hampstead Heath.
Regent’s Canal Walk
A favorite stretch of the canal from Angel to London Fields to Victoria Park.
Broadway Market
A weekend ritual with food stalls and shops, close to the canal and London Fields.
De Beauvoir Rose Garden
A tiny rose garden worth a little detour, especially nice in spring / summer when everything’s in bloom.
Primrose Hill
Famous and touristy, but the view at the top is worth it, especially at sunset.
Camden
Area near Primrose Hill.
Regent’s Park
A park that can be combined with a visit to Primrose Hill.
Greenwich Park
A more structured, grand-feeling park with sweeping lawns and that iconic hilltop view over the city skyline.
Greenwich
Location of Greenwich Park.
Harrods
A shop, avoided for feeling like a temple to things not wanted.
Selfridges
A shop, avoided for feeling like a temple to things not wanted.
Liberty
Iconic, wood-paneled, cozy but grand.
Covent Garden
Location of Choosing Keeping shop.
Labour and Wait
An old-school homeware and tools shop.
Daunt Books
A beautiful bookshop with a curated feel.
Marylebone
Location of Daunt Books.
The West End
Area with theatre and musical shows.
Leicester Square
Location of TKTS booth for discounted theatre tickets.
Operation Mincemeat
A creative, unexpected, and London-born theatre show.
Columbia Road Flower Market
A flower market on Sundays with surrounding vintage shops and cafés.
Spitalfields Market
A market with solid food options, vintage pop-ups, and a good buzz.
Tower Hamlets
Location of Spitalfields Market.
Fortnum & Mason
A classic and very polished place for a proper high tea.
The Ritz
As grand and over-the-top as you’d hope, a place for a proper high tea.
The Wolseley
As grand and over-the-top as you’d hope, a place for a proper high tea.
Brick Lane
Area where phone/bag snatching is very real.