London, England: A guide to Eating and Drinking your way through the city

Travel

May 1

When we visited London in March, it felt like being home. Let me explain. Since we’ve moved to Sweden, I’ve gotten used to never understanding what’s being spoken around me, I still get tripped up in the grocery store, and have anxiety trying to ask for assistance. I can do all these things, but I’m always having to “think” before doing, instead of just going about my day. When we landed in London, it was a bit of a sensory overload! Suddenly I could understand everything around me, I could read everything, ask questions, saw familiar foods and brands… it was like being back in the US. And I never thought I would compare London to the US. It was comforting to say the least.

We spent five days exploring the city and tried to be more local less tourist. We stayed in an Air B&B in Kensington/Notting Hill Area, shopped at the local Tesco and Wait Rose, took the tube everywhere, and tried to avoid all the crowds at the usual places. We also met up with friends who were there on spring break, which was lovely.

Facts about London

London has almost 9 million people, making it one of the most populous cities in Europe as well as one of the most diverse.
It’s composed of 32 boroughs, including Kensington, Chelsea, Westminster, Camden, and City of London to name few
The River Thames divides the city into north and south. You will find the most important destinations to the north as this was the strategic location across the river from anyone trying to invade the city.
There is no formal road layout, which has made public transportation the most popular option - over 1 million people travel into the city center each day and three quarters of them use public transport (Tube, buses, trams, and overground trains)
With a history dating back over two millennia, London is one of the oldest cities in the world and the most cosmopolitan.
London is home to the London Stock Exchange and is considered an international banking market having the largest concentration of finance employment in the world
The West End is equivalent to Broadway in New York, offering award-winning shows, musicals, and plays.

Photo of Notting Hill Gate Tube station — Tube Station

How to get around in London

London is quite a large city and the fastest way to get around is the tube (London Underground). With that said, London is also a great city to wander and get lost in. It’s pedestrian friendly and easy to navigate.

Walk

The city is very pedestrian friendly. Just remember to look the right way when crossing streets - everything is opposite of what you think it should be!

Tube

I think the tube is the best way to get around - it’s fast, easy to navigate, and fairly inexpensive. We opted to get an oyster card that you can load with money and reload anytime with more. They even have an app you can use to register your card. This came in handy when I lost my card during a trip. I was able to quickly cancel the card and then load that money onto a new card.

Bus

We didn’t use the bus (the tube took us everywhere we planned to go), but the oyster card also works on the bus, so no need to purchase tickets seperately or pay as you enter. The bus system in London is also very robust and you can see a bit more of the city if using this option.

Black Cabs

The black cabs are the traditional cabs used throughout London and are more regulated than the private cars (think Uber). You can prebook a black cab or hail one that you see on the street, similar to any other taxi service. If you’re in a pinch and need to get somewhere directly or the tube intimidates you, these are a good option.

Uber

Uber is available in the city if you prefer to use this method of transportation.

Where to stay

London has so many wonderful neighborhoods, each with a different vibe. We stayed in an Air B+B and I highly recommend that option. I find them to be more affordable than the hotels in London and you can really narrow into which neighborhood you want to be in. We’ve stayed Notting Hill/Paddington neighborhood and really enjoyed it. There’s lots to do, you’re not right in the middle of all the tourist sites, but easy to get to them all and there were a lot of good restaurants around.

This is the Air B+B we rented
This one and this one were also ones I marked that I liked
Our friends stayed at The Hotel Cumberland and liked it (apparently all the airline staff stay here on their layovers). It’s right next to Hyde Park at the Marble Arch.

American style pancakes topped with a maple brown butter sauce

Possibly the best egg sandwich ever from Eggslut

Where to Eat and Drink

We didn’t book tables for the most part - the exceptions were afternoon tea, Sunday Roast, and a pub with our friends, so most of the places we went to we either happened upon while walking around or had heard about them from others. The food markets in London are incredible and you can find just about any kind of cuisine. We went to two of them, but there are so many you could make a trip out of just going to the food markets.

FOOD

Gails - this is a chain bakery, but we enjoyed their pastries and every one we walked by was packed.

TAB x TAB - Great place for breakfast, their eggs benedict was amazing!

Maltby Street Market - something for everyone here. various food booths and restaurants with a lot of ethnic food options. Come here hungry, we had a big breakfast prior so we opted to just have drinks and snacks, but all the food looked delicious.

Sunday in Brooklyn - Another great breakfast place. I had the most decadent pancakes ever (with a side of perfectly crispy bacon!)

Putera Puteri We did take out from here our last night and it was delicious.

The Wallace Collection A good place for tea. We booked in advance and it was a lovely experience

Eggslut I had to experience this. They have them in LA but I’ve never been and one thing you can’t get in Sweden is a good egg sandwich. This satisfied that craving and then some. Truly yummy.

The Three Tuns - A good pub with good food and fun atmosphere.

Guacho - While we didn’t actually eat in the resturant, Barts serves some of their food and what we had left us wanting to go to the restaurant next time we come. Ramesh had the best sliders ever and I had an empanada dish that I wish I had ordered more of, really good and authentic Argentinian steak house food.

DRINK

Trailer Happiness Our favorite place to get a cocktail. They specialise in rum cocktails and have a tiki theme. The staff is super friendly and their drinks are top notch.

Gordon’s Wine Bar The oldest wine bar in London and another favorite of ours. We liked it so much we went twice! Good wine and snacks.

The American Bar at the Stafford Craft cocktails in a hotel bar. Fun atmosphere.

Barts Speakeasy where you need a password to get in! I enjoyed their cocktails but Ramesh felt they were a bit over the top (He’s a cocktail purist). We went on a Sunday evening so it was pretty quiet, but I bet it’s a lot of fun when it’s busy.

Dukes - While we weren’t able to get in (hint, get there 30 min before they open as they don’t take reservations and give hotel guests first dibs), this is still on my list to visit. Dukes bar is where Ian Fleming frequented and it’s the home of the vesper (the cocktail James Bond drinks). What’s even cooler is they come to your table with their bar cart and make the drink in front of you. I will get here soon!!!

Half Hitch Gin We stumbled upon this distillery in Camden Market and did a gin tasting. We enjoyed it so much we both got gin and tonics to go! We each got a small bottle of gin, tonic, and a plastic cup so we could mix our own and then go walk around. The perfect way to enjoy the riverwalk.

The Marleybone - We popped into this pub for an afternoon drink and it did not disappoint. We both had specialty gin and tonics and they were delicious.

Bermondsey Beer Mile - Again, we didn’t stop into any of these tap rooms but we did explore the area a bit. Next time we’ll be sure to make a day of it over there and not stop for wine first at the Maltby Street Market!

Sherlock Holmes Another pub that I would say grab a pint at but I wouldn’t recommend the restaurant upstairs. We booked a Sunday Roast but were disappointed in the food and service.

Bar Termini - We didn’t get to this bar that was also on my list, but the bartenders at Trailer Happiness also has this a good place to visit. Next time! The bartenders also shared with us that if you’re looking for good craft cocktails, the east side of the city does them best - noted!

What to do in London

Pick a neighborhood and just wander. This is the best way to explore the city. We love exploring Notting Hill, Kensington, Marylebone, and Camden to name a few.
Visit the numerous markets for shopping and eating. London is full of street markets where you can find just about anything. Here are a few good ones to visit: Portobello Road Market , Camden Market, Borough Market. For a comprehensive list of markets, check this out.
Take the Hop on Hop off Bus. While touristy, I find this is the best way to get a good view of London and see all them major highlights. The benefit to the bus is you can hop on and off when you see something you want to explore more. They also provide an audio tour on the bus that gives you a really good overview of the history and sights.
Spend a day on the Bermondsey Beer Mile. Located just south of the London Tower Bridge under the elevated train tracks are numerous tap rooms and cocktail bars. You can start at Maltby Market and then make you way down the road and hit all the various bars. On a nice day, this would be a great way to kick back and enjoy the weather with a pint!
Plan a book shop tour. There are SO MANY book stores in London that are iconic you could easily make a day of it. In addition to the book stores listed here, be sure to hit up Notting Hill Book Shop made famous in the movie Notting Hill with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.
Picnic in a park. With so many parks, why not take advantage of good weather and picnic in the park. Battersea Park is popular among locals, but Hyde Park, Regents Park, Holland Park, and St James Park are also wonderful places to enjoy the day outside.
See a show. London’s Theatre district in the west end has some of the best plays and shows in the world.
Enjoy a local pub. Can you even say you visited London if you don’t go to a pub? There are so many to choose from so I would just recommend popping into a few different ones and have a pint. We enjoyed The Three Huns and Sherlock Holmes would also be great for a drink (don’t recommend the food - or at least not the Sunday Roast) and you can also find good fish and chips at most pubs.
Get Indian food. While we didn’t make this a priority this trip, London has some of the best Indian food in the world. If you’re looking to explore this, head to Brick Lane area were you can find a majority of styles of indian food.
Visit a museum - London is home to some amazing museums: Natural History Museum, Science Museum, National Gallery, British Museum, Tate Modern and Tate Britain. You can also go very niche and hit up the Postal Museum, Charles Dickens Museum and The Churchill War Rooms.
Shop. Need I say more??? London is home to some incredible shopping. Whether you’re looking for high end or vintage, there is something for everyone. The iconic Harrods store is must see as well as Old Bond Street and Burlington Arcade.

Where to eat, drink, and explore in London, England

Top Tips

London is always busy as it’s a popular destination with so much to see but note that May-September is their peak time. This is also when they have the best weather, so that’s understandable. We were visiting over Easter holiday and while it was busy, it wasn’t awful. We stayed away from the big tourist areas to avoid those crowds.
If arriving at Heathrow, I think the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station is the best way to get into the city. It’s cheaper and faster than a cab, but a bit more expensive than the regular train. The benefit to taking this is there is plenty of room for your luggage, there are no stops between Heathrow and Paddington, making the travel time 30 min, and you can catch the train right from the terminal.
You do not need a car. You can get just about anywhere walking, taking the tub, bus, or hailing a cab. If you plan to use public transport, I recommend getting an Oyster card.
London like most of Europe, does not tip for service.
If you have a list of specific restaurants you want to visit, book a table ahead of time. A lot of the popular places will need a booking or you risk not getting a table at all.
London is HUGE, don’t try to see everything in one trip. I’d recommend picking a few things your really want to see and enjoy your time there instead of packing in so much you don’t remember everything you did
Plan a day trip or overnight excursion just out of the city. Head to Richmond (hello Ted Lasso!) and experience those shortbread cookies and the pub they all watch the games in, spend a few days in Bath and relax and unwind, or visit Cambridge or Oxford and visit these famous universities.

photo of red phone booth in london — The iconic red phone booth

I hope you found this helpful and if you visit London, let me know!

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Erin O'Leary