Le Entrocote-on Maryelbone Lane
(tell the taxi driver the north end; the closest tube stop is Bond Street)
Ok, so, there are 3 of these restaurants in the world (London, Barcelona, and Paris) and they only serve one thing: steak, fries, covered in a secret sauce that will change your life it is so good! The story goes that these two sisters had a big argument about the restaurant and how to run it, so they split up. Their father made up this secret steak sauce and told it to his daughters on his deathbed...the two sisters are the only ones who know the recipe. In a nut-shell that is the story behind the restaurant, according to a friend of mine. There is usually a line and it is a little bit pricier, but if you want a night out with great food go there...trust me its worth it. For 4 of us it was about 35 each Euro for dinner including 1 bottle of red wine and you get two helpings of steak and fries. This is one of my favorites by far in London.*La Fromagerie-www.lafromagerie.co.uk
A very cute cheese and bread shop, and it is worth a stop in. Great place for a snack if you are anywhere near Oxford Street and they also have tastings parties. According to our cheese connoisseur at Le Cordon Bleu it is one of the best cheese shops in Europe. Hard as it is to believe this guy actually has a degree in food history specializing in cheese, so he knows his cheese.
*Books for Cooks
www.booksforcooks.com
(4 Blenheim Crescent, Notting Hill London W11 1NN)
Just off Portobello Road, this bookshop has hundreds of cookbooks. In the back they have a cafe that only serves one thing everyday: a home-made soup, fresh baked bread, and about 5 different cakes all of which comes from the cookbooks sold in the store. They stop serving lunch at 2pm, but if you are going to Portobello Road it is a great lunch or great coffee break. Books for Cooks is also very affordable.
Royal China Club
www.royal.chinagroup.co.uk
(40-42 Baker St. London W1U 7AJ)
If you are looking for VERY authentic Chinese food this is the place to go. You can eat a lot for a very good price. I have always had great service and the food is fresh. It is also a great place to try something a little different. The pork buns are my favorite.
Tomoe
62 Marylebone Ln. London W1U 2PB
www.tome-london.co.uk
If you go here you absolutely must get the "black cod dish" it will blow your mind!
The Kensington Creperie
2 Exhibition Road South Kensington London SW7 2HF
www.kensingtoncreperie.com
In the highly coveted area of South Kensington this local cafe fills up fast, but the wait is usually not too long (15 min tops). My friends and I would go there every Sunday. This is a wonderful brunch place and is only about a 1-2 min walk from the Victoria and Albert Monument, Hyde Park, and all of the major museums. I would recommend getting one sweet crepe and one savory crepe...they are big and great to share!
Caldesi (tuscan restaurant and cookery school)
15-17 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2NE)
www.caldesi.com
Café Caldesi has a casual dining room downstairs and a fancy dining room upstairs. The food is very fresh and authentic. It is a very fun place to take an Italian cooking class and meet people from all over the world. This also happens to be just behind Le Cordon Bleu!
The Fat Duck
If you can get a reservation here then you should definitely go, but when I was in London they had a 6 month waiting list...it is delicious.
The St. James Restaurant at Fortnum and Mason
www.fortnumandmason.com
A great place for high tea...it is a bit pricy. If you go around a mealtime it is more than enough food to be a meal and then some. Also, they do not tell you this, but if you want more of anything just ask because re-fills of tea and food is free. Great atmosphere!
The Golden Hind
73 Marylebone Lane, London W1U 2PN, United Kingdom
The best fish, chips, and mushy peas in London...it is an absolute must if you go to London. The restaurant has been there forever and is practically and institution. Keep and eye out because many famous Londoners tend to eat there. They also have a great Greek salad.
La Duree
http://www.laduree.fr/public_en/maisons/londres_accueil.htm French Macaroons...if I could eat these every day I would. These are my personal favorite.
The Orangerie
http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonpalace/cafesandrestaurants.aspx In Hyde Park this place is wonderful for breakfast or High Tea...it is located just behind Kensington Palace. They converted the Kensington Palace green house into a cafe with little orange trees on every table. It’s really cute and very good...it is also close to the Princess Diana memorial. I would recommend coming here for breakfast or high tea.
Beach Blanket Babylon
http://www.beachblanket.co.uk/home.html
Ok don't let the name scare you...this is one of the coolest restaurants in the city as far as atmosphere goes. It is located in Notting Hill and was the official restaurant for London Fashion Week. I would HIGHLY recommend this place, even if it is just for dessert or cocktails. As a side note, make sure to find your own taxi from the restaurant. When I was there, there happen to be some men trying to get us to use their ‘taxi’ service. Something to be careful of anywhere in the city, make sure to only take the iconic black taxis.
Brick Lane Market
I personally have not been here yet, but all of my friends are obsessed with it. Brick Lane apparently has the best Indian curries in the city...all of the restaurant owners will try to get you to come into their establishment, so walk around a little bit to find the best price on dinner.
The Muffin Man
12 Wright’s Lane London W8 6TA, UK
In South Kensington just off Kensington High Street, I would go get a Banana Toffee muffin. It’s also a great place to grab some tea or coffee in the afternoon
Hummingbird Cupcakes
http://hummingbirdbakery.com The main one is on Portobello road...if you go on a Saturday try the chocolate beetroot cupcake. There is always a long line on Saturday, but it is worth the wait!
HIX
http://www.hixsoho.co.uk
Located in Soho it is the hottest bar and restaurant in the city, it is the place to see and be seen (or it was in March of 2010). I have only had a drink there, but the food is suppose to be great.
Comptoir
http://www.lecomptoir.co.uk/
Great Lebanese food! The atmosphere is fun and vibrant. On my way home from school I would get a Pomegranate Lemonade every night. They also have really neat straw beach bags lining the walls. I know that doesn’t seem unique, but you absolutely must see it in person.
The Lanesborough Hotel
http://www.lanesborough.com/?PS=EAME_aa_Starwood_NWE-1435_Google%20US_lanesborough.com_04/23/10#culinary_experience/afternoon_tea
To be honest this is one of the most fabulous places I have ever been in my life. They have great high tea, a gorgeous garden room for breakfast, a traditional English bar, and a great new restaurant for afternoon and evening. It is directly behind Buckingham Palace and would be a great place to grab breakfast before going to see the changing of the guards.
Fun Shops:
Portobello Road:
Things to look out for: micro-mosaic broaches- they are absolutely beautiful and made in Italy in the 1920's; cashmere wraps and scarfs-on Portobello Road you actually get an amazing deal with very high qualityFortnum and Mason-Things to look out for: picnic baskets, they happen to be famous for their iconic picnic baskets
Walking down St. Christopher's St.: this little oasis is just off of Oxford Street near Bond Street tube station...here are my directions just as you pass H&M you will see a small opening just wide enough for 1 or 2 people to get through, that is the entrance to a very cute little street with great cafes and shops...there is also a clock on Oxford street just in front of the entrance that says "St. Christopher's" on it; from St. Christopher's St. I would walk down Thayer Street, they have great little boutiques and it is the road that connects Oxford Street to Maryelbone High Street
Harrods-its just neat to go in and look at everything
Lulu Guinnes: a famous London based designer, has great clutches and handbags
Jo Malone: great place to get a facial or massage
The Branch: jewelry carved from wood
