Best & Cool Bars in Maidstone Road

"What: Sky Garden may be known for its lush greenery (the perfect backdrop for an impromptu photoshoot), but its sprawling views of the capital are also worth a mention. The Sky Pod bar, which isn’t separated from the rest of the space, allows guests to stand around admiring the views or pull up a chair to rest their legs. All the usual drinks can be found here (including a selection of signature cocktails), while the food menu features sharing platters of charcuterie, seafood or dessert."

"If a trip up to the stunning viewing gallery of one of London’s tallest buildings sounds like a pocket drainer, think again. Situated inside a glass oasis at the top of the “Walkie Talkie”, Sky Garden is London’s highest public garden, filled with greenery and boasting panoramic views of the capital. It’s totally free to head up there, but you’ll need to book in advance, with post-lockdown visits starting up again from July 29."

"Day 1: Arrive in London, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, the London EyeDay 2: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, Covent GardenDay 3: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sky GardenDay 4: National Gallery, Greenwich, Prime Meridian, Up at the O2Day 5: British Museum, Portobello Road Market, Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrod’s"

"Sketch in Mayfair boasts not only the most Instagrammable bathroom in town, but a stellar food menu – which you can now enjoy at home. Its new delivery service, sketch at home, offers either a four-course meal (with a vegetarian option) or a decadent Sunday roast, featuring a sharing côte de boeuf with all the trimmings. Each comes with instructions advising on how best to reheat and present the dish, plus paired wine."

"If you've never heard of Sketch, you've never opened Instagram, and if you've never opened Instagram... let us explain Sketch. One of the prettiest places to eat and drink in London, Sketch is an enviable plot that promises everything from afternoon tea flanked by pink velvet interiors, gastro cuisine in a woodland setting, and those (yes, those) egg-shaped toilets."

"Imaginative, modern-European food and no-expenses-spared decor tempts A-listers such as Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez through the doors of Sketch. The Mayfair hot spot contains three Michelin star restaurants, but the Lecture Room is the place with wall-to-wall celebrities."

"One of London's properly iconic restaurants, Sheeky's have been serving up seafood to Londoners for over 100 years. The setting, tucked in an unassuming passageway linking Charing Cross Road to St Martin's Lane, means it's always been popular with London's theatre folk, popping in here post-performance as well as other A-listers. Here's where you'll find local thespians enjoying the restaurant's classic fish pie and oyster platters."

"J Sheekey, aka “Sheekey’s,” has been a major player on the West End fish and shellfish scene since the 1890s. It is as dependable as it is theatrical, and the exemplary fish pie’s velvety cream sauce over cod, salmon and haddock makes it a comfort-food superstar."

"It’s a piece of prime gastronomic real estate, but M&Ms aside, there isn’t much to eat in Leicester Square itself. A claw-cracker’s throw from the neon, though, is some of London’s best seafood, courtesy of J."

"Headed up by experienced barista Hiro Hamashita, Carbon Kopi is an independent, Antipodean-influenced coffee shop in Hammersmith and Fulham that serves thoughtfully good coffee. The beans are roasted by London-based roasters Square Mile and Carbon Kopi regularly showcases exciting guest roasts, available as whole bean or on batch brew. Non-dairy milks are available (this is London, after all) but the best way to enjoy a coffee at CK is by ordering one that’s been frothed with Estate Dairy milk to a cloud-like consistency."

"Flat Iron Square is a hub for drinking, dining and dancing in the shadow of The Shard. The outdoor space is host to a flea market at weekends and various events throughout the year, as well as home to a winter ski chalet, Apres, designed for hot cocktails and cosy times. Under the arches you’ll find street food stalls spanning world cuisines, while next door is live music venue Omeara, its sister tequila bar Cantina and slightly-hidden-away wine bar Tap & Bottle."

"This snazzy food court/bar/venue, sprawled through some Borough railway arches, may look a tad shiny, but don’t be fooled: this is keenly curated stuff. Fab fare – from manti dumplings to ramen, Levantine bits and tip-top toasties – can be scoffed at outdoor tables under heaters (there are a couple of sit-in restaurants too). There’s also brand-new sister venue St Felix Place open now too."

"I have to admit that I only found this cool little street food market in London Bridge a couple of months ago, but it’s really quite brilliant. Sitting in the railway arches between Southwark and London Bridge, the market offers pretty much every cuisine imaginable, great wines at Tap & Bottle and a live music venue Omeara. That’s Saturday night sorted then."

"Tuck into authentic wood fired pizzas as well as the traditional gastro-grub spread of burgers, sandwiches and steaks at the Nags Head where hearty nosh comes as standard. This Angel resident satisfies those punters looking for a laid-back boozer with some country side appeal."

"In the same month as they announced they were closing their King's Cross venue for good, MEATliquor revealed the site of their next new restaurant - Bloomsbury. They're opening in the Brunswick Centre, taking over the old Las Iguanas site."

"A stately home with as opulent an exterior as the art it holds within, Somerset house was once a palace for the Duke of Somerset Edward Seymour in 1547. Now one of the more grandiose of London’s institutions, the palace hosts exhibitions from all over the world and continually draws enormous crowds. The gallery is “known for the breadth of cultural collaborations across photography, fashion, art, film and music."

"Somerset House is home to London's Courtauld Gallery (currently closed for refurbishment) with its collection of Old Masters, Impressionist and Post-impressionist paintings, and The Embankment Galleries with a rotating programme of exhibitions dedicated to art, design, fashion and photography. Some exhibitions require tickets."

"The Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, also known as the Sikorski Institute, is a Polish community organization in London that was founded after World War II. The organization's mission was to preserve the memory of the Polish military in the west and to document their contribution to the war's effort. The institution was important at the time, as a Polish communist takeover made it challenging for former armed forces to return to their native country."

"For 13 years, Ice Cream Union has worked hard producing their ice cream and sorbets to some of London’s top restaurants and influential chefs. Now it’s even easier to grab a taste of their finest flavours in their first ever parlour. They focus on creating show-stopping treats each and every time, whether that’s down to hand-selecting the best fruits in peak season or sourcing the freshest milk."

"After years of supplying the best restaurants around town Ice Cream Union opened their first standalone store (outside of their Bermondsey base) in Chelsea. It’s all about attention to detail from this Bermondsey-based crew - so they might spend hours making their own honeycomb to be crushed up to go into a new summer flavour. Their dulce de leche is particularly moreish."

"Unions that are dedicated to everyone’s favourite frozen dessert are an even greater and more wonderful thing. The folks at Ice Cream Union are all about quality and want to change the way that you think about ice cream. And they’re doing that one glorious scoop at a time."

"Westminster Cathedral, or to give it it’s snappier full name 'the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ', is the second largest church building in London behind St Paul’s. It’s the largest catholic church building in England and Wales and former popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI both celebrated mass here, making it a hugely significant religious setting. Neo-byzantine in design, it’s also one of the prettiest churches in the capital and one of the most awe-inspiring to visit."

"The mother church of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Westminster Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Westminster. Opening in 1903, the building is in a neo-Byzantine style, filled with attractive decorative mosaics and constructed from a blend of brick and concrete. The Grand Organ, constructed between 1922-1932, is considered one of the most successful and impressive of its kind."

"Westminster Cathedral is located in central London and is an iconic monument in the heart of England’s Government. The Cathedral itself is a Catholic Church and was bought by the Diocese of Westminster in 1885, before becoming the seat of the Archbishop of Westminster. The Church is built in the neo-Byzantine style and takes up over 5000 square metres of space."

"Finally, All Hallows-by-the-Tower is believed to be the oldest surviving church in London, and overlooks the Tower of London on Byward Street. The church was founded in 675, and while it has obviously undergone extensive restoration since then, it still contains an Anglo-Saxon arch from the time which we believe qualifies it to take the crown as London’s oldest church!. Thanks to its proximity to the Tower of London, this church was frequented often where beheading victims were sent for a temporary burial!"

"The Church of England church All Hallows by the Tower is so-called as the land it stands on was granted to Barking Abbey in 675 by Erkenwald, Bishop of London. Nearly a thousand years later, Samuel Pepys climbed the church tower to watch the progress of the Great Fire of London. ” … and there saw the saddest sight of desolation that I ever saw."

"Reconstruction during 1955, after extensive damage in the Blitz. Image source: Ben Brooksbank / CC BY-SA 2.0. Located on the doorstep of the Tower of London, this church has buried the bodies of numerous victims sentenced to death on Tower Hill, including those of Thomas More, Bishop John Fisher and Archbishop Laud."

"Located in the heart of the Marylebone neighbourhood is Baker Street. The street is perhaps most famous for its association with Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, and in this area, you can go on historical tours of some of the notable sites from Holmes' case history and the books themselves. There is a museum and shop located on the street providing lots of Sherlock Holmes memorabilia."

"Baker Street is one of the original stations of the London Metropolitan Railway, the world’s first underground railway, opened in 1863. The underground platform is flooded with natural, non-direct light by a row of neatly designed light wells. Depending on the time of the day, Chris says the sun produces distinct lighting, which makes for a variety of different photo opportunities."

"We end the list of the 10 most famous skyscrapers in London with Heron Tower, 754feet 7 inches tall, and so the third highest in the city after The Shard and One Canada Square. Built between 2007 and 2011 to the design of the architects Kohn Pedersen Fox, it attracts the curiosity of visitors not so much for its architectural style as for the huge70,000 litre aquarium behind reception, which is home to around 1,200 fish of 60 different species."