Mentioned by CN Traveller
London has some of the best breweries in the UK: These are the ones you should try
"One of the undisputed leaders of the craft beer movement, Camden beer is becoming increasingly easy to find away from the capital (great for us country folk), but it’s best enjoyed in Camden itself. Completely unpretentious and genuine about their passion for brewing and quest for the perfect pint, if you want to experience them at their best head to their Brewery Bar (home of the original Hells lager). Best Brew– Hells, 4.6% – The original and still their best work."
"See how top beers including Camden Hells Lager and Camden Pale Ale are brewed by joining a tour of the Camden Town Brewery in Kentish Town. Either drop in on a Saturday between 1 and 2 p.m. for a 30-minute informal tour or book a tour in advance on Thursday or Saturday for a more in-depth look at brewing techniques and the chance to taste several beers straight from the tank."
"Taking inspiration from Bavaria's beer halls, this is a taproom with 24 taps on the bar. They've teamed up with Theo Randall to prepare the kind of food that matches best with the beer."
"To call Mercato Metropolitano a food hall is really to do it a disservice – this is one of London’s best foodie spots, with an emphasis on urban farming and community. Featuring two huge halls of street food stalls, you can pretty much eat your way around the world just by meandering between Mercato Metropolitano’s food offerings.In particular, don’t miss the authentic Spanish tapas of Abel or the to-die-for ice cream at Badiani. Opening Hours: Monday to Friday between 8am and 11pm (12am on Fridays), 11am to 12am on Saturdays and 11am to 10pm on Sundays."
"Mercato Metrapolitano in Elephant & Castle is one of the biggest outdoor dining and drinking spaces in London, with over 500 seats and 40 food and drink vendors. Home to more than 40 vendors, a micro-brewery and a number of community projects. Discover flavours from Italy to Japan, Colombia to Germany, Vietnam to Argentina, and many more"
"A hub of all things eating and drinking, Mercato Metropolitano is an epic food hall in Elephant & Castle. Not only does it have a wealth of vendors catering to all your cravings, but it also has a gorgeous and expansive selection of outdoor spots to choose from."
"GreenwichOne of the capital’s largest craft breweries, Meantime is also blessed with a supremely stylish taproom – hexagonal floors and mid-century wooden furniture – that begs to be settled into for a tasting session. Because at this award-winning spot, it’s all about the beers: even the burgers come with sauces made from the core house brews (Anytime IPA Hot and Sweet, Yakima Red Ale BBQ, Easytime Lager Marinara). Top tip: take some of the Chocolate Porter home with you – it’s perfect for putting in puddings."
"Located in Greenwich, the Meantime Brewing Company has the mission of demonstrating the full flavour potential that beer has to offer. The commercial brewing house was founded by world-class brewer Alastair Hook, who in 1999 started to invest in it from his flat. The first brew package was made in April 2000, and the first beer brand was called Union, a Vienna-style dark lager."
"According to founder Alistair Hook, “Great beer is at the heart of everything we do.” and we believe them. Having been born in 1999, well before craft beer became trendy, they’ve spent 20 years perfecting their beers and that has most definitely been time well spent. Have we saved the best brewery until last?"
"Fourpure’s location at the back of a fairly unlovely trading estate would be — otherwise — the last place you’d choose to spend a Saturday afternoon. However, read the tap list on the monitor behind the bar, and you’ll know you’re in the right place. The bar carries 16 lines, dispensing the brewery’s core range, many more of their somewhat leftfield beers, and the odd guest draught."
"Completely unshowy and without any hint of pretention, Fourpure has been making top quality beer in the most seemingly simple of locations. It’s already gaining a wider audience and their taproom is well worth a visit. It’s also worth mentioning their excellent blog which is great reading for people who love beer and life in general."
"The brew house offers beers and pale ales as well as ageing sours and dark ales – all in colourful tins aimed at having a lower environmental impact."
"This excellent Blackheath bar is pouring out some of the freshest pints in South London. Head over the heath and sample some of the tank-fresh beer, as well as some delicious plates of pizza, pasta and vegan eats from their food menu."
"Hidden away under a Victorian rail arch, London Beer Factory’s The Barrel Project welcomes you for craft beer, cocktails and street food. The hybrid venue in West Norwood organises a great rooster of events and is home to more than 200 barrels for aging."
"Unless you've had your head buried in the sand for the last couple of years, you will have noticed Goose Island's takeover of the London craft beer scene. Head to their first UK bar in Shoreditch which delivers pints fresh from the brewing room and deep-pan Chicago-style pizza to soak it all up."
"Baiwei is a lovely restaurant in Little Newport Street serving fiery Sichuan cuisine. It's a small cafe with wooden stools and traditional Mao-style paintings. If you like spicy food then head to Baiwei."
"The Good Earth has been a staple Chinese restaurant in the capital ever since founder Holland Kwok opened his first restaurant on the King’s Road in 1979. Forty-two years later and The Good Earth name is widely known and loved across south-west London, with Jason Atherton calling the Wandsworth branch “a godsend” when it opened. An endorsement from a Michelin-starred chef is a pretty good sign, but don’t just take Atherton's word for it – order from the restaurant’s extensive menu to try house (and customer) favourites such as tangerine karaage chicken and Golden Sands Dover sole."
"A stalwart on the scene, Good Earth brings you all the classic Chinese dishes you love without a hint of greasiness, and more importantly with super fresh ingredients that won’t leave you feeling overwhelmed by salt and stodge. There’s usually quite a wait at weekends to get your grub, so make sure to place an order early. We love the super crispy salt and chilli squid that is covered in a moreish garlic, chilli and spring onion mixture as well as the veggie Singapore noodles that bring that signature curry spicing to the mix."
"Restaurants Chinese Mayfair. Pink cherry blossoms, swathes of rich red velvet and taffeta, a jazz quartet playing – welcome to Park Chinois, Mayfair’s sumptuous take on a 1930s Shanghai speakeasy. It’s a long way from spaghetti and meatballs, but you can indulge your deepest ‘Lady and the Tramp’ fantasies here by ordering the udon ‘carbonara’– an Asian ode to Italian trattoria richness that’s perfect for the restaurant’s slinky boudoir glitz."
"The first thing to know about Alan Yau's Mayfair restaurant, inspired by the golden era of French chinoiserie and with more than a nod to old Hollywood glamour, is that it's beautiful. The second is that the live jazz is so good, the vibe so smoochy, it should have an X certificate - the world's first X-rated restaurant. And the third is the food."
"If you live within a three mile radius of Mayfair’s Park Chinois, you’re in luck: you can order from here seven days a week via Slerp and the usual suspect. It’s all divine, but the Duck de Chine is a must whatever the occasion."
"Opened in 2006, Galvin at Windows may lack the flashy glamour of newer City venues, but years of experience are manifest in charming service – we found the team knowledgeable, nimble and unflappable – and a Michelin-starred menu of beautifully presented and creative French dishes. An effort is made, too, to create a sense of celebration: to provide a lasting reminder of the meal or an opportunity to brag to friends, diners are presented with Galvin at Windows postcards (posted anywhere compliments of the restaurant). Given the venue’s age, expect to encounter a clientele keen to enjoy a leisurely, high-quality meal rather than trend-conscious diners clamouring to get a table at the latest new opening."
"Rarely does a restaurant manage to tick every box: great location (hello, rooftop!), incredible food (Michelin-starred, anyone?) and flawless service. But Galvin at Windows really does set itself apart from the rest. Found on the 28th floor of the London Hilton on Park Lane in Mayfair, the restaurant has made it its mantra to serve up faultless creative French cuisine with aplomb since opening in May 2006."
"A family favourite for hordes of Richmond locals, this neighbourhood Italian (family-run, of course) has been doing its thing on Kew Road for more than a decade. It may be dressed up in fashionable contemporary garb, but this is a diehard trattoria at heart and the food presses all those familiar comfort buttons – arancini balls, homemade pasta, saltimbocca, calf’s liver, tiramisu. The decked forecourt gets rammed in summer."
"05/06/2021: We visited one evening as a pre-booked table for 4. The menu was nice but disappointingly two out of the four staters we order had been taken off the menu as they had run out of ingredients. The food was good, but not exceptional and the service pleasant but hit and miss, slow and some of the drinks we ordered etc did not turn up until we chased them."
"Michelin-starred Pied à Terre is continuing to serve its Vegan Feast, available for delivery. Including a weekly-changing three-course menu of dishes based on the restaurant’s award-winning vegan menus, the Vegan Feast for two is priced at £50, with food arriving chilled, simply needing to be heated at home, complete with easy-to-follow instructions. Local delivery is available on Friday and Saturday, while nationwide deliveries are made on Fridays via DPD."
"Pied à Terre has held at least one Michelin star since 1993, making it one of the oldest Michelin-starred restaurants in London. Restaurants need to evolve, however, and with an imaginative young chef at the helm in Asimakis Chaniotis, who mixes classical French and Greek cooking, it remains contemporary."
"White asparagus with samphire, bitter leaves and gem lettuce from the vegan tasting menu at Pied à Terre. Got a special occasion coming up?. Looking to treat someone special?"
"Whether you’re looking for a pub or bar to play darts, somewhere to play pool or just want to have a look at a menu before you go, we can help."
"A peaceful oasis amongst the buzz and bustle of the city, the Culpeper Community Garden is managed by and for the local people. It’s open seven days a week and is just a short walk from Angel station. COVID-19 UPDATE: Culpeper Community Garden is currently closed to the public."