Mentioned by TripSavvy
Where to Drink London's Best Craft Beers
"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."
"The founder of Camden Town Brewery, Jasper Cuppaidge, started making beer for fun in the basement of his pub. As a pub owner, he decided to enter into the beer market producing a great and recognisable lager. Beers at Camden Town are made all year long, and sometimes you can find some limited editions."
"Venture over to Mercato Metropolitano and you'll find a great atmosphere, craft drinks aplenty and a treasure trove of dining stalls to choose from. As one of the city's ultimate food halls, this Elephant & Castle beauty is guaranteed to be busy all-year-round with regulars and newcomers alike."
"Things to do Event spaces Elephant & Castle. A 45,000 square foot market space offering a mixture of Italian and London based artisan producers, including ‘the best pizza maker’ from Naples, supposedly."
"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."
"Meantime was born & bred in a Greenwich flat over twenty years ago and they’re still crafting beer from alongside the River Thames but in a much swankier tap room. Their first brew, the Union Lager, hit the taps back in 2000 and us Londoners still can’t get enough of it. Since then they’ve introduced us to the likes of tropical IPAs; lively ales that fuse British and German malts; a modern lager straight from London’s back garden; and not forgetting the cheeky Chocolate Porter too, but you’ll always find us raising a bottle of the signature London Pale Ale."
"It is known as the location of the prime meridian and gave its name to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and sits first on the meridian line. The observatory is now maintained as a museum and visitors can learn about the history and discoveries at the observatory, stand on the famous Meridian line, visit Flamsteed House, see a camera obscura, and see the great equatorial telescope. Admission includes an audioguide to make the most of your self-guided visit."
"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?"
"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."
"Fourpure's stylish industrial taproom is nestled within their brewery site in Bermondsey, offering 40 taps of fresh craft beer from the taps. If you fancy taking home a souvenir, they sell takeaway cans and plenty of merch for craft beer fans."
"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."
"Born from the shared dreams of two like-minded beer lovers, what started out as half batch brewing has grown into a great community business that really does have the community at its core. They’ve created a great following, opened a taproom and run a variety of local events. Passionate and inventive there’s always another beer coming along to be sampled which makes them so exciting."
"London brewer Meantime are letting you sample their fine wares - as well as showing you the process behind things - at their Greenwich outpost. Perfect for a day out drinking, the taproom has 9 beers on rotation, while tours take place over the weekend."
"Normally we only feature restaurants on this list if they've opened - but Ave Mario (from the people behind Gloria and Circolo Poplare) has been quietly soft launching for a couple of weeks (Instagram is filled with pics of the neon lit loos) and we've also checked it out. It will be huge, much like the enormous ice cream cake that they wheel about the room. New additions to the menu include a caviar section, massive cocktails and a veal milanese that's twice as big as your head."
"Most things are better when deep-fried and coated in sugar, which is exactly what pastry chef Dominique Ansel did to the croissant when he created his now Insta-famous Cronut. The dessert hybrid is sold at his London bakery in a different flavour each month, with previous incarnations including apple cheesecake and rhubarb and custard. If you want to sample a similar creation in east London, head to Rinkoff Bakery – the 100-year-old East End institution spins a mean Crodough."
"Now to some of the high-end stuff with Dominic Ansel Bakery in Belgravia. While the bakery is best known for its croissant and donut creation, the cronut, it has a few interesting cookie options as well such as the flourless chocolate pecan, macaroons, and the salted caramel brownie cookie. Perhaps the most interesting on their menu is the chocolate chip cookie shot, which is a shot glass made out of a chocolate chip cookie and filled with delicious vanilla milk."
"If you’ve never tried a cronut, then you need to put Dominique Ansel Bakery into Google Maps stat!. Sure, these strange hybrid goods aren’t for everyone, but those who can’t decide between a soft donut and a flakey croissant, these are just perfect. A perfect (and classic) choice for the best desserts in London."
"For authentic Italian food, head to Caldesi on Marylebone Lane. Here you can tuck into freshly made pasta dishes made using only the finest artisan Italian produce and seasonal ingredients."
"Unashamedly flash, Arkady Novikov’s double-handed celebrity magnet, touting both Asian or Italian dishes, comes with a broad remit for the big-money crowd. The headlining pan-Asian option might seem a tad heavy-handedly “exotic”, though the menu is ripe for cross-border plundering – from Padrón peppers to prawn tempura or sweet-and-sour chicken. Sashimi salads, spicy tuna rolls and various dim sum might open your account, while other dishes such as seared Wagyu sirloin or a porcini and truffle rice hotpot represent a line-up rich in eccentricities."
"Cuisine: Italian/AsianHalal Options: Various Halal options, indicated on the menuAddress: 50A Berkeley St, Mayfair, London, W1J 8HAWebsite:https://www.novikovrestaurant.co.uk/Nearest Tube Stop: Green Park"
"Ravinder Bhogal’s cooking is clever, different and defiantly multicultural – and the brunch menu is no different. Tamarind and maple-glazed bacon is served with fenugreek waffles and fennel slaw, while a spicy fish cake is topped with a poached egg and curry hollandaise. More favourites from Jikoni are also on the menu at brunchtime, including the prawn toast scotch egg, which is served with banana ketchup and pickled cucumber."
"If there's one thing we want to be seen doing, it's dining beneath a marigold awning. And so we shall be going to Jikoni to eat on their covered terrace. Complete with wool blankets, statuesque heaters and hot water bottles on request, even the most eclectic weather doesn't stand a chance here (and neither do the sweetcorn and lime leaf fritters once we've seen them)."
"Jikoni’s brunch is a many-splendoured thing: fenugreek waffles with tamarind-glazed bacon, aloo tikka channa chaat, mutton keema Sloppy Joe. The piña colada pancakes are worth saving space for — a substantial stack topped with caramelised pineapple and coconut ice cream. All the fun of the cocktail with none of the brain-freeze."
"Hidden below street level in the swishy Hari Hotel, stepping into Il Pampero feels like stepping back into to a bygone era of Italian glamour, all white tablecloths, deep green furnishings, low lighting and charming Italian waiters. It’s elegant without being ostentatious, and the leather-clad window booths add an important touch of cosiness (perfect for a date). The glamorous central bar is irresistible for a classic Italian aperitivo (beware the deliciously strong Negroni) before sitting down to a feast of antipasti that include beef carpaccio with generous shavings of black truffle and surprisingly moreish fried scamorza (smoked cheese) bites served on a bed of radicchio with balsamic vinegar."
"20 Chesham Pl, Belgravia, London SW1X 8HQAlready a beloved staple of the Belgravia restaurant scene, il Pampero has been ushered into a new era under the expert guidance of a new Head Chef – the acclaimed Matteo D’Elia. And his new menu does not disappoint. Settle into the restaurant’s glamorous surroundings to enjoy a stylish, modern take on traditional southern Italian fare, made from the finest seasonal ingredients."
"Il Pampero is sure to impress with its exquisite selection of fresh pasta for adults and dedicated children's menu. With its stunning surroundings and Belgravia location, it's sure to be one memorable night out."