Cheap Places to Eat in Swanscombe

"Branches of the growing chain of Sushisamba restaurants can be found in New York, Chicago, Miami and beyond. London’s outpost is found on the 38th and 39th floors of the City’s Heron Tower so it’s likely you’ll see deals being brokered at nearby tables, but the atmosphere is kept in check by personable staff and the spread of dating couples out to have a good time. The menu’s an eclectic mix, too, featuring a blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine, alongside one of the most comprehensive sake selections in the city."

"Sushisamba London offers a mix of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine on the 38th and 39th floor of Heron Tower, one of our favourite restaurants in the City. The menu features items from a Robata grill, along with a variety of ceviches and tiraditos, sushi rolls and numerous sharing plates. Sushisamba London has two large outdoor terraces, one of which has a stunning copper-coloured tree as a focus point above the bar."

"Unashamedly fusion, this restaurant and bar at the top of the Heron Tower mixes Brazilian, Peruvian and Japanese influences. One of the coolest things about the experience is being whisked up in panoramic glass elevators, Willy Wonka–style, to what are the highest dining terraces in Europe. There’s probably no better place in the city to drink in the sunset."

"Doused in Oriental mystique and wearing a Michelin Star comes Hakkasan. This high class fusion restaurant is a taste of Asian decadence where far-flung flavours unite for an ultimately indulgent dining experience. With a dark ambiance and a high end appeal, you'll be lucky to get a look in to this Michelin Star wonderland."

"Address: Hanway Place, London, W1T 1HD/ 17 Bruton Street, London, W1J 6QB. Nearest train station: Tottenham Court Road/ Green Park. Hakkasanis a Michelin-starred eatery with restaurants in Mayfair and Fitzrovia."

"No, you’re not going to put some raw tuna on a seaweed crisp and call it dim sum. Order from high-end Chinese restaurant Hakkasan in Mayfair instead. There’s a whole Peking duck."

"Restaurants Chinese Soho. If romance is on your mind, you need to bypass Yauatcha’s frenetic ground-floor canteen and head down to the brick-lined basement with its illuminated fish tank, twinkling lights and nightclubby vibe (bass-heavy beats included). Luxe dim sum (and some dazzling larger plates) are offset by spectacular East-West desserts, while heady teas, exotic cocktails and jet-setting wines complete a sexy Michelin-starred package."

"The City outpost of Cantonese-European-patisserie-mash-up Yauatcha is now offering home delivery. Choose from everything from steamed dim sum, open-topped scallop shui mai dumplings, venison puffs and crispy duck rolls to sweet and sour pork and Singapore vermicelli noodles. For the first time ever, the restaurant is also offering Taiwanese pineapple pastries – the sweet buttery cake, which has caramelised pineapple at its centre, is said to hold the key to prosperity and good fortune."

"A top Chinese restaurant in Soho, Yauatcha is home to some of the best dim sum that Chinatown has to offer. Serving up an extensive collection of Cantonese classics, this place is pairing its authentic dishes with signature sips and even has its own on-site patisserie."

"You’ll probably smell David Carter’s barbecue joint well before you see it; while the signage is discreet, the tang of smoke meets you halfway up the street. Behind two heavy, metal-riveted doors, it’s a temple to certain ideas of masculinity and to meat—all concrete walls, steel paneling, and rough-planked tables and banquettes (subtext: real men don’t need cushions). The meat comes in many forms here: 15-hour smoked brisket, superb pastrami, and generous portions of ribs."

"Taking industrial-chic to a new level, this dark and dingy Shoreditch restaurant is a no-frills affair. The food however, is very much on the indulgent side with the menu consisting of barbecue sharing plates (be prepared for your clothes to stink of smoke). Must-orders include the crispy fried pig’s tails and the brisket bun with pickled red chilli, while the sticky toffee pudding topped with smoky burnt butter ice cream provides an appropriately decadent finish."

"Smokestak continues its nationwide delivery of BBQ with a selection of boxes on offer. There are meal-for-two boxes including brisket, chips, toffee pudding and more and also pulled port or brisket bun boxes. You can also go a la carte and order as much smoked meat as you want."

"Another of the Shard’s elevated eateries, dimly lit, sophisticated Hutong on the building’s 33rd floor serves what our waitress described as “spicy and numbing” Sichuan food. In practice that means an extensive range of dim sum and dumplings, alongside roasted Peking duck, crispy oysters and braised beef ribs in lotus leaf. The highlight of our meal, unquestionably, was the sichuan-style deep-fried lobster mixed with a potent blend of chilli, black beans and dried garlic, while cocktails (most at £16) are innovative and enjoyable, too - is there any other London cocktail counter where ingredients such as squid ink, pancakes and Peking duck are intermixed with the expected mixers and spirits?"

"Take the romance to another level – or 33 – at the Shard’s sky-high northern Chinese restaurant, where the panoramic views of the city are simply astounding. Inside, the restaurant is low-lit, dotted with glowing red lanterns, and intricately decorated with antique wooden panels. Things really heat up when you get to the menu: Sichuan spice peppers most dishes, so it’s aphrodisiac-central."

"London’s poshest kebab shop, Sesame comes from the genius Ottolenghi group of deli’s and restaurants dotted around the city. Showing just how good Mediterranean street food can be, there’s no fatty meat rotating on spits here, just gorgeous chunks of spiced lamb and paprika and cardamon chicken, stuffed into fresh, fluffy pittas with hummus and zhoug – a Yemenite green chilli sauce. If kebabs aren’t your thing, the salads give as good as they get too, with swirls of courgette mixed with bulgar wheat, lemon peel and feta, and beetroot decorated with honey, orange and labneh (a strained yogurt)."

"P. F. Chang's blends Asian and American influences to create one unparalleled dining experience. Found in Leicester Square, the bustling restaurant serves plates such as lo mein noodles with chicken, crispy prawns and Mongolian beef with an extensive list of cocktails."

"P.F. Chang's Asian Table is a stunning spot in Leicester Square, cooking up a lip-smacking array of Pan-Asian dishes. On the menu, you'll find red chilli buttery shrimp, sesame chicken and spring rolls to keep you happy throughout lockdown."

"As pretty as a box of luxury chocolates, Matsuba is all dark wood and subtle light panels, with a discreet sushi bar, vintage Japanese parasols dotted around and quietly polite waiters. The menu trawls through the full Japanese repertoire from tempura to tonkatsu, but also expect a smattering of Korean dishes including bulgogi and bibimbap. Affluent Richmond locals appreciate Matsuba’s very decent wine list too."

"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."

"Strolling around idyllic Bonnington Square is a balm for the soul by itself — it’s easy to forget this oasis is just around the corner from the labyrinth of roads and relentless traffic outside Vauxhall station. And deli and cafe Italo makes the leafy neighbourhood even more dreamy. As it gets chilly, order a steaming bowl of porridge laced with maple syrup or one of the mega sandwiches on ciabatta."

"Pull up a bright red chair outside the bright blue Italo deli on the corner of a leafy street in Vauxhall. Current chef Sherri Dymond’s short menu is Italian through and through. There’s vitello tonnato, cold sliced veal with a heavy slick of creamy sauce with capers, and to welcome in autumn, plates nearly overflowing with golden polenta, wild mushrooms and sage."

"Restaurants Contemporary European Angel. There’s no denying that Frederick’s lush garden and expertly tended plants are a thing of beauty for those who sit outside at alfresco tables. However, the owners of this Islington classic have also struck gold with a spacious conservatory-style Garden Room that offers the same gorgeous outlook, but with the bonus of a roof that keeps unwelcome rain, excessive sunshine and wind at bay."

"The narrow frontage of this Camden Passage restaurant gives no hint of what's to be found at the back. One of London's great garden restaurant spaces, part of it's laid out in patio but there are also mature gardens too. It's popular as a wedding space though, so check ahead to see if it's booked out."

"The venue features a range of cinema screenings, music events and supper-clubs throughout the summer. Inspired by bright Moroccan themes, the space has had a revamp. Street-food vendors include Pakistani cuisine whilst a drinks menu has been curated by The Umbrella Project."

"The Salt Yard Group run not only this namesake restaurant, tapas and charcuterie bar on Goodge Street, but also Dehesa, Opera Tavern, Ember Yard and Veneta. This entry is for all their spots which meld Spanish and Italian foods and cultures to create buzzy small-plate eateries that serve up as tempting an atmosphere as they do food. From their signature deep-fried courgette flower stuffed with goat cheese and drizzled in honey to grilled octopus, cheese platters and croqueta-style fritters, this is food you want to keep eating and eating."

"In the early 1800s, art enthusiast Sir Francis Bourgeois instructed that his entire collection be turned into a gallery open to the public, handpicking architect John Soane to create the Dulwich Picture Gallery from scratch. Look up, and you can see for yourself the innovative techniques Soane used to bathe the whole gallery in sunlight, which became the prototype for all galleries to this day. Still, don't forget to look down too, to see the great Baroque masterpieces that line the walls and the mausoleum Soane designed for his friend and patron."

"London's Dulwich Picture Gallery is the oldest public art gallery in the country, opening its doors in 1817. The gallery was designed by architect Sir John Soane and is a Grade II listing on England's National Heritage List for its design. Today, the Dulwich Picture Gallery has one of England's best collections of Old Masters."

"The Wallace Collection is a London art gallery made up of the collection of the Marquess family. The art all dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries and was gathered by five generations of the Marquesses along with Sir Richard Wallace, who was an illegitimate Marquess son. Today, the collection contains more than five thousand pieces."

"The Wallace Collection is an interesting free art museum located inside a large townhouse in Marylebone known as Hertford House. The museum has a collection of paintings from the 15th to 19th century, as well as antiques and sculptures sourced from around the globe by Sir Richard Wallace. Nearest tube station: Bond Street."

"Designed in 1888 as a locus of meditation for the (now private) St John’s Lodge, the garden is no place for crowds – perhaps why its entrance features no formal sign. Your only clue is a beguiling pergola festooned with clematis and wisteria leading to a buffer of sombre yew hedges. Beyond, you’ll find a sunken lawn and a series of interlinking circular enclosures, screened by rings of pleached lime trees, perfect for putting the rest of the world from your mind."

"Full of rare and unusual trees and shrubs, the Isabella Plantation is a beautiful spot set in the depths of Richmond Park. It’s a green space for most of the year, but in April & May, the azaleas bloom and Isabella Plantation becomes a perfect pink paradise. COVID-19 UPDATE: Isabella Plantation is currently closed to the public."

"Tucked behind Lambeth Palace, the playground here won’t thrill anyone over the age of about four – though there are things to climb on, a sandbox, and swings. But the location, in central London, make this a good pit-stop between cultural visits – particularly if the Jubilee Gardens playground by the London Eye, with its climbing web and little else, is too crowded. Archbishop’s park is completely cut off from the street, so children can roam freely across the large grassy field."

"On the cusp of Westminster and Lambeth you’ll find the excellently located Archbishop’s Park, which is great for little ones aged four and under. It makes an excellent place to have a rest in between sightseeing and it isn’t known for being too crowded."