Mentioned by CN Traveller
The 20 best museums in London
"The ferns, fig trees and purple African lilies that clamber up the final three storeys of the 'Walkie Talkie' skyscraper are mere wallflowers at this 155m-high rooftop garden – it's the rather extraordinary 360-degree views of London (the best in the City) that make this vast, airport-terminal-like space so popular (advance booking recommended). Located on the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch St, the Sky Garden has front-row seats for the Shard and vistas that gallop for miles east and west."
"Located on floor 36 of the iconic Walkie Talkie, the views from the Darwin Brasserie are pretty striking. Although Fenchurch Restaurant – one of Sky Garden’s other offerings – is higher, the Darwin Brasserie has better views thanks to its position further back from the Sky Garden’s atrium roof. A good option if you want to enjoy the sights without the flocks of camera totting tourists."
"Get the lift to the top of 20 Fenchurch Street and let your toddler explore London’s highest public garden. There are 360 degree views of the London skyline, gardens to run around in and a café where you can buy cakes and pastries. Cost – Free, but you need to prebook."
"Restaurants Ice-cream parlours Soho. Those nitro-fuelled experimentalists at Chin Chin are the Willy Wonkas of the ice-cream world, and this Soho shop is an ostentatious showcase for their wares. Not only their signature ices, but also full-on desserts – there’s some seriously elaborate stuff going on here amid all the bells and whistles (try the decadent tiramisu sundae)."
"Chin Chin pioneered the use of liquid nitrogen to make ice cream in a retail setting when it opened its first ice cream ‘lab’ in Camden Lock in 2010. Its founders were convinced that hand churning with liquid nitrogen was better than any other method, and they had stumbled on the future of ice cream. Nowadays, the company has grown to three locations and over 300 innovative flavours, from sweetcorn to wild blueberry to coffee and olive oil."
"A thick, brownie-like cookie with sweet-and-sticky dulce de leche, toasted hazelnuts and cranberries, it’s luxurious – full of Valhrona chocolate – and super indulgent. 54 Greek St, London W1D 3DS or 49-50 Camden Lock Pl, London NW1 8AF. Open for take-away in the weekends."
"A biscuit isn’t quite a dessert – unless it’s in the hands of Cutter & Squidge, that is. Enter the Biskie, the Soho bakery’s signature dessert which sees two discs of a cake-cookie hybrid sandwich an array of flavoured creamy fillings. The chocolate s’more version is filled with buttercream and a handmade marshmallow, while the blueberry cheesecake version layers jam, cheesecake cream and a wedge of digestive biscuit."
"From show stopping dripped cakes to the glossiest salted caramel we’ve ever seen, Cutter & Squidge is the bakery to go to if you’re in need of a special birthday treat or serious ‘I’m sorry’ gift. All products are made with 100% natural products and as little sugar as possible – don’t worry, they still taste devilishly sweet. Where:Various locationsWebsite:www.cutterandsquidge.com"
"Cutter & Squidge are bringing the latest in hybrid desserts to London. Here, they have invented the Biskie. This is a biscuit-cookie-cake creation filled with buttercream, jam or caramel."
"Generator Hostels have set a new standard in budget accommodation, and this outpost near Kings Cross and the British Museum is no exception. The building used to be a police station and looks a bit institutional as such, but things get more fun inside with exposed brick and pipework, a lively bar and café, and a cozy lounge and dance floor decorated with the front section of a classic red London double-decker bus."
"From the line of massive steel tanks behind Howling Hops’ Hackney Wick bar, beers (both the brewery’s core and seasonal) are served unpasteurised straight from tank to tankard without touching a keg, can, or bottle on the way. Clearly, visitors don’t hold back — in the late evenings, the taproom erupts into a disco of sorts, with limb-throwing patrons all too willing to get involved. Until nightclubs start serving their own lemon goses and US-hopped pale ales, this is the next best thing."
"Quench your thirst with bold beers from Hackney Wick's Howling Hops brewery, where the tanks are connected directly to the taps. Take your pick from the Tropical Deluxe Pale Ale or the strong Platform Contest, alongside more tank-tastic sour beers. And if a pint is not enough, order a flagon."
"Another Hackney Wick hideaway, this unique brewery serves its homemade beers straight from the tap, making it a literal taproom!. With ten beers on sale, you can also find a range of freshly made snacks, meats and coffees made in-house before your very eyes."
"The View From The Shard is the tallest viewing platform in central London with an indoor and outdoor viewing platform on levels 69 and 72. The Shard is 1,016 feet tall and sits centrally among the West End, Westminster, the South Bank, the city, and Canary Wharf. This centralized location means it has one of the best viewing opportunities in London."
"Rise high above London and see the city's iconic skyline from a unique perspective, with views stretching up to 40 miles (64km). Spot the likes of the London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral and Wembley Stadium from The View from The Shard's observation deck, which sits 800ft (244m) up western Europe's tallest building."
"It’s definitely a unique-looking structure, and you can see it from all over London; that’s because The Shard is a 95-story skyscraper, designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, in Southwark, London, and the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The Shard was built with the idea of it being an architecturally stunning vertical city, and it more than lives up to that. It houses restaurants, hotels, offices, residences and more."
"Designed by Architect Renzo Piano and based in Southwark, London, The Shard stands tall at 309.6 metres. Designed in neo-futuristic and modern style, it houses some of the world’s best offices, restaurants and hotel rooms. It has been open to the public since 2013."
"Alternatives (or additional spots) in the area to the above attractions: Southwark Cathedral, Borough Market (one of London’s most famous food markets), The Old Operating Theatre Museum (fee*), The Monument (fee*), and The View from the Shard (fee*)."
"At a time when the idea of crossing the Atlantic to get to the USA feels like the stuff of your wildest fantasies, it’s excellent news that New York restaurant Sunday in Brooklyn is coming to London. Opening in Notting Hill, this NYC favourite known for its ace brunches. Its popular and heavily-Instagrammed malted pancakes with hazelnut praline and brown butter will be on the menu, as well as the Don Reuben omelette with mole sauce, goats’ cheese and roasted mushrooms, and ‘Biscuits and Gravy’ with drop cheddar biscuits (that’s American-style biscuits, not a chocolate digestive, obviously), sausage gravy and poached eggs."
"The New York restaurant Sunday in Brooklyn is opening a venue in Notting Hill, just 20 minutes’ walk from Paddington station. With signature dishes that include whole smoked artichoke, grilled swordfish, and clams with garlic breadcrumb, it’s hard not to get excited. Due to begin serving in July."
"Sunday in Brooklyn has been a big hit in New York - and they're the latest NYC restaurant to make a splash in Notting Hill. They have dishes from the original restaurant (including the famed pancakes) and a big focus on brunch. (Soft launch to 21 July)"
"Why: Buffalo wings slathered with blue cheese, fried Gangnam wings in a sweet, sticky Korean sauce, garlic butter wings coated in Parmesan – we could go on, but the point is, these guys are the kings of wings. We recommend ordering a selection, accompanied by a side of mac and cheese and a salted caramel shake for maximum gluttony.Where: Hackney Wick + Aldgate. In the spirit of America’s obsession with barbecue cuisine, check out these smoking-hot BBQ restaurants."
"Restaurants American Olympic Park. Former street-food upstarts Randy’s now have a permanent roost by the canal in Hackney Wick, and their wings are the business. Try BBQ-slathered Kansas, sweet ‘n’ sticky Korean-style Gangnam or harissa-infused Casablanca with pomegranate seeds – plus smoked chicken scratchings on the side."