Mentioned by Elite Traveler
The 11 Best Restaurants in London
"đłđ˛đżâď¸đđđąThe Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street is a unique public space that spans three storeys and offers 360 degree uninterrupted views across the City of London. Visitors can wander around the exquisitely landscaped gardens, observation decks and an open air terrace of what is London's highest public gardenđ˛đłđ´đąđâď¸đż #skygarden #london #beautiful #views #restaurant #stunning #londonbridge #bigben #toweroflondon #theshard #mustsee. A post shared by Life FR (@life_fr_) on Jan 2, 2018 at 10:22am PST"
"20 Fenchurch Street was beautifully designed by renowned architect Rafael ViĂąoly. The building spans 37 storeys and rhubarb occupies the top three levels alongside the public space known as Sky Garden, which provides 45,000 sq ft of high level amenity space. Visitors can wander around the exquisitely landscaped gardens with 360 degree panoramic views of London and all of the flora and fauna they need!"
"Sky Garden is one of the modern but still equally famous attractions in London. Since its opening in 2015 on the 43rd floor of the "Walkie Talkie" building, the Sky Garden has gained a lot of popularity and has become one of London's best gardens to visit. This attraction serves as a public park for visitors on top of a commercial building."
"When Chin Chin first opened their first place in a former condom shop (yes, really) in Camden their crazy take on making ice cream with liquid nitrogen may have been pre-Instagram but it was still an almost instant sensation. The thing is that it's not just a party trick, the ice cream they make here really does taste smoother because there are no ice crystals. They've also used their USP to devise a clever way of chilling ice cream down to a level that it can actually be sent by post."
"The original Camden parlour is now back open for fans of Chin Chinâs famous ice creams (churned with the aid of liquid nitrogen for a rich, dense, almost chewy texture.) They are available by the scoop with toppings, but there are also a dozen or so full-on dishes making use of them, from a tiramisu sundae to nachos with chargrilled pineapple, salted-caramel sauce, dark-chocolate ice cream and blue-corn waffle tacos. Open Friday â Sunday, 12 p.m."
"The menu at this Soho dessert stop features a lot of the delicious treats mentioned on this blog, but most famous are their biskies â a biscuit/cookie/cake hybrid filled with tasty buttercream, jams and caramels. Flavours include passion fruit and salted caramel, apple crumble, chocolate lava and miso caramel. If youâre feeling extra naughty, order one of their indulgent freakshakes to go with it."
"Each one features two biscuit pieces closing in on a layer of cream to create a beautiful dessert sandwich. Theyâre the perfect sugary pick-me-up and come in a selection of creative flavours. Try the rich billionaire dreambar, which is served with an extra layer of chocolate in the middle."
"You'd be bonkers not to try one of their famous 'Biskies' (a merge between a cake and a biscuit - v moreish) while sitting in their secret garden."
"West Hampsteadâs Intermission Coffee is on a mission to change the coffee industry for good via its commitment to sustainable coffee. The team has made every effort to verify that everybody along their coffee supply chain is treated and paid fairly for their time and that not one ounce of their coffee causes unnecessary or undue harm to the planet. Itâs a pretty noble aim and the cute little cups that the various excellent piccolos, macchiatos, and cappuccinos come served in certainly helps to sell the cause."
"This cute spot in West Hampstead has come on in big strides, first since opening and second since starting to roast its own coffee â a transition that countless have attempted and many have failed. Itâs also willing to keep what made it such a strong starter going, by bringing in exciting, conscientiously brewed guest coffees from U.K. and European roasters doing interesting things, rather than relying on the older guard, and also making oat milk free."
"Matcha and Beyond, a matcha and coffee bar on the Kingâs Road, has launched new vegan matcha soft serve ice cream alongside its usual menu of matcha-inspired healthy treats such as green velvet cake and coco matcha macaroons. Itâs made with organic rice milk and agave syrup, therefore contains no refined sugar. Choose either matcha, vanilla or matcha and vanilla swirl and add in-house made toppings or fruit, or opt for a healthy swirl alongside their heavenly spelt, coconut and matcha bread."
"Restaurants American Hackney. Weekend brunch (from 10am) is of the all-day variety (and often âbottomlessâ) at this sheeny eatery from the guys behind the now-glorious Sebright Arms. Order at the counter from a menu that spans everything from Greek yoghurt with granola or avocado on toasted sourdough with pumpkin seeds and pea shoots to shakshuka, mushroom vegan balls, sweet and savoury waffles, as well as the daunting 12-hour pork hash â a free-wheeling combo involving long-cooked meat with two poached eggs, fried potatoes, peppers, chorizo and brown sauce onions."
"Restaurants American Hackney. A sheeny all-day eatery from the guys behind the now-glorious Sebright Arms in Bethnal Green, the Vincent serves up everything from late breakfasts to dinners with a broad American accent. Baked eggs, pork hash, âvegereeâ and waffles give way to burgers, buttermilk chicken buns, chilli chips and chocolate brownies, while drinks include the ubiquitous craft beers, hard shakes and some jokey cocktails."
"Fronted by a pair of intimidating 15in naval guns and a piece of the Berlin Wall, this riveting museum is housed in what was the Bethlem Royal Hospital, a psychiatric hospital also known as Bedlam. Although the museumâs focus is on military action involving British or Commonwealth troops largely during the 20th century, it covers war in the wider sense. Must-see exhibits include the state-of-the-art First World War Galleries and Witnesses to War in the forecourt and atrium above."
"This historic warship, operated today by Imperial War Museums, will definitely be of interest to military buffs, or anyone with even a slight interest in boats. Launched just before the outbreak of World War 2, this Royal Navy Light Cruiser saw action in both World War 2 and the Korean War, before being decommissioned in 1963."
"Despite its name, the cultural venue formerly known as the Imperial War Museum (one of five IWM branches around the country) does notâŚ"
"This extraordinary Georgian house is set up as if its occupants â a family of Huguenot silk weavers â have just walked out the door. Each of the 10 rooms is stuffed with the minutiae of everyday life from centuries past: half-drunk cups of tea, emptied but gleaming wet oyster shells and, in perhaps unnecessary attention to detail, a used chamber pot by the bed. It's more an immersive experience than a traditional museum; explorations of the house are conducted in silence."
"The remarkable interiors of this extraordinary time machine of a house are the creation of Dennis Severs (1948â99), a performer-designer-scholarâŚ"
"Designed in 1775 for government departments and royal societies â perhaps the world's first office block â Somerset House now contains galleries, restaurants and cafes that encircle a lovely open courtyard and extend to an elevated sun-trap terrace. The Embankment Galleries are devoted to temporary exhibitions (usually related to photography, design or fashion). In summer, the grand courtyard hosts open-air live performances, dancing fountains for kids to cool off in and the Film4 Summer Screen, plus an atmospheric ice-skating rink in winter."
"Every winter, skating at the ice rink in Somerset House is one of the most fun things to do in London. There are several other ice rinks around London (including at the Tower of London and Natural History Museum) but itâs pretty hard to top Somerset House. The courtyard is a great place to spend time in summer too, when th fountains in the courtyard are a great place to splash and cool off."
"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."
"Held in the Marquesses of Hertfordâs former townhouse, the Wallace Collection is one of the worldâs finest collections of French 18th century paintings and decorative art. Once owned by Edward Seymour, nephew of Queen Jane Seymour, the noble 17th century townhouse is a thing of beauty in itself. However, itâs the paintings, sculptures, furniture, medieval objects, and armour that undoubtedly take centre stage."
"One of London's best small galleries, hidden away just north of Oxford Street, the Wallace Collection is an enthralling glimpse into 18th-century aristocratic life, set up in a lavishly restored Italianate mansion stuffed with 17th and 18th-century art. You might also like:. Best day trips from LondonSecret London: 9 unusual sights hidden in the cityLondon watchlist: films to see before your trip"
"If youâre into pageantry, just round the corner from Buckingham Palace, and officially part of the grounds, the Royal Mews is a fascinating place to visit, and much less popular than its exhibits deserve. Finally, if youâre into afternoon tea, you can experience a fashionable take on the high tea experience at the Berkeley."
"You can visit the Royal Mews (fee*) which showcases the royal collection of historic carriages and coaches, including the Diamond Jubilee State Coach. Art lovers will want to stop at the Queenâs Gallery (fee*) which displays regularly changing exhibitions of art from the royal collection."
"LBP was founded in 2010 by Nichola Gensler and Martin Hardiman, after a chance encounter at a roller disco party. The sight of one of its fleet of deli bikes wobbling around London is a thing of the past, but the name remains a sure sign of quality bread: sourdoughâs chewy, deeply sour centre is offset by a burnished crust more caramelised than many are skilled enough to risk, while croissants amandes still proffer shattering dough and wafts of icing sugar cascading down with every bite. The plain croissant, once a London apex, declined alarmingly after the departure of two key bakers, but is now back up to speed alongside all the goods, in its dedicated shop in Pimlico, with delivery spanning most of zones 1 - 3."
"Little Bread Pedlar (or LBP for those that are ITK) is an artisanal pastry and sourdough bread bakery based out in Bermondsey. LBPâs white sourdough is an open-textured, creamy, and full-bodied affair: the sort of bread you dream about tucking under your arm and taking with you everywhere you go. A meticulously refined combination of different flours from different mills is what makes each loaf as deep and complex as a Tolstoy novel while the artistry displayed in the fine and delicate layers of an often-butchered pastry like the kouign amann exhibits the range of the talent possessed by the bakers."
"Okay, letâs get the groaning puns out of the way first: LBPâs founders started by pedalling around London on bikes, peddling their breads at various markets. Now they use electric vans and have a permanent home at Spa Terminus in Bermondsey, where loyal customers queue up in all weathers to buy their wares every Saturday. Their naturally leavened sourdough bread is âwowâ, but thatâs just the start: also try out their soda bread, seeded loaves, ficelle and ring-shaped tortano."
"Dee Rettali and Jorge Fernandez set at least some of the templates for Londonâs approach to coffee and baked goods at Fernandez and Wells. The emphasis here is on slow-fermented doughs with wild yeasts, and unlike many, excellent bakeries, that extends to sweet buns and even cakes affably named âBlocks,â rather than sticking to sourdough. Thereâs also something called a beef and onion roll, which is what would happen if a sausage roll went to the gym; stuffed with a huge hunk of stickily caramelised, slow-braised meat."
"Bakes, buns, bread, and coffee â thatâs what you can get from Fortitude Bakehouse and, honestly, what more could you possibly ask for from life?. Fortitudeâs sourdough loaves are complex creations, blessed with just the right amount of satisfying chew and tang; the sticky buns are wonderfully light and sweet; and the hefty slices of cake, which are also made from sourdough, sit somewhere in-between. Whatever carbohydrate youâre in the mood for, Fortitude Bakehouse is guaranteed to satisfy your desire."
"A small but perfectly formed bakery tucked away on a quiet mews. Fortitudeâs speciality is sourdough cakes that are baked with alternate flours using a slow fermented baking process. Stop by for a morning bun, a cuppa tea and a look at all the other pastries and treats they have."