Mentioned by Globetotting
45 really fun things to do in London with kids
"Located on the 43rd floor of the Walkie Talkie building in the City of London, the Sky Garden is the capital’s highest public garden and one of the coolest places to visit in London for free. The garden’s large plant-filled atrium has floor-to-ceiling windows with amazing panoramic views out over the city below and is open throughout the day and into the evenings on weekends – making it one the best free things to do in London at night too!. There’s also an open-air covered terrace on one side."
"If a trip up to the stunning viewing gallery of one of London’s tallest buildings sounds like a pocket drainer, think again. Situated inside a glass oasis at the top of the “Walkie Talkie”, Sky Garden is London’s highest public garden, filled with greenery and boasting panoramic views of the capital. It’s totally free to head up there, but you’ll need to book in advance, with post-lockdown visits starting up again from July 29."
"Day 1: Arrive in London, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, the London EyeDay 2: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, Covent GardenDay 3: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sky GardenDay 4: National Gallery, Greenwich, Prime Meridian, Up at the O2Day 5: British Museum, Portobello Road Market, Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrod’s"
"London’s first ice cream parlour made using liquid nitrogen, Chin Chin Labs is best known for their bold flavours, big scoops and scientific methods. The team wanted to create something which hadn’t been explored before and it’s certainly done the trick because they now boast three outposts in London. Designed as a grab-and-go pit stop, their ice creams are great for scoring a ‘gram worthy image and fuelling you on your Sunday stroll around the city."
"The Lowdown: Look no further for quirky hot chocolates than Camden Market’s Chin Chin Labs – Europe’s first liquid nitro ice cream parlour. They have pimped up the hot chocolate experience – expect a delicious hot chocolate, complete with torched homemade marshmallow fluff. For your Instagram feed alone, it’s something you simply must try."
"I remember my first Chin Chin ice cream years ago back in Camden Market. At that point the brand was pretty new and out there, making ice cream sundaes using liquid nitrogen. It was theatrical and fun, but also really sweet and delicious."
"If you gave a bunch of five year olds a box of crayons and told them to draw birthday cakes, you’d probably end up with something that looks quite a bit like the celebration cakes at this Soho bakery and café. That’s not a bad thing. Cakes with names like “Strawberry Eat-On Mess”*, “S’Mores”, “Apple Pie” – as a cake, and “Popcorn Drip” are short on cake and very long on globs of frosting, fillings, toppings and childlike humor."
"Vanilla sponge with apple jam, cinnamon buttercream – custardy, sweet, perfectly spiced – crispy white chocolate pearls, biscuit crumbs and an apple crisp to finish. It has all the flavours of a traditional apple pie, but it’s lighter and wonderfully soft. 20 Brewer St, London W1F 0SJ. Currently online only."
"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."
"When pondering Japanese food, patisserie isn’t the first thing that comes to mind – Kova are showing us what we’ve been missing out on. This Japanese bakery in Soho specialises in producing fairly remarkable looking Mille Crepes, a concoction consisting of 15 layers on French-style crepes, sandwiching alternate layers of a custard cream filling. Choose from coconut, vanilla, chocolate and a tantalising green matcha, and pair it with one of Kova’s array of delicate Japanese teas."
"If you’ve never imagined Japanese patisserie you might want to mosey along to this tiny Soho shop serving Japanese/French fusion pastries. It’s tucked along an alley connecting Dean and Wardour Streets. Low on comfort and serving cakes that are more interesting than delicious, we’ve included it here because of its novelty factor."
"Strawberry shortcake comprised of Japanese chiffon cake – very airy, as soft as a cloud – vanilla whipped cream and fresh strawberries, it’s not too sweet and incredibly light."
"This Antipodean cafe group serves up indulgent yet reasonably healthy brunches, with a menu spanning corn fritters with avocado, streaky bacon and fresh spinach to a duck hash made with sweet potato, edamame beans, kale and a plum ketchup. Vegetarians are also well served with wild mushrooms and poached egg on toast, served with sun-blushed tomato, white bean hummus and a shallot crumb. Add on bottomless prosecco or mimosas to any brunch option for an extra £30."
"Lantana Cafe is serving up Australian breakfast fare to hungry diners seven days a week. Hit up the Old Street restaurant where you'll find a beautiful mural, an outdoor terrace and a menu of tasty dishes, including courgette bread and corn fritters topped with bacon."
"Somewhat bemusingly, it claims to be the oldest French restaurant in London despite only being founded in the 1940s. Still, the menu is brimming with classic French dishes, so we’ll forgive this apparent fib."
"Fashion fans should bookmark this undeniably chic patisserie pronto. Pasticceria Marchesi is one of Milan’s most established bakeries and is now owned by one of the world’s biggest fashion powerhouses, Prada. They opened a London outpost earlier this year and it’s become one of Mount Street’s most Instagrammable spots – for both it’s sweet treats and sugar almond coloured interiors."
"Italian-originating Said is the London offshoot of Rome’s oldest chocolate shop, but the gravity of such status doesn’t stop it from getting a little silly. Hot chocolate here transcends warm beverage to full-blown dessert – rich, thick, molten chocolate is spooned into cups so generously it often overflows. Cakes can be ordered here too, with the option of adding a dutiful drenching of hot milk, dark or white chocolate sauce."
"Philippe Conticini is a legend of pâtisserie and both of his eponymous Londoncafés are home to some of the finest gourmet pastries on this side of the channel. Paying a visit to Phillipe Conticini is like paying your respects to the butter gods. His Paris Brest is a thing of delicate, complicated beauty; his vanilla flan a reminder of what heights custard can achieve; and his pain au chocolat, a pastry so layered and flaky that it makes all pretenders seem a sham."
"In the same month as they announced they were closing their King's Cross venue for good, MEATliquor revealed the site of their next new restaurant - Bloomsbury. They're opening in the Brunswick Centre, taking over the old Las Iguanas site."
"Do it NYC-style at Dirty Bones, which has reopened its Soho and Kensington restaurants and is ready to throw a brunch party. There’s no clean eating here: fried chicken thighs and fried eggs top waffles drenched in maple syrup; crumpets come with poached-egg and 12-hour-cooked short rib, and a buttermilk pancake stack comes with fresh clotted cream, blueberries and yet more maple syrup. For £14, diners can also enjoy a package of three brunch cocktails, with options including an espresso martini and a Hip Monkey, made with rum, red vermouth, and Ting grapefruit soda."
"Seek out your nearest Dirty Bones because these NYC-inspired bars and restaurants have got you covered for all your favourite American eats. From indulgent chicken & waffles, to burnt onion and ale short ribs and spicy chicken burgers, they're all about tasty food, unqiue cocktails and great music."
"Not a name to go shy when it comes to hunking great plates in London, join Dirty Bones this Shrove Tuesday as their double dutch pancakes are topped with your choice of 10 amazing ingredients, from fresh strawberries marinated in lavender to fried chicken."