Mentioned by Elite Traveler
The 11 Best Restaurants in London
"Offering perhaps the best free vantage point in Central London, the indoor viewing decks and restaurants occupying the top three floors of 20 Fenchurch Street (known to locals as the "walkie-talkie") are a great place to hang out without spending a penny. It is open daily, just book your free visit in advance."
"Set atop 20 Fenchurch Street (aka the Walkie Talkie building), Sky Garden is the highest public garden in London. Amidst a lush urban jungle, it offers stunning 360° panoramic views of the city. The unique setting and spectacular views easily make this one of the most Instagrammable places in London."
"At the Sky Garden you’ll get panoramic views of the city and you can also stop for food and drink. You have to book a ticket in advance to visit but it’s free. Head to skygarden.london for more info."
"What started as an ice cream store dedicated to liquid nitrogen creations, Chin Chin Labs has come a long way in delivering some of the best bites in town. Burnt butter caramel ice cream pies and loaded tiramisu sundaes join this mouthwatering brownie cookie ice cream sando (from £5.45) that can be customised with the likes of black sesame ice cream, molten chocolate, bee pollen honeycomb and whatever else takes your fancy. Now that's our kinda sandwich."
"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 original Camden parlour is now back open for fans of Chin Chin’s 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 — Sunday, 12 p.m."
"This sister-owned Soho bakery looks sweet, but isn't saccahrine. Using no more sugar and fat than they need, their inventive and joyfully decorated offerings are delicately, carefully flavoured. Cutter & Squidge’s Dream Cakes make for jaw dropping centrepieces for your big celebration, or can also be enjoyed by the slice in house – the Lychee Kiss is an elegant flavour trio of lychee, raspberry and rose."
"A post shared by Cutter & Squidge (@cutterandsquidge) on May 28, 2018 at 5:50am PDT. Just yards away from its previously successful pop-up space, Cutter & Squidge's Soho home is full of sweet delights. Choose from a wide selection of its speciality biskies, or opt for vegetarian marshmallows, dream cakes, honeycomb or its award-winning salted caramel."
"We wondered…"Can we vegan-ise our favourite blueberry lemon cheesecake cake?" 🤔 Wonder no more… we did it!!. Blueberry buttercream, tangy cheesecake and vanilla sponge 🍰 Head down to Soho today for a slice, also available online to order 😍. A post shared by Cutter & Squidge (@cutterandsquidge) on Jul 13, 2019 at 2:08am PDT"
"The one by Garden at 120 This healthy grab-and-go restaurant is famous for its Field Trays; flavour-packed proteins with your choice of grains, salads and sides all dished up in a compartmentalised tray for less than £8. A different day brings with it a different combination; pair your harissa chicken with brown rice, cavalo nero and bean salad and a tarragon dressing, or match grilled salmon fillets with pesto, sweet potato chips and wilted greens. The offerings are just that little bit different compared to most takeaway joints in the City, lending from Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Asian cuisines."
"Motivated by a love of bao and a desire for something productive to do during lockdown, locals Julie Lynch and Li Lin Chung launched the city’s first bao bun delivery service in March 2021. Each pillowy bun is handmade by chefs to order, with no MSG or artificial flavours in sight – instead, vibrant ingredients such as beetroot and matcha are relied on for colour and only local, free-range meat is used. Even the packaging trays are 100% curb-side recyclable."
"On the outskirts of Aylesbury sits the very beautiful Hartwell House and Spa. Despite being leased to the National Trust, the grounds aren’t currently open to the general public and can only be viewed if you are a guest of the hotel. Luckily, that doesn’t mean you have to stay overnight – coffee in the Great Hall is the perfect excuse to visit."
"Until 2007, Londoners had no idea what an affordable spa was, until Spa London opened up its first spa-tique in Bethnal Green. Now there are several all over London, but the favourite must be in Swiss Cottage. Signature body treatments, facials and massages are up for grabs from as little as £30 — rare in this part of town."
"#crepe #crepesnutella #chocolatelover #chocolate #icecream #vanilla #vanillaicecream #bueno #kinderbueno #sweet #sweettooth #food #foodlover #strawberries #kensingtoncreperie #cravings #craving #sugar #icingsugar #foodporn #Kensington #insta #nutella #Kinder. A post shared by Kensington Creperie (@kensingtoncreperie) on Jun 19, 2019 at 10:37am PDT. Try traditional French crepes at Kensington Crêperie, alongside waffles and homemade ice cream."
"Handily located close to some of London’s best-known attractions, this place is perfect for a tasty break amid running around the sights. Converted from what was once a dairy, it's a stylish place that complements its crêpe selection with no fewer than 24 different flavours of home made ice-cream. It also serves an almost endless selection of savoury options, along with daily specials that make the most of fresh seasonal vegetables."
"Restaurants Lebanese Soho. If you’re after a quick off-the-cuff lunch with the kids, head down an old Soho passageway to this dinky purveyor of ‘Beirut street food’ – a jam-packed haunt popular for its takeaway wraps (order the spicy sucuk sausage version with some Arabic bread, olives and pickles). Otherwise, sit at one of faux-rustic tables and share the spoils from the all-day mezze menu."
"It’s pretty rare to find burgers cooked ‘pretty rare’ these days, but Burger Boy is one of the few exceptions. His star turn is a cheeseburger pimped up with nuggets of nicely chewy candy bacon, plus red onion and lettuce – all in a soft brioche bun. We reckon this one tastes best when generously lathered with a punchy sauce – BB has a huge range including chipotle mayo."
"Terence Conran's first hotel – whoops, 'multi-functional space' – comprises a dozen large, expensively pared-down rooms in a converted warehouse in Shoreditch, showcasing the work of Conran's favourite designers (Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe) against gallery-style white walls and exposed brick. On the third and fourth floor there are also four duplex lofts and studios, plus a further suite designed by Sir David Tang. The good looks continue in Albion, a self-styled 'caff' with shop and bakery attached, and the swishy restaurant, where City swells and media types nibble on frogs' legs and do their best to deplete the well-stocked wine cellar."
"Opened in 2009, this rooftop bar is an east London institution, offering 360-degree views of London come rain or shine. In the cooler months, cosy up in the heated glass orangery adorned with strings of twinkling lights, while the outdoor terrace is perfect for sipping gin and tonics as the sun sets. Share boards of charcuterie, squidgy chunks of warm focaccia and bowls of olives, or keep things light with simple salads."
"Escape the streets of Shoreditch on a warm evening and head to The Boundary Project, where the chic rooftop features both an outdoor terrace and a glass-covered orangery for all-weather enjoyment. But before the night descends into a rosé-tinted haze, order snacks like charcuterie, skewers from the robata grill or a chic seafood platter for two."
"If you fancy rehydrating with a refreshing juice then head to the aptly-named Joe & The Juice in Richmond – concoctions such as The Iron Man (made with strawberry, kiwi and apple) and the Energy Shake (made with raspberry, bananas and vanilla milk) are great refuelers."