Best Restaurants, Must Try Places in Grays

"For a lunch date to remember, 155 meters high at the top of the famous ‘Walkie-Talkie’ building, the Sky Garden offers spectacular views of the city. But it’s the incredible tropical garden which makes this iconic London landmark a must-see. There are multiple restaurants and bars to choose from, but for informal yet stylish lunchtime dining, we highly recommend Darwin’s Brasserie to take in some of the best views of the city."

"The view from Rafael Viñoly’s Sky Garden, also known as the Walkie-Talkie building, is unlike any other in the city. From here you can survey London’s ever-growing sprawl with the city stretching up to the north, Tower Bridge and the Shard to the south, and Canary Wharf to the east. It’s free to explore the tower’s three stories of landscaped public gardens, but make sure to book in advance."

"Sky Garden is on top of one of the skyscrapers found in London. You can visit levels 35 through 37 of the "Walkie Talkie" for free—just make sure to book a ticket in advance."

"OK, so Sushisamba is not strictly Japanese but rather a fusion, mixing with south American flavours and excellent cuts of meat. It remains one of our most booked restaurants and since opening it has been a mainstay of the London restaurant scene. You pay a premium for the views of the London skyline, but the quality of the sushi is very, very good, and the stuff they do in the grill is great."

"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."

"It’s located on the 38th and 39thfloors of the Heron Tower, and has epic 360 views over the City. Needless to say both the interior design and views are very photogenic. SushiSamba is also one of the most Instagrammable restaurants in London."

"Possibly the best known of the City’s skyline-skimming restaurants, Duck and Waffle boasts not only 360 degree views of London, but also 24-hours-a-day to enjoy them in. The restaurant welcomes diners around the clock, allowing them to tuck into its eponymous dish – a confit duck leg and fried egg on a waffle with mustard maple syrup – from sunrise to sunset. Views of the Gherkin, a distant Canary Wharf and more are on hand, but be sure to sit near the window – it’s a little tricky to see its famous views from the centre of the dining room."

"Head to the 40th floor of 110 Bishopsgate for 24 hour views of London. Open seven days a week, this all-day dining spot takes British cuisine and gives it a playful twist, with waffles taking focus. Book one of the squidgy leather window booths for the best views, and tuck into waffles topped with caramelised banana, hazelnut chocolate spread, vanilla ice cream and peanut crunch, or, go for the signature savoury one with crispy duck let confit, fried duck egg and mustard maple syrup."

"The Duck & Waffle is a bit different when it comes to dining in London since it is open 24/7. Located on the fortieth floor, this restaurant has delicious British and European cuisine served in modern surroundings. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer panoramic views."

"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)."

"This Leicester Square-based restaurant has a seemingly endless menu of tasty creations - nothing too fancy - but enough creativity to make them stand out. With a very reasonable price point (mains are around £10) you can't go wrong, and options such as the Mongolian Beef, Ginger Chicken Broccoli and Lo Mein Noodles will have your mouth watering as soon as you read the menu. The menu itself is a bit of an attraction, as you're able to see images of everything on offer before you commit to it - definitely helpful for the indecisive diners among us."

"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."

"Restaurants Chinese Brixton. Inspired by the Beijing stall run by owner Ning Ma’s grandparents, deliciously ramshackle Mama Lan serves hearty northern-Chinese street food – in particular, dumplings. Brown-bottomed beef and pork pot-stickers fly out of the kitchen at an impressive rate, although veggie alternatives filled with wood-ear mushrooms and spinach are also good."

"In bustling Brixton Village, Mamalan specialises in northern-Chinese street food inspired by the owner's experience of watching her mother run a market stall in Beijing - the restaurant is even named after her. Huddle into the crowded restaurant for beef and pork potstickers, veggie dumplings and hearty noodle soups."

"Address: Unit 18, Coldharbour Lane, London, SW9 8PR/ 8 The Pavement, London, SW4 0HY/ Pergola, Level Five Rooftop, Olympia Car Park, Olympia Way, W14 8UX. Nearest train station: Brixton/ Clapham Common/ Kensington Olympia. Two words: handmade dumplings."

"29-31 Old Compton St, Soho, London W1D 5JS Why should you care?. Until now, they've had a restaurant in Kilburn and a hatch in Shoreditch but their new opening is a much bigger space in Soho (taking over the site that used to be Belgo). As for the menu, expect chicken wings with many flavours."

"Wembley Park Boulevard, Wembley HA9 0FD EnglandChinese, AsianLunch, DinnerTakeout, Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Table Service[email protected]+44 20 3696 0090http://www.pingpongdimsum.com/restaurants/wembley-london-designer-outlet"

"While lots of doughnut shops fry their products, Dum Dum Donutterie only bakes its delicious selection. Dum Dum offers its own take on the cronut, but with some far-out toppings, you won’t see anywhere else. The options at any of their three locations include the dulce de leche Peter Andre’s Yum Yum Dum Dum, the coconut-infused Croconut, and the super-popular Zebra with layered traditional and chocolate croissant dough."

"Dum Dum Donutterie is the place to head if you like your doughnuts baked, not fried. The artisan doughnut shop has become renowned for their ‘cro’ doughnuts, a croissant and doughnut crossover, and rightly so, they’re blooming delicious!. It seems we aren’t the only lot obsessed with their treats because they often sell out on the daily."

"You may have heard of British vegan activist Earthling Ed, whose calm and collected approach to educating people on the realities of animal agriculture has helped to spread awareness to hundreds of thousands of people. Unity Diner is his restaurant, and in true Earthling Ed fashion, all profits at Unity Diner are put towards animal rights campaign work. Unity Diner is a great place to be, with beautiful decor in the form of greenery and fairy lights to set the scene."

"Nestled in East London's Spitalfields, Unity Diner has expanded to a much larger space shortly after opening, making this wholesome restaurant one of the biggest completely vegan diner and cocktail bars in the city. Founded by a couple friends, including vegan advocate Earthling Ed, this not-for-profit eatery is a safe haven for everyone, with options so good it's hard to tell the difference from traditional fish and meat dishes."

"Earthling Ed’s non-profit restaurant Unity Diner deserves a spot on this list for the three epic burgers that don’t just taste great but help animals too. You can choose from the classic Moving Mountains Burger featuring ‘beef’ patties, cheese, bacon, and all the trimmings. There’s also the VFC Burger – a vegan take on the Southern-fried chicken patty with cheese, bacon, and a hash brown."

"Restaurants Portobello Road. Easily outclassing its previous incarnations, this sidekick of Notting Hill’s Electric Cinema is done out like a grungy New York diner – all bare brick, concrete and red leather banquettes. A blaring soundtrack adds to the vibe, while the supersized menu is stuffed with Stateside classics – Philly chilli cheese dogs, hot Reuben sandwiches, wedge salads and unmissable ‘fries au cheval’ (inspired by Chicago’s Au Cheval diner)."

"Set amongst the stalls of Portobello Road market, this exposed brick New York-inspired diner has West London flocking for their fluffy buttermilk pancakes, served with whipped butter and maple syrup. Cocktails, wine, smoothies and juices are also on offer at this diner, and it even offers discounts on meals if you've purchased a cinema ticket at the Electric Cinema (terms and conditions apply). Grab a red leather booth and a big cup of coffee to wash down your stack."

"If you're after counter-side seating, red leather booths and plates of pie good enough to take home to grandma, Electric Diner will meet your need for an American eatery big-time. It gets packed out at brunch time, but it's the evening when things really get a USA kick. Try the Philly chilli cheese dog or the cheeseburger and follow with the NY cheese cake, or if you're just getting started, an apple old fashioned."

"The Twickenham Museum is housed in an 18th-century building that is listed as Grade II by Historic England. The volunteer-run museum focuses on the histories of Teddington, Twickenham, Whitton and the Hamptons. The collection includes archives and artifacts related to these areas."

"Told, is the rich history of Twickenham, Whitton, Teddington and the Hamptons. Reached via a pleasant riverside walk from Richmond."

"The Cinema Museum in London was founded in the 1980s by Ronald Grant and Martin Humphries. Grant and Humphries filled the museum with objects from their private collection of cinema memorabilia. The museum is housed in the workhouse where Charlie Chaplin lived during his childhood."

"London’s Cinema Museum is devoted to keeping alive the spirit of cinema from the days before the multiplex. Admission is only via joining one of their regular guided tours, which costs £10."