London

Tower Bridge, London

Chiltern Firehouse, Marylebone

Knightsbridge, London

Chinatown, Soho

Piccadilly Circus

Fleet Street

In London, old world and new world collide as gothic, art deco, brutalist and contemporary buildings cozy together in perfect harmony. I am enamored of the glamour and elegance in this metropolis.

Below I have shared all of my London favorites including, where to eat, drink, see and be seen!

Eat

• For dinner

  • Mediterranean fare with intricate desserts - Ottolenghi 

  • Before a night out, for great vibes & margaritas La Bodega Negra 

  • Just like you’re in Italy Italian at Gloria’s Trattoria and / or the fabulous Circolo Popolare

  • Affordable & authentic sushi - Stick n Sushi 

  • Upscale European- Rovi

  • North African - The Barbary

  • For groups looking for good vibes and variety

    • Dinerama

    • Box Park in Shoreditch 

  • For world class Indian fare- Brick Lane (variety of Indian restaurants, bargain for the best deal!)

  • To spot a celeb- Chiltern Firehouse

  • For the experience - Bob Bob Ricard 

• For coffee & a pastry 

  • Pophams Bakery

  • Monmouth Coffee

  • Appestat

• For Brunch

  • Bourne and Hollingsworth 

  • Caravan

  • SUNDAY cafe & restaurant

  • Dishoom

  • Brother Marcus

• For Tea

  • Do it for the gram- Sketch

  • Classic Tea

    • Hotel Cafe Royal

    • The Savoy Hotel

    • The Ritz

  • Affordable - The Zetter Townhouse 

Drink

• For a pint by the canal- The Narrowboat 

• Speakeasy in Chinatown - Experimental cocktail club

• For old London glamor and live music - The Ned

• For wine & cheese at the oldest wine bar in England Gordons Wine Bar

• For drinks and a little dancin’ The Old Queens Head

Stay

• The London Edition 

• Covent Garden Hotel

• The Mandrake Hotel 

• The Hoxton Shoreditch 

Do & See

• Columbia Road Flower Market

• Bar hopping in Soho (my favorite bar, Bar Soho)

• Broadway show or play in Soho 

  • The Mousetrap (longest running play in London)

• Shopping

  • Camden Passage

  • Oxford / Regent Street 

  • Carnaby Street

  • King’s Road in Chelsea 

  • Vintage shopping on Brick Lane 

  • Notting Hill 

• Park Hopping- on a sunny afternoon, bring a picnic and people watch from any one of these London parks 

  • Hyde Park

  • Regent’s Park

  • Primrose Hill

  • London Fields

• Markets

  • Borough Market

  • Broadway Market 

  • Camden Market

  • Exmouth Market 

• Museums

  • The Tate Modern 

  • The British Museum 

  • Churchill War Rooms

• Must See

  • Tower of London

  • Houses of Parliament 

  • Buckingham Palace 

  • Trafalgar Square 

  • Notting Hill 

  • St. Paul’s Cathedral 

“When a (wo)Man is tired of London, (s)he is tired of life.”

Famous lines from Samuel Johnson in 1777, when discussing with friends his affections for London.

After living here, I understand completely the weight and truth of these words. London to me is cobblestone streets, the rush of red double decker buses, flower shops and endless possibilities.