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London, England, is one of the world’s riches cities for history and culture. London is equally renowned for its diverse food and culinary scene. London’s food culture can range from traditional British fare to global immersive dining experiences. In this blog, I will guide you through some of the best places to eat in London, and share unique dining experiences.
Before You Travel To London
London is a bustling city, teeming with attractions, experiences, and diverse neighborhoods. So it’s important to plan ahead if you’re visiting from another city or country for that matter.
Plan Ahead
London’s population is on a steady rise year-over-year and is almost double the size of New York City! Therefore, so if you’re looking for the best places to eat in London, it’s important to plan your reservations ahead of time.
Use the Train or “Tube” When Possible
If you’re not from a large city, traveling throughout a new city by train such as London can seem intimidating. London’s underground train system, also known as the “Tube”, is one of the most efficient and cost effective ways to travel throughout the city. If this feels daunting or overwhelming, simply use the Google Maps app on your smartphone to navigate which stops to get on and off at as you travel to different restaurants throughout London. Google Maps will provide a step-by-step guide, how many steps to take, how long the wait will be between trains, and how long your walk will be to your next destination.
Paying for Transportation
Years ago, Oyster Cards were purchased at a transportation stations as the main way to swipe and travel around. However, with the advancements of “Tap and Go” technology, you will notice that most locals simply tap their phone, payment card, or smart watch to quickly enter train turnstiles. If you are traveling to London for the first time, please note you will find it very difficult to travel with an American Express or Discover Card. These card networks are not accepted everywhere as of 2023, so plan to use alternative cards accordingly.
Currency and Tips When Eating in London
The currency in London and the UK overall is the British Pound (£). The city of London is quickly turning into a cashless society. So the majority of places in London accept credit and debit cards, however it is still wise to have some cash on hand, especially for small purchases or tips. When eating in London, it is customary to leave a tip of around 10-15% of the bill if a service charge is not included. However, always check your bill, since some restaurants automatically add a service charge.
Traditional British Flavors & Markets:
If you’re traveling to London, England for the first time, then you have to try some of the quintessential British classics. These would include the savory flavors of a full English breakfast – sausage, bacon, eggs, and baked beans. On our flight from the States to England, our plane even served up these tasty classics:
For lunch or dinner, almost every restaurant and pub serves the classic fish and chips (chips = fries for Americans). Here are a few recommendations from our last visit:
Joe Allen Restaurant & Brasserie
Joe Allen is located London’s Theater District – 2 Burleigh Street, London WC2E 7PX. During our afternoon visit, we met a friendly bartender and piano player who made us feel at home. We stopped here briefly to enjoy some live music and an afternoon snack. My favorite orders from this location was their espresso martini and pork belly.
Afternoon Tea in London:
You cannot travel all the way to London and not have a cup of afternoon tea! There are so many tea shops and hotels serving traditional and unique afternoon tea experiences.
Orangery at Kensington Palace
Most recently, I believe the Orangery has changed its name to the Kensington Palace Pavilion. Located beautifully adjacent to Kensington Palace, you can enjoy a cup of afternoon tea, champagne, light snacks, and take a stroll through Kensington Gardens. The tea and service here were delightful. I definitely recommend visiting here if you’re a lover of history or all things royal.
Afternoon Tea at Café Royal
The Grill Room inside of the Café Royal Hotel hosts a wonderful upscale afternoon tea experience. During your tea experience, you can enjoy an array of delicate finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and delightful pastries. If you’re a champagne lover, you also have the option to upgrade your experience to include champagne as well. The staff here was beyond friendly, the tea room is regal, and we truly enjoyed the live piano player as well.
Favorite Bar Locations to Drink and Eat in London:
Some of the best cocktails and mocktails we enjoyed during our travels were the pubs and bars in London. There’s a huge gin quality difference between London and the United States. The freshness and distillation is far superior. Here were some of our favorites:
Beaufort Bar – Upscale Experience
The Beaufort Bar is inside of the Savoy Hotel (91-92 Strand The Savoy Hotel, London WC2R 0EZ ) and is located in the Trafalgar Square area. This is the perfect location to visit for pre-dinner or after-dinner drinks. The atmosphere is glamorous and feels like an upscale meet-up location from a James Bond movie. The staff was very friendly and the drinks were well worth the price.
The Tattershall Castle
The Tattershall Castle is a former passenger ferry turned pub, with awesome views of the London Eye and Thames River. This is the perfect location to visit if you’re looking to have a nice midday drink, lunch or dinner. The staff was very friendly and the views were very relaxing!
Sketch – An Instagrammable Tea Room!
Sketch is located in the Mayfair district (9 Conduit St, London W1S 2XG, United Kingdom) and is an excellent place to visit for tea, breakfast, lunch or dinner with a twist! This location is known for their unique egg shaped bathrooms and top-notch delicate food. There are four different room options if you wish to book reservations here. We booked the Gallery room and enjoyed the pork chop and filet.
International & Cultural Experiences in London:
Outside of New York City, London is one of the most diverse and multicultural cities in the world. With this comes a thriving food scene with immersive experiences. To be honest, the international food in London tastes better than the local traditional English meals in my personal opinion. Below were a few of our favorite international discoveries:
Leños & Carbon – Authentic Colombian Hidden Gem!
Having stayed in Bogotá, Colombia twice in the past, I literally felt like Leños & Carbon nailed a true Colombian food and restaurant experience. Located at 113 Elephant rd, SE17 1LB in the Elephant & Castle neighborhood, this hidden gem serves up the most amazing savory meals, great music, and a friendly staff. My favorite order here were the empanadas!
Borough Market
It would be a remiss to not mention the famous Borough Market on some of the coolest places to eat in London list. There were so many vendors selling fresh food, gifts, coffee, and other goods. As mentioned in my previous guide to London, I would definitely recommend visiting this market during the week and on an empty stomach. This market is known to become busy and packed on the weekends. Below you will find highlights of our favorite vendors.
Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana – Soho
Now I have very mixed feelings about Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana in Soho (80 Wardour St, London W1F 0TF, United Kingdom). To start, this is some of the BEST pizza I’ve had outside of Italy. 10 out of 10. The downside of my experience was the customer service. Our waitress forgot about our table twice, and those who came 30 – 45 minutes after us were served faster. Still give this place a try, just sharing my honest service experience review.
Duck and Waffle
Duck and Waffle is an amazing modern gastro located on the 40th floor of the Heron Tower (110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY, UK). This is a wonderful location to visit for brunch. This is a great restaurant with a view. My favorite dish was the duck and waffle (no surprise there) :). The duck as cooked perfectly! The service here was a bit slow, but very friendly.
Inca London – Latin Dinner + Show
Inca London is an amazing immersive dinner experience, located in the Soho district (8-9 Argyll St, London W1F 7TF, United Kingdom). The food here was very good and we absolutely loved our server! Inca strives to create a dance dinner show while taking your taste buds on a journey throughout Latin America. The music selections did not match the countries, however it was an entertaining evening nonetheless.
Canton Kitchen – Chinatown
We discovered the Canton Kitchen as a recommendation from our cab driver one morning. Located on the edge of Chinatown, this restaurant served up very good stir fried noodles. My friend however was not too fond of their ramen due to lack of flavor. We enjoyed their handmade dumplings as well. The service here was very quick and the outside seating was nice. We did not have a chance to eat inside during our first visit.
This blog post brought back such wonderful memories of my many trips to London and the wonderful time I had there, always. The afternoon teas are such an amazing experience, so quintessential British. Thanks for the recommending these places.
Nnniiccceeeee….Cafe Royal has completely stolen my heart. I’d love to dine in that garden, for all working hours.
It’s no surprise that London is a hub of cultural experiences, and the food scene is no exception. The city’s multicultural population has brought a diverse range of international cuisines that are sure to tantalize your taste buds. From hidden gems like Leños & Carbon to popular food destinations, you’ll find a range of delicious options that cater to all tastes. It’s always exciting to discover authentic international cuisine, and Leños & Carbon is a great example of this. The restaurant serves up delicious Colombian food in a warm and welcoming atmosphere that will transport you to the heart of Colombia.
It looks like an amazing trip with incredible restaurants. I’m definitely putting some of them on my list.
I agree with you! What is a trip to London without experiencing an Afternoon Tea and there is no better place to have it than the one near the Kensington Palace. However, the food at Cafe Royal looks great too.
Thank you for sharing these cool places to eat. We also have plans to explore the Borough Market.