
The season of al fresco is upon us once more… From high-rise bohemian hangouts to elegant elevated gardens, check out our picks for rooftop dining and imbibing in London. Read more…
The season of al fresco is upon us once more… From high-rise bohemian hangouts to elegant elevated gardens, check out our picks for rooftop dining and imbibing in London. Read more…
Descending a slight incline into the courtyard just off New Bond Street, I find memories of the back streets of Paris wash over me momentarily – beautiful floral arrangements and shrubbery of a neighbouring establishment, rows of tables and seats, and candlelight complementing the setting sun. Read more…
Theatre Not Afternoon Tea
There are few experiences so synonymous with British indulgence as afternoon tea: think clotted cream and jam (whichever order you slather it), ruler-precision finger sandwiches, maybe a mini quiche nestled on the 3-tier stand if you’re lucky. All well and good, but let’s be honest: seen one thinly sliced cucumber sarnie, seen ‘em all. Read more…
I say ‘cooking’ and all the smug foodies around me cheer “great!” “rewarding! ” and “inexpensive!” Sure, I agree with them some of the time, but to be real for a minute, cooking on a daily basis can be as tedious as hell’s kitchen. Read more…
When a chance to dine at The Yacht popped up, I just knew that I had to get a seat to try out some of the mouth-watering dishes available.
The Yacht from the outside sitting beautifully on the River Thames
A short walk from Embankment or just across from Temple station sits the majestic yacht. With lights glistening in the dark waters of The Thames, The Yacht is hard to miss. Read more…
Having grown up on Winnie the Pooh books, I was very intrigued when I heard that The Phelman and the V&A had teamed up in honour of A.A Milne’s beloved bear. The Phelman was hosting a Silly Old Bear Afternoon Tea experience inspired by a multi-sensory and playful exhibition exploring the magical world of Winnie and his friends at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Read more…
Chiswick has a reputation as one of the more affluent areas of London, a leafy suburb that is financially out of reach for most of us and as a result isn’t necessarily explored as much as is should be. The actor Colin Firth was born there, and when it comes to picturing Chiswick in the mind’s eye, the Richard Curtis idealised view of London isn’t a bad comparable. Read more…
Dining Room – La Ferme Primrose Hill
It’s been a long time since I studied for my French GCSE, which was apparent when I became confused with La Ferme’s name. I remembered ‘ferme la bouche’ meant ‘shut up’, which I thought was maybe a bit harsh on potential diners. Read more…
In 1967 London Bridge was sold to an American named Robers P. McChulloc for a new ‘English’ theme park in Arizona, soon to be the second most popular attraction in the state, behind Niagara Falls. Popular myth, albeit a particularly snobbish myth, goes that the American thought he was buying Tower Bridge and was hugely disappointed when the less iconic London Bridge turned up. Read more…
According to its own website, Plaquemine Lock’s fare is at ‘at once exciting and exotic, but at the same time comforting and strangely familiar’. On my visit I found this can be said for more than just the menu, as Plaquemine Lock is a pub down a quiet, leafy street in Islington. Cajun and Creole cuisine may not be too common for a Londoner to experience, but the boozer sure is. Read more…
Umami, Kensington
A mere stone’s throw from Gloucester Road Underground Station, nestled within the usual chain eateries, you will find a restaurant with a difference. The essence of Umami, meaning savoury taste in Japanese, is captured in every aspect of the dining experience. Read more…
When I quit my job to travel southeast Asia and concentrate on my blog Sophie’s Scran, Vietnam was one of the places I was most excited about. There’s a visitors’ visa, which allows you to enter the country for 15 days free of charge, but I thought, hang on: Two weeks is not going to be nearly enough. So I bit the bullet and purchased a 30-day visa instead. Read more…
While everyone knows central London is the hub for funky restaurants and new spots, it is also a pleasure when you find a local gem on your doorstep in the suburbs. Especially when they serve chicken on chicken with a side of chicken!
Chicken Society
Chicken Society, based in Finchley is a cool, trendy spot with a menu based around everyone’s favourite bird. Read more…
The Dining Room at Bunga Bunga – Battersea
If you like your Italian culture authentic and your dinners subdued Bunga Bunga in Battersea is probably not for you. Read more…
The streets of Piccadilly were free of cars this evening as Londoners stopped to admire the installations and light shows of the Lumiere London festival. It was a fitting scene from which to enter Barbecoa Piccadilly, Jamie Oliver’s steakhouse restaurant brand. Read more…
Follow the river along the Southbank eastbound, and you’ll find a welcoming restaurant nestled next to The Globe. The floorplan follows the distinct linear curve of the Thames, but the menu has a distinctly Mediterranean vibe: here lies The Real Greek – Bankside. Read more…
Italian food has always been a popular choice when it comes to dining out. Here’s a country with over 300 forms of pasta after all. And then there’s all the other stuff Italians do with dough from pizza to panettone, focaccia to cornetto via panini. Read more…
Middle-eastern food will always have a place in my heart. When I have cravings for my mum’s home-cooked Arabic dishes, I often have to trek all the way from east to west London to have my mezze fix.
But I recently found out about Tabun Kitchen, opened for just a little over a year now, located in the hustle and bustle of Soho on Berwick Street. Read more…
Let’s play a game of word association. If I say ‘brunch’, chances are you’ll probably say… eggs? Brunch became a London restaurant staple faster than you can say hollandaise, but if it had one drawback…? They’re all getting a bit similar. Runny eggs on toasted muffins with ham? Salmon? Spinach? Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but seen one brunch, seen ’em all. Read more…
I really like the way 2017 has shaped up for the London restaurant food scene as there have been more than a handful of bright sparks that strike a good balance between casual ambiance and fine dining. With restaurants opening left, right and centre, it can be difficult to pick one ones to try.
One caught my eye however – a restaurant called Plate Restaurant and Bar. Read more…