bakerstreet

We'll be landing in London this summer and catching a train to a destination about an hour and a half outside the city, and I'd like to arrive at our ultimate destination with two or three prepared delicious dinner meals for several couples to enjoy over the next few days.

We could pick the meals up at, say, Harrod's, or Marks & Spencer, or Sainsbury or similar, OR at a restaurant that would do this; the food will need to travel on the train without refrigeration so I'll need a vendor that could pack it up with an ice pack or something. We won't have a car so will be Ubering or taxiing and will have our own luggage to deal with. I don't mind buying something to hold the food that maybe has wheels, and is insulated, and I could do this ahead of our trip and bring it with us since we won't be using our entire luggage allowance.

I was going to post this on the Lounge since it's mostly about food, but the Lounge sticky note says if it's about travel not to post there, and since my question is specific to London I'm posting here.

Anyone have experience with getting good food from a London vendor that they can take traveling on a train without refrigeration? We will be house guests and I want this to be a treat for our hosts. For the rest of our stay we will do a combination of local restaurants and cooking in.

bakerstreet

Posted this on the Europe board, but it really IS more about food than the location and there are a lot of foodies here so would love thoughts of the people here. We'll be landing in London this summer and catching a train to a destination about an hour and a half outside the city, and I'd like to arrive at our ultimate destination with two or three prepared delicious dinner meals for several couples to enjoy over the next few days.

We could pick the meals up at, say, Harrod's, or Marks & Spencer, or Sainsbury or similar, OR at a restaurant that would do this; the food will need to travel on the train without refrigeration so I'll need a vendor that could pack it up with an ice pack or something. We won't have a car so will be Ubering or taxiing and will have our own luggage to deal with. I don't mind buying something to hold the food that maybe has wheels, and is insulated, and I could do this ahead of our trip and bring it with us since we won't be using our entire luggage allowance.

Anyone have experience with getting good food from a restaurant or a store that they can take traveling on a train without refrigeration? We will be house guests and I want this to be a treat for our hosts. For the rest of our stay we will do a combination of local restaurants and cooking in.

What meals would be good to take "traveling"? I would like it to be something rather special that we could get in a big city, not as easy to get in a small town with fewer grocery/restaurant options.

KayF

That sounds like a lot of food to take on a train. There may not be room for it to be stored in the luggage area. And at the other end, will there be space to put it all in the fridge or kitchen? I'd check with the host if they want all these prepared meals. Harrods may deliver a food hamper but it would be expensive.

You could check restaurants in the town where you are staying and buy something locally or just take everyone out somewhere nice. Or you could investigate having a professional come in to cook a meal for the group.

Travel_Nerd

Does your destination not have a market or grocery store that might also have this option?

I assume your lodging has the ability to refrigerate and reheat?

janisj

Where are you going -- that makes a huge difference? If it is a decent sized town or even a large village there will likely be a shop with prepared meals right there.

Plus all of the large London train stations have M&S or other shops with prepared food. I doubt you will find any that will pack It on ice for you. Which station are you leaving from?? Harrods is quite a distance from most of them.

janisj

Besides which station . . . Also -- what time are you arriving (assuming at LHR) and what time is your train ?

Jean

How many is "several couples"? Times 2-3 dinners? The mind boggles at the size of hamper/container you'd be hauling around... in/out of taxis, in/out of stations, stowing it on trains, in lodging...

It sounds like a lovely gesture that I wouldn't ever consider doing.

I'm a big fan of picking up dinner tabs when I want to do something nice for friends. I realize that's not the same as dining together in private, but it sure is easy.

Moderator1

We moved your 2nd thread to this forum and merged the two.

Surfergirl

I'm with Jean on this one. You'd be schlepping a LOT, along with your luggage. Most places in England, even smaller towns, have an M&S and Sainsbury's. And if really small, I'd just take everyone to a country pub, which would be both relaxing and fun.

Of course, if I was leaving from Kings Cross, Euston, or most of the stations, I'd probably grab a few cornish pasties to take along for the ride. but that's not what you're asking.

KTtravel

This is a very generous offer but it sounds like a nightmare.

HappyTrvlr

Perhaps whomever you are renting your place from could do this ordering/ shopping for you?

bakerstreet

Thanks for the thoughts, everyone; here's a little more info. The lodging at the end of the train ride is a nice-sized house, with a full good kitchen and room for food I will bring. It is in a tiny hamlet, population about 500, not on a train line, and there is a small grocery store in the area as well as one pub and one small restaurant. Our friends (a couple -- two people) will be there for a couple of months and we will be there for about a week. They will undoubtedly eat many times at that restaurant and that pub during their stay. We will ALSO of course pick up all restaurant tabs for dining while we are there, and I assume we can Uber or taxi or something to other, larger, towns to go to other restaurants, but generally they prefer to dine in of an evening, so in addition to doing some cooking, I would like to bring some delectable food from London with us since we will arrive during their stay, and can take advantage of passing THROUGH London on our way there. The expense is not an issue, and I am not worried about the volume of food and managing it during transport, just the lack of refrigeration during the journey.

I had not heard of cornish pasties - I'll have to buy a couple. Thanks!

I have made contact with a London restaurant that may be able to help but would love any other ideas for obtaining such food.

Professional chef would be lovely -- does anyone have a lead on this for the Cotswold area?
.

hetismij2

It is a nice idea, but in my experience, which doesn't include Harrods I admit, ready meals are ready meals and really nothing special, whether from M&S or anywhere else, and certainly not worth the hassle of getting them in London to take somewhere else, not too mention the risk of food poisoning after they have been carried in less than optimal conditions for several hours.

If you are staying with a host, someone you know, then offer a meal or two out, or ask them if they have a good delivery service and offer to pay for that and let them order and have it delivered.
If you are renting a place then ask the owner for suggestions or if they can do something similar for you at extra cost.

I'd go out though, relax, let someone else cook and more importantly do the washing up!

janisj

Not sure why all the secrecy about where you are headed. That makes a big difference. For instance there are many small Cotswold villages which are close to VERY upscale caterers and 'farm shops' where people like former Prime Ministers, and multi millionaire former Spice Girl/former football player husband do their weekly shopping/pick up precooked meals.

Same in many other rural enclaves. WHERE are you staying??

Plus if we knew which London station we might actually have some useful suggestions. With no details you're pretty much on your own . . . You haven't answered my questions re which train station in London.

ekscrunchy

Agree that schlepping all that prepared food the train, plus all your luggage, plus the fact that the dishes may not be at their best after the first day....some food reheats well and some does not....etc.
Yes, do mention name of the nearest town; maybe more ideas will come your way once you do that.

I don't know this for sure, by any means, but if you really want to splash out, I bet you could order hampers or beautifully packed meals from Harrods or similar and have them deliver it to the house.
Will not be cheap but sure is a nice gesture. But again, you'd have to choose dishes that will last a few days....sides of salmon? Arrangement of great cheeses..you could even call a place like Neals Yard Dairy and have THEM ship/deliver the cheeses. Or let Harrods take care of that. Or some other fancy food hall/shop. Maybe Harrods is too cliche now...I've no idea.

What about phoning the nearby pub and asking the publican (??) what he would suggest; must be local caterers around if this is an upscale weekend area....(??)

Any fans of Indian food? Local curry house might do some kind of in-home banquet dinner..

I'm just throwing out ideas here but again, the name of your location might help. Forget the idea of carrying all that food onto a train...NOKD.

janisj

Fortnum & Mason does a HUGE business in sending custom hampers to any UK address. You can do that from home on-line -- easy peasy. Be prepared to pay ££££

rialtogrl

I am sorry if I missed it but - are you arriving in London the same day as you plan to pick up this food and take the train? Or will you be in London a few days before you take the train? What train station do you leave from?

If you aren't breezing through but have time to pick it up, places like Ottolenghi do catering. I am sure they would pack it well if you explain the situation. I agree with other posters delivery would be a way better option.

suze

As a treat for host(s) I would stick with gifts like wine (if appropriate) maybe a picnic basket of goodies (chocolates, crackers, etc.)... but not try to transport prepard food without refrigeration. It just seems really risky and with the chance of making someone sick if things aren't handled properly. A gift is a wonderful idea, but I think there are easier things to do that would be just as much appreciated.

MmePerdu

This seems to be a classic case of don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up. As janisj has pointed out, the Cotswolds area is known for the quality of foods produced & available locally for an upscale clientele. What you might buy in London will have made the trek from the countryside into the city so assuming that what you buy in London is better, then hauling it around for hours back to the countryside makes utterly no sense.

Since you’re willing to taxi or Uber to restaurants once there, why not make the local farm-to-table connection & go to a farm shop after arrival at your destination & buy fresh what may not even survive all the trips it will have made into & out of London. This appears to be what at first thought seemed a great idea stopping you from accomplishing your goal.

bilboburgler

Hard to imagine why you would buy food in London (which is not where food comes from) and take it to the country (which is where food comes from) and sort of maximisation of food miles for no real reason.

Don't worry, we, out in the sticks eat very well using the basic idea of either cooking it ourselves, shoping in award winning butchers/bakers etc locally or buying from the same industrial units that make everyone else's food.

I recommend Waitrose as it carries a small amount of cache' (and a slight premium to identify with) which any local would recognise. M&S is a little more down-market than Waitrose. If you give us the village name we can probably list the local good places.

Cornish Pasties, well you will not be able to get them in the Cotswolds but you may find something similar in shops, just avoid anything with the name "Ginsters".