dorkforcemom

I, too, am interested in these suggestions as we'll be in London next month.

janisj

I'm watching this thread too. I'll be in London for 4 days again 10 days from now but so far haven't booked any 'new' places.

One evening I'm eating at the Portrait before Pirates of Penzance which is practically across the street and I'm having Sunday lunch at the Wolseley which is around the corner from Spencer House which I'm touring Sunday morning. Neither is at all daring but both are old favorites and VERY convenient for my plans.

The problem is the really good places tend to book up pretty far ahead. So hard to make last minute plans . . .

maitaitom

Janis, I've been looking at the Spencer House as a potential place to visit. Will be interested in your thoughts.

Ozgirl07

You might want to try Dishoom for Indian. My personal experience was similar to Fawlty Towers But every other person who has been raves about it.... I really enjoyed Masala Zone, Borough Market and Goddards in Greenwich if you are here for a traditional (or not so traditional) pie and mash. The cream tea at Harrods was very nice.

janisj

I haven't been able to fit in Spencer House the last 7 or 8 times I've tried so an really looking forward to it.

I blew a huge wad in December dining at Restaurant Gordon Ramsey and L'Atelier Joël Robuchon so will stay a bit more down market this time around

Tulips

There's a restaurant at the new Design Museum on Kensington High Street. They have different guest chefs who serve a fixed menu. The place looks great - here's an article on it;
http://www.justopenedlondon.com/para...ington-london/

northie

http://www.traveller.com.au/six-of-t...orhoods-gukpfw

In our Melbourne and Sydney papers last weekend - usually reliable and up to date.

Gwendolynn

We visited Spencer House about 10 years ago.... it was interesting but not enough that I'd arrange my schedule around it. I remember we met another NYC couple there... and then they turned up another nite at an Indian restaurant where we had dinner. It was a hot spot at the time... but unfortunately I've forgotten it name. -

jent103

Taking notes here as well for my trip this month! Thanks for asking, Tom, and thanks for all the suggestions!

Mary24

A few suggestions, not so far included above, culled from my diary for last year. I enjoyed all.

Blandford Comptoir www.blandford-comptoir.co.uk at Blandford St, W1
Hoppers www.hopperslonddon.com (no booking), 49 Frith St W1
Antidote www.antidotewinebar.com, 12a Newburgh St, W1
Asma Khan's Darjeeling Express, at The Sun & 13 Cantons, 21 Great Pulteney St, W1

Mary24

Sorry, seem to have messed up the links to the first two restaurants, cant work out what I've done wrong for the first one. Hoppers should be www.hopperslondon.com (fat fingers above).

PS Very much looking forward to your trip report Tom.

welltraveledbrit

I have to sayI agree with Gwendolyn on Spencer House. The "restoration" is sumptuous but I'd rather see an intact interior than one that was impressively re created which is what has happened here. There's something a bit precious about it, though it is nice to see a Georgian interior of this period. Personally I'd rather visit Kenwood, the Soane or 18 Stafford Terrace.
Spencer House in interesting enough and worth a visit if you've seen most of the other public historic interiors in London but it isn't near the top of my list.

Restaurant wise Dishoom in Shoreditch - they have a lamb dish that you won't find at the other ones. Duck and Waffle for breakfast because I love the view. Nightjar for cocktails, Brawn on the Colombia Road for dinner.

Have fun!

paris1953

Ebury Wine Bar is one of our favorites. Small, excellent food and a good value. Very funny wall decor in the dining room, too. Close by, on Ebury Street, is Il Convivio, which has outstanding cuisine.

HappyTrvlr

This is a terrific thread for those of us heading to London this year. Thanks everyone for sharing your favorites.

europeannovice

A tiny little place with great food across from the V&A is Orsini. We ate there two or three times on our last trip to London when we stayed in the Kensington area.

Looking forward to your next trip report!

MissPrism

Ttt

annhig

if you want a rest from all this posh fare, and don't get much Chinese food at home [don't know if you do or not] you could try one of the Chinese restaurants down Lisle Street in China Town near Leicester Square for a dim sum lunch - the best ones have the traditional carts coming round with dishes that you point at, and drying duck etc, hanging in the windows.

fun and shouldn't break the budget.

janisj

>>Personally I'd rather visit Kenwood, the Soane or 18 Stafford Terrace.<<

To clarify a bit - I've been to each of those several times (Stafford Terrace only once). Spencer House is one of the few major/major-ish/semi-minor sites I haven't visited.

welltraveledbrit

Yes Janis -
As I said Spencer House is "worth a visit if you've seen most of the other public historic interiors in London"

yestravel

Too bad we'll miss you in London by just a bit. Following along for our week there.