Ahhh! A sticky toffee pudding fan. I've been on a quest for some years now to find the best sticky toffee pudding. Still doing research ;)

" I have been in Marks and Spencers, but still want to try another. "

There's no meaningful difference between M&S's, except that their food gets duller as the departments get smaller. Marble Arch offers by far the widest range in central London: there's no point seeking other branches out. Serious chain food retailing is an extraordinarily dynamic industry, and only a small proportion of the food available in M&S's today will have been there five years ago.

The most interesting food hall around Knightsbridge (at least to the neighbourhood's zillionaires) is occasionally the one in Harvey Nick's: though mostly for the store's chutzpah in finding price points that would give most of us an attack of akrophobia.

The only food hall in London anyone with a serious interest in food would dream of actually shopping in to make a meal from is John Lewis in Oxford Street, though the one in Selfridge's is good for a wider range of instantly eatable (and generally rather good) food.

Only the most irredeemably insular would steer clear of London's immense street food boom. Presumably Rick Steeves hasn't discovered it yet.

Go to Harrods early, at opening time. I've never found it 'unbearable' and the food halls are beautiful. The food halls are the best thing about the store, you can skip the rest. As a department store Selfridges is much better.

Harvey Nichols 5th floor is nice, quite small - selection a bit more interesting than Harrods perhaps. And they have Kurobuta restaurant, which I love. And there's an outdoor terrace on the 5th floor.

For me the best food store around is Wholefoods Kensington. It's huge. But if you're from the US you're probably used to that sort of thing. We don't have anything like it here.

I love the Harrod's food Hall! The seafood bar is excellent. Very crowded on weekends.

Have a great time! I miss London.

If you are staying in a flat in Knightsbridge and are looking for food; there's a branch of Ottolenghi in Motcomb Street. There's a very smart branch of Waitrose there as well.

Prefer Fortnum's to Harrod's. Everything about Harrod's is too over the top.

Boro Market is fun but is insanely crowded on Saturdays-try to go on Thursday or Friday for the full market plus food stands with a great number of cuisines represented. There are food vendors there Monday through Wednesday and the shops are the side streets like Neals Yard are open if you can't get there later in the week. I love the roast pork sandwich from Roast.

Also if you are at Boro Market, visit Southwark Cathedral which abuts it.

that would be <i>Borough</i> Market.

There is a Neals Yard at Seven Dials which would be more convenient unless one is specifically going to Borough Mkt.

Harrods food halls were fine the last time we were there - but it was late October.

Caveat: as a New Yorker I may have a different perspective on crowds. It's nothing like Macy's at Christmas (when you have to use your elbows to get through) but certainly not empty.

Certainly not looking to prepare a meal. I'm really looking for snacks, not meal prep.

As I said, I've spent a fair amount of time at Borough Market, and it is unlikely we will be there. We have a packed itinerary that so far, doesn't take us in that direction during the day.

I would never "steer clear" of London's, or any city's for that matter, street food. In fact, I'll try any if I see some that looks appealing. I will reread jamikins suggestions, and flanneruk, I'll welcome street food tips from you, too, if you have them.

I will confess that a few bits of street food in London at the Brick Lane market and at the Columbia Rd. flower market didn't thrill me; I left what I bought at Brick Lane at a bin. But open to recs, still. We will not be in London at the weekend.


Tulip, Ottolenghi is very near our apartment and I plan on a visit. Maybe the smart Waitrose can be our stop for a few days' essentials. Thank you so much.

Something to read through

http://www.timeout.com/london/restau...st-street-food

Thanks jamikins. I will soon start another dining thread and hope you see it; I value your input.

Tuscanlifeedit, that's a very nice part of London. Smart, quiet, but still central. There's Amaya on Motcomb Street - beautiful Indian restaurant.
Do try the lemon mascarpone tarts at Ottolenghi. And their granola is pretty good too. I could just eat everything there :-)

Thanks Tulips

I'm looking forward to it. We've stayed in several parts of London but never Knightsbridge. The flat is small, of course, but the price is good. It's our first AirB&B rental.

Thanks for the food recs. I am also looking forward to some nice restaurant meals. We haven't been doing much of that at home (I say that I only eat in restaurants with crayons) so this will be nice.

Historytraveler, I'm another Sticky Toffee Pudding devotee who is also doing private taste testing. Tough job, but someone like you and me has to do it. Sheila Ritchie sent me the recipe from the restaurant in Scotland that claims to be the first to have served it. I made it for Christmas dinner, and it is really quite good.

a place in Scotland may claim to have invented STP but so far as I'm aware, the kudos for popularising it, if not actually inventing it, goes to the Sharrow Bay hotel in the Lake District:

http://www.countrypuddings.co.uk/pud...toffee-pudding

I am so glad that I postponed weight loss yet again, so that I can go to England and eat all the Sticky Toffee Pudding I desire without worrying about ruining my diet.

There was a trip where we discovered Millionaire's Shortbread. That was fun.

And how about Grasmere Gingerbread? More fun, but only in Grasmere. DO NOT believe the cookbooks that say they have the recipe.