joanne

I am going to London in May and wonder if <BR>people can recommend any kind of ethnic <BR>rsts. especially italian,thai,indian and <BR>chinse in central london near theaters and/or <BR>russell sq. whre ill be staying. thanks

Everett

We were in London last fall and from what I heard and experienced, the best restaurants were the ethnic ones. I usually judge by the crowd. There is a Chinatown where we ate with a room full of Orientals and a very good Italian but the crowd is our best indicator. Try the pubs near Covent Gardens but skip the "roast Beef" and the "meat pies" if you are used to good US food

Everett

Lots of ethnic restaurants and we were told they are better than many others. Chinatown and Italian all over. Good Indian too I am told. Try a pub but skip the roast beef

Camilla Sandum

To anyone who are interested in Indian food in London, I would recomend to try a visit to Brick Lane. On Sunday morning there is a market in one end and it is also near Spittafield Market. You could eat in the Bagel Shop in one end in the morning. (Very cheap breakfast) In the other end of Brick Lane are numerous affordable and good Indian restaurants, in some you can bring you own drink. The area is strange, but "in". You will find fancy new designed stores and coffe shops alongside more shabby old ones. <BR>The closest Tube is Shoreditch (not open all the time, runs on Sundays until 15:00, I think) but you can easily walk from Algate East in about ten minutes. Try the Vibe Bar in the evenings for live music and a beer or a glass of wine. It's a nice break from the West End. <BR>

JR

All restaurants are ethnic, try McDonalds or Der Wienerschnitzel. <BR>

Nigel Doran

For Italian, especially pizzas (which are huge - think the size of a car steering wheel!) try Buona Sera on Brewer Street, near to Covent Garden. It is really good, cheap-to-moderately priced and with lively service. The decor is quite simple with bright green chairs and bare, brick walls. It is definitely the real McCoy, authentic Italian.

caryn

I was in London for a week in March and we had Indian food 5 times!!!! We love it. It is available literally everywhere. "Curries" as they call them, are quite "in" and you can find basic Indian dishes even in pubs, take aways, fish n chips, etc. We did eat in Brick Lane (after the Jack the Ripper tour with Original London Walks. The tour takes you through Brick Lane and ends nearby). It was pretty late and the restaurants were packed. Be careful if you use credit cards, they didn't all take them. The only problem I personally had was with what was called on the menu "meat." What kind of meat? we wondered since we knew it couldn't be beef. It was lamb. But I have my suspicion that it was actually mutton b/c it was very, very strong and gamey. Not for me. Anyway, it seems like all there is in London are ethnic restaurants. There were a lot of "ethnic" people, too. We rarely ran into British born Brits!

Ben Haines

Dear Ms Bogart, <BR> <BR>You've already had some good replies -- though I usually find all colours of Londoner (and my goodness, that means all colours) eating in Brick Lane. I'm sorry Caryn missed me. <BR> <BR>There are several restaurant guide books. I have in front of me the 1995 issue of Harden's London Restaurants, which I found among several such in the bookshop on the south east corner of Trafalgar Square. It is very selective, and lists only 70 Italian, 50 Pizza, 50 Indian, 40 Thai, and 40 Chinese restaurants. <BR> <BR>All these styles are readily available around the theatres of the West End. In particular, the main London Chinatown lies between Shaftesbury Avenue and Leicester Square: prices vary a good deal there. These styles are also along the east side of Russell Square, but I think a bit pricier and poorer quality than elsewhere. You might like to walk 400 yards east of Russell Square to Lamb's Conduit Street, almost wholly pedestrianised, with perhaps a dozen assorted cafes, pubs and restaurants -- but dead on Sundays. The Italin delicatessen, with tables, is a star in the constellation. The British foo9d at the Lamb's pub at the north end us not bad. <BR> <BR>On the north west corner of Russell Square stands the School of Oriental and African Studies, and for lunch from Monday to Friday you might look at the student restaurant in the basement, open to all, which is strong on meals from Asia, Africa, and (I think in response to student taste for spice) Mexico. Then any meal any day Drummond Street, just west of Euston main line station and fifteen minutes north west of Russell Square, offers half a dozen Bengali restaurants. <BR> <BR>You can eat interestingly and fairly cheaply at the Daquise Polish restaurant six doors from an entry to South Kensington Station (the whole area there is srong on more usual ethnic restaurants), and well but not cheaply at the Gay Hussar Hungarian Restaurant, 2 Greek Street, nearest tube Tottenham Court Road. If you're at the Tate you can take a number 2 bus over Vauxhall Bridge Road and on the Old South Lambeth Road will find a pub, the Vasgc da Gama, which is Portugese, used by Portugese, and serves splendid and cheap meals and wine by the half bottle. <BR> <BR>I have on disc note on pub lunches in London that I like: please ask if you'd lik a opy. Or, indeed, f I can help furtrher at all. <BR> <BR>The warning against "Roast Beef" and "Meat Pies" in pubs in the West End and on Russell Square is right. So far as I can see, it's cooked in factories near Birmingham, frozen, and re-heated in the so called kitchen. Also, it's full of stodge -- piecrust, potato, and bread in a single meal. Two notable such chains with big factories are Wetherspoons and the Ale and Pie Houses. <BR> <BR>Welcome to London <BR> <BR>Ben Haines

Rob

<BR>My wife and i just returned from our second honeymoon in London. Best meal, by far, was Zafferano's - a wonderful Italian restaurant located in Knightsbridge. Make advance reservations, you won't regret it.

Bob

I found some wonderful Thai and Lebanese restaurants, esp. the latter. An Egyptian restaurant looked interesting, but was one of the worst I have ever experienced! There is incredible variety in London - enjoy!

Jo

For something really different and a real treat, try the Springbok Cafe in Chiswick. Its a little bit out, but for the quality of the food and wine as well as the authentic cooking its well worth it. The menu consists of traditional South African foods, including such meats as Kudu, Ostrich and Crocodile. I totally recommend the ostrich! And definitely a Dom Pedro for desert is a must. Its highly recommended in the Time Out guide. <BR>

Mark

Hi, <BR> <BR>Ethnic is definately the way to go in London and the choice is amazing. I would highly recommend the 'Great Nepalese' next to Euston Station and 'Wagamamas' in Bloomsbury, but there are loads more... <BR> <BR>Try http://londonguide.cjb.net for some good restaurant reviews and recommendations in London and links to other London restaurant sites. <BR> <BR>Enjoy London (and your meals!) <BR> <BR>Mark.

sabrina

If you have ever had Jamaican food or want to try it go to a place in Brixton called Miss Nid's. Wonderful, wonderful food. Jerk chicken, curry goat, meat pies, sweet fried plaintains, the works! You can wash it down with a drink called Ting, which is like a really, really good carbonated grapefruit juice.

cherie

I need a bit of help from locals here, but I remember going to great Indian places on Rupert St in Soho; and a fantastic Mandarin Chinese place in Golders Green (also the tube stop's name) as well as a good Italian Restaurant directly across the street from Harrods (the side street).

Tony

I can recommend a restaurant called Wong Kei, 41 Wardour St. in SOHO area. The tube stop was Leicester Square. Excellent and authentic Chinese.

Kim

I would also recommend Wagamamas - it's a great Japanese (actually I think they dabble in other ethnic varieties) noodle house. The food was very great, busy, fun place. You're seated at long communal tables. Have some saki.