Time To Think About London Restaurants
 

As usual, I'm planning way too early on where to dine for our three nights in London, which will start (hopefully) our England/Scotland journey in May. We arrive on the final day of the Platinum Jubilee Celebration (I'd fire my travel agent if it wasn't me). After going back and forth, we are staying in our London home away from home, The Bailey's across from Gloucester Road tube station (guess I'll have to relearn how to pronounce Gloucester).

We arrive in early afternoon, so I thought we'd just take a short walk to Light of India for dinner (unless told by you guys it is horrible). Thought I'd let the troops rest the first night before our always rigorous schedule.

The next two nights we are open to any type of cuisine in any part of the city. Of course, stupid Covid has wreaked havoc on restaurants, but any suggestions of places you have enjoyed recently are appreciated. Cheers!

I hope you get to go to London! It doesn't look like we'll make it there this year (but we have some other good trips in the works....)

You are staying very close to one of our favorite restaurants in London, Daquise. My husband's great-grandparents were from Poland, and we've enjoyed eating at this Polish restaurant on just about every trip we've taken to London over the years.

Cheers,
Annette

>>>(guess I'll have to relearn how to pronounce Gloucester)<<<

Gloster. Short "o"

Back when I lived in London -- almost thirty years ago -- the Bombay Brasserie was considered a very good Indian restaurant. It's part of Bailey's, I think. Oddly enough I lived in that neighborhood back in 1971 as a student when Bailey's was not as luxe as it is now. I spent Christmas Eve in the back bar (long gone, I'm sure).

Jay Rayner's reviews are always worth reading. Not only funny but may give you ideas of places you would never have known about.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/ser...on-restaurants

Grace Dent has suggestions too https://www.theguardian.com/food/ser...on-restaurants

Walking distance from your hotel:

The Daquise
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...urants-british

old world Poland, with historical notes of Christine Keeler, Russian spies...

Eater.com always has a great selection of good new and old standbye restaurants. I used to use Chowhound.com for all m restaurant info when I traveled, not sure how active it is during Covid. https://london.eater.com/platform/am...rants-eater-38


https://london.eater.com/22868192/lo...ts-review-2021

If you like Thai food, there is an awesome Thai restaurant close to your hotel, Thai Taste. I always eat there on the day of arrival if I am staying in that area (which I often do.) I dream about the sweet corn fritters.

https://www.thaitasterestaurant.co.uk

one of our favourites is Th eLedbury -2 star michelen and top 50 world rstaurants list for many years. At the monet sadly its closed but you can hope and go on the list to be notified.

I loved J. Sheekey -125 years old just for the seafood and the history

The Ledbury sadly closed down last year.
We used to go to the Bombay Brasserie when we lived in the area 20+ years ago, and it used to be quite glamourous. No idea what it is like now.
As another poster said, Grace Dent and Jay Rayner are good to follow.
For modern Indian food, Bibi in Mayfair is fantastic. Start with a champagne lassi.
I love Scully. Inventive food from former Nopi chef.
Dishoom Kensington; walkable from your hotel, fantastic breakfast (bacon naan) and lovely space.
Another restaurant where we used to go a long time ago and that is still around: Launceston Place. This is also walking distance. There are some nice pubs near there too.
The Anglesea Arms - again a favorite from long time ago, but still going strong.
And for something more fancy, Claude Bossi at Bibendum. In the same area, Daphne's is still popular and has expanded outdoors, as many restaurants now have.
Last summer many restaurants took over part of the road for outdoor dining. I hope that this continues, especially in Soho it was really nice that the narrow streets were closed to traffic and filled with tables.

For atmosphere and food, we love the Pont de la Tour, right on the river at Tower Bridge. They have tables outside, weather permitting, but you cannot book them, first come first served.

Petersham Nursery Cafe? Or something different--Herne Hill Market?
Tulips, we'll be there at the same time as Tom. I wanted badly to try the Dishoom near our Brick Lane rental, but have since learned that it can get very LOUD, too much for my tender ears. And we're told that their competitor, Tayyab, is even worse that way. Needoo? Gunpowder? They seem smaller and thus equally loud.

Tom, I have been searching through our exhaustive files for restaurants that will allow your Corgi. Will get back to y...ah wait...here's one. Says it will accept your dog. But not you.
Good luck with your search! Plenty of great advice above.

I am done. the fork

The Dishoom just off Kensington High Street is really nice; beautiful art deco room, high ceilings. I've only been for breakfast. It's quiet then. I love their breakfast.
For top quality modern Indian I highly recommend Bibi; sit at the bar for lunch. Look up Grace Dent's review.

And in the same street is Mercato Mayfair, where we had delicious bao buns. Nice space in a former church.

I'll be there early June, in time for the Jubilee celebrations.

I'm praying to all the best travel karma, maitaitom.

In 2014, I went to Picadilly Theatre near Piccadilly Circus and ate at Jamie's Italian after. Upon googling, I'm seeing that Jamie's chain of restos collapsed! He is/was a well-known tv and book presence.

According to google, this is open: Jamie Oliver's Diner Piccadilly, 19-23 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 7EF, United Kingdom

Looking forward to this!

Edited to add there is a longish list of Jamie restos that I didn't see the first time!

Jamie's Diner has closed, as far as I know. It was not very good, we went there once.

A few that I like
The Barbary in Neal's Yard, Covent Garden
The Palomar in Rupert Street
The Wolseley in Piccadilly
Brasserie Zedel near Piccadilly
Pont de la Tour -
Oxo Tower - great views to St Pauls
Harwood Arms in Fulham
Mezzet or 1665 Riverside Brasserie at the Mitre Hotel if you are going to Hampton Court Palace and want to stick around for lunch/dinner
Sea Containers for cocktails or for dinner, they have outside terrace in the summer
Galvin at Windows

Wow, thanks you guys! Digesting (pun intended) all the information now.

"Says it will accept your dog. But not you."

zebec, Remi liked that one. She was hoping she'd get an invitation from the Queen to join the Jubilee.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dc726ddbce.jpg

It's so long since I ate in London that I have no useful recommendations to make at all but I can give you a pronunciation tip -

<<Another restaurant where we used to go a long time ago and that is still around: Launceston Place. >>

That would be "Lawnston" Place. [I won't confuse you with the cornish pronunciation]

Following this thread -- I had not heard about the dates for Jubilee celebrations in London and as it turns out, we'll be there exactly then, d@&% it.

Tom, we had Christmas Eve dinner 2019 at The Ivy in Covent Garden and had a wonderful experience with both food and atmosphere. There are other locations of The Ivy but we were told this one was best.
For good fish and chips go to The Laughing Halibut on Strutton Ground.

Such a cute pup. Following along for recommendations as we will be in London the end of May.