where to eat in london
Apr 10th, 2006, 04:24 PM
#1
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where to eat in london
I'm trying to find places to eat in london. I love an italian restaurant called Verbanella in Beucham Place and another I cant remember the name, near Oxford. But I'm trying to find new places as I'll be there 3 days!
not too expensive, but not Fridays type...
Any suggestion?
not too expensive, but not Fridays type...
Any suggestion?
Apr 10th, 2006, 06:52 PM
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Here's a link to a Time Out London article on the best retaurants for 20 pounds or less.
http://www.timeout.com/london/restau...tures/173.html
http://www.timeout.com/london/restau...tures/173.html
Apr 11th, 2006, 02:52 PM
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i do not recommend eating italian in london. it is one of the few cuisines that i would say is an almost universal poor value. even if you spend a lot, you usually end up with a disappointing meal. if you go to one of the best italian restaurants, you can get a great meal but the cost will be insane. best to eat it just about anywhere else in the world.
try these for good, cheap food:
Patogh (iranian)
Crawford Place
just off Edgware Road
Kandoo (iranian)
on Edgware Rd
Navarro's (spanish)
on Charlotte Street
Gem (kurdish)
Mem & Laz (mediteranean)
both in Islington
Wodka (polish)
in Kensington
Taro (japanese)
in Soho
Cafe TPT
Wong Kei
both in
Chinatown (both chinese)
Le Mercury (french)
in Islington
Au Lac (vietnamese)
in Hoxton/shoreditch
all are personal favourites and all are inexpensive.
try these for good, cheap food:
Patogh (iranian)
Crawford Place
just off Edgware Road
Kandoo (iranian)
on Edgware Rd
Navarro's (spanish)
on Charlotte Street
Gem (kurdish)
Mem & Laz (mediteranean)
both in Islington
Wodka (polish)
in Kensington
Taro (japanese)
in Soho
Cafe TPT
Wong Kei
both in
Chinatown (both chinese)
Le Mercury (french)
in Islington
Au Lac (vietnamese)
in Hoxton/shoreditch
all are personal favourites and all are inexpensive.
Apr 11th, 2006, 02:58 PM
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Well Eugene, I trust that you aren't by inference saying that it's the worst! We're really rather bored by all the 'English food is rubbish nonsense' 
Maybe visitors just don't know where to go...or we think it's funny to keep them secret!! I eat for a living (pretty much) - more bl**dy client lunches than I care to imagine - and I'm VERY fussy! 
Maybe visitors just don't know where to go...or we think it's funny to keep them secret!! I eat for a living (pretty much) - more bl**dy client lunches than I care to imagine - and I'm VERY fussy!
Apr 11th, 2006, 03:08 PM
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Interesting recommendations from walkinaround...
I've been to virtually all of those, the food was mediocre, and the atmosphere lacking.
Navarro's does authentic Spanish cuisine, but the food is all over seasoned, and serving tapas in a basement just doesn't translate from the original setting...in the heat of the Spanish sun.
Verbanella in my opinion is a very second rate Italian. San Lorenzo a couple of doors down is much better, but then again much more expensive.
Indian food is a good idea, but it's something that I will only eat a couple of times a month at most, it's very heavy and doesn't make for good everyday food...well not for my palate anyway.
The King's Road has a good Italian on the corner about halfway down...I forget the name of it. It's mid-priced, but the food is excellent. Their chocolate fondant is fabulous...although that's a bit naff now, I still enjoy it.
But if I am on holiday I tend to eat at places I find on my travels...London has so many places to eat, and you can usually tell from the menu/location/prices whether it'll be any good or not!
I've been to virtually all of those, the food was mediocre, and the atmosphere lacking.
Navarro's does authentic Spanish cuisine, but the food is all over seasoned, and serving tapas in a basement just doesn't translate from the original setting...in the heat of the Spanish sun.
Verbanella in my opinion is a very second rate Italian. San Lorenzo a couple of doors down is much better, but then again much more expensive.
Indian food is a good idea, but it's something that I will only eat a couple of times a month at most, it's very heavy and doesn't make for good everyday food...well not for my palate anyway.
The King's Road has a good Italian on the corner about halfway down...I forget the name of it. It's mid-priced, but the food is excellent. Their chocolate fondant is fabulous...although that's a bit naff now, I still enjoy it.
But if I am on holiday I tend to eat at places I find on my travels...London has so many places to eat, and you can usually tell from the menu/location/prices whether it'll be any good or not!
Apr 11th, 2006, 03:22 PM
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I'll agree with M Kingdom about San Lorenzo on Beauchamp Place but it IS pricey.
For cheap but not Italian, how about Wagamama? There's one near Harrod's but I don't know where others are. West of there on Brompton Road is Patisserie Valerie which is good for light meals.
Catty-corner across from Bibendum, there was a really good tiny Thai restaurant (can't remember the name.) It wasn't terribly expensive, if I recall correctly.
For cheap but not Italian, how about Wagamama? There's one near Harrod's but I don't know where others are. West of there on Brompton Road is Patisserie Valerie which is good for light meals.
Catty-corner across from Bibendum, there was a really good tiny Thai restaurant (can't remember the name.) It wasn't terribly expensive, if I recall correctly.
Apr 16th, 2006, 09:02 PM
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Went to a place near Covent Garden called Bank. If I recall it was just off the strand, and was a great place for dinner before the theatre. The place was packed, the food was good and they had a 2 and 3 course fixed price menu for an early dinner at a reasonable price. www.bankrestaurants.com
Apr 19th, 2006, 05:16 PM
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thank you all for your help!! I'm a bit fussy with food, and by saying I didn't want to spend to much, I meant I didn't want to go to TOP TOP restaurants, but I do want to go to chic fashion places, or ones which give good food at reasonable prices (I Know london is much more expensive than madrid, but I count on that..)
thank you again!
PS. I was at verbanella maybe 7 years ago and had a good memory of it, but maybe things have changed...
thank you again!
PS. I was at verbanella maybe 7 years ago and had a good memory of it, but maybe things have changed...
Apr 19th, 2006, 05:36 PM
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carlota, when in London last May our dear Londoner friend took us to breakfast at The Wolseley (www.thewolseley.com I think!).
It is on Picadilly and is certainly not budget, but breakfast was not too bad pricewise. We had just read on the plane that Orlando Bloom liked to hang out there; didn't see him, but it is in an interesting building (a former posh car dealership, I believe) and quite the fun and slightly trendy scene.
It is on Picadilly and is certainly not budget, but breakfast was not too bad pricewise. We had just read on the plane that Orlando Bloom liked to hang out there; didn't see him, but it is in an interesting building (a former posh car dealership, I believe) and quite the fun and slightly trendy scene.
Apr 20th, 2006, 12:18 AM
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"(former posh car dealership, I believe) and quite the fun and slightly trendy scene."
I love your description of the Wolseley. It was the showroom for Wolseley cars which have not been manufactured for decades, and decades and decades! As for it being trendy, the clientele are too old for that, besides, who wants achingly trendy? It usually means awful!
I love your description of the Wolseley. It was the showroom for Wolseley cars which have not been manufactured for decades, and decades and decades! As for it being trendy, the clientele are too old for that, besides, who wants achingly trendy? It usually means awful!
Apr 20th, 2006, 03:40 AM
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While we're in Spitalfields and talking about food, may I recommend one of my favourite London shops, A. Gold near Spitalfields Market.
It has a website http://www.agold.co.uk/
with a picture that shows you how charming it is.
I make a bee-line for it when I visit London.
I quote "Where, in London, can you purchase mead, artisan cheese, Selkirk Bannock, sugar mice, fresh marshmallows and a quarter (sorry - 100g) of Uncle Joe’s mint balls? The answer is - here!"
PS. I don't have shares in the business ;-)
It has a website http://www.agold.co.uk/
with a picture that shows you how charming it is.
I make a bee-line for it when I visit London.
I quote "Where, in London, can you purchase mead, artisan cheese, Selkirk Bannock, sugar mice, fresh marshmallows and a quarter (sorry - 100g) of Uncle Joe’s mint balls? The answer is - here!"
PS. I don't have shares in the business ;-)
