When people ask me if I would ever consider leaving London, my response is always – why would I?
When you are in London you could eat out at a different restaurant every night, and still never run out of places to go.
London provides a cornucopia of options for every palate and price range.
Here are a few of my favourite places to eat in London.
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Aqua Shard
aquashard.co.uk
It took me a few years to visit the building that has become an iconic symbol of the London skyline, but since my first trip, I can see what all the fuss is about. The Shard probably has the best unobstructed, panoramic views across the whole city.
In this restaurant your table is flush against the window, so you can peer directly out over Tower Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral as you sip on your sauvignon.
Aquashard offers a very reasonably priced three-course lunch menu, which you can pair with wine if you wish. I would recommend going during the early afternoon to take advantage of the lunch menu deal, then stay on for a few drinks at the bar to watch the twinkling city lights emerge as the sun goes down. Magical!
Cahoots
cahoots-london.com
Any fans of the old show Goodnight Sweetheart will love Cahoots, a speakeasy bar hidden away in Kingly Court, Soho.
You will feel just like the Nicholas Lyndhurst character as you go underground into the disused tube station and emerge in wartime London. The music matches the wartime vibe and staff are dressed up in full blitz-era clobber.
Cahoots is great for cocktails and atmosphere, as there is plenty of live music with the retro vibe going strong, so come prepared with the victory rolls and bloomers for some impromptu swing dancing.
Classic wartime cocktails are served up in old mugs, hip flasks, vintage milk bottles and tins with “...ingredients pinched from Nana’s pantry, picked from the allotment and foraged from ruins...” on them.
L’Escargot
lescargot.co.uk
The oldest French restaurant in London, established in 1927, L’Escargot is a Soho dining institution, known to have been a favourite of Princess Diana.
If you are a fan of The Crown, you can re-create the famous scene where Diana is queuing up outside Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in disguise, as it is right around the corner.
L’Escargot, on Greek Street, is a real favourite with the theatre set. The last time I was there, I saw theatre director Trevor Nunn perched in the corner, quietly enjoying his French cuisine.
The decor is charming and there is a fabulously cosy “Snail Bar” on the top floor of the Georgian town house where you can snuggle up with a G&T and pretend you are Diana on one of her clandestine dates.
Serpentine Lido Café
royalparks.org.uk
This is one for the summer months, as there is nothing better on a beautiful summer’s day than being on the side of the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, sipping on an Aperol Spritz while watching the row boats go by.
You can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Hyde Park at any time, but it really comes alive from November 17th when Hyde Park Winter Wonderland begins, and you can sample every kind of German food and drink imaginable while being blasted in the face with Mariah Carey’s All I want for Christmas is You from all angles. Bliss!
The Ivy
the-ivy.co.uk
Your visit to the heart of theatreland in Covent Garden would not be complete without a trip to the apex of celebrity-dining, The Ivy.
Due to its location apposite the Ambassadors and St Martin’s theatres, everyone from Laurence Olivier to Marlene Dietrich have dined at The Ivy, and they do quite a reasonable set menu from Monday to Friday which allows you to savour the delights of star spotting, at an affordable price.
Studio Frantzen
harrods.com
Okay, I’ll say it before anyone else does, the oyster bar at Harrods? Notions 11! But any trip to London would not be complete without a trip to the shopping Mecca of Knightsbridge.
The food court is a great place to have a nibble with a wide variety of international food and wine, before heading to the fabulous Studio Frantzen, which has a funky rooftop bar at the very top of Harrods, overlooking Knightsbridge, and can be enjoyed both in summer and winter months.
The food is mix of “acclaimed Nordic gastronomy with Asian influences – all set in a luxurious and contemporary interpretation of Scandinavian design”.
I recommend the Swedish oysters, if you are not afraid of coming down with a serious dose of “notions” afterwards.
Six by Nico
sixbynico.co.uk
This is one of those typically quirky, London-esque dining experiences, as “there is no menu, just your complete trust in our chefs”.
It is an original concept, where you are served 10 courses and you must guess what they are, whereupon the menu is revealed afterwards by the staff.
I am not usually a fan of interactive dining experiences, but after a few glasses of wine, you start to get into the banter with the waiters, who were all top-notch performers.
Nico on Charlotte Street has some of the best food I have ever tasted. Maybe not one for the control freaks who must peruse the menu a week before deciding what they will order, but if you go along with the concept, it is a fun night out.
The Blind Pig
socialeatinghouse.com
If you want to carry on your London speakeasy experience, The Blind Pig is a throwback to when secret doors in Soho housed sex dens and massage parlours instead of hipster cocktail bars.
You really have to know what you are looking for to find The Blind Pig, I was right outside the door and still could not find it until I looked it and saw the small “Opticians” sign above the door.
The atmosphere is dark and cosy with lots of wood panelling and plenty of gorgeous people and exotic cocktails to match. If you get peckish, Jason Atherton’s acclaimed restaurant, Social Eating House, is right downstairs.
Sushisamba
sushisamba.com
There is something about being in the heart of the Covent Garden Market that makes me feel like Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, and start belting out: “All I want is a room somewhere.”
Sushisamba gets bonus points for its location in the famous Opera Terrace at the top of the Covent Garden Market Building.
The Sushisamba terrace stretches across the entire east side of the market, with views of the Royal Opera House across the piazza. With a stunning Eric Parry glass roof and eclectic design features, the atmosphere is vibrant and buzzing with a fusion of Japanese and Brazilian samba flair.
Aviary
aviarylondon.com
Winter in London is all about the rooftop pods; little igloos with tables and chairs inside which protect you from the biting cold of being 10 stories high in winter.
My favourite rooftop pod bar is Aviary, Finsbury Square. Aviary has a rooftop terrace and bar area with panoramic views of the London skyline, creating a gloriously cosy atmosphere in the winter months.
Aviary offers a great bottomless brunch menu with free-flowing Whispering Angel Rose accompanied by London’s trendiest DJs.
- Paula Gahan is from Kildare. She lives in London and works as cabin crew for an international airline (Podcast - Spotify, Apple)
- If you live overseas and would like to share your experience with Irish Times Abroad, email abroad@irishtimes.com with a little information about you and what you do
