** I now live in London, this list is always growing so reach out for my top favorite spots & recs!
Where to Cocktail: The alchemist Beaufort Bar Artesian: cocktail bar located in the Langham hotel. has great bar nibbles (aka chips). Fun spot in a great part of town. The library bar: Proper british swanky bar at the Lanesborough hotel. Sucre: This cool new spot is located in Soho right by the Liberty department store (featured in Cruella) and the Soulcycle... below the bar in Soho is called Abajo a charming cocktail lounge serving colorful cocktails with coordinating colorful names. This dark lounge is both perfect for a girls' night out or a post-date nightcap. Post up on a velvet barstool and try a spirulina-infused cocktail or perhaps soak up the live music inspired by Argentina in the 80s. This spot launched in July of 2021. Check the hours as Abajo is not open on Sundays and early in the week. Clarette: wine bar in Marylebone. upstairs is a restaurant and downstairs is wine bar. Also, recommend for dinner! Kettners: a Soho House lounge perfect for cocktails. Must be a member to enter. Connaught Bar - voted the number one bar in the world. this tiny bar in the back of the Connaught Hotel serves a mean martini that treats you like royalty and is worth every penny. The Bloomsbury Bar: fun bar located near Soho. Foggs - multiple locations around London, these spaces are always well decorated mixing some fun cocktails always served in the best glassware. Some of the best: Fogg's house of Botanics, Fogg's residence, and Fogg's gin parlor. Annabels: if you are lucky enough to know someone to be a member of this social club. Annabels is a must. It's easy to spot in the Mayfair square because of the lavish decorations on the exterior and the well-dressed men guarding the door. Beaverbrook Townhouse: cute hotel bar in the Chelsea area. This bar is open in the afternoon as well as nightime. It has a fun english design. All the cocktails here are named after shows at the theater or story books. Dorchester rooftop : one of the oldest hotels in London. This hotel in Mayfair has a fun rooftop bar. Reminds me a bit of the Beverly Hills hotel with the pink and green fabric walls and carpet! At Sloane- grab cocktails at the bar below, super sexy vibes & good drinks! Dear Jackie- the bar at the Broadwick hotel is one of my favorites. I love the interior designer of this whole hotel. 42- cocktail bar that is part of gymkhana group. super sexy & fun vibes, great for large parties as it has large banquette seating. Make a res! Where to Eat: Cora Pearl- British restaurant located in Covent Garden (have yet to eat here). Chiltern Firehouse: restaurant and hotel. the Chiltern firehouse is a very popular restaurant. Expensive but worth it. The food is delicious with a brick pizza oven and Gold Notting Hill: A true gem. My best friend who lives in London brought me here and let me tell you this place was popping on a Monday. Lots of small plates meant to share. Great mocktails & cocktails. The Wolseley: a popular spot for dinner or afternoon tea. Sexy Fish: sushi spot in Mayfair. Sucre: See above description for Sucre's basement bar- Abajo. The design concept of Sucre is similar to Abajo- Argentina in the 80s when it went from "black and white" to colorful. The interiors are rich with round banquettes perfect for large group dinners and elegant chandeliers. The space is a perfect square with views into the kitchen. Not going to lie, when I visited Sucre, I went with my friends on a Sunday. Unfortunately, it was empty. The waitress said this was usual for a wintery school night. I was a little bit suspicious of the meal because of the number of people in the room. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious dishes in the Sucre kitchen. Our group did not partake in the set menu and went for a la carte. Since I have a gluten allergy, our hostess recommended the pumpkin on the snack menu. Not going to lie I did not share. It was fabulous. 10/10. Some other highlights include the artichoke, the shrimp tortillas (basically fish tacos), saffron risotto, wild mushroom paella. We had all the sides: french fries, root vegetables, and the hispi slaw. We also had a lobster dish. It was good but not great. The musts are the risotto, paella, and all of the vegetable-focused plates! Great spot! Perfect for large parties. Jamavar: Similar to the other two spots below this fine dining Indian spot is also near Berkley Square. jamavar from the exterior is pictresque. Benares: high-end Indian restaurant right off of Berkley Square. Gymkhana: Indian spot in Mayfair with a Michelin star. Request to sit downstairs if you want a more "night-time"/elevated experience. The gin and tonics are incredible here, I tried the champagne gin and tonic. If you skip the tasting menu and choose the a la carte option. Under Nashta the Aloo Chat is a must. its basically a chickpea dish with a sweet kick to it. Obviously the butter chicken masala is a must. When I went the salmon tikka was sold out- which to mean means it must be fabulous. We also had the prawn curry and lamb chops- both were delicious! Mnky Hse: restaurant turns club with Dj and dancing at night. Fun spot in Mayfair if you are looking for a mix of going out with great food. Casa Cruz: argentian spot, good vibe, food is so so but the interiors are top-notch. I found this spot when I was searching for a spot similar to Mnky Hse (see above). Hide- popular tasting menu and a la carte restaurant. Hide has three concepts: the main floor, "above" & "below". Above is the tasting menu, ground floor is the a la carte, and below is a bar. I have yet to go to above or the bar below but Evan and i did go to dinner on the main floor. It was delicious and they sat us at a great table right in front of the kitchen looking at the staircase. For starters, I highly the burrata. Also, if you have a gluten allergy (or if you dont) they make delciious seeded bread. For mains, we had pork and lamb. Both were delicious. I normally am not one to order meat off a menu and typically go for the fish but these two dishes did not disappoint. Lastly, dessert was probably the best part of the meal. Definitely do not leave without ordering the hot pot dessert - warm acorn cake. If you have a gluten allergy like me the strawberry dessert was also to die for. 45 Jermyn St: Evan & I went for brunch, this spot blew us away 10/10 for food, service, and decor. We ordered the caviar to star because it was such a good price served with eggs, potatoes.. our table was full of plates. I had a delicious coconut marinated chicken salad dish. We both had the pumpkin soup and then the artichoke and chicken salad. everything was delicious. You can tell 45 Jermyn uses all the freshest seasonal ingredients. Daphnes: beautifully feminine Italian restaurant in Chelsea. Although this is labeled as a wine bar it also serves dinner. fun interiors and a great location if you want to explore the chelsea/kensington area. German Gymnasium: first created as a gymnasium in London this building has been redesigned to be a multi-level restaurant and bar with various concepts and menus. Helene Darroze : 3 michelin star in connaught. A must splurge on for a special occasion! Clos Maggiore: Romantic french restaurant in Covenant garden Highly recommend for special occasions. The main dining room is mirrored in full of flowers it is super picturesque. The main bar in the front of the restaurant is also perfect to pop in and have a martini. I went for my birthday a few years ago with Evan and it's a memory I will always cherish. The food, wine, service, and decor were perfect for a special date and birthday. Dishoom: Indian spot with multiple locations. Fun scene and good price point. Ivy: multiple locations around London. this place is known for its scene and great interiors. The Chelsea location is my favorite. Beaverbrook Townhouse: check out the omakase here. I have yet to go but had a friend say it was the best sushi she has had. Also, the hotel design is some of my favorite so you cant go wrong. Biltmore Cafe: In the warm summer months, book the Biltmore Cafe for lunch and sit outside. The brunch menu is a 2 course menu with the option for unlimited mimosas. Its a heck of a deal for the quality and amount of food. The outside is beautifully decorated with fun colors. River Cafe: a little bit of a trek but so worth it. I recommend arriving early and having a drink inside. the menu changes seasonally and the whole experience is a treat. I love the GM here- great service. Scotts: seafood restaurant in Mayfair. super expensive but everything is excellent. if the weather is nice opt for the patio. Gloria: same restaurant group as Circolo Popular and Ave Maria- great decor. These restaurants are part of big mamma group and all Italian. If you have a gluten allergy beware as they do not have a lot of gluten free options- no pasta or pizza. I went to gloria and was a tad disappointed as i was craving something warm and had to decide between cold veal (carpaccio style) or a rump fondue dish that served two. Quite a bummer but the pistachio gelato and wine options did make up for it! Not to mention the fun interiors and the funky bathroom design! Rovi- Ottolenghi restaurant, multiple around town. Fabulous restaurant with a focus on vegetable small plates. Rovi is located in fitzrovia, there are multiple locations that all have a name based on the location. Rochelle Canteen: Shoreditch restaurant behind a gate, fun semi outdoor space serving small plates for sharing. Strakers: located in Nottinghill small spot. The chef is tik tok famous for his butter apparently. People seem to rave about their margaritas (its not Mexican but i did get one and can agree they are great). This spot was super hard to get into. I set an alert on Resy but the food was great and i loved the restaurant design. Opso: Greek spot located in Marylebone, more on casual high end and pricey. They own another spot across the street as well, Kima. Delamina: amazing israeli spot in marylebone, must order the lamb dish. All the appetizers a re fabulous- we loved the take on the tabbouleh salad with sweet potatoe and quinoa. Also lots of gluten free options here. Carlotta- part of the big mamma group. this restaurant is all glitz in Marylebone. Beast- known for being a steak restaurant but has seafood too. On the corner of Mayfair and Marylebone. This restaurant has long communal tables. If they have lobster tacos on the menu- must order. Also, cant go wrong with some frites along with your steak. Luca- located in Farringdon/Clerkenwell this Italian spot is the sister restaurant to Clove Club. Option to do a tasting menu or a la carte. Sessions Art Club- such an artsy spot located in Farrington- hints the name. But truly, the people that work there all have smocks on. The menu is seasonal and rotating. The restaurant is very "wow" worthy when you walk in. Large dining room with a balcony. I loved the pork, guinea fowl, panisse, eel... honestly i loved it all! Zephyr- One of my favorite restaurants in London located in Nottinghill. I love the glassware & vibes in here. Book this spot and go to the bar downstairs before or after dinner. The food is amaze- Greek inspired, delicious potatoes, dips, lamb and seabass. Where to Stay: The Beaumont Hotel The Dorchester The Connaught The Wellesley The Lanesborough Redchurch Townhouse Oakley Court High Road House The Savoy Hotel Beaverbrook Townhouse Hamyard Hotel: Really any of the firmdale hotels are great and there are locations all over the city. At Sloane Broadwick Soho High Tea: Savoy - the Savoy is on my list of "go-to's" it came highly recommended by my super cool godmother. The Savoy is a hotel located on the Thames River. Fortnum & Mason: part department store part high tea lounge. Fortnum & Mason is 4 floors of heaven - you may find yourself buying things you don't need... I certainly did. It is also rumored to be where to queen buys her tea. There is the cutest ice cream parlor in the store and a cafe on the first floor (ground 0). If you happen to have afternoon tea here they can accommodate all allergies. Wolseley- a supremely popular lunch, dinner, tea you name it spot. This spot is known for celebrity spottings. If you want to have a meal here make sure to book this early. A spot right on Oxford St. Ritz Carlton The Brown Hotel Sketch- do I need to same more about Sketch? Sketch is very popular its always top on most people's lists when they travel to London. Sketch has multiple rooms. and the room that is the most popular with the multi-color tiles with the pods.. its....just a bathroom... the smell isn't great! however, the other rooms at sketch are worth the visit. There is an all pink tea room, a funky green cocktail room, and a clubby small lounge with a DJ filled with people dancing on furniture Claridge Mandarin Hotel Cinnamon Bazaar: Indian restaurant in covenant garden that also serves up a delicious tea. Ham yard Hotel : All the hotels by Firmdale are fabulous but this one near soho is one of my favorites. it has a bowling alley the basement floor (not sure what they call that in London, -1?). No rooftop but a cute garden on the ground floor for drinks. Berkley Hotel : currently they are doing a fashion tea that is over the top when it comes to the dessert design- its a must especially if you are going with gals or your mum! Things to do: Tower of London Big Ben Westminister Abbey Walk through kensington gardens Stroll through Notting Hill Day trip to Bath Day trip to English countryside Buckingham Palace Explore shoreditch Shakespeares Theater, the globe Tower of London walk the London Bridge Piccadilly Circus Tate Modern Museum St Pauls Cathedral Hyde Park Kew Gardens Borough Market London Theater- aka "the strand" Royal Opera House Royal Albert Hall- check for concerts at this world famous venue Abba Experience Check out primrose high st for a coffee then stroll to the top of the hill Hampstead Heath- this is where harry styles lives, in the summer they have natural "pools" you can swim in Marylebone Farmers Markets on Sundays Sunday Roast is a must!! - Harwood Arms (michellin star), quality chop house, Spaniards inn, the grazing goat, but really most pubs should have a Sunday roast. Columbia Road Flower Market on a Sunday |