EN All journey times are approximate and subject to variation.
London
Best places to eat in London
From starched tablecloths and silver service to street food served in cardboard cartons, London has ascended to great heights in the global food scene, and today is home to many of the world’s greatest chefs. This fervour for all things food is a grassroots phenomenon too, with markets, stalls, delis and boutiques all catering to a rising tide of quality across the board. This two-day itinerary will help you navigate the many must-visit food destinations across the capital.
Day one
After a leisurely start, walk for five minutes through Mayfair to The Mount Street Deli.
T: +44 20 7499 6843 | 100 Mount Street, London, W1K 2TG
The Mount Street Deli
Stocking everything from coffee and freshly baked Viennoiseries to healthy salads, The Mount Street Deli is possibly London’s smartest. The superb food is available for takeaway, or to enjoy in the converted Victorian interior or outside on the terrace.
Another five-minute walk will take you to Hedonism Wines.
T: +44 20 7290 7870 | 3-7 Davies Street, London, W1K 3LD
Hedonism Wines
Hedonism Wines has had the UK’s best buyers source the world’s greatest drinks, and they now stock 6,500 wines and 3,000 spirits. Bottles, from classics to rarities and with spotless provenance, are stocked and put at your disposal by a team of sommeliers with Michelin-starred experience.
Then, hop in a taxi for the 15-minute journey to Monmouth Coffee Company in Covent Garden.
T: +44 20 7232 3010 | 27 Monmouth Street, London, WC2H 9EU
Monmouth Coffee Company
Found in the chic surrounds of Covent Garden, Monmouth Coffee Company serves some of the best coffee in the capital; ideal for a mid-morning pick-me-up. Monmouth travel widely to source and roast all their own beans, resulting in coffee that’s sustainable, fair trade, and delicious. You can even buy a bag of their beans to take home.
Next, walk for 15 minutes to Paxton & Whitfield.
T: +44 20 7930 0259 | 93 Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y 6JE
Paxton & Whitfield
Paxton & Whitfield has been sourcing and maturing the finest artisan wheels of cheese for over two centuries. Queen Victoria and Winston Churchill were repeat customers for much of their lives. Today, it’s the cheese wedding ‘cakes’ that attract the most attention.
Then, it’s a quick five-minute stroll to oenophile’s paradise, Berry Bros. & Rudd.
T: +44 20 7022 8973 | 3 St James's Street, London, SW1A 1EG
Berry Bros. & Rudd
Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchant, the Berry Bros. & Rudd shop hasn’t changed much since 1698, and past customers have included royal princes and the likes of William Pitt the Younger and Lord Byron. Buy one of their 5,000 wines, get some advice on building your own cellar, or just savour the shop’s old-world beauty.
To get back to the hotel, it’s a 20-minute walk or a 15-minute taxi journey.
Day two
Firstly, head to Books for Cooks in Notting Hill, 15 minutes away in a taxi.
T: +44 20 7221 1992 | 4 Blenheim Crescent, London, W11 1NN
Books for Cooks
One of the few bookshops in the world with a kitchen, at Books for Cooks visitors can sample the recipes they peruse in the café at the back of the store. The famous cookbook shop was founded by a nurse who was unimpressed by the attitude of London’s big bookshops to the humble cookbook. Later attracting the likes of Clarissa Dickson Wright, the shop has become a home-from-home for food fanatics.
London’s big name department store, Harrods is a 20-minute journey away by taxi.
T: +44 20 7730 1234 | 87-135 Brompton Road, London, SW1X 7XL
Harrods
A huge department store offering exceptional service, Harrods is the last word in luxury retail. Deep within its expanse sits the world-famous Food Hall, which is crammed with produce from the four corners of the globe. Here, bakers, butchers, fishmongers, wineries and pop-ups, among many others, sell the best ingredients money can buy.
If it’s a Saturday, walk 15 minutes towards Sloane Square, window shopping as you go.
T: +44 20 7823 5577 | 19 Duke of York Square, King's Road, London, SW3 4LY
Duke of York Square Fine Food Market
Open on Saturday from 10am to 4pm, the Duke of York Square Fine Food Market (curated by the gourmet food shop, Partridges) showcases an enticing array of wonderful small-producer wares. Free-range meat and eggs from British farms sit alongside everything from handmade sushi and fresh organic doughnuts to Chinese
dumplings and small-batch cocktails and cordials.
From here, jump in a taxi for the 25-minute drive to Borough Market.
T: +44 207 407 1002 | 8 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TL
Borough Market
The Duke of York’s bigger brother in the southeast of the city, Borough Market is one of the largest and oldest markets in London. It was once a grocer’s wholesale market, but stalls hailing from all over Europe spill out onto the street today, selling every sort of food under the sun.
From there, look up which pop-up you fancy trying that evening…
www.londonpopups.com
London Pop-Ups
London is full of young, interesting pop-up restaurants and bars, which often publicise themselves a few weeks ahead of time and certainly don’t have a permanent address. Before you travel, have a look and see what innovators and influencers are doing on the London food scene by visiting www.londonpopups.com, or their Twitter page @LondonPopups.
Hop in a taxi to take you back to the hotel once your pop-up evening has come to an end.
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