Notting Hill is famous for the crazy annual carnival, Portobello market, posh houses, garden squares and of course that unforgettable film with its bookshop and blue door. As it’s my own stomping ground, I have a special fondness for of the above but also love this area for its restaurant and bar scene.
Continue reading
Where to find a good lunch in London is a fun but possibly daunting challenge. There are said to be over 5,000 restaurants in London ranging from the corner cafe to the best in the world and every price point that goes with that. Then you have the choice of almost any cuisine you can think of and London boasts having many of the world’s top chefs to add to your decision-making woes.
Continue reading
Anyone who follows me on Twitter (@itsyourlondon) will know that I’m often to be found out and about trying new restaurants and bars, so I thought I catch my blog readers up on a few good venues I’ve enjoyed lately. So I’m starting a new series of short pieces, a whistle-stop tour around some places I have checked out for you.
Continue reading
On a fine summer’s evening in London, I headed off to taste the new season’s buffalo mozzarella. Tempted by the promise of a huge 1-kilo specimen on offer and a chance to learn more about this much-loved cheese we assembled in Rossopomodoro’s Chelsea branch on Fulham Road. They have a lovely light upstairs room where you can catch screenings of the best Italian films on Monday evenings while enjoying a meal.
Continue reading
How many of you have your own coat of arms? Heston Blumenthal is clearly very proud of his and was rather taken aback to have several members of the audience raised their hands in response to his question! Well, he acknowledged, this was Kensington. We were gathered, with or without our own coats of arms, in the Victoria and Albert Museum to hear Heston in conversation with Dr Polly Russell, reflecting on his life and work.
Continue reading
Our British summer is a tricky thing, here one day and gone the next, making planning even a few days ahead for that weekend barbecue nigh on impossible. However, when the sun does shine and the air is warm, every Londoner wants to rush out and enjoy it and where better than a rooftop terrace?
Continue reading
There are some events that just have to be booked as soon as you hear about them and lunch at the Houses of Parliament was definitely one of these. Why you may ask? Because it’s the first time they have ever let us commoners into the Peers dining room without a Lord or Lady to be our minder and keep us in order! Continue reading
Soho is always changing, always interesting and always somewhere I enjoy spending time wandering around. Constantly changing and yet keeping a great deal of its character is what makes it so worth a visit. You’ll still find some sleazy sex shops but the vibrant restaurant and bar scene, top entertainment and long-standing favourite make it an exciting part of London.
Continue reading
I must admit I’d kind of forgotten about Benihana and then I was invited to a lunch at their Piccadilly branch so I was keen to try it out. They have a tried and tested approach which has been successful for 50 years now – their strapline is that ‘every table has a private chef’.
Continue reading
London has a rich and vibrant restaurant scene and making the right choice is often really challenging. To help with these dilemmas I’m writing a series for the great Cool Places website which offers reviews, recommendations and inspiring ideas for places all around the UK. They use local contributors with expert knowledge and have kindly asked me to do this restaurant series on London.
Continue reading