Top Places to Eat in London: Part 1

I LOVE visiting London, I have friends that live there and it is only a 90 minute direct train journey, which for me is affordable as I have a millennial rail card!

My favourite thing to do in London is eat, nowhere else in the UK has such a wide range of amazing eateries covering every type of meal and cuisine you could possibly imagine. I am making it my mission to try as many new places as possible, which is difficult as I have come across some great places and really want to go back to them.

So here is Part 1 of my top places to eat in London.

Brunch/Snack

Dishoom

From the off I need to point out that this is my absolute ‘go too’ when I am in London, Dishoom has a number of restuarants across London but as my train goes into Kings Cross it is here that I tend to visit this amazing place. Dishoom is an Indian restaurant like no other and this restaurant is housed in an old warehouse style building with three floors of dining space. Yes you can also go here for lunch and dinner and have some outstanding currys (and they really are outstanding), but I recommend heading here for breakfast.

Ok you are probably now thinking what on earth does an Indian restaurant serve for breakfast? The answer: some of the best breakfasts you have ever eaten. I can not remember how many times I have now been here for breakfast, but every time I am pleased. There is a great array of drinks, hot drinks and fresh fruit juices, or if you are feeling naughty a breakfast cocktail! The food menu is where it gets interesting, but again offers something for everyone. Fruits, grains and breads if you fancy something light but personally I think its the cooked breakfasts that are what dreams are made of.

Kejriwal – fried eggs on chilli cheese toast or the Keema per Eedu – spicy chicken keema with chicken liver, eggs and home made buns. However the most amazing food combination I think I have ever come across is the bacon and egg naans with chilli tomato jam and cream cheese. These are AMAZING! I usually order a breakfast then share one of the naans with whoever I am with just so that I don’t have to narrow down my choice too much. You MUST go here.

Duck and Waffle

Located on the 40th floor of one of London’s tallest buildings (110 Bishopsgate) this 24 hour restaurant is worth booking early for. This is a very high end brunch but my god is it worth it. I discovered this place after purchasing the recipe book Toast Hash Roast Mash, written by chef Dan Doherty who is the owner of the Duck and Waffle. His cook book was the best I had ever seen and his restaurant did not disappoint either.

We went for a midday brunch seating on a Saturday, starting with some alcoholic beverages (including a very expensive mimosa). The menu is slightly different to what you would normally expect, you can either head down a traditional route of eggs or waffles or head for the savoury, three course lunch style options.

I opted for the Ox Cheek benedict, poached eggs served on waffles with braised ox cheek, sriracha and hollandaise sauce. My husband opted for the signature dish, Duck and Waffle, a confit duck leg served on a waffle with a fried egg and maple syrup – trust me it actually works! We were not done, so we ordered two of the chocolate fondants with ice cream and peanut butter ganache. The food here is truly amazing and in my opinion worth the money. It is a small restaurant and the service is impeccable. I am not sure I could find a brunch spot with a better view of London.

Peyton and Byrne

Another discovery based on one of my favourite cook books, this time a baking book. I later found that Peyton and Byrne have a small café in Covent Garden. You can either eat in or take away, like any normal café. However if you have ever come across their cook book you will know their baking repertoire is superb. So many traditional cakes and tarts to try, nothing too OTT like much of London, just good honest proper baking of some British classics. Definitely stop here if you get a chance, even if you buy cake to take home with you.

Lunch

Le Bab

Located on the top floor of Kingly Court near Carnaby Street this lunch spot has a fairly limited menu however if you are a fan of Kebabs (who isn’t) then this is the place for you! It was National Gin Day when I visited so tried some recommended new G&T combinations which was incredibly refreshing for such a hot day. The food is deceivingly filling, we shared two starters (The Chicken Nuggets and the Bhajis) between three of us. For the kebabs you can choose from pork, lamb chicken and two vegetarian options, each matched perfectly with garnishes and sauce. I had the pork, with fennel, mayo and crackling. We shared a portion of fries with cheese fondue as well, just to make sure we didn’t go hungry.

I thought Le Bab was well priced with the kebabs costing under £12. The atmosphere here was incredibly relaxed, being on the top floor of this food courtyard meant that you couldn’t tell how busy it was and the windows opened out to make it feel like you were eating outside.

Pizza Pilgrims

There are a few of these restaurants across London and if you are in need for some good old fashioned Italian pizza then make sure you seek this place out. The décor is understated with cute tables and chair with checked table cloths and there is a nice chilled vibe inside.

The food here is delicious and affordable with a small menu of starters and pizzas. They also have a ‘special pizza’ available, which changes every so often. When I visited this pizza was called the Peppa Pig and it was divine! The food was quick but fresh and felt like an authentic Italian experience. I will definitely be visiting again.

Shake Shack

For anyone who has visited Covent Garden you will know how busy this place gets no matter what day of the week and what time of the year it is. If you are after a quick bite to eat then why not try the Shake Shack, a fast food style restaurant in the heart of the market. An up market Mcdonalds, you order your food and are given a buzzer for when your food is ready, which you can then collect from the hatch. There is a seating area or eat on the go, this food is something a bit nicer than your average fast food but with the same convenience.

Dinner

Wahaca

Who doesn’t like Mexican food? This is a great place for amazing cocktails and fresh food. We visited the restaurant near Covent Garden, the Street Food section of the menu offers a wide variety of small plates that you can share with a group of friends but there are also bigger plates on offer. We ordered a big mix of tacos, quesadillas and also Burritos from the bigger plates menu. The tapas style of food makes it feel like a relaxing dining experience, and when in a Mexican restaurant make sure you save room for Churros!

Steak and Co

Obviously this place is only going to be worth a visit if you like steak. This restaurant was just outside of Leicester Square but there are a few other restaurants across the city. Here you choose the cut of steak you want, choose a flavoured ‘shake’ such as salt or chilli flakes, then choose a sauce and a butter. There are so many flavour combinations to choose from you are sure to find one you like.

The starters on offer are also great, we had a huge bowl of nachos to share. This is a great restaurant to head to for a pre-theatre dinner as it gets quite busy at peak times.

Bone Daddies

This restaurant is hidden away in SOHO and its a great little find, classic Japanese dining with big tables you share with strangers. The menu here is full of amazing Ramen dishes, Japanese noodle soups. There are plenty of meat, fish and vegetarian options and they are all well priced.  Each big table has chilli sauce, soy sauce and other accompaniments you can add to your Ramen, although make sure you check how hot the chilli sauce is before you dollop it onto your food…luckily I like spicy food.

There is also a small starters menu, however I don’t rate this as highly as the Ramen, compared to other Japanese restaurants I have been to, there are definitely better starters out there. The menus vary slightly between restaurants so I am keen to try one of the others.

Well that is the end of Part 1, have you visited any of these restaurants? What did you think of them? I would also love any new recommendations ready for Part 2.