Where to.. in London
- Thread starter CharlesF
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Alan Whicker
Senior Member
- Location
- The very best hotels
Pubs. My favourite subject. I'm a pub bore. I even write a blog about them.
One of the best pubs in Britain is The Harp, just off Charing Cross road near Trafalgar Square post office. Supremely good ales, first-class service, sausage sarnies. Gets busy but worth it (also an upstairs that nobody notices and is usually empty). This is my favourite pub in central London. I've been dozens and dozens of times and loved every visit.
There's also the Mitre, down an alley off Hatton Garden at the Holborn Circus end. Look for the Bishops Mitre on the lamp post.
If you don't want to pay 'London Prices', any of the Samuel Smith pubs are worth a look. Old Brewery bitter is a bargain - best of the lot is probably the fine Victorian gin palace that is the Princess Louise nr Holborn Tube, or the Cittie Of Yorke further back down High Holborn. Another is the Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street.
Honorouble mentions go to the Lamb And Flag in Covent Garden, Market Porter at Borough Market (and if you can be bothered with the walk the nearby-ish Royal Oak on Tabard Street). Outside Euston station is the new(ish) Euston Tap - an American-style 'craft beer' place. Good prices, interesting and unusual beers. Similar is Cask, off the beaten track (but fairly handy for Tate Britain) in Pimlico. Well worth a visit if you're in the area. The Cross Keys in Endell Street (Covent Garden, parrallel to Neal Street) is also good.
Cheapest cup of coffee in London is at the Algerian Coffee Stores on old Compton Street in soho. Haven't been in for a few months, but an espresso is still less than a quid - and a cappuccino not much more. You have to drink standing up, German-style though. For an 'unsual' meal, you could try the timewarp that is The Lorelei on Bateman Street - very good, cheap pizza (and chips!) - and coffee.
One of the best pubs in Britain is The Harp, just off Charing Cross road near Trafalgar Square post office. Supremely good ales, first-class service, sausage sarnies. Gets busy but worth it (also an upstairs that nobody notices and is usually empty). This is my favourite pub in central London. I've been dozens and dozens of times and loved every visit.
There's also the Mitre, down an alley off Hatton Garden at the Holborn Circus end. Look for the Bishops Mitre on the lamp post.
If you don't want to pay 'London Prices', any of the Samuel Smith pubs are worth a look. Old Brewery bitter is a bargain - best of the lot is probably the fine Victorian gin palace that is the Princess Louise nr Holborn Tube, or the Cittie Of Yorke further back down High Holborn. Another is the Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street.
Honorouble mentions go to the Lamb And Flag in Covent Garden, Market Porter at Borough Market (and if you can be bothered with the walk the nearby-ish Royal Oak on Tabard Street). Outside Euston station is the new(ish) Euston Tap - an American-style 'craft beer' place. Good prices, interesting and unusual beers. Similar is Cask, off the beaten track (but fairly handy for Tate Britain) in Pimlico. Well worth a visit if you're in the area. The Cross Keys in Endell Street (Covent Garden, parrallel to Neal Street) is also good.
Cheapest cup of coffee in London is at the Algerian Coffee Stores on old Compton Street in soho. Haven't been in for a few months, but an espresso is still less than a quid - and a cappuccino not much more. You have to drink standing up, German-style though. For an 'unsual' meal, you could try the timewarp that is The Lorelei on Bateman Street - very good, cheap pizza (and chips!) - and coffee.
I'll pass on beer and coffee advice but have a look at the offers on TopTable. There are always offers on there for 50% off or fixed price at some decent restaurants together with ratings and reviews.
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
I've found China Town to be full of restaurants offering great value meals.
The advice on Sam Smiths pubs is good. I don't know how they keep the prices down.
The advice on Sam Smiths pubs is good. I don't know how they keep the prices down.
Alan Whicker
Senior Member
- Location
- The very best hotels
Talking of Chinatown, the best Chinese meal i've ever had was at the New World, just round the corner from Soho fire station. And the worst was at the nearby Friendly Inn. The food was OK - but lets just say an unwelcome, multi-legged visitor walked across our table as we were eating. Wong Kei at the other end of Gerrard Street on Wardour is OK and pretty cheap. And the waiters aren't as stunningly rude as they used to be
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threebikesmcginty
Corn Fed Hick...
- Location
- ...on the slake
I went there once years ago when when they were still at their most rude and unfriendly, all part of the act probably and we took it as all good fun. As we stood up to leave they'd got the table cloth off and had the table fully re-laid in about 1/10th of a second.
Ah yes, another fave pub of mine. Good call on the Old Brewery too. A surprisingly good and well priced pint. I liked The Chandos (around the corner from The Harp on Trafalgar Square) for that very reason; good pub with decent beer.
There are loads of buffet, eat as much as you want Chinese type restaurants in and around Soho. Not my fave places to eat in honesty but no doubting the 'value for money' aspect. There are, or were, a couple of Thai restaurant/pubs that I liked for a good and affordable meal; the Windsor Castle on Crawford Place is one. Up the Edgware Road a bit is The Mandalay (not Thai but Burmese); a recommended place for food and the jovial patrons... they make the place worth a visit in themselves! If you like veggie; I can recommend Mildred's in W1.
The weatherspoons pub next to Baker Street Station, called the Met. Bar is quite good. A reasonable range of Ales and not bad on price. The Brie Louise just around the corner from Euston Station is a real ale mecca.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?sour...-8&rlz=1T4ADFA_enGB362GB362&q=bree+louise+map
http://www.google.co.uk/search?sour...-8&rlz=1T4ADFA_enGB362GB362&q=bree+louise+map
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Wonkys is the regular eaterie of the people I work for - Chinese people. Never been there myself. Where's noodle y when you need him?
Pub advice is good AW - very interesting, thanks.
ttcycle
Cycling Excusiast
Wong Kei is horrible food-loaded with MSG and just really greasy, my mum and I were not impressed when we went there. Plenty of other places in China town that are better food wise. Jen Cafe, HK cafe etc (I'd prefer some of the other restaurants but that's different if you're eating 'native' Chinese dishes)
There is also a Japanese food cafe in Wardour St called Misato's - usually a queue - doesn't accept cards but good food and at very good prices. There's another Japanese place on Brewer St called Taro.
There is a chain of Thai restaurants - not cheapest but nice surroundings and food - Busabai Eathai - google them, there are several.
There used to be this great thai cafe in Waterloo but I'm not sure it's still open as I haven't been in years.
There's a mexican street food place called Wahaca - in Covent Garden; I forget what the street is called- I know mentally but that's no good for you! It's worth a google search.
There is a cheap place that does ok-ish Pizza called Icco cafe or Ico Pizza at the junction of Charlotte Street and Goodge Street.
For veggie and Indian curries try Drummond St near Euston or for Bangladeshi curries there is Brick Lane.
There is a cheap and cheerful place off Holborn called Wild court that has a portugese cafe in it that does pastas and basic grub - I think it was off on Wild court?
Some of these places are quite basic surroundings wise but are the cheaper options in London.
I'm sure there's more-I'll post again if I think of more.
What's your budget if you don't mind sharing? Gives me an idea of what is considered expensive
There is also a Japanese food cafe in Wardour St called Misato's - usually a queue - doesn't accept cards but good food and at very good prices. There's another Japanese place on Brewer St called Taro.
There is a chain of Thai restaurants - not cheapest but nice surroundings and food - Busabai Eathai - google them, there are several.
There used to be this great thai cafe in Waterloo but I'm not sure it's still open as I haven't been in years.
There's a mexican street food place called Wahaca - in Covent Garden; I forget what the street is called- I know mentally but that's no good for you! It's worth a google search.
There is a cheap place that does ok-ish Pizza called Icco cafe or Ico Pizza at the junction of Charlotte Street and Goodge Street.
For veggie and Indian curries try Drummond St near Euston or for Bangladeshi curries there is Brick Lane.
There is a cheap and cheerful place off Holborn called Wild court that has a portugese cafe in it that does pastas and basic grub - I think it was off on Wild court?
Some of these places are quite basic surroundings wise but are the cheaper options in London.
I'm sure there's more-I'll post again if I think of more.
What's your budget if you don't mind sharing? Gives me an idea of what is considered expensive
brockers
Senior Member
- Location
- hollowed out volcano
They brew their own beer and own their own pubs, so aren't tied in to buying beer from designated breweries at a price set by the Landlord PubCos like the tenanted Pubs are. All the soft drinks and spirits are 'in-house' brands too, as is the food and crisps. Prices only increase in line with inflation and duty increases.
Jerusalem Tavern near Farringdon station.
http://www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk/london/default.htm
St peters' brewery's only london pub
good beer fantasic food at sensible prices
When you get there you will think i've gone crazy as it looks a run down dump from the outside, but is not at all on the inside
closed weekends
This thread is nostalgia time for me! I used to go to Drummond Street for veg curries a fair bit.
Last time I was back in London, couple of years ago now, it had changed a surprising amount. Many new cafes etc where new to me. Tbh, if I could afford to live back there without having to be a slave to a desk then I'd return.
