Frosty’s List London

TravelUnited Kingdom

16 Oct

Written By Rebekka Frost

“Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”

— Samuel Johnson

I called London home for 10 years. It was my first experience of loving in a big metropolitan city with millions of people and an endless array of options for shops, restaurants and bars. It look me about a year to get used to the vastness of the city and to get used to calling it my home.

When I first moved to London, I was working for a five star luxury hotel which introduced me to the finer things in life and opened my eyes to the world of good food and fine dining. It wasn’t long until I started collating my wish-list of places to visit and eat at. Especially in such a beast of a city it is easy to get overwhelmed with the options and end up in some average place not knowing the hidden gem just next door.

London is such a geographically large city, there is no point wasting time going from one area to another. Plan your visit by neighbourhood to make the most of your limited time there! If you are in London for three days, this is how I would spend it! There are so many fabulous spots, it is really hard to narrow it down!

Day 1 - Tate Modern, Borough Market & Southbank

I need an occasional art fix and no place does it better than Tate Modern! It is a short walk from Blackfriars Station or over the Millennium Bridge from St Paul’s Station. On the walk you will see The Shard, St Paul’s Cathedral and views over The Thames. In addition to the permanent collections which are free and open to the public, it is an architectural masterpiece! You could spend multiple days walking around and immersing yourself in contemporary art, however I would recommend selecting one floor to walk around in peace. You could also add on one of the special exhibitions they have on, which you can access as a member or by entry fee. By concentrating on two key spaces in the building you won’t leave with art fatigue! If you are meeting a friend, make sure you both know to meet at Tate Modern, not Tate Britain (I know of many that have gone to the wrong Tate)!

After Tate you deserve a break! Walk 10min to Borough Market for lunch! You can find amazing fresh produce, condiments and drinks, however I would recommend scanning through the street food food stalls to find a dish that is you! Once you have your meal, find a spot and indulge in some people watching while you eat. If you fancy a coffee after lunch, stop by Monmouth Coffee for a superb brew! While I am at Borough Market I always keep an eye out for some amazing cheese and spices.

In the evening I would definitely recommend visiting Sea Containers where you will find a hotel, restaurant and bars. The best spot in the building is Lyaness. The genius Mr Lyan is behind the concept and the team nails it! Their cocktail menu changes on a regular, so don’t be afraid to ask the team for recommendations! Go for the cocktails and stay for the music and vibe!

Day 2 - Roses, Soho & Fitzrovia

Many people go to London to shop, that isn’t me, so I am skipping that part. What I do love though is the many parks and markets around the city! One of my favourite outdoor spots, especially during early summer months from May-July, is the Hyde Park Rose Garden. I discovered it by accident one day and it blew me away! Another great rose garden is in Regent’s Park - Queen Mary’s Rose Garden, the scent of hundreds of roses will take your breath away even before you arrive at the garden! If you are in London during the autumn months, you will find beautiful autumnal colours in both parks in place of the roses.

Once you have stopped and smelled the roses, you will be ready for some lunch! Wander South from Regent’s Park into Fitzrovia. The area has become a buzzing area in the past couple of years with tons of great independent cafes and restaurants! As a Finn, I always had an eye out for Scandi food in London and Scandinavian Kitchen nails it! They have a cafe with some staple Scandinavian and Nordic food including Swedish meatballs, open sandwiches and cinnamon buns! For those who need a fix of Scandi groceries, they also have a shop with a ton of goodies! I would recommend Fazer chocolates any day! Another great cafe for your caffeine fix in bustling Fitzrovia is Kaffeine, there are two of them in the area, both have amazing coffee (it might have something to do with their Aussie inspiration)!

If you are in London on a Saturday, a local must is definitely Duke of York Square Food Market! It is on every Saturday 10am-4pm and it was our favourite thing to do on a Saturday afternoon! They have amazing street food stalls. Have a look our for oysters (if that is your thing), rainforest wraps, sushi, dumplings and Jamaican cakes. There is always a busker playing music and lots of people enjoying the food and produce available.

There are so many options for dinner in Soho, my absolute all time favourite in London is The Palomar. ‘Modern Jerusalem cooking’ is the cuisine, picture small plates of middle eastern goodness! You can book a table, but I would recommend turning up for a spot at their bar. The bar is their kitchen, so these are the best seats in the house to see all the action! It works on a first come first served basis, which means that at times there can be a long wait! Turn up early and about 30-45min before you would like to be seated, add your name and phone number to the list, go to The Blue Posts just down the road and head up the stairs to their cocktail bar The Mulwray for a couple of drinks while you wait (the longest I have waited is an hour and it is worth it). The hostess of The Palomar will call you when a spot becomes available. When you get there, order Smoked Labneh, Glazed Octopus, Fattoush Salad, Josperised Aubergine and more! Enjoy the food, chat with the chefs and dance in your seat to the fun music they play. I always leave The Palomar with a happy mind and a full tummy!

Day 3 - Richmond Park & Fulham/Hammersmith

London is so vast that you will never see everything in a couple of days. As this post is about my London, I wanted to give a shoutout to areas that are primarily local favourites. If you have the patience to head outside of the city, please head to Richmond Park! It is about 30min from Central London on the train. You will not believe you are still in London with the massive green space, woodlands and deer roaming the park grounds. The smooth roads and rolling hills attract a ton of enthusiastic cyclists doing laps around the park, so watch out when you are crossing the roads!

Just outside of the park you will find Petersham Nurseries. As the name tells, it is a nursery of beautiful plants, flowers and herbs. They also have a stunning homeware shop, restaurant and cafe. Grab a garden salad and soup from the cafe and enjoy it in the greenhouse. For those on the lookout for a wedding venue - you can book one of the stunning spaces for your own private party! If you cannot be bothered with the journey, you can get a taste of the Richmond charm in their new Covent Garden venue.

Heading back towards Central, stop in Hammersmith and head towards the River Walk. Find The Dove with the smallest bar room in the world and try to get a spot on their balcony right on the water. They also have live music nights and have a killer Sunday Roast (book ahead if you are looking to go for their roast)! On the other side of the river in Barnes is Rick Stein’s Barnes restaurant. Make sure you request a table on the riverside to ensure you get to enjoy river views while you enjoy the superb seafood! We went with my fiancee’s family who are pescatarians and we all thoroughly enjoyed it!

Here are my top cafe, restaurant and hotel picks by neighbourhood:

Soho, Fitzrovia & Covent Garden

Kaffeine - Two antipodean cafes steps away from Oxford Street.

Scandinavian Kitchen - Best spot for open sandwiches and cinnamon buns

The Palomar - Modern Jerusalem Cooking, go for the food, stay for the vibes

Blanchette Soho - Parisian bistro in the heart of Soho, small plates of goodness

Dishoom - Tastes from the Irani Cafes of Bombay. Multiple locations Covent Garden, Carnaby Street, Shoreditch, Kings Cross etc

Mildred’s Soho - Best vegan and vegetarian food in Soho, also in Kings Cross and Camden!

Rovi - Ottolenghi’s newest restaurant in Fitzrovia, go for the fresh vegetables cooked over fire!

Sergio’s - A no frills Italian with great energy and OTT Christmas decorations

Frenchie Covent Garden - Contemporary French food in the heart of Covent Garden

Margot - The best Italian in town! Moorish food, spot on service and great interiors. One of the best restaurants in London.

Haymarket Hotel - You will check-in and feel like it is your very own home in London that no one else knows about! One of the stunning Firmdale Hotels in London.

Hammersmith, Fulham & Surrounding Areas

Bailey’s - I LOVE a good Fish & Chips and this place is a classic chippy! Cod & Chips with mushy peas and I am set! Take away or they have a couple of spots inside.

Vagabond Fulham - Great cosy spot for those that love wine and tasting new wines! Self-service machines mean you can simply tap and taste! They also have great cheese boards and bar snacks.

The Dove - Great riverside pub with the smallest bar room in the world. Book in for Sunday Roasts! Try to get a spot on their balcony over the Thames!

La Mia Mamma - Travel around Italy through their changing menu of different regions, mammas from each region will come in to cook their own regional foods!

Rick Stein’s Barnes - Make sure you request a table on the riverside to ensure you get to enjoy river views while you enjoy the superb seafood!

Number Sixteen - a cosy hotel on one of the side streets in South Kensington. You will feel like a local!

Shoreditch & East London

Allpress Espresso Bar London - Aussies know their coffee, this place is definitely a go-to in Shoreditch for a coffee or two!

Cecconi’s Shoreditch - Greet pizza, lobster pasta and cocktails! A Soho House establishment open to all!

Mãos - Intimate setting with 9 guests around a communal table. In between courses you can walk into the kitchen to chat with the chefs and witness their genius cooking.

Lyle’s - Their modern British menus will surprise you and the deliciousness of the food will leave you wanting more (although you will walk away stuffed after their set menus).

Townhall Hotel & Apartments - An old council building in Bethnal Green transformed into an architecturally interesting hotel, restaurant and bar. Da Terra is a Michelin stared restaurant and they have a more casual Corner Room filled with plants!

Satan’s Whiskers - It looks like a proper dive bar from outside, on the inside it’s a fun-loving bar with old school hip hop and moorish cocktails. Book ahead as there’s a no standing rule!

You can find all my London favourites through Google Maps: Frosty’s List London*

*all spots still operating at the time of publish of this posting. I do hope it stays that way! So many amazing businesses have had to close their doors!