Oh all right - not that palace, so there's no need to break out the tiaras just yet. But the Tea Palace in Notting Hill serves what may be the hippest afternoon [more...]

It's been years since I've been able to drink coffee but when I did, I loved the beans sold by the Monmouth Coffee Company. I'm glad to see that they appeared to be thriving - they now have two more locations (in Borough and in Borough [more...]

It's not often I find myself recommending a loo. And I'm not now, not really. But a loo is where Wild At Heart started - in a shop attached to the designer loos on the 'Turquoise Island' in Notting Hill. Now they have three locations [more...]

Chocology have a simple mission: bring the best chocolate from around the world to Britain... and boy, do they manage it! You'll find the best from Belgium, France, Switzerland, Denmark - and yes, Britain - in their shops, so what are [more...]

Indulge yourself with some of Hotel Chocolat's divine chocolate - everything from dark and bitter and good to the sweetest milk chocolate. Filled chocolates too... go on, what's a few hundred calories between friends? (Oh, and about [more...]

Think chocolate and you probably think Belgian, Swiss, French... but not British. Despite their name, it's L'Artisan Du Chocolat's mission to challenge that assumption. Find them - and their amazing range - in their shop in Chelsea. Or [more...]

Paul A. Young makes chocolates like no other. Some of his creations are his take on fairly standard ideas (eg the slow roasted brazil nut bar), some are intriguing [more...]

If you think mainstream theatre is all musicals, tired farces and pompous interpretations of Shakespeare, try the Royal Court - where innovative new writing is the order of the day. Be prepared to be surprised.

Situated in a magnificent red-brick building, Gray's Antiques is home to a huge number of dealers. Here you'll find everything from furniture to jewellery and from Bakelite to objets d'art. Prices are surprisingly reasonable, with some [more...]

Located in Alfie's Market in Church Street NW8, Tin Tin Collectables specialises in men's and women's clothing, handbags, costume jewellery and cufflinks.

If you want to get up close and personal with London, there's only two ways to do it - on foot or on two wheels - and that's where the London Bicycle Tour [more...]

Bespoke private tours around the musical sites of London. Choose a tour by location - Richmond, Chelsea and Soho among others - or one dedicated to the Beatles or the Stones. Or tell tour guide Richard Porter what you're interested in [more...]

Fancy a night out in south-east London? Check out what's on at the O2 Millennium Dome. With an arena for big events - think music gigs and big name comedians - and a smaller stage for more intimate shows, plus a cinema, restaurants and [more...]

Legendary - or maybe iconic - record shop with a history that goes back 30 years and a stock that covers just about every musical genre. Find them in Notting Hill or at their big new store near Brick Lane.

Rough Trade.

The Spice of Life is a true London institution. Good food, good beer, great music and right in the heart of the West End. What more could you want from a night [more...]

Stressed from all that shopping? Drop in to a Walk-in Backrub shop or in-store centre and have your tension massaged away. If you want to try it at home, they [more...]

Find beautiful pottery from across the world at Ceramica Blue. Whether your taste runs from brightly coloured to restrained elegance, and no matter if you want a [more...]

Mouthwatering cheese, sausage, pate and so on - plus dips and marinades, chutneys and jams, along with a selection of bread and rolls to put it on. There are sandwiches to eat as you wander around Portobello Market and [more...]

Got itchy feet? Don't make a move until you get yourself down to The Travel Bookshop in Blenheim Crescent (just off Portobello Road). I [more...]

The Gate Cinema in Notting Hill might look a bit bland from the outside but inside it's gorgeous - the plasterwork is grade-II listed. Comfortable, too - there's [more...]