Stroll around hip Hoxton Square and have a meal on the bustling terrace of Yelo restaurant. Yelo serves some of the best curries around, and in record time, too. The long tables and benches inside give this place a friendly vibe, so [more...]

Who would think you're only a block from bustling Oxford Street on this quiet little street corner? Allan's Café is a bright and charming little spot to enjoy a deliciously fresh lunch. The soups are filling, and at just under 6 [more...]

Once a pub called the Red Cow (the Stranglers played there, and AC/DC, and the Wire and the Jam ...) it was rebuilt in the 1980s and while the front half remained a pub (owned by Fullers brewery), the rear half became a Thai restaurant. [more...]

Between road and riverside path to the south of Kingston's centre, the Riverside Vegetaria serves imaginative vegetarian dishes with a South Asian slant (but not exclusively so). Even the beer and cider are organic. Main courses are [more...]

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...]

Okay, I'll admit it - this is the first hotel I ever got taken to for afternoon tea (it was for my 21st birthday... er, quite a while ago) and it was a complete surprise. Thus, Brown's Hotel own [more...]

The Ritz - the very name is synonymous with indulgence. So, if you want to indulge yourself - or someone very special - what better way to do it than by taking them out for afternoon tea at the spectacular Palm Court at the Ritz hotel? [more...]

Absolutely delicious Thai food, served in pretty surroundings by friendly staff. Those are three reasons I rave about The Thai Garden Cafe on Museum Street. And if you want two more, it's right by the British Museum... and incredibly [more...]

Decent Chinese food at decent prices - just right for those days when you're in Oxford Street and want Chinese food but can't quite be bothered to head into China Town. Find Inn Noodle on Oxford Street, just next to the Tottenham Court [more...]

For those of us looking for a traditional inexpensive fast food, (especially after spending two hours wandering lost about Tottenham Court) there is nothing better than a good Cornish Pastie. I learned to love them in Wisconsin in the [more...]

The Beatles Coffee Shop is dedicated to great food - and the Fab Four. Although the cafe is not actually in Abbey Road (site of the iconic zebra crossing) it is very close by, in St John's Wood tube station. If you want something to [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...]

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...]

Is The Portobello Gold a bar? Is it a restaurant? A music venue? An art gallery? An internet cafe? Answer yes to all of these and you've still left out 'hotel' - [more...]

Don't be fooled - Books for Cooks in Portobello Road may look like any other [more...]

There are several Stockpots around central London and they all seem to have been there forever. The food is decent if a bit old fashioned, the service is (mostly) friendly, and the prices are ludicrously low. Can't argue with [more...]

Out shopping? Fancy a quick snack? Indulge yourself with a cream puff from Beard Papa. The name may seem a bit strange but there's nothing odd about these [more...]

Giraffe's motto is individuality and great fresh food. They say they are not a chain, but a herd, and each cafe is designed differently.

They do great brunch food, fresh smoothies and all. And the one on the Soutbank has amazing [more...]

The Young Vic bar near Southwark tube station is a great theatre bar to have a beer before taking your date to the Old Vic to see a play.

It looks a little stiff from the outside, but the Ledbury is actually as warm and friendly as a local bistro. The food is unfailingly superb - full of global surpises but never too fussy, pretentious or frightening. Haute Cuisine is [more...]