8 places foodies shouldn’t miss in London
The famous English writer Samuel Johnson said: “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
Full of color, culture and interesting people, London is probably the most beautiful city in the world. Here, everything stands out somehow, whether we’re talking about style, authenticity or grandeur. And everything moves faster too. It literally has its own pace. People, constructions, trends, everything moves faster than anywhere else.
Trends in the food industry follow the same pattern. New restaurants, bars, and street food markets are constantly popping out. Street food is now trending and it got a lot better in recent years. You can find a street food market in most areas of London, each of them bringing their own touch to the trend.
Being a passionate foodie I’ve visited most of them and in this article, I’ll tell you all about my favorite food-related places in London. These are the places that people don’t know about if they don’t live here. They are not stacked with tourists like Soho, Oxford Street or Westminster. And food aside here is where you can get a true feel of London’s heart and soul.
So here are my 8 favorite places in London:
1. Shoreditch
This is an area in the East End of London and it boasts a range of great restaurants and amazing nightlife. I would call it The playground for London’s Millennials, because it’s where they work and hang out every single day. When in Shoreditch, make sure you don’t miss the famous Brick Lane. It’s like the epicenter of its Shoreditch’s spirit and it’s great for going out even during weekdays.
If you feel like trying a bit of street food, make sure to visit Dinerama. Here, you’ll find a few stalls selling their most original dishes.
There is a range of great restaurants in the area and my favorites, so far, are The Frog and Andina. Feel free to drop me a line in the comments if you have some other restaurants suggestions.
2. Hampstead
It’s best to visit Hampstead in the summertime, because it has this massive park called Hampstead Heath and it’s best to see it when all leaves are green and the flowers are blooming. It’s the perfect place for a picnic.
You’ll find a lot of chic restaurants stacked around Hampstead High Street, but my favorite is La Creperie de Hamstead. It’s a small shop selling all sorts of sweet and savory crepes. I just love them. Oh, and don’t get scared by the long queues. They’re totally worth it.
3. Camden
Here is where you’ll find London’s largest street market called Camden Market. It includes the Stables Market which is a network of tunnels that used to be stables and a hospital for horses. You will find that this market really has it all. Vintage clothes, handmade accessories, guitar & records stores, Indian homewares, Turkish lamps, you name it everything is there. And on top of that, the area is filled with food stalls that make it a heaven for foodies.
4. Greenwich
Home of the Prime Meridian on which the Universal Time is based, Greenwich is also home to a lot of chic restaurants and the famous Greenwich Market. The latter is famous due to its art galleries and antique shops, but lately, a few food stalls snuck in and they brought a lot of flavor to the market. I’ve tried a lot of restaurants there, but my favorite one is a small French bistro called Champagne + Fromage. Their charcuterie boards are truly amazing.
5. Hackney and Broadway Market
Close to Shoreditch, Hackney is another beautiful area for foodies. It features the chic Broadway Market, a street market where local food producers come to show off with their most amazing products. I’ve written a post about it here, so a lot more photos and details are just one click away 🙂
6. Mayfair, Kensington and Chelsea
These areas form what is called the posh London. Here is where the grass is greener and where the sun shines longer :)) , probably because it’s home to some of the richest people in the world. And because of that, the best restaurants in the world clustered there to bring the most amazing dishes money can buy. Of course, this will come for a premium but every once in a while it’s worth to break the piggy bank (or the credit card 🙂 ) to get a taste of the good life.
There’s plenty of restaurants to choose from in that area but my favorite, and the one for which I worked is Zuma. You might be tempted to say that I am biased but just give it a try. I’ve tried it and a lot of other Japanese restaurants even before working there and I can honestly say that it has the best dishes around.
I didn’t try Sosharu though and I’ve heard a lot of good things about it, so I’ve decided to pay a visit next week. I’ll report my opinions about it on my facebook page.
7. Borough Market
Before moving to London, I’ve visited Tower Bridge and London Bridge a few times, but it never occurred to me to look a bit further behind the buildings to find this awesome food market. I often drop by for a Salted beef sandwich from Nana Fanny’s or a Garlic Prawn Wrap from Applebee’s. I wrote a post about it so check it out here to see a lot more photos and what to try in Borough Market.
8. Maltby Street Market
The youngest and tiniest of them all, but certainly one of the best food markets in London. This is like a hidden gem. A lot of people don’t know about it because it is literally hidden between a railway and a big block of flats. It is among my favorites, so I wrote a post about it. In that post, you’ll find a few good suggestions about what to try when visiting this market (like Tozino Bar, African Volcano or The Steakers)
So these are my 8 favorite food related places in London. If you’re visiting make sure you check them all on your list. If you happen to leave one out, then book another trip right away 🙂 . Trust me, you don’t want to miss anything.
But enough about me, what are your favorite places in London?
