Ryne and I try to take at least one trip every year just the two of us. Marriage is such a gift and I can’t say enough good things about the effects of regular time alone together (even if it’s in the backyard with a glass of wine after the kids go to bed). At the end of June we went to London for a whole week of exploring, eating, and strolling together and it was magic beyond words!
This was my first trip to London (Ryne’s third!) and I loved this city more than I ever expected. Food is a huge part of what makes travel fun for us, so we research restaurants like crazy before we go anywhere. We love good food with a neighborhood/local feel and we avoid chain restaurants/tourist traps like the plague. If you’re anything like us, enjoy our thoroughly researched list of where to eat in London. If you’re not planning a trip to London, put a pin in it and enjoy the pictures 🙂
Where we stayed:
The Royal Lancaster– Located right at the top of Hyde Park, just east of Notting Hill. The service was truly excellent. Although our room was small, we had a good amount of storage and stunning views of the park. This hotel is on the Lancaster Gate station, making it super easy to move about the city.
Where we ate breakfast:
- Granger & Co in Chelsea: This restaurant has multiple locations, but the one on Pavillion Road was by far the cutest. The street was lined with adorable shops and restaurants and small British flags were strung overhead. If you have time, stroll through Belgravia after. So beautiful! Ryne and I shared the avocado toast and the ricotta hotcakes. Ryne felt a cold coming on, so in addition to his breakfast, he had an immunity shot, which seemed to nip it in the bud!
- Eggbreak in Notting Hill: We loved Notting Hill and took every opportunity to spend time there. I could definitely see us living in one of the pastel-colored buildings, walking to the local coffee shops on drizzly mornings, and visiting the Portabello market every single weekend. Eggbreak felt like a neighborhood restaurant in the best way. There was a line out the door by the time we got there. It moved fast, but we did get seated in the basement, which is never preferable. I grabbed us coffee at Kuro Coffee across the street while we waited. I had the Avo toast and Ari’s pancakes. Both so yummy!
- Sketch in Mayfair: This is a funky townhouse turned teahouse. We seriously considered coming for afternoon tea but decided to go for breakfast instead. The inside felt very much like a cocktail bar- dark and moody. We had eggs benedict and freshly squeezed orange juice. Would definitely recommend.
- Buvette in Notting Hill: This is one of our favorite restaurants to go to in New York. It’s always slammed there, but the London location appears to be undiscovered still. We actually went twice, once the day we walked the Portabello Market and once the morning we left for the airport. Everything is delicious, but their Nutella waffle is my fav.
- Aubaine Selfridges in Mayfair: this is the cutest department store restaurant (and probably one of the most instagrammable spots in the city), perfectly draped with faux wisteria. I had the French toast brioche (amazing!) and Ryne had the eggs benedict. If you have time, stroll the department store after breakfast and enjoy all the charming English goods.
Where we ate lunch:
Lunch when we travel usually looks like a grab-and-go sandwich, crepe, ice cream or (if we’re totally ravenous) we’ll stop in somewhere for a drink and share something small. This trip was very much the same, but we couldn’t pass up these two spots…
- Tea at the Dorchester Promenade: I love a good afternoon tea and this one is rated highly. The tea room is decorated in a classic British style- very fancy. We enjoyed live music and incredible flower arrangements. The hotel is within walking distance of Buckingham Palace, so we strolled through the nearby gardens before our reservation. Definitely in a busier neck of the woods.
- Peggy Porschen Belgravia– Easily the most stunning curb-appeal of any bakery in town. Come for the cakes and flower arch, stay for the people-watching and the cutest terrace seating ever.
Where we ate dinner:
- Circolo Popolare in Fitzrovia: This restaurant serves up tasty Italian. We ate at one of the sister restaurants while we were in Paris in May and LOVED IT! So we had to try this hot spot in London. I read somewhere that this place is relentlessly busy, which describes it perfectly. The inside was uniquely beautiful. The food was so freaking good. Put it on your list and thank me later.
- Ida Queen’s Park: Italian in an adorable, quintessentially English building on the outskirts of town. The food here was delicious, but I almost died of heat stroke. Many London restaurants do not have air conditioning, which sometimes feels like a physical assault as an American. It was a 90-degree day and the inside of this restaurant had to be 10 degrees warmer than it was outside. Take the train or a car to and from if you’re staying in the city.
- Sumi Sushi Notting Hill: We made reservations here our first night because I’ve been craving sushi like crazy. The interior is small so make a reservation!
- Taqueria in Notting Hill: Sometimes you just need Mexican food when you travel outside of the States. This place had a variety of margaritas and delicious tacos. It was just down the block from Sumi Sushi, so again, very conveniently located for us.
- The Petersham Covent Garden: Ugh, I want my whole house to look and feel like this beautiful restaurant (minus some of the obscure art). This Italian food was on the fancier side. We ate inside, but the patio was absolutely stunning too. They have a home store adjacent to the restaurant that was closed by the time we finished dinner, but I window-shopped for a hot second and, in my head, I bought one of everything.
- Berner’s Tavern in Mayfair: We ate here on our last night to celebrate our 13th anniversary! Our summer trip usually falls in the days before our actual anniversary, so we dedicate at least one dinner to officially celebrating us. The interior of this restaurant is beautifully moody and the food was incredible. Perfect for date night!
Places on our list for next time:
We’re always left wanting more, which is a beautiful thing. I keep a running list of places we’ve tried and would like to try in each city. Here’s my list of places to try the next time we’re in London town:
- The Ivy for breakfast- there are several locations, but we were considering the one in Chelsea
- Manteca- Italian dinner in Shoreditch
- Trullo Italian- highly rated, but a bit out of town
- Kensington Creperie- supposedly the best crepes in London
- The River Cafe London
- Layla Bakery Notting Hill
- Holborn Dining Room for dinner
- The Grazing Goat in Marylebone- recommended by an expat. It was packed out when we passed by one day. Wished we could have stopped in for a pint (or in my case, a diet Coke).
- The Churchill Arms- a classic
