London is my home city, so this post will be slightly different in terms of ‘exploring’ but I LOVE London and having lived here for years, am confident I can recommend amazing restaurants and fun things to do for your weekend stay in the city!
- Currency: British Pound
- Local time: GMT
- Language: English
Stay: Shoreditch House
Even though I live in London, I’ve stayed in hotels multiple times in the city. Most recently, I stayed at Shoreditch House – which is part of the Soho House group – for the weekend. Although it’s a private members club, you can book to stay in the hotel as a non-member if they have availability, and as a hotel guest you get full access to the club facilities for the duration of your stay.
The room was tastefully decorated and the bed was extremely comfortable, and the bathroom fully stocked with Cowshed products added to the luxury! The club itself was amazing, and the rooftop pool was the perfect place to chill out with a cocktail at the end of the day.
Eat: Flour & Grape, M Victoria, Le Mercury, London Steakhouse Co, Table Cafe, Gaucho, Rabot 1745
There are so many places I could list here, but these are a selection of my favourites and a brief reason why. Roll over the photos to see where each one was taken.
Flour & Grape, Bermondsey: A relaxed and informal pasta restaurant with a simple but excellent menu and an extensive wine list.
M Victoria: Victoria: There are also M restaurants in the City and Twickenham, but the classy dining room and wine store on the top floor make Victoria my favourite. The Wagyu beef here is exceptional.
Le Mercury, Islington: Amazing French bistro dining in a relaxed atmosphere, with extremely reasonable prices.
London Steakhouse Co, City: A Marco Pierre White steakhouse with locations in the City and Chelsea, the steak here is incredible and the service was also impeccable.
Table Cafe, Southwark: For one of the best brunches in London, head to Table, located near the Tate Modern if you feel like being cultured afterwards!
Gaucho, City wide: There are several Gaucho’s over the city, and all offer excellent quality food in modern and sophisticated dining areas.
The Lemon Tree, Covent Garden: Excellent Thai food served in a small but cute restaurant area above the pub. Booking essential to secure a table.
Rabot 1745, Borough Market: Located in the bustling Borough Market, this Hotel Chocolat owned restaurant manages to incorporate chocolate in every dish on the menu. Amazing!
Do: Borough Market, Thames Cruise, Kew Gardens, Bermondsey Beer Mile
Borough Market is located at the foot of London Bridge, and is an amazing food market selling local produce ranging from breads and cheeses to brownies and paella. Visit to pick up some fresh produce or stop for lunch at one of the many stalls selling hot food to takeaway. The full market is open Wednesday – Saturday, with limited traders on Mondays and Tuesdays. The market is closed on Sundays.
No trip to London is complete without taking a boat tour on the Thames. There are many options to choose from, whether you simply hop on a Thames Clipper boat that runs as public transport along the river, or book a spot on an official tour boat – some even serve afternoon tea for that traditional British experience! The Visit London website has a list of the top tours on offer.
Kew Gardens is located in South West London, and is a botanical garden that is home to “largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world”. Entry to the gardens starts from £16 for adults and £4 for children if you buy online.
For all the beer lovers out there, I highly recommend taking part in a Bermondsey Beer Mile tour. Located South of the river, this stretch of bars, pubs and breweries run for (you guessed it, a mile!) and on the tour you’re given the chance to not only sample the locally brewed beers, but also meet some of the brewers behind them!
