Borough Market is an unmissable destination for food lovers, catering to top chefs in search of premium ingredients and grazing epicures hungry for freshly prepared mouthfuls of culinary excellence.
Broadway Market's status as a promenade for the East End fashion set is legendary – but it's the high-quality fashion, vintage clothing and independent boutiques that excite the rest of us. Read more.
This London institution may appear too commercial and crowded to provide a characterful retail experience, but some quirky gems lift the experience. Read more.
At Greenwich Market you'll find fruit and veg on Wednesday, antiques on Thursday and a mix of craft and fashion by hip new designers at the weekend. Read more.
Maltby Street is emphatically not a street market - it's merely a collection of rented railway arches, experimenting with opening to the public on Saturday mornings. Read more.
Smithfield Market (also known as London Central Market) provides a colourful link to an age when the quality of British beef was a symbol of national virility and good humour. Read more.
When quintessential church fête meets West End London chic, the result is Piccadilly Market. Read more.
Sunday morning sees Marylebone mums heading en masse to this farmer's market to get their weekly shop done before enjoying a posh coffee and croissant. Read more.
The Old Truman Brewery's buzzy (Up)Market boasts some 140 stalls toting edgy fashion from young designers, vintage gear, gifts, art and crafts and well-priced jewellery. Read more.
As the home of the Queen, the palace is usually closed to visitors, but you can view the interior for a brief period each summer while the Windsors are away on their holidays. Read more.
Designed by Charles Barry, the Palace of Westminster – which comprises the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben - is now a wonderful mish-mash of styles, dominated by Gothic buttresses, towers and arches. Read more.
Designed by architect Charles Barry as part of the Palace of Westminster, The Clock Tower was completed in 1859. Read more.
The cultural significance of Westminster Abbey is hard to overstate. Its popularity can only have increased since the wedding in April 2011 of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. Read more.
The passing of three centuries has done nothing to diminish the magnificence of St Paul's Cathedral, Christopher Wren's masterpiece and London's most famous cathedral. Read more.
On a clear day the London Eye, the world's largest observation wheel, offers views as far as 25 miles away. Read more.
Opened in 1894 and originally powered by steam, the drawbridge is now opened by electric rams when big ships need to venture this far upstream. Read more.
There's plenty here to fill a whole day, and it's worth joining one of the highly recommended and entertaining free tours led by the Yeoman Warders (or Beefeaters). Read more.
Kew Gardens is a magnificent World Heritage Site covering 300 acres with over 30,000 species of plants. Read more.
Brighton’s Bill’s (not to be confused with Australia’s Bill Granger) has finally made it into the capital, serving a similar menu of classic breakfast items in a fun, laid-back space. Read more.
Soho’s smarter denizens can be found breakfasting at this polished and very English restaurant, which – as part of a boutique hotel – opens early. Read more.
Dishoom’s a convivial brasserie that loosely styles itself after the ‘Irani’ cafés of Mumbai. What you won’t find in India is such an abundance of bacon and sausage: there’s even a sausage naan roll. Read more.
Kopapa is a smart, Kiwi-style café. The team behind it is the same which runs Providores, the best-known of them being top Kiwi chef Peter Gordon, who came to fame as chef at the Sugar Club. Read more.
Lantana – a previous winner of our Best New Café award – continues to dish up inventive and exciting brekkie dishes the Aussie way. Read more.
Anna Hansen’s Clerkenwell restaurant is a popular destination for those who like a breakfast with wow factor. Nearly all the essentially classic dishes are jazzed-up with unusual ingredients. Read more.
Boulangerie Bon Matin is a Stroud Green favourite. The place is buzzing on most mornings. Locals come here for the good coffee, cakes and pastries, but also for the breakfast menu. Read more.
You’ll be hard pushed to find a decent brunch place in the stretch between Camden Market and Primrose Hill. But there’s one worthwhile spot, opened in 2010, in the unlikely location of the Roundhouse. Read more.
There are many interpretations of a good breakfast, but No 67 – the café inside the South London Gallery, between Peckham and Camberwell – has got the full spectrum covered. Read more.
This sleek café, attached to an architectural practice, is open to the public and serves excellent breakfasts and brunches. Read more.
At Village East you can satisfy most brunch cravings. From sweetcorn fritters to a bacon sandwich with tomato and avocado, this is a place that takes weekend brunch seriously. Read more.
The Antipodean breakfast culture continues its influence across town by way of this chilled-out venue at the base of Exmouth Market. Read more.
This is ‘The Breakfast Club Part Four’ – the all-day diner chain has expanded east with a Spitalfields branch, two years after the third opened up the road in Hoxton. Read more.
Railroad is not your typical Hackney caff. It’s quirky, homely and very lo-fi, but the breakfast is a lot more ambitious than you might expect. Read more.
The winner of the Time Out award for Best Café 2010 is still one of our favourites. It takes a bit of work to seek out, secreted among the houses of Hackney Wick, but it’s well worth the effort. Read more.
If you can ignore the ting-tinging peloton of commuters that has adopted the Regent’s Canal towpath as an unofficial cycle route, there are few more pleasant spots to sit and savour breakfast. Read more.
With brews supplied by Monmouth and meats from Macken Brothers butcher, Lola & Simón is a place that’s passionate about sourcing ingredients carefully and is busy even on weekday mornings. Read more.
Breakfasts on weekdays and weekend brunches at Tom Aikens’s original Chelsea brasserie remain deservedly popular. Read more.
Old World England meets New World Americana at this new all-day diner in a gabled Victorian pub building. Tables, like the portions, are large – designed to be shared. Read more.
A reliable Soho standard for decades, with pleasingly unmolested decor and interesting, well-kept beer. It’s a survivor of the literary Soho of old. Read more.
Where once fine and varied sausages were the main selling points of this well-hidden pub near Charing Cross post office, now it's sought-after ales. Read more.
Bradley’s may call itself a bar, but it’s indisputably one of the West End’s few great pubs, and home to London’s most appealing jukebox, a vinyl-driven, genre-spanning monster. Read more.
There's been a business located at this gateway to a cobbled alleyway since 1730. But as a pub it had its heyday in the mid 20th century, when George Orwell was a regular. Read more.
One of the most exciting beer selections in the city sees 37 of them on draught and a doorstopper of a list that includes rarely seen brews from the world over. Read more.
Outstanding British food, interesting real ales and a sympathetic restoration make this Smithfield stalwart a real treasure; pints in pewter tankards add to the cordiality. Read more.
This pub isn’t big but it is still possible to get lost in its two rooms. That might be down to the oddly green colour scheme or the cracking beer from St Peter’s Brewery in Suffolk. Read more.
In its favour: a Shepherd Neame pub with well-kept ale and the welcome of a proper local in the back streets of Bloomsbury. The downside: it’s closed at weekends. Read more.
This spooky ancient tavern is where Dan Brown would buy a beer if he was in town. Shadowy alleys lead into a medieval courtyard where a sign reveals Ye Olde Mitre was built by Bishop Goodrich in 1546. Read more.
A secretive drinking den in an alley that manages to evoke memories of countless handshakes, tip-offs and clandestine collusions. Read more.
This Fleet Street landmark was rebuilt back in 1667 ('in the reign of King Charles II'), and its seventeenth-century history is in large part responsible for its twenty-first-century appeal. Read more.
This princess is actually the queen of Yorkshire brewer Samuel Smith’s collection of central London pubs. Read more.
A super little neighbourhood pub in Bloomsbury with an inspired beer selection, cheese and meat boards, and thoughtful design touches. There’s live music, comedy and a regular quiz. Read more.
At 1.5 miles long and about a mile wide, Hyde Park is one of the largest of London's Royal Parks. The Joy of Life fountain is a popular spot for splashing around in when the weather heats up. Read more.
The Serpentine Gallery, the sunken garden and the beautiful flower walk provide alluring ways to while away a sunny afternoon. Read more.
Wild and undulating, the grassy sprawl of Hampstead Heath makes a wonderfully untamed contrast to the manicured lawns and flowerbeds found elsewhere in the capital. Read more.
Regent's Park is one of the city's most popular open spaces, covering 410 acres. Attractions run from the animal odours and noises of London Zoo to the enchanting Open Air Theatre. Read more.
St James's Park was founded as a deer park for the royal occupants of St James's Palace, and remodelled by John Nash on the orders of George IV. Read more.
Greenwich Park offers a wide range of facilities and points of interest, including a child-friendly boating lake, six tennis courts and the National Maritime Museum just on the perimeter. Read more.
The green, triangle-shaped expanse of leafy land just beyond the Ritz is Green Park. Read more.
Clapham Common provides an oasis of peace amid the busy traffic of south west London. A number of cafés, sporting facilities, two playgrounds and a skate park make it a lively recreational facility. Read more.
If you can locate one of the grubby alleyways leading to the Phoenix Garden, it's a lovely little green spot to have a quiet breather away. Volunteers maintain the plants, flowers and wildlife. Read more.
impossibly good uber-gastronomy from Nuno Mendes & his wonderful troupe of foodcore mercenaries, more a living room [only 10 tables] but one of finest meals in London. Mushroom chocolates best ever. Read more.
The in house restaurant of British hotel institution St James’ Hotel is now home to Executive Chef William Drabble. Guests are treated to the fine cuisine denoted by his coveted Michelin star.
Just earned it's michelin star after 6 months. The wine food and atmosphere are brill. A must go. Try the Benito at £30 a bottle.
Go for the Toptable lunch special. Michelin starred 3 course meal for 25 pounds. Includes a drink, amuse bouche, mini poppadoms+dip, and a pre-dessert. Amazing value and quality.
With 2 traditional Japanese dining rooms, Zuma serves a variety of organic and authentic modern Japanese dishes. Escape a bit from the crowds and book a private room in the back. Read more.
Strictly speaking, yakitori refers to the poultry part of the menu, which includes wonderfully flavoursome sori (chicken oysters) and tangy aigamo (duck with spring onion and wasabi). Read more.
You can't go wrong with £15 all you can eat sushi Sunday to Thursday! Great value, be sure to order wasabi prawns and salmon sashimi! Good atmosphere and great group place to go as plenty big tables.
"Remarkably good pizza. The pizza al taglio – big rectangular pizza, from which Malletti cut you a large slice – once reheated in the little counter-top oven, sings..." Read more.
"A deli spin-off from restaurant Bocca di Luppo, Gelupo extends chef Jacob Kennedy's fascination with regional Italian food, at a fraction of the prices he charges across the road..." Read more.
"London is currently in love with filled bánh mì, the lighter, thin-crust Vietnamese take on the French baguette. Here, they are are genuinely delicate and, likewise, the fillings have a real zing..." Read more.
"These mooli – a tasty wholemeal roti wrap, filled and served like a burrito, wrapped in foil - taste marvellous..." Read more.
"At lunch you can mix 'n' match that day's bright-eyed, bushy-tailed salads with quiches, pasta bakes and such. Later in the afternoon, enjoy a pot of tea and Bea's magnificent baking..." Read more.
"A small, side street cafe-restaurant of considerable charm and sensationally good value – £3.50 will buy you a huge flatbread wrap stuffed with tiny, hot juicy soujoc lamb sausages..." Read more.
"Burrito slinger Daddy Donkey is so popular that it needs barriers to manage the queue during the lunchtime rush..." Read more.
Sushi restaurant with touch pad tables for interactive ordering, kitchen cam and games while you wait. You can project an image of what you fancy on your plate to help pick your meal too!
Dine in the dark (literally - you can't see your hand in front of your face) and illuminate your taste buds. The modern European food has gotten mixed reviews, but that's not really the point, is it? Read more.
A restaurant and bar with a surreal yet extravagant decor. Try some of the delicious cocktails on offer!...also check out the 'unique' toilets. Read more.
The icecream volcano is way too big even for two people. Only order if you're not diabetic and there's three or more of you!
Great food and very entertaining - not cheap if you're a student though! Our chef was a Japanese man named Tom.
Superb value, healthy, colourful, impressive salads, served just a metre or so above hundreds of corpses. Can't fault the place.
Circus brings carnivalesque chic to the capital with a cool concept and a mouthwatering menu. The fabulous fare is pan-American, with calorie-loaded comfort food along with showstopping entertainment.
Bring your date here to feast on seared crocodile fillet in vine leaves w/ plum dipping sauce. Read more.
One of our favourite new restaurants in London - great authentic food and fun atmosphere. Quite hard to find but that was half of the fun of going!
One of the most unique & interactive restaurants in London. Get your chance to chat with michelin starred chefs while preparing an amazing meal. http://bit.ly/R6dRRV
Incredible value, especially the larger dishes. Fish dishes are exceptional, desserts OK but not amazing
The onsen tamago as a topping as opposed to a small dish is great cracked straight into the hot broth. Mega love.
Be there either really early or late to avoid massive queues. One of few places I know that serve epic burgers AND (Full English) Martini!
Order the green curry fried rice, and everyone at your table will ask "Oh, what was that?" and make sure they order it themselves the next time.
They don't understand a word of English but they understand one thing: how to make sensational, mind-blowing food at totally ridiculous prices. This is a phenomenal restaurant. Go there urgently. Read more.
Lunch time meals offer the best value here, big feed for £10-£14. Vegetables never tasted so good.
Just discovered this tiny little place. It's one of the best spots in London. Every dish is exquisite. The caamari & crayfish are the best. (But then, so's everything else.)
Also Cay Tre now has an express lunch menu - spicy pho PS they have good air conditioning!
Great for Dim Sum.. buzzing atmosphere and great location. You may have to queue on a weekend though.
Genuinely the best Indian food I have ever eaten. Every dish I try is just amazing, kebab rolls and chicken tikka masala are highly recommended. Very friendly service too (bravo Sunny!)
Relish Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Indian food at Aladin, which stands out among Brick Lane’s overwhelming Balti options. Friendly service, plenty of vegetarian options, and BYO wine and beer. Read more.
Truly a most wonderful restaurant. I cannot praise them or their food highly enough. Great people, great service and my favourite of all the prestige Indian restaurants in London. Read more.
Stop by for some absolutely delicious, traditional food. It is loved by locals and visitors from afar!
