Question for London MNers - Victoria Area

[WhosthatGirlJess]

Hi if anyone knows Victoria could you please give me some advice? I have not travelled to London in many, many years and am feeling a bit nervous about an upcoming solo trip. I'm hoping to plan ahead as much as possible. Forgive me if these questions sound ridiculous, but I mostly just drive in places I know well, and last time I attempted London via trains and buses it was a right cock up!

I'm travelling in to Euston, staying overnight in Victoria so need to get the tube over. I have read there is an app for tickets, so my first question is it best to get that downloaded or can I just buy a ticket from someone at a desk who can tell me what zones I'll need? I'll be coming back to the station the next day via tube, and won't be travelling anywhere else.

My second question is, can anyone suggest anywhere in Victoria where I won't stand out being alone for a pre-theatre dinner? I do generally eat out alone in my local cities so that doesn't bother me, but I tend to know the quieter places to go. I don't know what Victoria is like, but don't want to mistakenly pick a random place and end up in some trendy instablogger type 'be seen' place. Just somewhere chilled, decent food that isn't rip off prices, and if possible not a chain.

Thanks if you can help!

Just use contactless on your card, tap in at Euston, out at Victoria. It’s super quick and only a few stops on the Victoria (light blue) line.

You can pay on your home/contactless for the tube. You just touch in and out on the big yellow circle on the barriers.

Food wise I can't help!

You can use your debit card for the Tube part of your journey. Just tap in at the barrier, and again when you exit at Victoria.

I agree with using your contactless credit or debit card for the tube. It caps at travelcard limit, you won’t spend more than if you bought a travelcard.

For food, there’s loads of chains nearby although you said you didn’t want a chain, there’s Nando’s, Giraffe on Wilton Road but also lots of places in Cardinal Place (another Nando’s, Wagamama, Browns, other places) but there’s also a Rosa’s Thai on Wilton Road, there’s pubs (the Willow Walk Wetherspoons but also the one on the corner on the same side of the road as Nando’s that apparently does nice breakfast according to my husband) and if you go the other side on Vauxhall Bridge Road, opposite Wicked there’s a really lovely independent Italian. Nobody will bat an eyelid about you being on your own, I eat alone all the time in London and nobody cares!

I was going to suggest Aster but it's shut down. For quiet independents, I'd head towards Pimlico ie behind the station. All the places on that pedestrianised bit towards Buckingham palace are after work drinking places.

I'd suggest Franco manca for pizza if you like that, no booking just walk in. It's 5 mons from Victoria Station cheap and great food v informal.

There's an Ivy on Victoria Street - don't worry Victoria isn't an 'instablogger' area!

Second the advice to just use Contactless for the tube.

there is a lovely Italian restaurant very close to the Apollo Victoria Theatre called Il Posto. It’s always full of pre-theatre goers & very close to Apollo Victoria & The Other Place too.

For food, head down Wilton Road. Kazan used to be nice for Turkish food but haven’t been for years. Cyprus Mangal on the corner with Warwick Way is a bit cheaper.

If you change your mind on chains, Cardinal Place on the other side of the station has lots of them including Wagamama.

Grumbles in Pimlico isn’t far

I was just about to say Grumbles.. true Pimlico

But if iwas on my own I'd probably be lazy and head to cardinal place

Fantastic, thank you all so much for the tips!

If you've got loads of money, The Goring!

Dim T on Wilton Road is good and unlikely to have vloggers or similar! I hear good things about Happy Pizza in Pimlico. Or for lots of options in a very casual atmosphere try The Market Halls right by Victoria Station. It is the type of place with lots of different food and drink that you go and buy and long communal tables to eat. Gopals Corner which is Malaysian is in there and yummy!