Day in London tomorrow, I need ideas!

[Flora73]

It's my best friend's 40th next week and we've taken the day off to go into London. She's had a rubbish time recently so I want to plan something really lovely, but what! I need ideas!

I was thinking of the Champagne Bar at St Pancras to start, so that kind of place really....wow things to do/places to go.

We need to stay more west for trains back that's probably the only thing to factor in.

St Pancras? It's not my idea of a day out. Why not a nice hotel bar instead for a glass of bubbly? You can never go wrong with a visit to Claridge's or the Savoy.

Where are you coming from and into what station? or are you driving?

Kettners

Mr Foggs

Afternoon tea somewhere like fortnum and mason

A show and dinner at the (real) Ivy afterwards?

Are you coming into King's Cross/St Pancrass? That's rather North London. If you like to stay close to there, you could head to Barnsbury (Islington) for a relatively good value lunch/dinner.

I don't understand the St Pancras champagne bar - that's more for if you're heading out on Eurostar to me. The weather looks terrible so I'd look for a great lunch/show offer.

How about the Sky Garden? Not west, admittedly, but not hard to get to. A mooch around Borough Market alongside?

Or the new Battersea Power Station? Looks amazing.

Where is your train from? (ie - what's your definition of 'west'?) I used the new Elizabeth line to get from Paddington to Excel a couple of weeks ago and it was super quick!

well the weather is awful so I’d say exhibition in the AM, lunch, theatre in the afternoon.

you can always find a nice bar / place for lunch, so I’d figure out your main events and then sort the restaurants around that. You don’t want to be going far in the rain. A station bar will be cold in this weather - I’d go for a hotel.

I used the new Elizabeth line to get from Paddington to Excel a couple of weeks ago

Was that for the Jurassic World exhibition? is it worth seeing?

I got some discounted tickets to the Jurassic World exhibition. It was fun but not sure I felt it would have been worth full price for the whole family. It wasn’t that long/there wasn’t that much to do and as an adult you can sort of see how clunky a lot of it is (e.g. there was just a guy in a Dino suit at one point) but kids may be more taken in by it. If I’d have to pay full price I think I would have preferred to put it towards a theme park, which is a bit more bang for your buck.

V&A, or a gallery, then a long lunch in a smart restaurant.

Either Euston or Marylebone. I'm
Not sure we'll have time for a show, and I take your point about St Pancras. I think I've always thought about going there en route to France.

I love the idea of Battersea and I think she would too, so maybe that's an option. I'm just trying to find a wow restaurant that won't break my bank!

The other issue is that so many places are closed on Mondays!

What price are you thinking of/hoping for! for lunch?

I'd pay probably around £150 for us both. Including wine.

Oh well that is tons. You can do a set lunch somewhere nice & splash out on drinks.

You sound so lovely OP. Not sure what vibe you're after but Maggie Jones just off Kensington Church Street is all wonky wooden floors, candles and fabulously camp waiters dishing up old school comfort food.

If you want more glamour, try for a walk up at The Wolseley? Or in the same neck of the woods, Heddon Street Kitchen is fun, as is Bob Bob Ricard though not sure if you'd need a reservation.

And Claridge's bar is GREAT.

Have the best time!

I wouldn't bother with the Champagne bar either - it's chilly and lacks atmosphere. The Booking Office at St Pancras is lovely though. Also in Kings Cross the Granary Square Brasserie (an Ivy branch) is very nice or Barrafina for some lovely Spanish food in Coal Drop Yard is great - surrounded by some lovely browsy shops.

If your friend likes art the William Kentridge show at the Royal Academy is fabulous. And nearby is Bond Street for a wander and the fabulous Wolseley for tea or dinner after a cocktail at the Ritz. Another buzzy fun place to eat and people watch is Shepherds market.

Thank you! She deserves to be spoilt a little bit.

I think Claridges could be the answer. It's near the lovely shops where we can browse, and she would love Libertys and shops on Regents Street.

If you're looking at Liberty etc & looking for lunch, my OH called in to Kingly Court (food hall) off Carnaby St and said the atmosphere was good there now.
www.carnaby.co.uk/food-and-drink/kingly-court/

Thank you! I'm trying not to come up with fussy things, that's not really her thing. So somewhere with a good atmosphere sounds perfect.

Coffee on the viewing platform at The Shard

Speedboat ride up Thames

Lunch in a nice hotel (so it’s peaceful)

Shopping eg Covent Garden

It's good to have a few options up your sleeve, isn't it. Another vote for the Wolsley from me too.

Sky Garden if it’s open! And I love Kettners bar in Soho. I went to Battersea Power station today, it’s quite cool but basically a higher end shopping centre. Kingly Court is nice but not fancy, apart from Cahoots underground bar which is amazing if you like that sort of things it’s 1940s style in an old tube station

Lunch at The Wolseley and a mooch around Fortnum & Mason and Liberty.