I have to go into Central London on Saturday - help!

[KenAdams]

It can't be avoided unfortunately as my daughter has an event to attend. We will be Soho/Mayfair way as well, so possibly one of the worst areas for a Saturday in December.

I'm looking for somewhere I can book for a late lunch to take two 13 year olds and then something to do for DH and I between 4-8 whilst they're at the event.

Can anyone think of anywhere that won't be mega crowded. I think I'm asking for the impossible and this is a long shot but I may be missing some hidden gems.

It will be jammed! plan to be able to walk from a further train/tube stop as often some of the tube stations close due to overcrowding. I would suggest going to a museum or something but get out of central between 4-8, traffic will be bumper to bumper so allow time for walking.

It’ll be chockablock so my best suggestion is to choose somewhere like an art gallery and float about the quieter rooms. If the weather is nice a long walk through one of the parks.

Equally, even just one street off the main roads and it’s so much quieter.

Can you give us some more detail about where the event is to suggest lunch?

You could aim for somewhere in the City if you are travelling in from that direction or can access via the Elizabeth Line to Moorgate for eg as that's likely to be quieter than West End.

Thanks the event is near The Ritz. I'm sure they'll be fine but we aren't allowed in the event so will just need to be close enough to get to them in an emergency.

I was thinking somewhere reasonable and filling for lunch as they won't be able to get dinner until 8.30/9pm but obviously somewhere I can book as we'll have no chance trying to queue somewhere.

Oh God poor you! It will be heaving but if you just “go with it” and give yourself plenty of time to move about, it will feel less stressful.

Don’t know your budget but there is a place called Burger and Lobster in Mayfair that is not too far from the Ritz - it does not too spendy burgers (and 🦞) and I think you can book. It is off the main Piccadilly drag so the streets will be a little quieter to navigate and then you can pop out directly opposite the Ritz.

And then you can waste a few hours in the Royal Academy that might be a little quieter in the side rooms. Or go to one of the quieter floors in the massive Waterstones on Piccadilly and you might be able to find chairs to plonk yourselves in. Avoid Fortnums - like 4th circle of hell at this time of year!!

I find Fortnums to be fine, once you’ve battled your way through the ground floor - all of the other levels are havens of peace and calm comparatively!

For food, if you like steak there’s a flat iron or Hawksmoor nearby (Flat Iron is very good and reasonably priced, Hawksmoor is far more luxe - and the Air St restaurant is lovely), you are really close to Chinatown so could pop in there, Brasserie Zedel isn’t too bad if you get the lunch menu (but could be booked up at this point), or there’s a Nandos about 5 mins away at the top of Brewer St. I also do like burger & lobster but depends how your teens feel about seafood!

For things to do - you’re within reasonable walking distance (15 mins?) of a lot of galleries and open areas so you could do the National Gallery, Portrait Gallery, London Lending Library, or as a PP mentioned - the Royal Academy. Or the Courtauld, which has lots of really well known stuff but is hidden away in Somerset House!

No need to panic. Green Park is practically next to the Ritz for a walk and Hyde Park not much further. I’d do a walk and then head to The Wolseley or Cafe Murano for a nice meal whilst you’re waiting or there are hundreds of chain and other places if you need somewhere informal. We like to wander through Mayfair too looking at the houses and stopping at cafes or a pub. Try Mount St cafe and look at all the supercars driving past and the very well heeled people. It’s all a lot quieter off the main drags.

Everywhere will be crowded, Winter wonderland in Hyde parks is normally great... otherwise have you though of the South Bank of the Thames... around the river is normally a little quieter.

Go to Shepard Market - lots of lovely little restaurants and pubs. Very close to the Ritz too.

I'd go to the wallace collection with your husband - beautiful house and lovely cafe that does cocktails.

Someone on another thread suggested using a paper map of the area you'll be in, to avoid getting your phone out often.

National Portrait Gallery (near Trafalgar Square) is open until 9pm on Saturdays. You could avoid going through Trafalgar Square by going around the back of the National Gallery via Orange Street and Whitcombe Street. Then the route along Pall Mall and St James' Street will bring you back to the Ritz avoiding Piccadilly Circus and most of Piccadilly itself.

For Soho I'd probably head east and use St Martin's Lane, turn off to Cambridge Circus and rejoin Charing Cross Road, and go west into Soho via the side streets north of Shaftsbury Avenue.

(I wonder if asking ChatGPT for a route avoiding crowded areas would work?)

For lunch there's a Caffe Concerto (a chain) on Piccadilly, which is bookable. I had lunch there on a Saturday during the summer and was surprised how unbusy it was, considering the number of tourists on Piccadilly. Might not be like that in December though!

For Dh and you I’d walk in the parks and look at public memorials if the weather is at all bearable.

Otherwise the Institute for Contemporary Arts on the Mall will surely be less bonkers busy because it’s so out there?

Maybe the Churchill War Rooms or the Royal Academy, which will Imo be busy but because you have to pay they won’t be as crazy as the National Portrait Gallery.

Winter Wonderland is usually hell on earth!! Especially on a Sat. And the South Bank will be rammed.

(Londoner here).

Suggest heading to Marylebone High Street/Lane for a coffee/drink/browse and maybe even up to Regents Park (weather dependent) and have a walk along the canal (or even go to the zoo!). You could even go to Paddington Basin and the wonderful cheese barge. As others have said, try to stick to back streets. Actually back streets are my preference anyway as they are usually much more interesting.

I was in Covent Garden last Sat around 6-7pm (no choice as that’s where my hairdresser is and it was my pre-Christmas appt) and it was worse than I’ve ever seen it. And that’s in 30+ years of living in London. Tube entrances closed at Covent Garden and Tottenham Court Road to prevent over-crowding. OMG it was grim and I got the hell out as quickly as possible.

Brasserie Zedel near Piccadilly Circus has a very large restaurant in the basement and although it gets busy there is so much space that it doesn’t feel rammed. Check the menu to see if it’s suitable for your 13 year olds!

They also have a separate bar with really good cocktails if that would be of interest for the adults to wait during the event

The Ritz for afternoon tea?

Only if the OP has a Time Machine to go back 6 months in order to make a booking for a Sat in December!

Once you are off Piccadilly or New Bond/Bond Street, the streets and squares of Mayfair - or St James’ come to that, are usually surprisingly quiet.

Expensive, bland hotel. As others have said, you can't do a walk-in at the Ritz but other places should be OK.

Yeah definitely not planning the Ritz as we've been a few times before, booked months in advance.

Winter Wonderland definitely isn't quiet!

Good tip about side streets thank you.

I actually work in London but don't live there but it's getting more and more difficult driving through the busy areas in December (can't get the underground atm for disability reasons).

Didn't consider Zedel actually so that's a good shout.

I’d go to the cinema if I could find a showing that worked - Picturehouse Central is close-ish.

For lunch Casa do frango on Heddon street (just off regent street not far from Piccadilly) is great. White Cube gallery in st James for some modern art. Royal academy for an exhibition. Avoid Oxford Circus and you’ll be fine!

Brasserie Zedel or The Wolseley for lunch.

You and DH can have a walk around Mayfair and have a look at the architecture or stop at a pub for a drink. The actual streets of Mayfair are quiet e.g. Grosvenor Square, South Audley Street, etc. as there are few chain shops there. Bond Street will be heaving!

Brasserie Zedel or The Wolseley for lunch.

You and DH can have a walk around Mayfair and have a look at the architecture or stop at a pub for a drink. The actual streets of Mayfair are quiet e.g. Grosvenor Square, South Audley Street, etc. as there are few chain shops there. Bond Street will be heaving!

Went to www.orangerytcr.com/ before the theatre on the Saturday before Christmas last year. The food was really lovely and great concept, but we were the only ones there, so not everywhere is packed!

And the Hard Rock Cafe is fun for adults and teens.