Please help me plan restaurant & bars for 4 days in London

[WrongWomen]

Me & dh are going to London from early on a thurs morn to late sunday evening. We're staying near Tower of London but obviously will be out & about all over the place.

On previous trips we've eaten in Polpo, The Ivy Covent Garden, Jamie Oliver, Chinatown

We'll be going to galleries in the day & will have lunch in the NGI one day

We may also meet friends so suggestions of a cool pub welcome

Please throw some suggestions at me

I've looked at Rules but it's booked out on our dates.

We're happy to have one spevial meal (its our anniversary) & a range of others prices

Thanks a million

A walk around St Katherine's Dock (across from the TOL) is nice and especially when it gets dark. There's several restaurants there/go for a drink at The Dickens.

I love Ffiona’s.

https://www.ffionas.com/

Mr Foggs Society of Exploration is a great bar

Pont de la Tour just across the river from your hotel is very special

Cahoots (particularly the Underground and Postal Office branches) are great cocktail bars.

There’s also a lovely bar beneath the National Portrait Gallery called Larry’s. They have themed drinks and a live pianist.

This is the sort of thing that AI is actually useful for if you give it your schedule/rough location, budget and what you are interested in in terms of food types and whether you want something mainstream popular or more obscure.

The actual Ivy on West Street remains the original and best. It's a world away from the franchises. Arlington (on the site of the old Le Caprice) is in a similar style but has a more busy vibe.

Don't know about "cool" pub but Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street is an interesting olde worlde pub. There are a few interesting very old pubs in central London of that style.

The Mayor of Scardey Cat Town is a bit of fun - it's a concealed bar within The Breakfast Club and you have to enter through a fridge door. It's some time since I've been there but you used to have to have a password and say to the Breakfast Club Staff ‘I’m here to see the Mayor'.

https://www.thebreakfastclubcafes.com/the-mayor-of-scaredy-cat-town

Coppa club was surprisingly good last weekend. It overlooks the Tower of London. It was an occasion so we sat in the glass pods but the food was very good and much better than I anticipated. Lady of the grapes opposite rules is lovely for drinks and food/cheese. We did make it into a full meal but it was expensive. Viola’s is great for brunch. I like a drink in the royal opera house bar/terrace but it gets busy. Go during a performance. Vasco and pierro is excellent in soho/Oxford Circus. I like the oxo tower for drinks and food but haven’t been for a while.

Padella is fab for a quick lunch stop if you’re near Borough Market (they have a few locations across the city).
I love Kingly Court in Soho, it’s got loads of different restaurants under one roof. Nicer ones are on the upper levels.

Norma is a great Italian restaurant. I would also recommend Mildred’s- it’s vegan but super delicious and worth a visit. The Coral bar at the Bloomsbury hotel is super nice for cocktails.

We just find places on the day, never had an issue, so many places to eat. Only place I always visit is Gordon’s by embankment tube, their food was good for a quick pre theatre meal especially if you have had a proper lunch already

Don’t eat at St Katharine Dock, the restaurants there are notoriously poor (they don’t need to try for repeat business because they get so many tourists passing through).

Sunday roast at Blacklock Shoreditch is outstanding (so gets booked up weeks/months in advance) if you fancy a roast before leaving town.

Story just over the river from the tower is great

Hawksmoor if you want steak. It’s expensive, but never misses and there are a few of them in London. Excellent cocktails too.

I second Kingly Court for more casual dining, there’s an amazing Chinese there on one of the higher floors.

Don't go to the Dickens - agree that whole area is tourist trap land.

If you want to see a galleried coaching inn, go to The George

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_George_Inn,_Southwark

Another vote for Mildreds - I've been with vegans, vegetarians and omnivores: everyone loves it!

Coming to London from out of town, I would go for somewhere a bit different with a great atmosphere. I like Brasserie Zedel and the Delaunay (both part of the same group I think)

You could walk to Jose’s from there. They don’t take bookings but if you are willing to wait or drink wine outside it’s lush. Theres loads of nice places down that way on Bermondsey Road across the bridge.

Walk to borough market and do £1 oysters at Wrights

Second recommendation for Padellas and Mildred’s.

I’d forgotten about Brasserie Zedel - agree it’s fun/nice atmosphere.

also what about Clos Maggiore (reasonable theatre menu or an amazing romantic setting to splash out in). It’s Covent Garden.

MBER London Bridge (Asian fusion) or Nine Lives Bermondsey (cocktails) for nice date night vibes