That London

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Off to London to celebrate a 'big' birthday soon. Staying in the Kings Cross area.

Any lovely ideas for things dp and I could do, that we might not have done before? Money isn't really an object, but we don't like 'posh' or 'wanky' stuff, and dp will almost certainly be in jeans.

We like:
Mooching in nice areas with a 'village' feel
Hampstead Heath
Museums, but have done most of them so it would need to be a quirky one or an exhibition we haven't seen
Food and drink
Book shops
The theatre
Walks eg in parks, graveyards (done Highgate), by water
Sitting in coffee shops/bars for a chat or even to read

Need to have a plan for if the weather is awful and therefore walks/mooching not so pleasant, too.

Would really appreciate your suggestions.

If you're there midweek, you could watch a session of a trial at the Old Bailey or Central Criminal Court? Fascinating. Speak to the clerks who can advise you.

What about the Museum of London?

A boat trip down the Thames.

A mooch around Marylebone. Visit my favourite book shop, Daunts. A village in central London.

A big breakfast in the Regency Cafe, just off Horseferry Road in Westminster.

I love Daunts so much.

If you like cemeteries there's Abney Park cemetery in Stoke Newington. You can get the 73 bus from Kings Cross. There are some pubs and various places to eat there too but I'm not sure on where to recommend as not been in any for some time. Church Street is the main street.
Lots of places to eat in Kings Cross. If craft beer is your thing then Beer and Burger could be worth a visit for a beer (and a burger).

As an egg-hating veggie, I struggle with breakfast places!

Loving all these so far. Thanks, all.

Specific pub and nice but non-wanky restaurant recs especially appreciated.

Victoria Park village is lovely! You can then Walk down through victoria Park to the canal, and walk along the canal end up at broadway market.

Or you can go down the canal in other direction and end up at the Olympic park.

Hi Remus

If you can get a boat/walk a bit further down the canal, Broadway market and Victoria Park are great.

Second Dennis Severs house

Sky garden is good- I’ve always just turned up rather than booking.

Museum of London Docklands

Walk around Wapping and up to st Katharine docks

Somerset House

South bank & Hayward gallery

Enjoy

Nice non wanky restaurant with loads of veggie options: Kricket in Soho - Indian inspired but definitely not like most local Indian restaurants. Very very good.

Or Cinnamon Club if you want to spend ££ on v v good Indian.

Hi Tethers. Glad to see you!

I didn't realise you could just turn up to Sky Garden.

Need to do some googling of all these. Sorry for not responding individually to everyone but MN is a sod to read on kindle.

18 Folgate Street is a must if you like quirky things, it’s fascinating

Villagey area that’s easy from KC - Crouch End. Could
do the Parkland Walk between Finsbury Park and Highgate and come off at Crouch End. Compared to Hampstead it’s more independent shops than chains. Plenty of places to eat.

For bars near KC, the ones that have just opened in the old Camden town hall - look up The Standard Hotel. Can’t quite gauge your definition of wanky, but you like the one at the top of St P - do you mean the champagne bar?

The Coal Office and Caravan are good for food, but book the former, even midweek.

If you’ve not done it already, walk the other other way along the canal to Broadway Market, if you like swimming go to London Fields lido (heated), then/or have a walk down to Shoreditch and a wander round there.

Kricket looks right up our street.

There’s a Mildred’s near KC too now, veggy stuff.

The Black Friar on Queen Victoria Street has an amazing Art Nouveau interior - it’s at one end of Blackfriars Bridge so you could combine a pint in there with a trip to Tate Modern over the other side of the river.

A bit nearer to Kings Cross, the Princess Louise in High Holborn has a pretty spectacular (listed) Victorian interior with etched glass, mirrors and panelling. It doesn’t look like much from outside but inside is amazing.

The London Review bookshop isn’t far away in Bury Place (with nice coffee and cakes), and you’re in the general area of the Persephone bookshop in Lamb’s Conduit St, the Dickens Museum in Doughty St and the Foundling Museum in Brunswick Sq.

If we’re doing historic pubs, also on Lambs Conduit Street s The Lamb, which is one of the few pubs that still has ‘snob screens’.

I love walking around the back streets of Southwark, some of it is like going back in time. There is also an art gallery there on Union St, lots of little quirky food markets and the Crossbones Graveyard crossbones.org.uk

Second vote for Come From Away, and if money no object Hamilton is amazing!

Saint P bar is a pub. Think it might be the John Betjeman. We're definitely not champagne bar people!

Love a great non wanky restaurant though - fine dining with non-snooty service and without requiring a second mortgage. :)

Another vote for the German Gymnasium restaurant near Kings cross station.

A quirky museum/bar is 'The Last Tuesday Society' in Hackney. Not very close to Kings Cross, but you could include say Shoreditch en-route for a mini pub crawl. Or get out at Bethnal Green tube and have a cocktail at 'satans whiskers' then continue up Cambridge heath rd about 10mins to the last tuesday society. They have a bar upstairs which specialise in absinthe, but have other yummy cocktails too. Down stairs in a quirky museum of curiosities with many weird and wonderful things. Stuffed animals, animals in jars, odd pics, hair balls and apparently a poo from Amy Winehouse (plus lots more)!!! Normally £6 for the museum, but thursdays are £2.50. Between 6-7pm each night is their absinthe happy hour, but you must book beforehand to get the cheaper rates.

Another thing is Aquashard for a drink in the shard. Not as high up as the viewing platform, but still fantastic views and you dont need to book if just going for a drink. You also arent paying any fee to go up.
You'd need to book the restaurant though if eating.

If you want to do something a bit daring - the London orbital slide is great fun.

Recently went to the Tutankhamen exhibition, 10am entry and it wasn’t over crowded at all. The later entry times (we were in for a few hours) had huge queues but our session was fine. Well worth it.

Coal Drops Yard is nice to mooch around & right by Kings Cross. Barrafina restaurant is a good choice there.

The Chapel Down bar is also nearby. They sell their own wines & gin which they produce down in Kent.

Definitely book Kricket if you’re interested - it’s quite small and gets busy! It was really a memorable meal though.

Another restaurant idea, also Soho - this French brasserie which feels very Parisian: Brasserie Zedel. Has actually French people there - it’s no Cafe Rouge. Altho being French, not sure how good their veggie offering will be (dreaded omelette?!).

And everyone I know raves about Dishoom (various branches, Indian), although I haven’t been yet.

Ah, another idea: Little Georgia - Islington and Hackney. Georgian food (again not 100% sure if that veggie friendly but well worth checking as it’s a great place).

Marylebone High Street for Hampstead feel but better. Eat at Delamina on Marylebone lane (I think) or Honey & Co near Great Portland Street

I love the Welcomme Collection which is very near there - brilliant collection of stuff with a great cafe.

Dishoom in Granary Wharf is a fantastic Indian - does an amazing breakfast/brunch.

The British Library is also worth a short mooch.

The Wallace collection is amazing and quiet - nice cafe/restaurant.

London Walks company do some really intersting walks. we did one round Bermondsey recently (some great pubs after) and found out lots of new stuff.