Restaurants in London

[ImNotDancing]

Hi all, I’m heading to London for a week in October. Our Florida trip got cancelled so we’ve decided to go do a touristy week instead. I want to book somewhere for a nice dinner one night that’s borderline fancy - not the ritz level but not a chain Italian somewhere in the middle! I have no idea where to start looking. I’d love any recommendations for somewhere to go.
We are staying near Westminster.

Ideally I’d love a really good creme brûlée!

How about Circolo Populare? Good Italian and so pretty and festive.
Not sure about creme brulee but there’s a very impressive lemon meringue pie.

Rules in Covent Garden. London's oldest restaurant.

Brasserie Zedel in Piccadilly. Looks absolutely stunning inside (vintage suave french) but very reasonable!
www.brasseriezedel.com/

The Ivy Victoria

Brasserie Blanc behind the National Theatre

Quaglinos is fun, its in Mayfair.

Thanks everyone!

Bob Bob Ricard in soho do a great creme brûlée. Plus press for champagne buttons!

Okay that sounds amazing!

Joe Allen’s?

Gold on portebello is amazing. So is six Portland road.
Sketch is ok. You go for the bathrooms.
I had a wonderful creme brûlée recently but can’t remember where it was…

Some more suggestions for creme brulee:

The Wolseley on Piccadilly, if you want smart

Le Poule au Pot in Ebury St
Clos Maggiore in Covent Garden

Both are French restaurants for your creme brulee and have won Hardens most romantic restaurant award multiple times.

Le Boudin Blanc in Shepherd Market is also very romantic and cosy (and French, obviously). Shepherd Market is a little Georgian neighbourhood off Piccadilly with lots of restaurants, pavement cafes and bars.

If you want a spectacular view, you could jump on a river bus and go to Le Pont de la Tour by Tower Bridge.

There are lots of more exciting options if you can forego your creme brulee! If you want to go to The Ivy, go to the original, not one of the spin offs.

Hawksmoor is my top recommendation: the Air Street restaurant is the most beautiful. A fondness for steak is needed though.

Second Brasserie Zedel, although that’s more a “excellent vfm for a central London restaurant”. Can be quite loud and pacey turnaround so would absolutely recommend for everyday but maybe not for ultra special.

I love Balthazar in Covent Garden, and recommend especially if you like French food.

Ps one of the best crème brûlées I’ve had recently is Brasserie Blanc. There’s a branch in South Bank so very walkable from Westminster

The cinnamon club. Really lovely (Michelin starred) in Westminster.
Benares - same but in Berkeley square.

Both Indian and excellent.

I’d second the Wolseley. Lovely food, great service, but book well in advance.

[quote BubblesBlue1992]Brasserie Zedel in Piccadilly. Looks absolutely stunning inside (vintage suave french) but very reasonable!
www.brasseriezedel.com/[/quote]
The creme brûlée is HUGE here too! Is it the best I've ever eaten? No. Does the whole vibe of the place feel great? Absolutely!

Cicchetti or san Carlo. Both at Piccadilly Circus. Absolutely fantastic food. Cicchetti is more laid back and does Italian style tapas/sharing dishes. San Carlo is more formal but again the food is delicious.

Try José on Bermondsey street near London Bridge station for really really good tapas. It fills up quickly so try and get there close to 5 ish. Bocca di Lupo is a good, non chain Italian ( gets very noisy though).
If you like Middle Eastern Yalla Yalla is a small chain with lovely food and good prices.

Garfunkel's

Garfunkels. Are you joking 😱. Londoner here and I would never ever darken Garfunkel’s threshold. Not in my wildest dreams. It’s the ultimate clueless tourist feeding station .

i always say Shampers on these threads...old style wine bar bistro type place, good vibe, small menu generally seasonal and never disappoints.

stairs to toilets are dreadful so don't wear inappropriate shoes!

It's on the street behind/parallel Regent Street (Hamley's side,) and if you go out the back door you end up in Carnaby Street ish area.

I hope they have made it through Lockdown intact.

Scullys St James is fantastic and not too formal or expensive

I may not have been entirely serious......

Okay, my serious recommendations:

The Ivy Market Grill, Covent Garden
Andrew Edmunds, Soho
Boisdale of Belgravia
Cork and Bottle, Leicester Square (great wine)
Coq d'Argent
L'Escargot
The French House

The restaurants at The Ned. Love when they have a live band on too