Tips 1 - 10 of 37 London Restaurants
|
|
 |
The Terrace in the Fields: British with a Caribbean twist
|
Tip Rating:  Satisfaction:  
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Restaurant Name: The Terrace in the Fields
This may look like a shed tucked away in the leafy gardens of Lincoln's Inn Fields, but as soon as you get inside you see that it's anything but. The cool Scandinavian-looking light wood and pale blue furniture and the stylish flower arrangements are the backdrop to some seriously good food.
I've been here several times now, both for dinner and lunch, but we always seem to come in cold weather. I'm determined to come back again as it would make a really good summer destination.
By the way, if you do visit for dinner in winter the gate to the park closes at about 8.30 so you need to be inside the restaurant by then – a waiter will escort you to the gate when you leave to unlock it for you.
Favorite Dish: On my first visit I had an excellent Caesar salad with jerk chicken and pancetta, good duck leg (and beautifully cooked vegetables with plenty of bite), and finished with a very good crème brulee with wild berry compote. Chris had caramelised onion tart with goats cheese, jerk chicken with garlic mash, cheese plate – all very good. The food was all nicely presented. With a bottle of Spanish wine and water this came to £85 (including and service). Talking of service, this was OK but occasionally a bit odd – e.g. the waiter didn't seem to know they had mixed vegetables as a menu item.
Similarly on a lunch time visit there was a bit of a gap between the arrival of our main courses and the mashed potato we'd ordered to accompany them – but when the mash came it was excellent as was my warm squid salad and my friend's curried goat. At lunch time they do a bargain 2 courses for £11.50, or 3 for £13.95, but we went for the a la carte with its more adventurous and varied options.
UPDATE FEBRUARY 2008
We've since been back and sampled the set menu, but I found it less exciting and original than the a la carte, which I think is worth the extra cost if you can manage it. I also came with colleagues for their set Christmas lunch. The food was good, though not cheap, but we'd have welcomed either the inclusion of more sides (some veg with the steak, some potato with the salmon) or enough info on the menu so that we realised we should order these.
All in all though, this is still one of my favourite choices in London :)
Leave a Comment
Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up
» Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7430 1234
Address: Lincoln's Inn Fields, WC2A 3LJ, London
Directions: Nearest tube station is Holborn, on the Central and Piccadilly lines. The restaurant is towards the southern side of the square
Website: http://www.theterrace.info/
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Visiting London? Read reviews about London Hotels Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
|
|
|
Criterion Grill: If the best thing is the ceiling ...
|
Tip Rating:  Satisfaction:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restaurant Name: Criterion Grill
... you know you're in for a degree of disappointment.
A birthday to celebrate (VT’s own Jenniflower’s!) was a great excuse for a group to gather at the Criterion Grill recently. This restaurant has a really stunning interior, especially the gilded ceiling (see photo 3), and we had the perfect table from which to admire it, set on a raised area at the back. But to be honest, I think the general verdict was “could do better”. The food was pleasant enough, but not exciting, especially for the prices charged here. And service was poor – not unfriendly but very slow and a little off-hand. Overall, this gave the impression of an establishment that is rather resting on its laurels, confident it can pull in the customers through its location (right next to Eros at Piccadilly Circus) and famous chef name, Marco Pierre White.
I found it hard to decide how to rate this, as I did have a lovely evening, but I feel that was mainly down to the company rather than the restaurant, hence the lowish "score".
We did however enjoy the “cabaret”: magic tricks at our table that at first seemed a little lame but became gradually more and more astounding. Levitating £10 notes, coins and playing cards appearing mysteriously in a bottle, the same bottle apparently travelling through the solid wood of our table, and an uncanny ability to read Lance’s mind!
Favorite Dish: The menu had lots of tempting offerings, but most of us chose to skip the starters section in the hope of leaving more room for dessert ;)
I ate roasted monkfish with ratatouille in a tapenade sauce, and ordered creamed spinach as a side. The fish was OK, if a little bland, and the ratatouille fresh-tasting, but the sauce was insipid, lacking the punch of tapenade; overall I was quite disappointed as it didn't live up to the promise of the menu. The spinach, when it arrived, was delicious, but I would rather have had it served with my main course instead of when I was half-way through it! This was a problem for all of us – none of the sides arrived with the mains, and some were salads needing no cooking at all, so there was excuse for that.
On to desserts, and the list looked tempting, but I decided to be fairly restrained and asked if I could simply have the espresso ice cream that accompanied one of them. To do the restaurant justice, they were very happy to serve that, and gave me a generous three scoops at a lower price than the other desserts. However, it would have been good if they had been more carefully presented than simply sitting in what looked like a soup bowl, and the flavour again was a little bland – more like latte ice cream than espresso, perhaps! Most unsatisfactory of all was the delay in serving the desserts – we didn’t time it precisely but it must have been close to 30 minutes from ordering to arriving, and those who’d chosen to have just a coffee had long since drunk it. This meant that several people with lengthy journeys had to rush away as soon as they’d eaten. The restaurant didn’t seem especially crowded (there were quite a few empty tables) so the delay was hard to understand.
Leave a Comment
Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up
» Currency Converter
Phone: 08717 041276
Address: 224 Piccadilly
Directions: Right by the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Zizzi: Wood-fired pizzas in good Italian chain
|
Tip Rating:  Satisfaction:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restaurant Name: Zizzi
Zizzi is a small chain of Italian restaurants at the upper end of the scale for such chains. They pride themselves on cooking all their pizzas in a traditional wood-fired oven - so on a recent visit, what did I do but order pasta?!
The food was reasonable, I felt, without being exciting; the house wine was good, and good value (just as well, as we had a fair bit!); the service was pleasant, if almost too brisk at times, though one order was wrong when it arrived and had to be replaced; and the atmosphere just right for our party - a group of old and new friends on a Friday night out. I don't think it would be so good for a romantic meal though as the room is quite large and noisy.
Favorite Dish: I ate a fresh tasting seafood salad to start, and followed with penne cooked with wild mushrooms and spinach. The latter also had a pleasant fresh taste, but I'd have welcomed a stronger flavour. I found a little salt improved it a lot (I don't normally add salt to my meals) but only realised halfway through my meal, when my friend pointed it out, that we'd not been offered parmesan, which on reflection would have made all the difference. I don't know if that was an oversight, given that we were a large group and mostly eating pizzas, but another time I would make sure I asked for some.
Prices were reasonable - we paid about £30 per head, but that included a lot of wine, and some people had desserts as well.
Leave a Comment
Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$41 and up
» Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7436 9440
Address: 33 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 1RR
Directions: Nearest tube is Goodge Street, on the Northern line
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
32 Great Queen Street: Great gastropub
|
Tip Rating: Satisfaction:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restaurant Name: 32 Great Queen Street
We’ve been meaning to try this restaurant for some time, and what better excuse than my recent birthday? I’d read some great reviews, and luckily it lived up to all expectations.
Your first challenge though may be finding it! Don’t look for a sign outside, as there isn’t one. Instead you need to know that it’s on the north side of the street opposite the very grand Freemasons’ Hall. Inside, the welcome is friendly and the décor cosy – dark red walls, basic wooden tables, lots of bustle. This isn’t a place to come for elegance and style, or for a romantic date – it’s all about the food here!
So, what about the food? The menu changes daily and is very seasonal, although I gather that some items are regular favourites. For our autumnal treat we chose:
For me
~ celeriac soup with foie gras (a tasty disc floating in the centre which melted into the velvety soup); partridge on a bed of kale and other vegetables; prune & armagnac mousse
For Chris
~ snail & bacon salad (one of those regular favourites); pork with choucroute; chocolate pudding
We were also excited to see our favourite Austrian grape represented on the wine-list, a Blaufrankisch from Mittelburgenland, which didn’t disappoint.
All in all, an excellent night out. The only shortcoming of this restaurant is its popularity. We’d booked an early evening table (7.00PM) and were encouraged to leave quite promptly after finishing our meal as others were waiting for tables, although I have to say we hadn’t been rushed during the meal. This small concern certainly wouldn’t stop me coming again however – in fact, I can’t wait to go back!
Favorite Dish: Although not usually a dessert person, here I think I'd have to say the prune & armagnac mousse was my favourite dish, though it's a tight contest! If you'd like to see what else was on offer that evening, I've included a photo of the menu (photo 4), but do bear in mind that the emphasis here is on seasonal produce so it will be different when you visit.
Leave a Comment
Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up
» Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7242 0622
Address: 32 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AA
Directions: Nearest tube is Covent Garden (Piccadilly line) or Holborn (Central & Piccadilly lines). Holborn is less busy - from there turn left down Kingsway and right into Great Queen St (about a 5 minute walk in total)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Devonshire: Gordon's Gastropub
|
Tip Rating: [Not enough ratings yet]Satisfaction:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restaurant Name: The Devonshire
A night out with friends (including VT’s own sue_stone) on a chilly evening in December was a great excuse to sample Gordon Ramsey’s new gastropub venture, the Devonshire in Chiswick. The warm fires and tastefully decorated Christmas tree made a good first impression, as did the spicy flavours of the Rioja I enjoyed at the bar. We carried on with the same wine when we sat down to eat, and it was a good accompaniment to the warming winter dishes we chose. These included:
~ starters of leek and potato soup (with a soft poached egg floating in it – a nice touch) and soft herring roes on toast, which were delicious and took me straight back to my childhood when they were a favourite high tea dish
~ mains of pigs’ cheeks with neeps, lamb shank with parsnip chips and spinach, and a venison pie served with baby carrots and turnips
~ desserts such as sticky toffee pudding, chocolate pudding with vanilla ice cream, and a lemon posset with dainty shortbread biscuits
We were pretty pleased with the food, although one off note was the sticky toffee pudding being served cold, with its caramel sauce slightly crunchy – but the waitress was quick to apologise and replace it. The atmosphere was buzzy (not a place to come for a romantic first date perhaps) and the service on the whole reasonable but not as polished as you might expect from a restaurant associated with a well-known chef - for instance the waiter who took our order had only a minute later forgotten who was having what when he brought the cutlery.
Incidentally I thought the prices here were very reasonable. We paid just over £30 a head for 2-3 courses each, a side of chips, two bottles of water and one of the Rioja - a lot less than I've paid for worse food elsewhere in London!
The pub is a bit of a journey out of central London (on the District Line) and you may not think it's worth the trip unless you're living or staying on the west side of town.
Favorite Dish: I think I was especially lucky with my choices as it was all delicious. The herring roe were soft and well-flavoured, and as I said brought back happy memories. The lamb was perfectly cooked (pink and juicy) although I'd have welcomed more of the promised spinach. And the lemon posset was sharp and refreshing while also tasting guiltily creamy ;)
Leave a Comment
Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$41 and up
» Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7592 7962
Address: 126 Devonshire Road, Chiswick, W4 2JJ
Directions: Nearest tube is Turnham Green (District): turn left out of the station, right on the main road and immediately left into Devonshire Road. The pub is about 5 minutes walk, on the left (about 10 minutes altogether from the tube station)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Visiting London? Read reviews about London Hotels Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
|
|
|
Ozer: Good meal with friends
|
Tip Rating: Satisfaction:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restaurant Name: Ozer
One friend and I arrived early for our group booking and were offered a seat at the bar and a glass of bubbly on the house, which made a very positive impression to start the evening. The décor is a modern take on eastern bazaars I guess, with lots of rich reds in evidence. The front part of the room is a bar area, with tables for dining beyond. Our group of six was allocated one of the many round tables which I always like as it makes conversation flow more easily round the group. The crisp white table linen and pretty red ribbons also made a favourable impression in what is, after all, a mid-priced chain restaurant.
On sitting down we were immediately given a small bowl of olives, ditto of hummus and some excellent bread, which was topped up later with our starters. The menu is large, possibly too much so, with choices ranging from traditional Middle Eastern dishes through regular “international” choices to curries. We all stuck to the Middle Eastern theme however. All of us opted for the starter platter, under the impression that this would come as a group offering – instead we were all given a separate glass platter with a selection of small portions of different starter dishes. These were really tasty. Several of us had then chosen tagines for our main courses, either chicken or lamb, and these were also good, and came in HUGE portions – I had three large chunks of chicken and a pile of rice studded with lentils and fruits. The other dishes, moussaka and kebabs, were in more manageable proportions.
Favorite Dish: (not favourite dishes - just a continuation)
Despite having already eaten so much, we all found ourselves tempted by the range of interesting-sounding desserts. This was the point though when the quality of the service started to slip a little, as the restaurant filled up, so we ended up with a long wait for these – forgivable as we were so full and not in a hurry, but even so we started to feel rather ignored as waiting staff attended to newer arrivals. When the desserts did arrive, Chris’s had been omitted from the order, so he faced a further wait, but they obviously made a real effort to hurry his along and it came soon after. We enjoyed our choices, though the yoghurt with apricots and mulberries that I and several others had consisted of rather more fruit and much less yoghurt than we’d expected, and was very rich.
Leave a Comment
Theme: Middle Eastern
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$41 and up
» Currency Converter
Phone: 0871 3328572
Address: 4-5 Langham Place, London, W1B 3DG
Directions: Nearest tube station is Oxford Circus. Walk north up Regent Street towards the church (All Saints) and the restaurant is on your left just before you get there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cinnamon Club: Very special Indian food
|
Tip Rating: Satisfaction:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restaurant Name: The Cinnamon Club
If your usual idea of a curry is something that takes the roof off your mouth and soaks up the many pints of beer you've consumed earlier in the evening, think again! The Cinnamon Club takes Indian food to new, very special, heights. I've been here three times and never been disappointed. The first was a splash-out meal for a friend's birthday, the others were more modest affairs when we took advantge of the restaurant's regular special deals. All three were absolutely excellent, both in terms of the food, the service, the setting - everything.
Talking of the setting, it's in an old library that was one of the first (possibly THE first) public libraries in London. Make sure you make time for a cocktail in the old reference library (to the left of the door as you enter) to get a small sense of the origins of the building, and raise your glass in a toast to those who had the foresight to make such great use of the library once it had outgrown its usefulness :)
Leave a Comment
Theme: Indian
Comparison: most expensive
Prices: US$41 and up
» Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7222 2555
Address: Old Westminster Library, Great Smith St
Directions: Not far from Westminster Abbey. Nearest tube stations are St James' Park and Westminster
Website: http://www.cinnamonclub.com/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tiroler Hut: A touch of Austria in Bayswater
|
Tip Rating: Satisfaction:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restaurant Name: Tiroler Hut
I came here recently with a group of colleagues for a leaving do, and that's just the sort of occasion this place is right for. I don't think I'd choose it for a romantic meal for two, a business meeting or as a setting for a serious discussion, but if a crowd of you want to let your inhibitions go for an evening and have a good laugh, you could do a lot worse!
The menu is Austrian, as the name suggests - dishes such as bratwurst and stuffed cabbage among the starters, and wienerschitzel, gulasch or roast knuckle of pork for mains. The house speciality is an amazing platter of assorted meats for two people, which none of us was brave enough to try, and another sharing dish is the fondue, which two of us did have and enjoyed.
But the main feature here is the traditional Austrian atmosphere. The restaurant is in a basement and the decor is straight from the Alps, at its most kitsch. The waiting staff are all in traditional dress, including lederhosen for the men. As for the entertainment, I'll let the restaurant's website describe that:
"Joseph your host welcomes you to a lively evening of entertainment including Yodelling, Accordion and the highly original Tirolean Cow Bell Show"
To get the best from this experience you need to down a few beers (check the size of those steins!) and join in. Thus our table sang along to a rousing selection from the Sound of Music and other old hits, from Sinatra to traditional Bierkeller favourites. And to round off your evening, I can definitely recommend the schnapps!
Leave a Comment
Theme: German/Austrian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40
» Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7727 3981
Address: 27 Westbourne Grove, W2 4UA, London
Directions: Nearest tube station is Bayswater: come out of the tube, turn left, walk to the bottom of Queensway, turn left and the Tiroler Hut is about 50 metres along on the left.
Other nearby stations are Royal Oak and Queensway.
Website: http://www.tirolerhut.co.uk/home.html
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Punjab: Indian food in Covent Garden
|
Tip Rating: Satisfaction:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restaurant Name: Punjab
When we want a good-quality Indian meal that won't blow the budget we head for the Punjab restaurant. The food is consistently of a good standard, the service is friendly and (amazingly for this area) we've never yet failed to get a table.
The restaurant claims to be the UK's oldest Punjabi restaurant, having been opened in 1947 by Gurbachan Singh Maan, and is still owned and run by the same family. The menu combines traditional curries and tandoori dishes with Punjabi specialities such as pickled chicken. Starters are about £3, main courses around £8, breads about £2 or £3 - very reasonable for such tasty food in this part of London.
Favorite Dish: I like the anari murga, a chicken curry flavoured with pomegranate, and they also do great mushroom dishes. Unlike many Indian restaurants, they succeed in using plenty of spices but with subtlety - the spices don't dominate the dish but enhance it.
Leave a Comment
Theme: Indian
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$31-40
» Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7836 9787
Address: 80 Neal Street, London WC2H 9PA
Directions: Nearest tube is Covent Garden (Piccadilly line) - exit the station, turn left, cross Long Acre and continue straight ahead up Neal Street. The restaurant is almost the last building on the right before reaching Shaftesbury Ave.
Website: http://www.punjab.co.uk/index.php
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Best London Travel Deals
Luxury London Hotels
Enjoy luxury in the heart of London Six great locations to chose from!
London Hotels
Get Our Best Price Guarantee on All Hotels in London at Expedia.
500 Hotels in London
Save up to 75% on your booking. Low rates and great availability!
London Vacation
Book Lowest Hotel Rates Direct! Luxurious Beds & Great Amenities.
Paris Vacations
Paris Travel Deals. Book Online or Call our Experts Now
Sponsored Links
Join a Discussion royal victoria docks to kings cross station transport
(3 replies, Sunday, Jul 5, 2009, 7:29 PM UTC) london
(3 replies, Saturday, Jul 4, 2009, 6:20 PM UTC) heathrow
(5 replies, Saturday, Jul 4, 2009, 8:56 AM UTC) Be the first to reply to these questions London VT Treasure hunt & greyhound racing is in 2 weeks anymore people to sign up?
(no replies yet, Monday, Jul 6, 2009, 8:04 AM UTC) Travel companion..
(no replies yet, Tuesday, May 26, 2009, 10:16 PM UTC) Viola Club or a place where to watch italian football
(no replies yet, Monday, May 11, 2009, 12:38 AM UTC) » All London Posts
» Ask about London Save 10% for a ticket
(0 comments, Wednesday, Mar 11, 2009, 5:11 PM UTC) Stay in 3* hotel for 1 pound!
(0 comments, Friday, Jan 16, 2009, 7:35 PM UTC) Budget travelling from Kyiv to London (and back)
(2 comments, Monday, Jun 15, 2009, 6:27 AM UTC) » All London Deals
» Post a London Deal
- Elstree Moat House
Barnet By-Pass, London
- The Pelham Hotel
15 Cromwell Place, London
- Sanctum
1 Greville Rd, London
- Gresham Hotel Bloomsbury
36 Bloomsbury Street, London
- Gore Hotel (189 Queen'S Gate.)
190 Queen's Gate, London
- Crown
142-152 Cricklewood Broadway Cricklewood, London
- Rochester Hotel
69 Vincent Square Westminster, London
- Goring Hotel
15 Beeston Place Grosvenor Gardens, London
- Country Inn And Suites
162 Cromwell Road Kensington (formerly Country Inn & Suites), London
- The Liongate Hotel
Hampton Court Rd Hampton Court, London
- Hyatt Reg Churchill
30 Portman Square, London
- Sheraton Belgravia Hotel London
20 Chesham Place, London
- Saint George's Hotel
Langham Place - Regent Street, London
- HAYMARKET HOTEL
1 Suffolk Place (opening May 1, 2007), London
- Castleton Hotel
16 Sussex Gardens, London
Destinations near London- Buckingham Palace, 1.15 km / 0.71 miles
- Holborn, 1.84 km / 1.14 miles
- Saint Marylebone, 2.31 km / 1.44 miles
- Spitalfields, 2.95 km / 1.83 miles
- Bermondsey, 3.45 km / 2.14 miles
- Brixton, 3.88 km / 2.41 miles
- Shoreditch, 4.35 km / 2.7 miles
- Paddington, 4.61 km / 2.86 miles
- Hyde Park, 4.61 km / 2.86 miles
- Bethnal Green, 4.96 km / 3.08 miles
» See all locations nearby» Popular Greater London locations» Popular England locations» Popular United Kingdom locations» Popular Europe locations |
 Comments for toonsarah about London | | | | |
Trekki Sat May 9, 2009 16:39 UTC
Wonderful updates, Sarah :-)) Oh yes, the Bluecoat statues! I missed them last time! And Leon's that's my place!!! Thank you for this, I could hop into the next plane or traiun just to eat there now! | urvashi123 Thu May 7, 2009 12:04 UTC
Hi The London eye skyline looks scary , but as you said must be worth it. hope to visit someday for now i will give you 5 out of 5 take care. | Tripack Wed Apr 1, 2009 10:53 UTC
Thanks for your BDay wish. Hope to do a pub crawl around London soon... see you in Cascais ;-) | jo104 Sun Mar 22, 2009 18:40 UTC
much more to do on London I've been a bit lazy but thanks for visiting :-) |
|
|
email me
add as friend
on Feb 3, 2008
