London Guide

August 8, 2021August 9, 2021

A guide of things to eat, drink, and do from a *tourist 😉

*who hates super touristy things

These past three weeks in London have been the absolute best, but I am so sad that my trip is finally coming to an end. I would do anything to extend my trip, but hopefully I will be back here junior year to study abroad. I have fallen in love with the hustle and bustle of the city, the fashion, amazing food, and way of life. I absolutely love how metropolitan parts of the city are and wish LA had similar older buildings. I love how fast paced life is here and have fallen in love with walking again. I love how easy it is to get my 10,000 steps in!

I definitely explored many parts of the city, but have so much more I want to see and do. Based upon everything I’ve done, drank, and ate, I created a simple guide to some of my must dos, eats, and drinks. So here it is, my London guide (as a tourist, who hates OVERLY touristy things).

Farm Girl

This cute restaurant in Notting Hill did not miss a mark! Down to their cute decor, yummy food, and amazing presentation, Farm Girl is just the perfect mix of trendy and delicious! Located right near Portobello Road, this a great place to have brunch or breakfast before walking down the market street. I ordered their chai tea latte and salmon and eggs with toast. Both were amazing.

Bluebird

Located in Chelsea, this restaurant is perfect for a bit of an upscale breakfast! The restaurant is huge and gorgeous. At Bluebird the ambiance is great, and they have a great selection of breakfast and brunch options (don’t miss out on their yummy pastries)! They have delicious coffee drinks too (I loved their ice lattes). Be sure to book ahead because I found that they are usually very busy.

The Ivy

From the decor down to the food, the Ivy has it all! There are actually quite a few locations in London, but I went to two of them which are located in Soho and Marylebone. I ordered an iced almond milk latte and a green juice, which was delicious! I highly recommend their eggs benedict! I was enamored by the decor and lovely menu. Keep in mind this restaurant is more expensive, but the atmosphere and amazing service makes it worth it.

Ergon Deli

Ergon Deli is one of my favorite brunch spots! Their greek spin on breakfast dishes makes everything taste so good! They have amazing pastries and everything is very fresh. I love their healthier options, but I also highly recommend their croissants 😉

Manteca

Manteca is an amazing British Italian restaurant that focuses on sustainable cooking! This is my favorite restaurant for dinner. I started off with their Oolong High-Ball which is a peach-kombucha based cocktail (it was really good). As for the food, the plates are smaller and meant to be shared. Their menu is very unique, and I love how their menu changes depending on what is in season. Everything down to their bread is house made, which makes everything so much better. I recommend going on a Friday night if you want a loud crowd scene. If you want a more intimate, low-key experience go on a Tuesday night 🙂

Chakra

With numerous locations all over London, Chakra is one you can’t miss. It has the BEST Indian food I have ever had! I visited the Kensington location and loved how “neighborhoodly” it felt. Everything tastes so amazing and feels so fresh and clean. Their mango lassis are so extremely tasty and they have a lovely wine list. I love how everything tastes so flavorful. This is a must if you come to London!

Bocca Di Lupo

This Italian restaurant is so tasty; I’m still craving their gnocchi. Bocca Di Lupo is a hot commodity, so you definitely want to book ahead (like WAY ahead) on this one! Their Italian food is so good, my mouth is watering thinking about it. They also have a lovely bar and wine selection. I definitely recommend starting with the sea bream carpaccio, if it’s on the menu (as the menu is constantly changing) and ending with their apricot ricotta dessert.

Sticks N Sushi

Sticks N Sushi is such a fun take on traditional Japanese sushi. The restaurant takes a modern Scandinavian approach to sushi, and I have never seen anything quite like it. The decor resembles the Scandinavian and Japanese emersion and results in a beautifully designed restaurant. The menus are truly beautiful, as there is a picture of every item you can order. It is done in such an artistic way, it made me want to order everything. If you love sushi as much as I do, then I definitely recommend coming here for a bite to eat.

The Alchemist

I had to give an honorable mention to this pub. The drinks at the Alchemist are out of this world!! The cocktails they curate are an experience within itself. The drink I ordered is called the bubblebath, and it is made with Tanqueray gin, aperol, Chambord, lemon, apple, and fairy liquid 😉 I think I finished it within two minutes. Their menu is a masterpiece and definitely something you will want to try at least once!

Visit Museums

One of the best things I can suggest to do is to go to one (or more) of London’s many museums! Whether you go the Tate Modern, V&A, or the British Museum, there is something for everyone. I went to the British Museum and the V&A where I saw some amazing exhibits. I recommend looking ahead and booking tickets to any cool exhibits that are going on. At the V&A I saw the Bags exhibit and loved seeing the progression of handbags and how some are even made. It is the perfect way to spend a rainy day.

Walk through Kensington Gardens

When the weather is nice out, spend it walking through Kensington Gardens. It is a truly beautiful space filled with luscious grass, numerous trees, and lovely walking and bike paths. I suggest starting off walking, view the Kensington palace, and then bike to get a bite to eat at one of the nearby restaurants. There are numerous different walking paths and places to rent a bike.

Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea is a must do in London. There are so many amazing places that offer afternoon tea, but the two that I recommend are at Sketch and the Ritz. Sketch is definitely the trendy, cool, instagramable experience, while the Ritz is more of an upscale, true afternoon tea experience. Either way, both are great options! Be sure to book in advanced for both.

Take a day trip

Throughout my three week stay in London, I visited Oxford, Brighton, and the Cotswolds. Taking the train is so easy and cheap. It is nice to get out of the city for a day and explore what else the UK has to offer. I definitely recommend visiting Oxford and seeing the amazing Universities that are nearby. It was truly a scene out of a movie and a fun way to spend the day. Brighton is close to the sea, which is a nice change of scenery and Cotswold is very charming and homey feeling. If you end up going to the Cotswolds, I recommend eating at the Maytime Inn. Taking a day trip is the perfect change of setting.

Portobello Road Market

Located in Notting Hill, the Portobello Road Market is a great spot to check out. Filled with hundreds of shops selling everything from antiques to jewelry, spending the day walking down the road and through the market is something you want to do! The streets around the market are filled with cool coffee shops and fun clothing stores so don’t miss out on that either.

Maison Assouline

Maison Assouline is probably the coolest bookstore I have ever been to. It is filled with the most aesthetically beautiful books. It is home to all those trendy vacation books that are seen all over Instagram. When you walk in, you are welcomed by a smokey, sexy, scent that sets the tone. The room is dim and filled with amazing books. I recommend walking on Old Bond Street and then walking into the bookstore.

Weekend Trips

If you are in London for a longer time, I highly recommend taking a train or a short flight to somewhere nearby. I went to Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland and had the best time. I stayed at The Balmoral Hotel, and it exceeded my expectations. The room was absolutely beautiful and had the best views of the city. You could also go to France, Barcelona, or numerous other places that are just a short train or plane ride away.

Unfortunately, I get back home on Monday, and while I am very excited to sleep in my own bed, I am so sad to be leaving this amazing city and can’t wait to be back. So instead of saying goodbye to London, I’ll just say see you soon 😉

XOXO,