Love food? You’ll love London! The UK’s largest city is a melting pot of different culinary and cultural influences and is home to some of the best restaurants, markets and food stores in the world. If you fancy taking in some of the foodie delights the capital has to offer over the course of a weekend, book yourself into a self-catering apartment and prepare yourself a schedule of munching.
To maximize your food spending budget, you might want to consider booking a little way out of the city center where apartments tend to be cheaper, this site has a range of options on the outskirts. Or, you can stay even further afield in counties neighbouring London- like Kent and Hertfordshire and split your time between exploring the country (where there’s also some fantastic foodie stuff on offer) and the big city. This site has a good range of traditional-style accommodation in the Kent and Hertfordshire areas.
The sights you take in – or eat your way through – will depend on your base and budget but those seeking out English eating traditions should plan in a high tea. London’s biggest and best hotels offer the most impressive options and afternoon tea at the Ritz in particular is an institution for society of this city. You can make reservations online in advance and prices start from £58 per person including an assortment of sandwiches, scones and preserves, cakes and pastries and or course, tea.
If you prefer to eat your cakes in a more informal setting, you’ll find some of the most tempting in all the land at Borough Market. Don’t leave without trying the famous Borough Market brownies, which you can balance out with a smoothie or two and pick up some special artisan products to take home as gifts.
For a true taste of the East End you need to head to a café for pie and mash or jellied eels. M.Manze is consistently rated one of the best providers of pie and mash in the city. Or, for a trendier lunch, head to Shoreditch where you’ll find plenty of bars competing for the best burger accolade. In the Red Dog Saloon you’ll find the Devastator Challenge should you want to bring a bit of Man Vs Food to your trip. The ‘challenge’ is to eat a burger comprising of three steak patties, bacon, hickory smoked pulled pork and cheese, with fries and a milkshake in ten minutes.
Finally, for a taste of the finer things, book yourself in at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. It’s the only UK restaurant to make the top ten in the world’s best restaurant awards. Sneaking in at number nine it offers diners sophistication and innovation but at a price. The set lunch menu comes in at £36 for three courses and you’ll need to book in advance.
