The places in London the guidebooks miss.
The places in London the guidebooks miss. locals-only counters, after-hours rooms and the spots tourists walk past.
Andrew Edmunds's candlelit Lexington Street bistro in Soho London, opened 1985 by the print-dealer Edmunds, still the city's preferred Soho dining-room.
Why locals goA candlelit Georgian townhouse bistro hidden between the Soho tourist circuit and Carnaby Street since 1985, established by Londoners and missed by visitors.
TipBar seats at the front are released as walk-ins after 21:30. The handwritten daily menu does not appear online.
The Smoking Goat charcoal Thai BBQ kitchen on Shoreditch High Street in east London, opened 2014 in Soho then moved to a larger Shoreditch site in 2017.
Why locals goA charcoal-fuelled Thai canteen on the corner of Shoreditch High Street and Redchurch Street with wok-burners and smokers run by chefs who built the menu from northern Thai.
TipWalk-up at the bar; tables book a week ahead through their site. The fish-sauce wings and lardo-curry are the canonical orders.
Will Lander's wine shop and bar next to Quality Chop House on Farringdon Road in Clerkenwell London, opened 2019, the city's smartest neighborhood wine-shop.
Why locals goA wine shop and bar tucked beside Quality Chop House on a Clerkenwell side street where every bottle pours for £15 corkage at the bar.
TipBuy a bottle off the shelf, then drink it at the bar for £15 corkage. The lunch sandwich menu comes from Quality Chop House.
Owen Kenworthy's Columbia Road dining room in east London, opened 2010, runs Modern European small plates and a natural-wine list at a residential street.
Why locals goA Columbia Road natural-wine room you can only easily walk to from the Sunday flower market, missed by anyone not in east-London for the morning.
TipBest on a Sunday after the Columbia Road flower market closes at 14:00. The kitchen runs to 17:00; counter takes walk-ups.
Neil Borthwick's upstairs dining room above the historic French House pub on Dean Street in Soho London, opened 2017, the city's most-defended phone-free.
Why locals goAn upstairs Soho dining room above a historic pub that bans mobile phones and serves the Modern British canon to a hushed dining room of regulars.
TipNo mobile phones, no music. Tables book one week ahead. The downstairs pub still pours a proper half-pint of bitter for £2.50.
Margot Henderson's daily-changing British canteen inside a converted bike shed off Arnold Circus in Shoreditch London, open since 2004 for lunch.
Why locals goA daily-changing British canteen inside a converted bike shed off Arnold Circus that opens only for lunch and Thu-Sat dinner since 2004.
TipOpen Mon-Sat for lunch and Thu-Sat dinner only. No music, no printed menu; the day's run is on the wall.
Gergovie Wines's importer-run wine bar and kitchen inside a Maltby Street railway arch in Bermondsey London, opened 2010, the home address of London chef.
Why locals goA natural-wine bar and kitchen inside a Bermondsey railway arch run by an importer, open Wed-Sat only and long-favored by London chefs who eat here on days off.
TipWed-Sat only; closed Sun-Tue. Walk-up at the counter from 12:00. The kitchen rewrites the chalkboard every service.
Lori De Mori and Laura Jackson's Regent's Canal cafe on the towpath in east London, opened 2010, an outdoor-only seasonal cafe closed November to March.
Why locals goAn outdoor-only cafe-and-restaurant on the Regent's Canal towpath between De Beauvoir and Haggerston Park that closes November through March every year.
TipOpen March to October only. No bookings, outdoor seats only, cash and card. Daytime kitchen runs to 17:00.
Guided tour · 1h 30m
Explore bold British flavors, indian cuisine, global bites, local drinks, and wild stories through London’s most electric area. Come hungry, leave full, tipsy, and inspired
Guided tour · 3h 30m
Taste your way through London’s best markets! Enjoy six tastings, from fish & chips to sausage rolls, explore historic Borough & Leadenhall Markets, and end with a pri...
Guided tour · 1h 25m
Join expert tour guides to experience a historical journey through 160 years of London's Baker Street Station. Discover the secret areas of one of the world's oldest u...