Colbert | Tel 020-7730-2804 | www.colbertchelsea.com

Cote Brasserie | Tel 020-7881-599 | www.cote-restaurants.co.uk/Cote_Sloane_Square.html

Botanist  | Tel 020-7881-5999 | www.thebotanistonsloanesquare.com
Up and down reviews but Cote seems to be have the most favorable reviews. Let us know your thoughts.

La Poule au Pot | 321 Ebury Street SW1 | Tel 020-7730-7763 | www.pouleaupot.co.uk
Wonderful cozy, romantic atmosphere. Portions are generous. Enormously popular with the local crowd. The best crème brulee. Must reserve. Ask for a table outside in summer.

Caraffini | 61-63 Lower Sloane St SW1 | Tel 020-7259-0235 | www.caraffini.co.uk
Restaurant on Lower Sloane with an enthusiastic following. Extremely good Italian food at moderate prices.

Review below from our very own Ann Christ:
"Just south of Sloane Square toward the river is one of my favorite Italians. The waiters treat everyone as regulars and the food is always delish. If you are a lover of liver(the liver with sage is yum) or skate wing, this is your place. The skate is not always on the menu, but if it is, be sure to order. Perfectly sautéed and the texture and flavor are sublime. They also frequently do a taglierini with fresh lobster that will send you in orbit. From prawns and pasta to wild boar and partridge, the dishes are always tantalizing and imaginative."

Ebury Wine Bar | 139 Ebury Street SW1 | Tel 020-7730-5447
One of London's oldest wine bars, it has a strong regular customer base. Cozy club like atmosphere. The food is reliable. It is the extensive and interesting wine list that recommends this establishment.

Ziani | 45-47 Radnor Walk SW3 | Tel020-7351-5297 | www.ziani.co.uk
Charming small Italian restaurant located in heart of Chelsea. Noisy & intimate but good food

Ken Lo's Memories of China | 67-69 Ebury Street SW1 | Tel 020-7730-7734 | www.memories-of-china.co.uk
The best Chinese food in London. Also the most expensive. Very unusual selection on fixed price menu. Decor is contemporary. Service is exceptional. Crowded so reservations a must.

Salloos | 62-64 Kinnerton St. | Tel 202-7235-4444 | www.salloosrestaurant.co.uk
North Indian restaurant with huge following. Tandoori chops for two are perfect. The restaurant excels in lamb and chicken dishes. So so atmosphere. Now in the 2nd generation ownership.

Le Cercle | 1 Wilbraham Place SW1 | Tel 020-7901-9999 | www.lecercle.co.uk
Truly exceptional French food with stunning but intimate atmosphere. Not cheap but worth the price.

Oliveto | 49 Elizabeth St SW1 | Tel 020- 7730-0074 | www.olivorestaurants.com

Olivo | 21 Eccleston St SW1 | Tel 020-7730-2505
Sister restaurants. Friendly, informal and reasonable. Everything is tasty but the risotto is superb.

La Famiglia | 5-12 Langton St, Chelsea SW10 | Tel 020-7351 0761 | www.lafamiglia.co.uk
Classic traditional Italian serving an upmarket Chelsea crowd. No frills, wonderful food and charming staff.

Review below from client Chuck de Cuir:
At the suggestion of a London based cousin of our travel and business companion, we first arrived at Alvaro Maccioni's La Famiglia in the early 1990’s. We also arrived straight off the plane. So, we were looking to sooth our jet lag with a bottle of wine, some nice Italian fare and a stroll up Kings Road. I remember distinctly that it was a very pleasant spring Sunday, as such a table for four in the Garden soaking up the Sole Belli and soaking in the Vino was in order.

It all becomes a bit timeless then. The jet lag has its own way of altering time and space, but then add Carciofini Fritti, Capelli d’angelo all’olio tartufata or perhaps Nodino di vitello ai porcini with a nice cool Pinot Grigio and quite simply the earth stops revolving. Pure Tuscan suspended animation. This became our London arrival tradition.

That was nearly twenty years ago. We are lucky enough to be in London a few times a year and have always tried to land at “La Famig”, as we call it. “7 Langton Street please.” will never steer you wrong. Oh...and don’t forget the Tiramisu!

Magnifico,
Lark & Charles R. de Cuir
New Orleans, Louisiana & Norfolk, Virginia

SOUTH KENSINGTON / KNIGHTSBRIDGE / KENSINGTON / NOTTING HILL

Da Mario / 15 Gloucester Rd. / Tel 020-7584 9078 / www.damario.co.uk/
Fun venue near the Albert Hall. Wonderful individual pizzas and delicious pasta. Salads are large and robust. Frequented by locals and friendly staff. Prices are reasonable.

Launceston Place / 1A Launceston Place W8 / 020-Tel 7937 6912 /www.launcestonplace-restaurant.co.uk
Quite, comfortable and stylish. Dinner party cooking in a civilized and romantic setting. Superb modern British.

La Brasserie / 272 Brompton Rd / Tel 020-7584 1668 / www.labrasserielondon.com
Long established Gallic with classic predictable brasserie fare. Good for lunch or late dinners. Staff can either be nice or appallingly rude. Food is good and consistent. Busy and bustling and a great place to sit and watch the crowd. The eggs benedict are a good hangover cure.

Racine / 239 Brompton Road / Tel 020-7584 4477 / www.racine-restaurant.com
Traditional French "bistro" type restaurant. Old fashioned menu with classic French dishes. Mid range in price. Really solid good food with friendly staff.

Clarke's / 124 Kensington Church Street W8 / Tel 7221-9225 / www.sallyclarke.com
Delicious! Sally Clarke always serves unpretentious fabulous food. Well presented in a light and elegant atmosphere. Now offering more than one choice for dinner.

Maggie Jones's/ 6 Old Court Place Kensington Church St W8 / Tel 7937- 6462 / www.maggie-jones.co.uk
Traditional English food in an atmospheric establishment.. Scrubbed pine tables, hops and baskets hanging from the beams. Candles galore. The food is quite good, not inventive but standard lamb, grouse, etc.

Fait Maison / 3 Stratford Rd London W 8 / Tel 7937-2777 / www.fait-maison.co.uk
A tiny café with wonderful Mediterranean style food. Great pastries also. You can eat in or take out. Everything is made freshly and the coffee is superb.

Geales / 2 Farmer Street W8 / Tel 7727-7969 & 1 Cale Street SW3 /Tel 020-7965-0555 / www.geales.com
Arguably the best fish & chips in London. Simple farmhouse style restaurant with the freshest fish offered daily. Good puddings too. In Notting Hill, very close to Portobello Rd. Good for lunch after the market. South Kensington is on Chelsea Green

ST. JAMES, THE WEST END AND VARIOUS LOCALS

Trinity / 4 The Polygon /Clapham / SW4 / Tel 020-07622 1199 / www.trinityrestaurant.co.uk
The food is brilliant modern English style, without too many fussy and heavy foams, jus etc. Chef Adam Byatt's restaurant serves only the freshest and seasonal local foods. Brilliant.

The Wolseley / 160 Piccadilly W1/ Tel 020 7499-6996 / www.thewolseley.com
The room is the star along with the wonderful Bloody Mary's. A grand brasserie with modern British cooking. Great for breakfast or all day dining. Serves early before the theatre.

Cote Bistro/ 17-21 Tavistock St. WC2/ Tel 020 7379 9991 www.cote-restaurants.co.uk
Covent Garden location just voted the Best Value Restaurant in Britain. Good simple fare, reasonably priced. Great for pre or post theatre. The food quality is superb. There is also a location in Kensington.

The Ivy/ 1 West St W2 / Tel 020-7836-4751 / www.the-ivy.co.uk
A wonderful restaurant in the heart of Covent Garden with delicious food. Wonderful updated English dishes. Frequented by many theater and film actors. Book WELL in advance and be prepared to settle for a late seating.

Il Vicolo / 3-4 Crown Passage / Pall Mall W1/ Tel 020 7839 3960 / www.ilvicolo.co.uk/
Charming restaurant with reliable and tasty Sardinian food. Worth knowing about this affordable restaurant

Clos Maggorie / 33 King St. W2 / 020 7379-9696/ www.closmaggiore.com
A romantic restaurant in the heart of Covent Garden. Try to get a table in the conservatory or in the winter, upstairs by the fire. Really amazing wine list and excellent food. Must book.

The Cinnamon Club / Great Smith St. W1 / 020-7222- 2555 / www.cinnamonclub.com
Housed in the Old Westminster Library this Indian restaurant offers stunning and delicate cuisine that's worth the price. Not cheap but oh so good. Service is a tad slow but very friendly.  See Restaurant Review below.

As you probably know, it's in the old Westminster Library building located near Westminster Abby, which is a treat in and of itself. I think The Cinnamon Club opened in 2001; I went there initially because the wine guy, Laurent Chaniac (still buying wine for CC!) came from the Stafford Hotel, where I stayed on a regular basis for about 20 years when I was working over here.

I've dined there about 6 times, give or take. The food has been consistently excellent, although it's now getting pricey, even for "upscale Indian." Last night's dinner tells the story: Mindi started with a Welsh lamb appetizer with Indian spices, following that with a grilled sea bream with a chard compote and vermicelli mound. That may not sound Indian, but the chef has a mastery of Indian spices that make it all come together. I started with rabbit tikka (this is not a typo!) with a chili dipping sauce. Delicious! The coup de grace was my "red deer" venison dish. The slices of venison were atop a cumin flavored béarnaise-type sauce and sat next to a meaty, crunchy samosa. But the star dish was a side of sangri beans! We first had these beans in Rajasthan and have NEVER seen them on a menu in London, NY, or DC! They were fabulous - a not to be missed treat.

There you have it!...................William Gardner

L'Aventure/ 3 Blenheim Terrace NW8 / Tel 020-7624-6232 / www.laventure.co.uk
Lovely, romantic small restaurant in St John's Wood. French food with offerings that change twice a day. Absolutely superb. Has a charming vine covered front terrace for summer dining.

The Four Seasons / 12 Gerrard Street W1 / Chinatown / Tel 7494-0870 / www.fs-restaurants.co.uk
The crispy duck is legendary...and cheap! The wonton soup yummy. And we love the Chinese beer. Convenient for before or after the theater. Filled with Chinese locals. Formerly the Dragon Inn, same owners, new name.

Belgo / 50 Earlham Street / Covent Gardens / Tel 7813-2233 / www.belgo-restaurants.co.uk
This place is a hoot! Busy, noisy, crowded but great mussels, offered at least 10 different ways. The beer is all Belgian (over 100 varieties). The food is simple & reasonable.

Enoteca Turi / 28 Putney High St SW15/ 020 8785-4449 / www.enotecaturi.com
Absolutely wonderful family-run Italian. The wine and food are the best and menu changes weekly. Fresh, seasonal cooking. Take the #22 bus.

North Sea Fish/ 7-8 Leigh Street/Bloomsbury WC1/ Tel 020-7387-5892 / www.northseafishrestaurant.co.uk
Succulent scampi, mackerel and a whopping seafood platter. For fish and chips lovers this is a must.

Rules / 35 Maiden Lane WC2E / Tel 020- 7836-5314 / www.rules.co.uk
London's oldest restaurant with a dignified and timeless atmosphere. The food is good and the best deal in London is the pre-theater diner (arrive no later than 5 p.m.). Also a good three-course lunch. Traditional game, fish, puddings.

The Giaconda Dining Room / 9 Denmark St. WC2/ Tel 020-7240 3334 / www.giacondadining.com
Aussie chef Paul Merrony's "jammed" café "feels like a real find"; its "lovely" staff serve up "proper" bistro dishes at "incredibly good-value" prices.

Green's Restaurant & Oyster Bar / 36 Duke St SW1 / Tel 020-7930-4566 / www.greens.org.uk
Very traditional British setting for a selection of traditional British dishes. Everything is delicious from the oysters, roast duck, Norfolk ham, savouries, & wonderful Scottish salmon. The sticky toffee pudding is the best!

The Guinea Grill / 30 Bruton Place Mayfair W1J/ Tel 202-7499-1210 / www.theguinea.co.uk
Old-school grill room in Mayfair. Cozy and atmospheric. Traditional British food and legendary pies.

St. John /26 St. John St. EC1/Tel 020-7251 0848 / www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk
Nose to tail eating. Legendary Scottish chef Fergus Henderson's restaurant in the Smithfield Market area of London. This restaurant is a must and has an ever changing menu. Not a place for vegetarians as the specialties are game, offal of all varieties, & lovely local fish. There are also beef and pork selections. Highly recommended but do visit their web sight to see if this is for you.

Chez Bruce / 2 Bellevue Road SW17 / 020 8672-0114 / www.chezbruce.co.uk
One of best restaurants in London. British/French cooking in a relaxed atmosphere with superb service. Expensive but worth the cab ride.

LONDON RESTAURANT CHAINS

Wagamama/ Various Locations/ www.wagamama.com
Noodle bar and so much more. Scrumptious food served in a modern setting. Literally all over London so easy to pop in if you are starved for a tasty satisfying meal.

Prêt-a-Manger/ Various Locations/ www.pret.com
These sandwich shops are everywhere. You absolutely can't go wrong. Serves freshly made sandwiches, soups, desserts, coffee and a variety of juices. Quick and good.

West Cornwall Pasty Co/ Various Locations / www.westcornwallpasty.co.uk
Divine tasty pasties! There are many locations around London and the food is as good as any you will get in Cornwall. Some locations have tables. They have the traditional steak and stilton, steak and Guinness, lamb and mint, etc. The combinations are endless

Pizza Express/ Various Locations / www.pizzaexpress.com
Really good pizza and salads. When you are at the point in the trip that Pizza is beckoning you will not be disappointed. All over London and they all look different.

LONDON TAKE OUT FOOD

Partridges/ 2-5 Duke of York Sq SW3 / Tel 020-7730-0651 /
Partridges 17-21 Gloucester Road SW7 / Tel 020-7581-0535 / www.partridges.co.uk

Legendary green grocer. Has everything you could wish for from fresh cut meats to anchovy relish. Takeout is scrumptious with dozens of selections of cheeses, pates, etc. Now added spit roaster for lamb, chicken & game. Nice wines. Ask Francois to help with selection at Kings Road shop. Wonderful open air market on Saturdays.

Harrods / 87-135 Brompton Road / Knightsbridge/ Tel 020-7730-1234 / www.harrods.com/food-and-wine
Legendary food halls. Also great for lunch. Go early in day when less crowded.

Selfridges's/400 Oxford Street W1A
Arguably the best of the food halls. If you are there, do not fail to go to the sandwich counter for a corned beef sandwich...(the Brits call it Boiled Beef). The tastiest ever and unlike the American version. Get your sandwich with the English mustard. So good!

La Bottega / 65 Lower Sloane Street / Sloane Square /Tel 020-7730-8844/ www.labottega65.com
Wonderful Italian Delicatessen located just off Sloane Square. Great place in the morning for coffee and a pastry or to pick up divine Italian goodies for dinner.

Daylesford Organic / 44 Pimlico Road SW1W / Tel 020-7881-8060 / www.daylesfordorganic.com
Everything here is locally grown organic, beautifully presented and priced accordingly. A delightful place for shopping and eating.

LONDON PUBS AND GASTRO PUBS

The food scene in London is wonderful but the biggest improvement has been the pubs. Wonderful chefs have left the big name establishments and transformed the ordinary pub grub into inventive, delicious bar cum restaurants. Some are true gastro pubs and others are just good drinking establishments with very tasty food. The prices reflect the humble origin and you can eat fabulous food for less than you would spend in a restaurant. Below is a sampling of pubs to discover. Be sure to send us your suggestions should you find a jewel.

The Bull and Lastwww.thebullandlast.co.uk

The Builders Arms
www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/thebuildersarms/

The Phoenix
www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/thephoenix

The Cadogan Arms
www.thecadoganarmschelsea.com

The Harwood Arms
www.harwoodarms.com

Horse and Groom
www.thehorseandgroom.net

The Coach and Horses
www.thecoachandhorses.com

The Herne
www.theherne.net/home

Carpenters Arms
www.carpentersarmsw6.co.uk

Princess Victoria
www.princessvictoria.co.uk

The Britannia
www.britanniapub.co.uk

Coopers Arms
www.coopersarms.co.uk

Just a sampling of markets that make it so much more enticing to stay in a flat. To be able to have divine pate's, cheeses, fruits and sausages in the fridge is a luxury. London is a paradise for food lovers and now getting the best of the best has never been more convenient.

London Farmers' Markets / www.lfm.org.uk
Web site for association of London farmer's markets.

Borough Market / www.boroughmarket.org.uk
Granddaddy of them all! Open Thursday to Sunday. Go Thursday or Friday. Sat and Sun are extremely busy.

Marylebone Farmers Market / www.lfm.org.uk/markets/marylebone
Every Sunday 10am-2pm

Pimlico Road Farmers' Market / www.lfm.org.uk/markets/pimlico-road
Pimlico Farmers' Market takes place in an area known locally as Orange or Mozart Square, between Pimlico Road and Ebury Street in Belgravia. This market is a must.

Partridges Food Market on Duke of York Square / www.partridges.co.uk/foodmarket
Every Saturday from 10am to 4pm

Partridge's Producers Market / www.partridges.co.uk
Every Wednesday 10am to 4pm

South Kensington Farmers' Market / www.lfm.org.uk/markets/south-kensington
Every Saturday 9am-2pm on Bute Street SW7 3EX

West Eagling Farmers Market / www.lfm.org.uk/markets/ealing
Informative blog referencing the market by Katie Bryson

www.feedingboys.co.uk/2011/03/04/west-ealing-farmers-market-the-urban-antidote
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