this trip's overview

Gran Canaria portion

First Day Back

Man-made Finery

Queen's Life Guard

Covent Garden Markets

London's Transport Museum I

Marks & Spencers

Natural History Museum

Science Museum

High Street Kensington

Bus Karma I

The Strand

Simpsons-in-the-Strand

Tower of London

Science Museum II

Worst Food Ever

Where the shops are

Neal's Yard Dairy

Seven Dials

Bus Karma II

returning home

This isn't the first time I've visited London, nor even our second, and not - I suspect - the last.

It is, however, a good time to update everyone on where's a good place to stay in London, and where's a good place to eat. This isn't an end-all guide to everything London, just notes on some places which made us happy. We had our favorite Dorling Kindersly guidebook along for suggestions, but sometimes we weren't able to visit their recommendations...

Where we stayed in London

Once again we stayed at the Townhouse Brasserie, on Coptic Street, just down the street from the British Museum.

This isn't lodgings for the faint-of-heart: the third- and fourth-floor walk-up staircase is narrow, the rooms have drafty windows (which were fixed by artful draping of my jacked and wool sweater), a rather dingy bathroom is shared by the four rooms, and there have been no major (or perhaps even minor) improvements since my first stay here in 1999.

On the up-side, the restaurant downstairs is pretty good, there are other good restaurants around the corner (read on), and the B&B is so centrally located it overcomes the drawbacks (for us, at least). You're right in the middle of everything; you can walk to the theaters in seconds, to Covent Gardens (and several shopping districts in several directions) in two minutes, to the Thames in a few more than that.

If you're fussy you may want one of the London hotels in Bayswater, north of Hyde Park, and you'll have a more expensive traditional room with en-suite bathroom. You'll also have a walk to the Underground (which closes around midnight) each and every time you want to do anything in London.

Where we ate in London

London has an amazing breadth of dining choices, both in cuisine and price. You'll find an amazing variety of Indian, Hungarian, Italian, French, traditional English, Japanese, and so on. Some are walk-in with food to take away (including one pre-wrapped sushi place near the Embankment Underground stop. Others are semi-formal sit-down restaurants with linen tablecloths.

Within 30 meters of our B&B

Described here are but a small number of all the eateries near to our B&B. One could be here a month and not sample them all!

Townhouse Brasserie

This is where we stayed. The restaurant has a small variety of French foods, authentically done. It has happened, however, that sometimes their variety and my tastes don't overlap. Then I go next door, to La Brasserie Savoir Faire.

La Brasserie Savoir Faire

The corner place. Also French food, but a completely different subset. This trip I was particularly taken with the mussels in garlic and pernod butter. They're across the street from the Italian Kitchen.

Italian Kitchen

A really good variety of traditional Italian food, well made, tasty. The only one of the bunch to NOT offer take-away. Everyone found something unusual to enjoy at this place. Nice interior decor too.

Giotti

Just down the street is Giotti, an Italian café with all the traditional decor. The usual fare, excellent coffee drinks.

India Spice

Across the street from our place is the India Spice restaurant. Not the most exceptional Indian food in the London area, but it's close, convenient, and tasty.

Café Muse

One street over, Café Muse is a camera shop, an Internet Café, and a sandwich place. My only complaint is that they close early, around 19.00, because they don't have a liquor license (which draws the after-work crowds).

(The Greek Place)

The Museum Pub

(The Japanese Place)

Dining establishments elsewhere in London

PLACEHOLDER

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