tmemedia

I'll be visiting London for the first time next week and am a serious foodie. Unfortunately, my husband is not. He loves great food but blanches at high prices and snooty service. We usually compromise and go to my kind of places half the time and then find less formal places for him. It works out very well. I don't know London at all and would love to hear which places are rated highest these days by gourmets, and which still have fantastic, innovative food and great ambiance, but don't break the bank.

Thanks so much!

Teresa

Neopolitan

Clearly this will be your first visit to London. You said:

"which places are rated highest these days by gourmets, and which still have fantastic, innovative food and great ambiance, but don't break the bank."

Unless you feel at least several hundred dollars for a meal for two is NOT breaking the bank, you can't have both of the above.

If you are looking for some "nice" places with good food -- but not top notch places that will cost between $100 and $200 for two, let us know.

grantop

Hi Teresa, can you give us an idea how much you would like to spend per meal for the 2 of you?

HVH

Hi Teresa

I can't claim to be a gourmand but, like you, my boyfriend and I love great food reasonably priced, and, like your husband, can't stomach bad attitude!

My favourite place is J Sheekey for top-quality fish and seafood in a super-central (Leicester Sq tube)location and really relaxed atmosphere that's posh enough for a special occasion and to justify the once-a-month price tag!

Other good fishy places are Livebait and Fish.

For something a bit different and a really friendly fun vibe is Sabor, a tres modern and chic Latin-Am restaurant on Essex Road (nearest tube is Angel).

Nearby just off busy Upper St on Theberton St. is a modern 'proper' Italian called Metrogusto where we took my boyf's picky parents and they loved it!

I'm a veggie (or pescie!) and a great place for proper veggie food - i.e. not vegeterian versions of meat dishes - is Carnivale a beautiful tiny little treasure 5 mins from Old St tube on Whitecross Street.

Probably all the above can be found on this website:
http://www.london-eating.co.uk/

I've always found it really useful and reliable and it's led me to some gems!

I think the key is really to get out of central London and avoid anywhere that looks full of tourists!

PS. If you're around on a Fri or Sat and love foodie markets head to Borough Market at London Bridge!

Bon appetite!

GreenDragon

We loved Taz when we visited last summer. It's a small chain, several locations in London, of Anatolian food done wonderfully.

janisj

&quot;<i>which places are rated highest these days by gourmets, and which still have fantastic, innovative food and great ambiance, but don't break the bank.</i>&quot;

I'm w/ neopolitan here. You do realize London is one of the most expensive cities and also has some of the best/highest rated restaurants anywhere. Where are you from? Is $50 per person a high end dinner? Or maybe $25. Or are you from a major city where $100-$200+ per person is common for top end meals?

There are quite literally hundreds of good, moderately priced restaurants in London. But you ain't gonna' get the highest rated, innovative chefs w/ fab ambience w/o breaking most mortal's bank accounts.

What price range are you thinking of?

tmemedia

I'm the original poster. I'm afraid I wrote a rather confusing first post. I didn't mean that I wanted a restaurant with BOTH gourmet dining and reasonable prices. I meant to request two lists: one list with the top places, if price is not object; and another list of places that have great food at good prices. Sorry to have been so confusing!

Thanks so much for the rec's for Sabor and Taz -- they sound wonderful!

Teresa

caroline_edinburgh

See the current Michelin Red Guide to GB for the highest-rated gourmet restaurants (3 or 2 stars).

But you should have booked at least a month ago for the top places like Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road (booking 1 calendar month in advance) or the Fat Duck (booking 2 months in advance).

Unless you're staying in one of the top hotels where the concieges seem to be able to fix this sort of thing ?

Girlspytravel

One place I like is the GRILL ROOM AT CAFE ROYAL- I can almost guarantee that won't see any tourists here, yet this elegant dining room is one of the most beautiful rococco style restaurants in London, and for a 3 course meal, it's a downright steal, given the quality of food (the word quality, when applied to food in London, is of course always a protean concept). There is an emphasis on very fresh seafood, gourmet mains, great desserts, along with the mirrors, chandeliers, and its faded air of past century grandeur-this place is GREAT.

The Grill Room at the Cafe Royal, very centrally located AT 68 Regent Street.

You can get a look at it here:

www.viewlondon.co.uk/info_restaurant_2480.html

ben_haines_london

I am afraid I cannot help you as a foodie, but for your husband I can copy a recent list from the Independent London newspaper of “Gastropubs”, good pubs which serve inventive and good food.

I have also a list of pubs with restaurant areas upstairs where I like the food, and I can copy it to you if you like.

Ben Haines, London
[email protected]

GASTROPUBS and other favourite pubs

Fairly often forum readers ask for advice on pubs to visit. On 27 May 2006 the London newspaper the Independent published results of a survey of reader opinion on the best neighbourhood pubs and the best gastro-pubs in London (that is, pubs with lunch and supper at about ten pounds a meal). These notes combine their lists, and place pubs in a sequence, working clockwise around London. Copyright lies with the Independent

• The Eagle
Often hailed as the “original gastro-pub”, the Eagle in Farringdon steadfastly sticks to its roots of being “a good honest pub” that serves a combination of simple Mediterranean and hearty British cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. A large crowd of regulars won’t hear a word said against the place. Ales are by Charles Wells; there’s also a choice of continental white beers and a good selection of wines.
Where: 159 Farringdon Road, Farringdon, EC1R 3AL 020 7837 1353
User reviews http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/review_1113.html
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...le/Clerkenwell

• Holly Bush
Built in 1643, this is one of the oldest establishments in Hampstead. Snuggle up by the Coffee Bar’s open fire in winter and, when the sun comes out, move outside to the seats on the street. The beer is good, the food is hearty and there are Tuesday night poetry evenings for the culturally-minded, it can be very crowded at the weekends but most don’t seem to mind.
Where: 22 Holly Mount, Hampstead, NW3 6SG 020 7435 2892
http://www.pubs.com/pub_details.cfm?ID=197
User reviews http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...Bush/Hampstead
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/info_pubbar_1921.html

• Wells Tavern
The Wells in Hampstead has won several awards for its cooking, and offers imaginative, seasonal dishes in seductive surroundings A two or three course menu is served in the trio of intimate dining rooms on the first floor and in the spacious ground floor bar and sitting rooms, a shorter, simpler menu is offered featuring salads, salt beef with latkes, sausage &amp; mash and salmon fishcakes, To keep beer drinkers happy there is London Pride real ale, Grolsch and Guinness on draught as well as a frequently-changed guest ale.
Where: 30 Well Walk Hampstead, NW3 1BX 020 7794 3785; www.theweljshampsteadcouk
User reviews http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...vern/Hampstead
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pub...view_3987.html

s• The Flask
Known for its real ale, its speciality draft beers and its Sunday roasts, The Flask serves as Highgate’s very own “village pub”. Boasting a large beer garden that heaves with activity during the summer months - especially when serving barbeque food -the pub then transforms into a cosy local with log fires and hearty food over the winter. It’s the perfect place to revive yourself after a long walk on the Heath
Where: 77 Highgate West Hill, Highgate, N6 68U 020 8348 7346
User review http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...Flask/Highgate
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pub...view_6563.html

• The LockTavern
Slightly nervous of the “gastro-pub” name tag, the good people at the Lock in Camden would prefer to hear it described as “a pub that serves really good food”. Relax into a leather chair or sofa and enjoy one of their legendary pies supplied by the Square Pie Company. DJs play at the Lock Tavern Thursday through to Saturday nights and all day Sunday, with mixed sets described by the Lock itself as “generally not playing house music”.
Where: 35 Chalk Farm Road, Camden, NW1 8AJ 020 7482 7163
User reviews
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs..._Tavern/Camden
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pub...view_2282.html

• Lord Palmerston
How great must it be to have in Tufnell Park a local like this on your doorstep? The decor is simple and functional, the food is consistently good and the atmosphere laid back. The pub consists of the main bar, the Chapel (a converted stable) and the conservatory, which leads out onto a shady garden — and you’re advised to get there early to grab a table as no reservations are taken downstairs in the evenings. The menu is an eclectic mix of modern British food with a Moorish/Mediterranean slant and is revised twice daily.
Where: 33 Dartmouth Park Hill, Tufnell Park, NW5 1HU
020 74851578; www.geronimo.inns.co.uk
http://www.londontown.com/LondonInfo...lmerston/bd65/
User review http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...Dartmouth_Park
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pub...view_2318.html

•The Fox Reformed
Described as the essence of Stoke Newington, this long-established and relaxed wine bar offers bistro food at reasonable prices. Opened in 1981, it is the only wine bar on the street and its owners Carole and Robbie Richards are always happy to entertain you over a glass or two of wine. There is a pretty garden, good service and a great atmosphere. Oh, and Edgar Allen Poe went to school on this site before returning to the US.
Where: 176 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 OJL 020 7254 5975;
http://www.fox-reformed.co.uk/about.html

• The Approach Tavern
Popular with the Bethmal Green locals, this may not look like anything special from the outside, but inside this handsome dark wood bar is worth checking out. Upstairs there is an art gallery showcasing some great new talent. Food-wise, the menu changes regularly and includes delicacies such as pan-fried red snapper and herb-crusted chicken, which can be washed down with a guest beer or well-chosen wine. It’s comfortable, pretty and well-organised.
Where: 47 Approach Road, E2 9LY 020 8980 2321 Bethnal Green tube
User reviews http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs.../Bethnal_Green
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pubbar_review_187.html

• The Dove
The warm and inviting restaurant area of this pub in London Fields is like a rabbit warren with nooks and crannies aplenty, and serves a variety of hearty and nourishing food including fish stews, pies, sausages and mash and Sunday roasts. The bar room features classic dark wood with a hearth, and pew seating where you can settle down to a game of Scrabble while sampling one of their many unusual beers.
Where: 24-24 Broadway Market, London Fields E8 4QJ
020 7270 3617 Train from Liverpool Street
User reviews http://www.london-eating.co.uk/3731.htm
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pub...view_1162.html

• Coach and Horses
This is a gastro bar, a pub, and a Greenwich market meeting place with its outside tables adjoining the nearby market stalls. Locals and visitors come for hearty ales, fine wines, a roaring fire and Mediterranean cuisine. If you just want to sit around and read the papers, head for the lounge area and settle in -- although you’ll need to get in early at the weekend. Babies and children are welcome until 9pm.
Where: 13 Greenwich Market, SE1O 9HZ 02082930880. Train from Charing Cross
User review http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...rses/Greenwich

• The Gowlett
A Peckham bar serving real ales, organic wines and handmade stone-base pizzas. At first glance you might not expect to find a decent pint here -- there are lots of children (the pub even has a supply of plastic toys), DJs on a Sunday and the aforementioned pizzas. But there are usually three or four ales on tap and lots of organic wines and the style, if a little familiar, has been done well, with its warm wooden panelling. In 2005 the Gowlett won the south east London pub of the year award of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). Tucked away in a back street, this little treasure of a gastro-pub has a pool table, friendly staff, and a convivial atmosphere, making it a secret most locals want to keep.
Where: 62 Gowlett Road, Peckham SE15 4HY 020 7635 7048; www.thegowlett.com. Train from Victoria or Blackfriars
User review http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...t_Arms/Peckham

• Liquorish
It’s a simple formula — part diner, part cocktail bar and some decks at the back for the late night music vibe. Regularly packed out, this place in East Dulwich welcomes babies and children at lunchtime and has a selection of board games for lazy Sunday mornings when you may not feel up to a conversation. It specialises in cocktails — try the Honey Pie or English Summer. The menu is short but interesting and well-produced.
Where: 123 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, SE22 8HU 020 8693 7744: www.liquorish.com. Train from London Bridge
User review http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...h/East_Dulwich

• The Palmerston
Worth a trip to Dulwich for the interior alone, the Palmerston boasts wood panelling, wonderful fireplaces, and an 1865 mosaic floor. The menu is classic gastro-pub with Sunday lunches that are great value, but because of this it can get very busy, so it’s wise to book well in advance to guarantee yourself a table. However, there’s more to this place than the great food and the decor - it’s still essentially a local with interesting wines and three real ales on tap.
Where: 91 Lordship Lane, Dulwich, SE22 8EP 020 8693 1629. Train from London Bridge
User reviews http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...n/East_Dulwich
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pub...view_6288.html

• Cooper’s Arms Bar
This is the perfect Chelsea pub to spend the afternoon in. The bar extends right into the middle of the room, so there is plenty of space to sit, and it really is a pub used by its locals. Arrive early and bag a place by the fire with a: pile of papers, or sit by the old grandfather dock and gaze at the vintage travel posters decorating the walls. The wine list is short but well-chosen and the pub serves Young’sAles and Hoegaarden on tap.
Where: 87 Flood Street, Chelsea, SW3 518 0871 426 3206. Bus from Sloane Square
User review http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...s_Arms/Chelsea

• Anglesea Arms
An ale drinker’s paradise, the Anglesea in South Kensington serves Hogs Back Brewery TEA, London Pride Adnams, Adnams Broadside, Young’s and Barnsley Red Heart. The wine list is also extensive, and the food happily lives up to the same standards.
Where: 15 Setwood Terrace, South Kensington, SW7 3QG 020 7373 7960
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/review_1780.html
User reviews http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...a_Arms/Chelsea
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pubbar_review_180.html

• The Builders Arms
One of those pubs that is tucked away in a Kensington back street, the Builders Arms is hard to find unless you know about it -- which can be a great advantage. There is a room upstairs that can be hired for private parties and a small garden outside. If you like good beer in charming surroundings with a group of like-minded people, hunt this place out.
Where: 1 Kensington Court Place, W8 SBJ 020 7795 4810. High Street Kensington tube
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...rms/Kensington
user review http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pubbar_review_573.html

• The Idle Hour
The Idle Hour is a modern and stylish gastro bar right by Putney Bridge. Lots of organic food and wine and cocktails are served in a room with exposed brick walls, candles and fresh flowers, frequented by a crowd of 30-something’s. If you want to sit outside, get there early as there are only four tables in the patio area.
Where: 22 Putney High Street, SW15 ISL 020 8789 5995. Putney Bridge tube
User reviews http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...le_Hour/Putney
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pub...view_6552.html

• Old Ship
Perfect for warm summer evenings, the Old Ship in Hammersmith has an upstairs balcony and a ground floor terrace where you can enjoy stunning views of the Thames. It offers “fast bar food”, a sought-after Sunday roast and seasonal ales all served by friendly staff.
Where: 25 Upper Mall, Hammersmith W6 9TD 020 8748 2593;
User reviews http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...ip/Hammersmith
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pub...view_6509.html

• Ginglik
A member’s club by Shepherd’s Bush Green, this fine establishment used to be a public lavatory. Its friendly staff, relaxed vibe and cutting-edge music are helping to spread the reputation of this welcoming watering hole. The walls are decorated by local artists and on Tuesdays it is transformed into an award-winning comedy club,
Where: 1 Shepherd’s Bush Green, W12 020 8749 2310
User reviews http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...Shepherds_Bush
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/user_pub...view_6295.html

jsmith

Ben Haines, thank you for the two websites. Always a treat when you participate.

travelinsue

I have the same problem with my husband. We are headed to London in August so I bought the 2006 Zagat Guide.

It lists dozens of restaurants alphabetically &amp; gives you an idea of the quality &amp; cost of each. It also includes comments from diners.

The Zagat guide also lists the restaurants by location, so if you're taking a flight on the London Eye you can find a place close by.

My husband didn't think we should bother with the Zagat Guide, but London was just rated the most expensive city in the world, so now he sees the value of the guide in choosing a place with good value for the money. It's also really portable, so you can take it along in your purse/day-bag. It's hard to remember all these recommendations when you're on the go!

There are restaurants with &quot;Prix Fix&quot; menues so that helps with cost. You can also try ordering off the appetizer menu (tapas style), and sharing an entree.

I think the variety of London is so great that you can find good places to dine without going overboard.

janisj

travelinsue -- the Zagut's is OK but you might want to get a copy of Harden's. Tends to have more realistic descriptions.

nessundorma

I second the recommendations for Taz. And if you are a serious foodie, probably the very best advice you will get is to go the Borough Market at London Bridge. I'm not sure you understand that a &quot;top notch&quot; meal in London is going to cost you in the neighborhood of $300 for two.

The worst of it is that, when you try to economize a bit, a $150-200 dinner is usually not very memorable (except for the tab).

My advice is to haunt the quality food shops to satisfy your foodie-ness but enjoy sitdown meals with your husband at funky restaurants with authentic ethnic cuisine at cheap to reasonable prices.

I did very well with Time Out's Cheap Eats guide. (Was I just lucky?)

nessundorma

PS: I ate at several gastropubs the last time I was in London, including the Wells, and I have to say that while the food was decent, it basically was unexciting and it wasn't cheap -- unless you consider $28 dollars for pasta with tomato and basil a cheap lunch (and after a few days in London, you might).

The gastropubs I was in had fairly safe menus of standard European choices -- fine if you don't mind salmon, mussels, fennel sausage, lamb chops, etc. But you probably cook the same for yourself at home. (I do.) Much more interesting (and usually lower priced) was the Brazilian, Indian, Turkish, Chinese and other ethnic fare I found in less tony places.

nessundorma

Oh -- and one more thing! None of the Hampstead gastropubs mentioned in Ben Haines list are air-conditioned, and if the weather gets hot, those quaint old buildings with their low ceilings and tiny windows are like ovens.

nessundorma

You might appreciate this article about London's hottest new chefs:

http://www.timeout.com/london/restau...rticleAfterMpu

tmemedia

Thanks everyone for all the information!
I do have a Zagat's, which is a great starting point, but I don't always agree with their reviews, and find them rarely to be up to the minute with the most interesting places. Always best to get a first hand recommendations from Fodorites!

Also, I do realize how expensive London is; I live in Washington DC where fine dining can also reach about $300, and travel extensively, so the prices will not shock me (my husband is a different story).

The time out article is so helpful, thank you!

One more question: I adore Indian food and am torn among these choices: Amaya, Cinnamon Palace (although the decor looks underwhelming), and Rasoi Vineet Bhatia. Any suggestions?

Teresa

caroline_edinburgh

&quot;a &quot;top notch&quot; meal in London is going to cost you in the neighborhood of $300 for two&quot;

That should be &pound;300 for two in my experience.

Carrybean

Amaya's good but my favorite Indian restaurant is Shezan in Knightsbridge.