Last May I spent two weeks in my beloved London! In between home hunting, catching up with old friends, and celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, there were plenty of new restaurants and cafes that I fell in love with. What can I say? I have fallen in love with London all over again and have loved experiencing this wonderful city with sober eyes. Gone are the days of knowing where all the best watering holes in London are and in with the culinary experiences and mocktails. I’m even shocked by this sentence.
The Restaurant, Home House
Home House is a luxury Private Members Club located in the prestigious Portman Square in Marylebone. To be honest, I’d never heard about Home House before a close friend recommended it to me as they had a membership there and could get us through the door. There are three restaurants at Home house, The Restaurant, The garden and the Octagon Dining Room. There’s also a very posh Victorian-esque bar downstairs just as you walk, the perfect setting for drinks before dinner or even business meeting. No matter how beautiful you believe this bar is, bear in mind in this one Members Club there are plenty more. Apparently, after midnight at Home House, the real run starts where everyone enters a part of the member’s club called “The Vault.”
Inside The Restaurant at Home House, you’ll love the Georgian rooms, ideal for an intimate encounter. The cuisine on offer is modern British in a brasserie-style setting. All produce is sourced locally.
My experience and time at Home House was nothing short of the best, from the customer service to the food, everything was top class. Then again, I’ve never had a bad experience at a Private Members Club in London, and they are usually my most treasured moments in London.
The Restaurant, Home House
20 Portman Square, Marylebone, London W1H 6LW
Le Gavroche, Mayfair
My husband’s dream since he was a teenage boy was to have dinner at Le Gavroche. By some miracle, I was able to secure one of the last free tables for a Saturday night, six weeks in advance for his birthday. At Le Gavroche, it isn’t uncommon to have to book three months in advance. What makes Le Gavroche so good and special? Le Gavroche was the first restaurant in the UK to receive 3 Michelin stars and has been around on the London fine dining scene since 1967.
While Le Gavroche is a modern French fine dining restaurant, it aims to steer away from the snobby stereotype that generally comes with the term ‘fine dining.’ Michel’s goal is to have his restaurant accessible to anyone with an appreciation for great food. While it’s understood that not everyone is prepared to spend at least £300 (excluding alcohol) for dinner for two at a whim, Le Gavroche is perfect for those looking to celebrate a special occasion.
During my dining experience at Le Gavroche, I underwent many life-changing gastro moments. On top of that list was my dessert, the light-as-air passionfruit soufflé with a scoop of white chocolate ice cream dumped on top.
Le Gavroche
43 Upper Brook St, Mayfair, London W1K 7QR
The Ritz Restaurant, The Ritz
Is there anywhere in London more glamorous than The Ritz? I don’t believe so. My husband and I are serial returnees to The Ritz in London’s ritzy Mayfair and find new reasons to fall in love with the luxury hotel upon each visit. We decided to extend our time in London and celebrate our first wedding anniversary in London instead of Barcelona, booking a table at the lavish Ritz Restaurant. What better way to celebrate our first wedding anniversary than at the world-class Michelin star, Ritz Restaurant at The Ritz?
You have two variations of the menu to choose from, the set menu is £129 per person or you can select from the A La Carte Menu that also includes an extra £35 per person entertainment surcharge. We opted for the latter.
A little warning ahead if you do choose to dine here, it will set a whole new benchmark on future restaurant experiences. If you’re looking for the ultimate romantic, lavish and intimate evening out with a loved one, I couldn’t recommend The Ritz Restaurant and The Ritz London more. The more I visit, the more it feels like home.
The Ritz Restaurant, The Ritz
150 Piccadilly, St. James's, London W1J 9BR
Peggy Porschen
Peggy Porschen is all over social media, without a doubt you’ve come across this cute cupcake cafe in London with a floral facade. When I walked by Peggy Porschen in Belgravia (there’s another on King’s Road, Chelsea) there was a line. My husband asked if I wanted to have coffee there, “I’m not waiting in line for a coffee…” were my exact words.
After a brief stroll up Ebury Street, all the cafes were full for brunch. I ended up waiting in line at Peggy Porschen, succumbing to the social pressure, oh my God, I’ve become one of those people. Fortunately, we didn’t need to wait any more than 5 minutes as the table turnover is quite fast.
One thing that is very evident that this place really is ideal for the picture-perfect Instagram photo, everyone is shamelessly doing it and won’t judge you for shamelessly doing it either. Even the staff know how to get the right angle. Looking for one of the best locations for an Instagram picture in London? Go to Peggy Porschen.
Is there anything better than a hyped-up place that delivers on the hype? I ordered the salted caramel cupcake and it was the best salted caramel I’d ever had. Do I recommend Peggy Porschen? Yes, if there’s a line you can be bothered to wait in.
Peggy Porschen Belgravia
116 Ebury Street, Belgravia, London SW1W 9QQ
Shoreditch House, East London
I am not an East London girl and I never liked stepping out of my Sw3 bubble. It’s not my scene, nor is it my husband’s but how do you explain this to someone who has never been? I told him it’s more “hipster” and youthful while Chelsea is more old money and preppy. Regardless of the words I choose to use to describe the East London scene, you don’t get the full picture until you’re there.
My mentor has a membership at Shoreditch House which happens to have a hip, cool and very busy premises in Shoreditch. Shoreditch House falls under the Soho House group and is an International Members Only Club, having a membership opens the door to all the other Soho Houses around the world including Barcelona, New York and LA. It is pretty cool and a great membership to have as it gives you access to a great network of like-minded people.
Why would I mention Shoreditch house? I had an interesting and different meal there. I ordered the baked cauliflower that literally was a large cauliflower head with pesto, melted cheese and nuts. It was amazing!
Shoreditch House
Ebor St, Hackney, London E1 6AW
Aubaine, Selfridges
Located on the second floor of Selfridges, after passing the women’s shoe gallery you’ll come across Aubaine. The trick is to get through the shoe gallery of Selfridges without being distracted, “We will come back later,” my husband says as we pass by Jimmy Choo and the only shoe I ever wanted from there, the Sacora 100. “Food and coffee come first,” I am reminded. He has a point; I am no good to anyone when I am hangry.
Avocado on toast, smoked salmon and truffle eggs may not seem like a big deal but the whole brunch concept is not big in Croatia so I’m always looking forward to a good one when I am in London. What I didn’t photograph was the large bowl of truffle that arrived on the side with my eggs…. Heaven!
Aubaine, Selfridges London
2nd floor, 400 Oxford St, Marylebone, London W1A 1AB
The Sands End, Fulham
I used to be a regular at The Sands End as it was my local. It’s located on the other end of King’s Road towards Fulham and Chelsea Harbour and has never let me down when it comes to food. It’s honest modern British food without the big price tag. The Sands End is popular among locals and was once frequented by Prince Harry, obviously a long time ago!
A special mention to this asparagus, pea and feta cheese salad… game changer!
The Sands End
135-137 Stephendale Rd, Fulham, London SW6 2PR
Polpo
Polpo has several locations around London, a few years ago I dined at the one in Chelsea and I loved it! I was so excited to go back to this restaurant known for its Venetian sharing plates.
The idea is to order several different plates and to mezze off each. It’s a very casual atmosphere, great friendly service with a great selection of dishes, as you can see below…
Polpo Chelsea
81 Duke of York Square, London, SW3 4LY
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