Eating out in the City of London
undefined • 9 June 2025
As this is the City’s financial district, we have taken great care to choose places that are open at the weekend. All our recommendations are within a 15 minute walk of 48 Bishopsgate. Enjoy
The Ivy City Garden
is located on Old Broad Street and delivers a mixture of British classics and Asian dishes. Their classics include Shepherd’s Pie with piped mash, steak tartar, Veal Holstein and Beef Wellington. A lunchtime menu is available with 2 courses for £20.95.
The Ivy Asia St Pauls
delivers what is, in our opinion, a much more exciting menu and the décor is simply beautiful (especially the lavatories!). With a Dragon set menu for lunch and Samurai dinner menu priced at £28.50 and £38 respectively, you can enjoy all manner of delicious choices but what you simply cannot miss is the Golden Dragon sharing dessert which is exceptional, even for people who claim not to have a sweet tooth.
If you are looking for an amazing view of the London skyline while you dine, then try Duck and Waffle
at 110 Bishopsgate. Choose duck benedict or caramelised banana for breakfast, generous Sunday roasts for the British tradition on the day of rest or aim for the classic duck and waffle which comes in vegan from too. With 24 hour dining, don’t let conventional meal times or jet lag tell you when you should and shouldn’t eat.
A group of restaurants particularly famous for their brunch menu, the Daisy Green Collection brings Australian food and coffee culture to London. 100 Bishopsgate is home to Paradise Green
offering the Dirty Daisy, sweetcorn fritters, shakshouka, mars bar cheesecake and tiramisu for breakfast right up until 5pm. A different menu takes over for the evening. Wash it down with a Cold Aussie Brew Freddo (rum and mocha cocktail) or a non alcoholic blood orange spritz.
Sushi Samba
is fusion food combining Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine with restaurants best known for their atmosphere. Ceviche crosses over with sashimi whilst kobe beef is cooked over Japanese coals. The cocktail menu is even more eclectic and the best part is that it’s on the 38th floor of 110 Bishopsgate with a stunning rooftop bar. Booking in advance is strongly advised.
Eataly London
is located just by Liverpool St station on Bishopsgate and is host to several restaurants, bars and food hall dining choices. It is impossible to recommend just one but when we see the words “wood-fired pizza and traditional pasta” a certain amount of gravitational pull occurs.
Bob Bob Ricard City
is on Leadenhall Street and we should caution that they are closed on Sundays and that guests under 15 years of age are not admitted, possibly due to each table having a “push for champagne” button. They offer an express lunch menu where three courses costs just £35 including steak tartare, grilled pork neck and a light floating island. The a la carte menu is great for a celebration meal as it features vodka shots served at -18C, an extensive caviar menu and, unusually, chateaubriand for one instead of two.
Caravan City
is an all day restaurant in Bloomberg Arcade. Obsessed with the detail of bean sourcing and preparation, you’d be hard pushed to find a better cup of coffee locally. During the week they serve breakfast, renamed brunch at weekends as well as lunch and dinner. Our favourites include chorizo and potato hash with saffron buttermilk dressing, Korean buttermilk fried chicken with kimchi pancake, fried egg and gochujang ketchup, Dingley Dell pork schnitzel followed by caramelised brioche with miso caramel and ice cream. Treat yourself to a tiramisu martini or one of the many alcohol-free cocktails.
Coq D’Argent
located at number 1 Poultry is a bit of an established institution and is famous for its roof terrace which is heated in the winter. The menu is French and not limited to poulet as per its address. It’s a little bit on the corporate side being in the financial district but always lively.
Across the road is The Ned. Cast your mind back to the scene in Mary Poppins when the children go to work with their father at the bank and are stunned by the sheer scale of the institution. Now imagine that same space turned into a venue housing a multitude of restaurants and bars including one in the original bank vault where the huge safe door is still intact. Visually, the place actually takes your breath away and regardless of which restaurant your choose (Californian, Mexican, Grill, burger or Italian) you should know that they serve the best Old Fashioned cocktail we have ever tasted.
Brick Lane by Spitalfields Market is famous for a multitude of curry houses all next to each other and the best one is called Taste of Jaipur. With over 150 items on the menu it is impossible to recommend just one dish. Enjoy a generous set meal from just £20 including lots of vegetarian dishes from this Rajasthani specialist.
Yotam Ottolenghi
is rather a legend here in London and, thankfully, he decided to open a restaurant in Artillery Lane. He takes eating-with-your-eyes-first to the extreme; when you look at the food you become hungry when you weren’t before and that takes skill. A lot of the food takes the form of elaborate Middle Eastern salads so you can feel virtuous. Just take a look at some of the photos on the website and decide for yourself.
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Journal
Here is our guide to getting the best out of London this season. Firstly, the best parks for those photogenic colours and squirrels doing what they do best; squirrelling: Richmond Park - Stunning autumn foliage and rutting deer season (September-October) including a 7 mile circular taking in the Isabella Plantation Hampstead Heath - Golden leaves and crisp walks to Parliament Hill viewpoint, one of the best views of London Greenwich Park - Royal Observatory views framed by autumn trees Regent's Park - Queen Mary's Gardens with late-season roses Hyde Park - Serpentine Lake surrounded by changing leaves St. James's Park - Pelican feeding continues through the autumn months Kensington Gardens - Italian Gardens and Diana Memorial surrounded by autumn colours It’s not all parks and trees, some other recommendations for London’s best head clearing walks include: Thames Path Autumn Section - Westminster to Tower Bridge with golden plane trees Hampstead Heath to Kenwood - Through ancient woodland with stunning views Canal Walk - Regent's Canal from Camden to Little Venice with autumn reflections Literary London Autumn Tour - Keats House and poets' haunts in Hampstead The calendar is full of events this season with a mixture of homegrown & adopted cultures as well as historical events providing the context: Diwali Celebrations the Hindu, Sikh and Jain festival of light with fireworks displays all over London including festivities at Trafalgar Square on Sunday 12th Oct 2025. Remembrance Sunday 9th November 2025 – head to the Cenotaph at Whitehall for a respectful and well attended ceremony and memorial services commemorating Armistice Day. Please consider buying a poppy from the Royal British Legion. Black History Month is in October in the UK rather than February in the US due to historical and culture differences. Watch out for free events, exhibitions, and talks celebrating Black heritage London Oktoberfest draws on the Munich tradition which needs no explanation and takes place over three October weekends in Finsbury Park and Hammersmith. Lederhosen optional. Hallowe’en (31st October) is muted in some areas and impressive in others, especially where there are American communities. Kensington, St Johns Wood and Knightsbridge are all excellent for trick or treating and instagrammable house decorations. Free Halloween activities include self-guided ghost walks through historic areas, Covent Garden and the West End for retail displays, pumpkin picking in some city farms such as Kentish Town and Stepney and underrated graveyard tours in Highgate and Kensal Green Cemeteries to take in the resting places and lore of bygone celebrities. The London Dungeon and The Tower of London are also excellent choices for the spooky season. Bonfire Night - remember remember the 5th of November is famous for Guy Fawkes’ gunpowder plot when he tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and King Charles I in 1605. [GF didn’t get the King in the end but the parliamentarians did later on when HRH was found guilty of treason and executed in 1649 resulting in a temporary republic. Irony eh?] We have been celebrating this failed/foiled attack with bonfires and fireworks ever since. The best locations for such cavalier displays are Alexandra Palace, Blackheath, Clapham Common and Victoria Park. Some events are tickets only. Perhaps you have heard something about British weather being unpredictable. Don’t stress as many of the best Autumn cosy experiences can be found indoors, including: British Library - Free exhibitions and warm reading rooms Wellcome Collection – Free and special exhibitions with café Royal Festival Hall - River views and free events Barbican Centre - Brutalist architecture, lakeside dining and conservatory Somerset House - Courtyard and river terrace Historic & riverside pubs - The George Inn, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, so many others. Reward yourself with pub pit stops along the way Traditional Sunday roasts - Many pubs offer reasonably priced meals but the best Sunday roast we have ever consumed was courtesy of the Builder’s Arms in Kensington where you can order a sirloin, chicken and lamb rump “to share” for a meagre 4,081 calories Seasonal Tips: • Pack layers and thermos for longer outdoor exploring • After 1st November it will get dark by 4pm so get up and out early • Use heating in cafés and museums as free warming stations • Autumn is known for its harvest so choose produce at markets like Borough • Always carry umbrella for sudden London showers • Wear comfortable waterproof shoes for leaf-covered paths • Check museum late-night openings for shelter during rain • Keep an open mind- you may need to tweak your plans in line with the weather but with a good jacket you may still be able to sit outdoors in some cases. Our verdict: Is Autumn a good time to come to London? Yes! The weather can actually be very mild and city breaks can be uncomfortable during a heat wave. It’s a great time to get away before proper winter. Where should I stay? Our choice would be either near the river or the parks if the outdoor scenes appeal to you and Eldon Chambers is ideal. If you prefer the pre-Christmas retail vibe then perhaps you might prefer Interlude House .
Bloomsbury has a strong academic and literary history and is, of course, home to the British Museum. As you would expect, there are various restaurants catering to tourists that are best avoided if you want a good meal out. Here is our guide to some of the best choices within a 15 minute walk of Virginia House. My Old Dutch is a pancake restaurant on High Holborn. Aside from a multitude of sweet options, they have a surprising selection of savoury options too. If you imagine the sort of toppings you might get on a pizza but instead on a large crêpe then you get the right idea. Absolutely every dish is customisable and they also have a really good salad menu. Reasonably priced. Cocoro on Coptic Street serves hearty bowls of authentic ramen, sashimi and hot pot in an izakaya setting. We love the display food so typical of Japan to help you choose your dish. Flight Club Bloomsbury is more of a social bar that serves food. After a competitive game of darts (yes, darts!) tuck into a sharing platter or a burger. A particularly good spot for groups and located on New Oxford Street. Uzumaki on Gt Russell St is an immersive anime restaurant where you can eat a lovely bowl of brothy ramen, admire the amazing character mural and then exit via the gift shop. Eggslut is just off Tottenham Court Road on Percy Street. It is messy food to eat but the sort of place where you want to eat without conversation so that you can concentrate on the food’s comfort. Everything is set within a sandwich and honestly it’s the best place eat when you are particularly starving. Make your choice and apply to face. The Life Goddess is a Greek deli restaurant on Store Street serving healthy fare such as giant butter beans, kleftiko and crispy liver. A great spot for lunch or dinner with limited outdoor seating. Honey & Co have two local spots; one on Store St and another on Lambs Conduit Street. It offers a modern menu with a Middle Eastern influence. They have a decent breakfast menu and a generous sharing menu for lunch or dinner. Fortitude Bakehouse is not a restaurant and, aside from some sandwiches, they mostly serve delicious pastries and filled doughnuts, sorry, "beignets", in a converted mews garage. All food is to take away and there is some outdoor seating but it’s really very good and has become an internet sensation which is why it is included here. Be prepared to queue unless you get there very early. Located just behind Russell Square underground station. Ciao Bella on Lambs Conduit St is an old fashioned Italian restaurant that has been there for years. It is not the kind of Italian that centres around pizza and pasta but an actual Italian restaurant with actual Italian food on the menu like actual Italians eat.
