Kate’s guidebook

Former Member
Kate’s guidebook

Food scene

Voted one of the top 50 bistros in the UK, The Laughing Gravy is one of my favourite local dining spots. I have taken my parents and many other guests there and celebrated a few birthdays with friends there. Recommend booking at least a few days in advance.
24 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Laughing Gravy
154 Blackfriars Rd
24 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Voted one of the top 50 bistros in the UK, The Laughing Gravy is one of my favourite local dining spots. I have taken my parents and many other guests there and celebrated a few birthdays with friends there. Recommend booking at least a few days in advance.
Great brunch spot though rather busy on the weekends.
7 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Balance
42-43 Lower Marsh
7 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Great brunch spot though rather busy on the weekends.
Excellent coffee and some pastries. Very small cafe so best suited to take away but recommend for coffee snobs
9 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Coleman Coffee Roasters
20 Lower Marsh
9 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Excellent coffee and some pastries. Very small cafe so best suited to take away but recommend for coffee snobs
Good brasserie with lovely views of the Thames. Excellent wine list and cocktails.
40 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Skylon
40 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Good brasserie with lovely views of the Thames. Excellent wine list and cocktails.

Groceries

An independent local grocer store with a fantastic butcher, baker, greengrocer and superb selection of cheese and wine. Not the cheapest place to shop but a real treat.
47 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Greensmiths
27 Lower Marsh
47 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
An independent local grocer store with a fantastic butcher, baker, greengrocer and superb selection of cheese and wine. Not the cheapest place to shop but a real treat.

Cocktails and Music

Tucked away beneath Royal Festival Hall, this gem of a music venue has fabulous DJs throughout the week and equally tasty cocktails and food. The interiors are decked out in retro style with a surperb music sound system (even in the bathrooms) so you will enjoy the vibes wherever you sit. Highly recommend.
Spiritland Royal Festival Hall
Belvedere Road
Tucked away beneath Royal Festival Hall, this gem of a music venue has fabulous DJs throughout the week and equally tasty cocktails and food. The interiors are decked out in retro style with a surperb music sound system (even in the bathrooms) so you will enjoy the vibes wherever you sit. Highly recommend.

Sightseeing

Oversize Ferris wheel that is an 8 minute walk from the flat with great views over London. Recommend booking online in advance with specific time slots. Queues can be long.
2099 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Ojo de Londres
2099 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Oversize Ferris wheel that is an 8 minute walk from the flat with great views over London. Recommend booking online in advance with specific time slots. Queues can be long.
Where Royals are married and buried and one of the most famous churches in London. Recommend the Queens Diamond Jubilee galleries - great collection and view of the abbey.
668 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Abadía de Westminster
20 Deans Yd
668 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Where Royals are married and buried and one of the most famous churches in London. Recommend the Queens Diamond Jubilee galleries - great collection and view of the abbey.
Excellent tours by the Yeoman who protect the tower. Opportunity to see the Crown Jewels. Dress warmly if heading there in winter - it’s a lot of standing around outdoors.
1372 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Torre de Londres
1372 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Excellent tours by the Yeoman who protect the tower. Opportunity to see the Crown Jewels. Dress warmly if heading there in winter - it’s a lot of standing around outdoors.
Superb opera and ballet companies based here with variety of different works on at any time. Tickets can be very pricey. Backstage tours are also available and excellent. Highly recommend.
252 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Real Teatro de la Ópera
Bow Street
252 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Superb opera and ballet companies based here with variety of different works on at any time. Tickets can be very pricey. Backstage tours are also available and excellent. Highly recommend.
Suitable for families and Harry Potter enthusiasts. Not been as yet but it comes highly recommended. It’s quite a way out of London so suggest booking with a bus ticket and strongly suggest booking in advance.
102 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Harry Potter Studio Tour station
102 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Suitable for families and Harry Potter enthusiasts. Not been as yet but it comes highly recommended. It’s quite a way out of London so suggest booking with a bus ticket and strongly suggest booking in advance.

Museum and art galleries

Fantastic museum with modern art collections and exhibition. Free entry for the main collections and ticketed exhibitions. Excellent restaurant with views of the Thames from the seventh floor and open late on Friday and Saturday nights.
2008 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Tate Modern
Bankside
2008 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Fantastic museum with modern art collections and exhibition. Free entry for the main collections and ticketed exhibitions. Excellent restaurant with views of the Thames from the seventh floor and open late on Friday and Saturday nights.
One of the best collections of British art including Turners and Pre Raphaelites. Free entry and about a thirty minute walk from the flat.
656 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Tate Britain
Millbank
656 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
One of the best collections of British art including Turners and Pre Raphaelites. Free entry and about a thirty minute walk from the flat.
Overlooking Trafalgar Square, it’s one of the world’s best art collections. And it’s free entry. Highly recommend.
796 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
La Galería Nacional
Trafalgar Square
796 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Overlooking Trafalgar Square, it’s one of the world’s best art collections. And it’s free entry. Highly recommend.
Next to the National Gallery, this charming gallery has wonderful exhibitions including national portrait prize.
353 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Galería Nacional de Retratos
Saint Martin's Place
353 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Next to the National Gallery, this charming gallery has wonderful exhibitions including national portrait prize.
Glitzy, big building which is home to the royal family. Tours are possible when they are away (usually summer months).
1912 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Palacio de Buckingham
1912 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Glitzy, big building which is home to the royal family. Tours are possible when they are away (usually summer months).
Excellent views from the top of this building and free entry, though you need to book in advance. Also has a few restaurants at the top - recommend Fenchurch Terrace. Better view than the Shard as it’s not so high up.
300 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sky Garden
300 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Excellent views from the top of this building and free entry, though you need to book in advance. Also has a few restaurants at the top - recommend Fenchurch Terrace. Better view than the Shard as it’s not so high up.
British brutalist estate with art gallery, cinema and theatre/music space. Highly recommend for architecture enthusiasts. Tours are available as well and very good.
509 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Centro Barbican
Silk Street
509 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
British brutalist estate with art gallery, cinema and theatre/music space. Highly recommend for architecture enthusiasts. Tours are available as well and very good.
One of the worlds best collections including the Rosetta Stone. Free entry with paid exhibitions which vary in quality. Very crowded at main entrance. There is a smaller, faster entrance at the back of the museum.
1546 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Museo Británico
Great Russell Street
1546 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
One of the worlds best collections including the Rosetta Stone. Free entry with paid exhibitions which vary in quality. Very crowded at main entrance. There is a smaller, faster entrance at the back of the museum.

Neighbourhoods

Famous area of London with great history that is now hidden beneath lots of stores. Worth wandering around though and lots of great restaurants on Henrietta St and in Neals Yard.
955 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Covent Garden
41 James St
955 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Famous area of London with great history that is now hidden beneath lots of stores. Worth wandering around though and lots of great restaurants on Henrietta St and in Neals Yard.
Once London’s red light district, it’s now more mainstream though there are still a few seedier places. Lots of clubs, bars and restaurants. Shaftesbury Avenue is also home to many West End Theatres.
576 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Soho
576 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Once London’s red light district, it’s now more mainstream though there are still a few seedier places. Lots of clubs, bars and restaurants. Shaftesbury Avenue is also home to many West End Theatres.

Consejos para la ciudad

Facilidad para moverse por la casa

Download Citymapper app to navigate London

London has a lot of different transport options but not all are equal or easy. Citymapper app is incredibly easy to use and very useful in helping plan journeys including how long they take at certain times and cost, as fares vary depending on the time of day. It also works in a lot of other cities around the world.
Antes de que te vayas

Theatre tickets

If you’d like to see a show in London’s West End, there are plenty of websites that sell tickets. I recommend Today’s Tix app as you can get great discounted tickets. Note - Hamilton is showing at a theatre in Victoria, at the Victoria Palace Theatre, not the West End so leave extra time to get there.