Central London W1 Eating and Restaurants

by chris
October 21, 2012
in Bars & Clubs, Destinations, London, Restaurants, United Kingdom
2

Central London W1
Eating and Restaurants

The deceptive entrance to Soho’s restaurant of the moment, La Bodega Negra

Central London – Where to Eat – Day
There are literally thousands of places to eat and drink in central London. It was a very tricky task dwindling the choice down to just a few restaurants. So bearing this in mind here is TheStyleTraveller’s choice of the best London fashion hotspots to eat and drink.

Breakfast and Brunch
The Riding House Cafe, located helpfully on Riding House Street (just a few blocks behind the Topshop Flagship) is the fashionistas breakfast hang-out du jour. Enjoy smoothies in retro milk bottles and avocado on toast with fresh chilli, in the diner/school dinner hall interior.

The Wolseley and The Delaunay

The Wolseley is the refined fashionistas choice for an early morning tete a tete. Full to the decadent chandelier covered rafters, with fashion editors and LA celebs who are staying next door at the Ritz, the atmosphere is always buzzing. I recommend the sweet pancakes with fruit and maple syrup. The Delauney, just off the Strand is the newer sister restaurant to The Wolseley. The interior is reminiscent of a 1930’s first-class-train-carriage, dining here makes you feel like you’re part of an iconic Hollywood movie set. The Delauney is great for breakfast but also try the schnitzel at lunch.

Automat

American style luxury diner on Mayfair’s trendy Dover Street. Tuck into a huge New York sized portions. You have to try the poached eggs and home fries, with a touch of paprika to give your morning a kick start!

Apple tea anyone?

Lunch on a budget
In the heart of media land, surrounded by TV, magazine and publishing houses, Comptoir Libanais has just opened its latest restaurant in Soho. It’s the fashion girls choice (Other than Leon and Itsu of course!) for a quick cheap lunch. Its location just off Carnaby Street is perfect for style traveller tourists checking out the area too.

Delis

Refurbished last year to reinstate its original pre war decor, Lina Stores is the quintessential Soho Italian deli. They’ve just opened a second cafe in The Photographer’s Gallery. You must try the pumpkin ravioli! And one for the international followers of my blog, you cant leave London without the obligatory coffee at the iconic Bar Italia. It’s a great place for a post partying panini and expresso, as you watch the Soho party scene unfold around you.

Disco balls and seafood at Randall & Aubin

Champagne and Oysters

I’m a huge champagne and oyster fan and Randall & Aubin is the first place I went to in Soho when I moved to London. It still serves up delicious fresh seafood accompanied by a thumping house music playlist and a mirror ball on the ceiling!

Where to Eat – Evening

Cardboard art installations at La Bodega Negra

La Bodega Negra is London’s A-list restaurant of the moment! Fiery traditional Mexican dishes given a fresh healthy spin. Try the melt-in-your-mouth tuna ceviche, accompanied by the best frozen margaritas in town. Be warned though, it’s London’s hot ticket right now, so you may have to call in some favours to get a table (or just book well in advance!)… Oh and you have to find it too. Here’s a tip…if it looks like you’re walking into a restaurant, you’re in the wrong place!

Nobu Berkeley
An oldie but a goodie. Mayfairs celeb friendly Nobu Berkeley is my favourite restaurant in town. There’s more atmosphere at the Berkeley Street restaurant, than at its minimal sister restaurant at the Metropolitan Hotel, but the black cod in miso (obvious, I know!!), shrimp tempura and lychee martinis at both, are to die for!

Hotdogs and champagne anyone?

Bubbledogs

Eight pages of champagne and alcohol on the menu verses one page of hotdogs. Bubbledogs is a quirky new addition to the Charlotte Street area. As is the trend with many of London’s ‘cool’ new restaurants, you can’t book. The atmosphere is perfect for a pre-partying dinner. Not great for vegetarians I’m afraid, but spot on for meat-eating hot-dog lovers! And most of all, it’s quick, cheap and fun, so after dinner you can sample some of the bars and pubs Fitzrovia has to offer.

Burger & Lobster

With a new restaurant planned in Clerkenwell later this year, B&L Dean Street is the latest venture from the ever expanding Burger & Lobster franchise. Again there’s a no table booking policy, but it’s in the heart of Soho and right opposite Dean Street Town House so need to worry if it’s packed. As the name suggests the menu is a choice of the most ludicrously tasty Lobster in brioche or a succulent beef burger, both served with salad and fries. Both choices are £20 and utterly delicious!

And if none of the restaurants above tickle your taste buds, (gosh you’re hard to please!!) some other firm fashion favourites you might want to look into are:

More Fashion, Fun and frivolous – Spuntino, Momo’s, Bob Bob Ricards, Roka, Yauatcha.

Old School and Grown Up – The Ivy, J Sheekey, Scott’s, Le Petit Maison.

Areas filled with restaurants – Market Place, St Christopher’s Place and Heddon Street. Chain-y but you wont blow the budget!