Five of the best kept secret eateries in London

If you’re tired of the restaurant chains and desperately need to get away from the crowded tourist hotspots of London, you’ll be pleased to learn that there are a wealth of hidden treasures tucked away exclusively for those in the know. From ultra-cool hipster hideaways to quaint and quirky bistros, check out some of the best (secret) eateries in the capital with Show & Stay.

Phat Phuc Noodle Bar, Chelsea

Get your mind out of the gutter; this is not the haunt of some grammatically-challenged chav. For those of us that are cultured and/or fluent in Vietnamese, Phat Phuc (pronounced as it’s spelled) translates to Happy Buddha. And very happy you’ll be once you’ve tasted this delicious Vietnamese food from this fantastic outdoor canteen. Pho noodle soup, a traditional Vietnamese dish, is the plat du jour. It’s a rich and nutritious broth packed with as much flavour as there are vitamins. So swing by, chow down and bon appetit, or more specifically chúc mọi người ăn ngon miệng if you’re Vietnamese.

The Seagrass, Islington

What’s a trip to London without sampling some traditional tucker from the capital? The Seagrass in Islington is a trendy little jaunt that’s affectionately adapted into somewhat of a semi-permanent pop-up. What’s more, it’s BYOB. Yes, that’s ‘bring your own bottle’, a notion often unheard of in today’s society of house wine and meal deals. So nab your favourite bottle of plonk, pull up a pew and enjoy some gorgeous gourmet food with a cockney infusion.

Upstairs Bar and Restaurant, Brixton

A delectable little bijou bar and restaurant, Upstairs is simply wonderful and an absolute must when wanting to enjoy super sumptuous food in the capital. This gastronomic taste sensation takes place in a fantastically designed little flat in London’s trendy Brixton. The food is seasonal and a new menu is selected every two weeks. It can be a little pricey, but every calorie of your meal is worth every single penny you splurge. Be sure to book ahead though as this tremendously tiny treasure is becoming increasingly popular.

Fifteen Street Eats, Hoxton

It seems that most celebrity chefs have trendy restaurants dotted all over the place, like The Fat Duck by Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen to name but a few. Of course you can’t mention TV chefs without the excitable Jamie Oliver, where his amazing Fifteen has long been a hip and happening eatery for yuppies and trendsetters alike. However, the thrifty and not so cool aren’t to be neglected, as you can enjoy Jamie Oliver’s famous pucker tucker for just £5 at Fifteen Street Eats, Monday to Friday at Westland Place. This is the ideal way to grab that gastro-winter-warmer when lunch is on the go!

Paul Rothe & Son, Marylebone

This deli-come-café-come-grocery-store has been under the patronage of the Rothe family for  four generations; a family business that’s been running for over one hundred and twelve years. With an air of pleasant nostalgia and a fond homage to days gone by, the shopkeepers wear white overalls, the shelves are stacked with delicious jams and condiments and customer service is second to none, all of which make this exceptional eatery a charming little find in the heart of busy London. The father and son are reputedly ever-welcoming and known amongst the local community for being especially helpful and most accommodating to their patrons. When in the area, pop in, say hello and enjoy a perfect spot of tea and a caramel slice.

Many thanks for these quirky alternatives brought to you by Show & Stay, the UK’s best site for theatre breaks in London.

Photo credits: The Seagrass Restaurant, Upstairs, Brixton by linniekin, Jamie’s Fifteen by Eilam Gil, and Paul Rothe & Son by tiredoflondon, Phat Phuc noodle bar by Mirca23

More delicious food articles:

Veggie delights – Four favourite vegetarian restaurants in Brighton
From Cold War Canteen to Literary Salon – Five great places to eat out in Budapest
A guide to savouring the food of Cyprus

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com - Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

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London on a Budget – find out what you can do for free

Although the Olympics are starting to become somewhat of a distant memory, the resulting respect for our capital city is still strong. If you felt like you missed out on a trip to London last year, don’t let the lack of sporting events in 2013 put you off – even with a small budget you can still enjoy the best the city has to offer. Here are our top tips for sampling the delights of London on a budget!

Free Museums and Galleries in London

Despite being classed as an expensive city, many people fail to remember the amount of activities you can actually do for nothing. Not even taking into account the endless number of parks or great architecture – there are loads of museums and galleries you can enjoy without having to pay a single penny. Although small donations are often encouraged, the National Gallery, Science Museum, Natural History Museum and the British Museum are all completely free to enter.

 Eat at local food markets

Although an affordable meal in London is easy to find, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be an enjoyable one. If you’ve had your fill of pizza chains and high street clones but can’t afford a step up in price (and quality), try checking out the growing trend in street food. With places like Borough Market and Whitecross Street Markets selling affordable but downright delicious grub, it could also be your chance to sample some new and worldly cuisine.

Search for sightseeing passes

If you are interested in visiting some of London’s famous tourist spots, think about investing in a pass to help save you money on entrance fees. With some passes allowing you access to over sixty different tourist attractions, if you’re planning on being a real culture vulture, it can end up being a real cost effective option. Alternatively, if you’re only interested in visiting a few select places, search for specific discount vouchers online. For example, despite its location outside of the centre of London, Kew Gardens is one of the best destinations around; with Virgin Experience days discounts you could now take advantage of a three course meal and entrance-fee combination for less than a hundred pounds.

Alternatives to the West End shows

Although many people are drawn to the bright lights of the West End, it’s likely to be a lot more expensive than elsewhere in the city. Unless you’re paying a visit to the best eateries in Soho (and there are some real gems) we’d suggest getting your theatre fix somewhere a little off the beaten track. Instead of paying out for tickets to a musical, try searching for tickets to a play at somewhere like the Leicester Square Theatre or even for a show in the comedy circuit. That way, you’ll avoid the big price tag and still be able to enjoy a slice of great entertainment.

Whatever you fancy doing whilst in London, there are many ways to avoid constantly paying out. By simply being a bit astute about where you spend your money, you could end up enjoying a trip to remember!

These tips on visiting London on a budget were brought to you by MyVoucherCodes, providing discount vouchers for restaurants, hotels and things to see around the UK

More information about the free places in London mentioned in this article

The National Gallery Website
The Natural History Museum Website
The Science Museum Website
The British Museum Website
Borough Market Website
Kew Gardens Website

More things to do in London

High in the Treetops at Kew Gardens
Your guide to the vintage markets of London
Three great ways to spend a day in London

Photos Credit: London Theaterland by Llamnudds on Flickr other photos by Heatheronhertravels.com

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com - Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

You’ll also find our sister blog with tips on how to build a successful travel blog at My Blogging Journey

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Walking by the Thames: London’s Crown Jewel

With the focus firmly on London and the 2012 Olympics this summer why not take a few hours to discover some well-known and some not so well known gems along the river Thames?

London’s South Bank

You can walk along the river from the London Eye to HMS Belfast in about 45 minutes.

EDF Energy London Eye

The 135-metre high observation wheel has been an iconic part of London’s landscape since 1999 and carries approximately 15,000 passengers every day. There are 32 pods on the eye with each one representing one of the London Boroughs. The views from the London Eye are spectacular on a clear day and you can see as far as Windsor Castle-approximately 25 miles away!
During the Olympics the London Eye will be open for late night rides until midnight for those that want to get a bird’s eye view of London during what is set to be an amazing three weeks. London Eye website

South Bank Centre

The South Bank, at twice the size of the New York’s Lincoln Center, is one of the largest centres in the world. It encompasses the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Hayward Gallery, the Purcell Room and the Saison Poetry Library. The Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue that hosts various music and dance performances daily while the Hayward Gallery is one of London’s main venues for large classical and contemporary art exhibitions. It is free to enter the South Bank Centre building and worthwhile just to sit with a coffee and soak up some cultured atmosphere in the foyer. South Bank Centre website

HMS Belfast

Originally a war ship, HMS Belfast is now a floating naval museum operated by the Imperial War Museum. Originally built in Belfast, the ship played a key role during World War II leading the ‘D Day’ landings at Normandy and was retired from service in 1963. The museum consists of nine decks and is split into three sections; life on board, inner workings and life at war. You can experience what life was like on board including the gun turret and the cramped living spaces. HMS Belfast website

London’s North Bank

You can walk along the river from Cleopatra’s Needle to Inner Temple Gardens in about 15 minutes.

Cleopatra’s Needle

Standing at 60 feet high this monument is pretty hard to miss. It is known as Cleopatra’s Needle as it was brought to London from Alexandria, Cleopatra’s Royal City, in 1819 although it dates back to 1475 B.C. The monument has earned its place on Victoria Embankment as it endured a terrible sea journey and was cast adrift in a storm and nearly sank. Six men died trying to save it and their names are commemorated on one of the plaques at the base. When the needle was erected in 1878 a time capsule was buried underneath it containing among other things; photographs of the 12 best looking women of the time, a box of cigars, a map of London and a portrait of Queen Victoria.

Somerset House

The Duke of Somerset, Edward Seymour, built Somerset House in 1551, however he was executed on the grounds of treason a year later and Somerset House was seized by the Crown. The palace was home to Princess Elizabeth I before she was crowned Queen Elizabeth I in 1558 and also 3 further queens including Anne of Denmark, Henrietta Maria and Catherine of Braganza.
The building currently houses the Royal Academy of Arts as well as having a packed programme of events including exhibitions, family workshops, an ice skating rink in winter and it is also the home to London Fashion. For a special occasion ‘Tom’s Terrace’ named after Michelin starred chef Tom Aikens, is an al fresco bar set on an 18th century terrace of Somerset House. It provides stunning views over the Thames and is lit at night with funky coloured lights. Somerset House website

Inner Temple Gardens

Inner Temple Gardens are joined to the Inner Temple, home to the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, one of the four Inns of Court. (To practice as a barrister in England & Wales one must belong to one of these Inns) The gardens were noted for their roses and William Shakespeare claimed that the War of the Roses started here. The gardens are open Monday-Friday from 12.30 until 3.00 pm. Inner Temple website

If you want to find out more about the history of London’s riverside landmarks, including those mentioned, ‘The Thames: London’s Crown Jewel’ is a great interactive iPad App that explores the Thames from Chelsea to Tower Bridge. Its features include bite size informative text, visual table of contents, 90 stunning full screen images, music, audio and timelapse videos of the river. It is available on iPad and costs £1.99 with 50% of profits going to the Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation.

Download the app from i-Tunes: The Thames: London’s Crown Jewel

Photo Credits: The London Eye by ilovebutter, HMS Belfast by iambents, Somerset House by JP, Inner Temple Gardens by RachelH_

www.flickr.com heatheronhertravels’ London – South Bank photoset

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com - Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

You’ll also find our sister blog with tips on how to build a successful travel blog at My Blogging Journey

 Don’t miss out – subscribe to Heather on her travels

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