There are so many places to eat out in London that even Londoners struggle to choose where to dine. We’ve asked our London colleagues where their favourites are, so we can share with you their insider tips. London sent through their suggestions in meal order, so we’ll start with breakfast and work our way through to evening drinks.For the first meal of the day we have a few recommendations, the first being the Cosy Café in Ardleigh Green, Hornchurch. Now there are many cafes in the area ideal for breakfast, but what makes this one special, bar it’s outstanding food, is the fact that Ed Sheeran recently stopped in for breakfast. Aside from celebrity spotting in cafes, for breakfast or brunch we also recommend Hoi Paloi, who serve a wicked array of cereals, fruit plates, eggs and more. For something a little sweeter in the morning, the Electric Diner offers classic American waffles, or the Breakfast Club has a full range of pancakes, savoury and sweet.
When it comes to lunch, people seemed to veer more towards the street, with plenty of markets featuring on the list. Maltby and Borough were mentioned, with the latter mentioned multiple times as somewhere to find plenty of relatively cheap but tasty food. Maltby is a little more specialised, with cult brands such as Little Bird Gin, Waffle On and Bad Brownie all featuring highly on our list of must tries. Duck & Waffle were mentioned multiple times, with some enjoying the views of London from its 40th floor windows during the day, whilst others prefer it later, when it’s all lit up.
Afternoon tea in London is most definitely the thing to do. Whether you go classic and sip tea and nibble on finger sandwiches and classic pastries at The Ritz, or go quirky at the Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea at the Sanderson Hotel. If you want comfy and cosy, The Tea Rooms are bedecked in bunting and home to vintage china or for something with some scientific magic behind it, head to the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea at One Aldwych.
Dinner had the most recommendations, with plenty of unusual dining concepts cropping up, but we’ll get to those. First we’ll start with those with a love of all things steak. If you’re on a budget, Flat Iron is your best bet, but for those with the cash, Hawksmoor is simply flawless, a favourite of a majority of the office. Second we’ll mention the plethora of Michelin-starred restaurants you’ll find scattered across the city, each offering eclectic menus and outstanding dishes. Now, back to the unique dining experiences… Dans Le Noir offers you the opportunity to dine entirely in the dark, said to raise the awareness of the other senses, it’s a must-do. Circus London and Bob Bob Ricard offer two very different experiences. The first allows you to dine with a live circus show featuring trapeze artists, fire performers and acrobats, whilst the second is luxury dining room, styled like an old railway car and featuring a button simply to order Champagne.
