The Holly Bush Pub
+44 020 74352892
22 Holly Mount
London ( United Kingdom )
saved by one person: there is one review
Cosy, historic Hampstead pub
Up a cobbled cul-de-sac, this is a good one to know about. Oddly enough, it rarely features in lists of special London pubs. We got there after every one else had eaten, but by all accounts the food was good. Wine list is fine; there are several snugs hide away in and enjoy it.
ian_forde discovered this service :-)
Scott's Restaurant
+44 020 74957309
20 Mount Street W1K 2HE
London ( United Kingdom )
saved by one person: there is one review
Super Smart
If you've hit upon a mini inheritance, spending an afternoon in Scott's would be a very good way to disburse it. Scott's is part of The Ivy / Le Caprice / J Sheeky group, all quite similar in style and quality; Scott's majors in fish and seafood. It comes in at about £80 a head, but that was for a long, lazy 3 hour lunch with wine, champagne, pudding. Goes without saying that the atmosphere was professional but relaxed, otherwise we'd have felt uncomfortable and been in and out in half the time.
Some people spend their entire careers in places like this. For occasional visitors like us, it was great fun.
ian_forde discovered this service :-)
Retro Bar
+44 020 73212811
2 George Court
London ( United Kingdom )
saved by one person: there is one review
Go!
There are not many bars like this left! Individual, characterful and pints under £3. Retro is gay bar, of the scruffy and friendly ilk; no suits, but creatives and students.
ian_forde discovered this service :-)
Joe Allen
+44 020 78360651
13 Exeter Street
London ( United Kingdom )
saved by one person: there is one review
Acutally, it's OK!
I had always half-avoided Joe Allen's, it's been around for ever and is really known as a thespy hangout. I figured it probably traded on its reputation rather than quality and indeed had only ever heard very wobbly feedback from friends who'd been.
Anyway, the other week I went and it wasn't that bad at all. The menu is really old-fashioned (despite being changed daily); the whole atmosphere is dated in fact. It was probably the pinnacle of louche style when the 1974 Good Housekeeping Cookery Book (on which the menu appears to be based) was published.
But the food was fine, good even. There is an absolute dearth of half-good places to eat around The Strand/Covent Garden and Joe Allen's has unique character, which gives it extra plus points.
ian_forde discovered this service :-)
The European Bookshop
+44 020 77345259
5 Warwick Street
London ( United Kingdom )
saved by one person: there is one review
Whether you're learning a language or feeling homesick
This is a big, smart, professional bookshop in Soho, near Piccadilly. If you're learning a European language, they have a huge range of textbooks, courses, literature, magazines. Likewise, if you're a European in London and you're looking for novels or whatever in your own language, you'll find stuff here.
The ground floor is all (or nearly all) French, downstairs they have the other major European languages, plus sections on everything from Albanian to Uzbek. Staff are friendly and helpful, returns etc not a problem.
The website isn't that good though - doesn't give opening times! From memory, opens at 1000 I think; not sure if open Sundays.
ian_forde discovered this service :-)
categories:
Run and Become
+44 020 72221314
42 Palmer Street
London ( United Kingdom )
saved by one person: there is one review
everything for running
The place to come if you need running shoes or any other gear. Found their service really professional and helpful; it gets busy, but once it's your turn you have your sales assistant's undivided attention until they have found the right product for you. They had me running up and down the street outside in about 8 different pairs until they and I were satisfied I had found the right shoe. And have never had a running injury since! Another time, when I wanted to re-order a new pair, there were none in stock in London. They arranged a delivery from Edinburgh which arrived the next day, at no cost to me.
They also have a whole meditation, Sri Chinmoy thing going on, which I've never quite worked out, but am nevertheless charmed by!
ian_forde discovered this service :-)
Vitaorganic
+44 020 77348986
74 Wardour Street
London ( United Kingdom )
www.vitaorganic.freeserve.co.uk
saved by 2 people: there is one review
Brilliant Macrobiotic
Apparently has been open 2 years, but have never seen it before! Lunch there, though, was a revelation. Super tasty and super healthy. The philosophy behind it may be a bit much for some (all foods are "living or live" -ie. raw to you and me), nothing is cooked above 100'C etc, but the end results are delicious, the range is huge, staff relaxed and friendly etc. Prices go up a bit in the evenings, but still basically cafe prices.
ian_forde discovered this service :-)
Great for racquet sports
This is the best place in London for getting tennis, badminton, squash stuff. I was looking for tennis shoes and had no luck in the usual places like Lillywhites (terrible place) and John Lewis. We made the short trek over here though and got lots of help to choose the right shoes. I thought would all be premium pricing but it wasn't; even better we were in and out in 20mins. Will defo use them again.
ian_forde discovered this service :-)