Classics where to eat (successfully) in London

Times have changed a lot since more than a century ago Julio Camba wrote from the British capital that “

the pleasure of the table does not exist here, and, at noon, the city of London eats standing up.”

A traditional cultural destination, the city has become one of the great gastronomic capitals in recent years. Taking advantage of the fact that the British capital's marathon is close - it will be held on April 21 - we review some of the best places to eat there.

To talk about British cuisine is to talk about two chefs who have valued the country's gastronomy and taken it to new heights over recent decades. In the heart of London's Soho, very close to the National Gallery and the London Transport Museum

is the elegant Quo Vadis. Led by Jeremy Lee, the charming Scottish chef changes his menu often and uses local and seasonal ingredients. The nods to British cuisine are constant, but always looking towards the continent. Dishes such as terrine of chicken, cabbage and bacon with pickled figs, or onglet with apples, pickled walnuts, watercress and horseradish sauce appear on his latest menu. It is worth saving room for desserts, especially those that feature fruits, such as pistachio tart with peaches and raspberries. Prices range from £10 for the soup of the day to £40 for some main dishes.

Fergus Henderson, co-founder of the gastronomic temple that is the St. John restaurant, managed to generate interest in offal and thus start a conversation about how to use all the parts of an animal. Recognized globally and champion of the “nose

-to-

tail” movement ( like his cult book published in 1999), in his restaurants—he currently has three, in addition to several bakeries—you can breathe the simplicity of things well done. The decoration is sober, wood and white tablecloths, and the service is close. If there is a dish that you absolutely have to try, it is roasted bone marrow with parsley salad. The menu changes - the prices of the main dishes range from 11 to 30 pounds - but that dish always remains. The wine selection is extensive in whites and reds – with options by the glass – and is up to par with what you would expect. His first restaurant (26 St. John Street) is the best to visit after stopping by the Barbican Center or the Museum of London, as you can walk from both. And of course, his desserts, from the Eton mess – a traditional mixture of strawberries, pieces of meringue and cream – to the cheese plate or his famous madeleines, deserve a chapter of their own.

One could visit the British Museum every week and discover something new with each visit. With a vast collection spanning two million years of human history—including the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures, and the bust of Ramses II—a single day is often not enough for this museum of museums. Located in the stately Bloomsbury neighborhood, there are several options worth trying to eat near it.

Honey & Co is a restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern food founded by two Israeli chefs who have normalized the use of spices such as

sumac

or

zaatar

in British culture. Flooded with natural light and with a very Mediterranean decor, the atmosphere is casual and the menu includes dishes such as

koftas

(£24) stuffed with feta, and

shawarma (

£25

)

, as well as classic starters from their repertoire, such as hummus (£11, 5 pounds) and

labneh

.

Wine lovers must visit Noble Rot, a cult restaurant where you can enjoy a glass of wine at the bar or a full meal in the dining room. The menu of the day is a great option (two courses, £22; 3 courses, £26 without pairing). The wine list is very extensive, almost 40 pages divided by wine regions where France dominates and dozens of wines to try by the glass. The first restaurant – they now have three – is located on Lamb's Conduit, like the previous one, one of the most charming streets in the city.

Anna Tobias is a young chef who, after completing her studies at Oxford, worked in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the British capital, including The River Café, or less established but equally recommended kitchens like 40 Maltby Street. Café Deco is her first restaurant. With a simple, slightly Wes

Andersonian

decoration

, the room is small, and you can eat both at the bar and at the tables, as well as on a small outdoor terrace. Its cuisine is often described as modern European, and the menu offers recognizable dishes executed with mastery, roast lamb with broccoli, parsley and anchovy sauce, lobster and

cannellini

beans with tomato and basil or pork tub and game meat with toast are some of the options. There are starters from £10 and mains from £21.

Master Wei is an informal Chinese street food restaurant, specifically in the city of Xián. They accept reservations although there is usually a lot of movement and it is not very difficult to get a table. They have interior space and a relatively large terrace by London standards and the recommendation is to try the house specialty, the delicious Biangbiang noodles (there are meat ones and also vegetarian ones), which chef Guirong Wei, a specialist in them, prepares daily from scratch in the restaurant.

South Kensington is one of the most exclusive postcodes in the city, and that is where one of the cultural routes most followed by tourists is, since you can visit the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. in a single trip. Not far from the Natural History Museum is one of the several locations that Dishoom has in London, the restaurant that promises to take you to Bombay, has in London. Decorated as if it were an old Iranian cafe in the Indian city, entering Dishoom is to feel like you are part of a movie made a long time ago. The house special is the

Nihari biryan

i, lamb with rice and caramelized onions. The menu includes small plates - samosas, paus - as well as classics of Indian cuisine such as

roti rolls

,

daals

and

curries

and a good selection of vegetarian options. There are mains from about 12 pounds.

Another good option in Kensington is Daquise. Polish emigration in London is significant and this restaurant is one of the best options to try the cuisine of that country. Located next to the South Kensington tube stop and founded in 1947, rumors say that it was one of the favorite restaurants of Cold War spies. The room retains that air of another time and the waiters' outfits reinforce it. The menu offers typical dishes of Polish cuisine, such as soups (

zurek, barscz

), Polish-style deviled eggs or pork loin with honey-mustard sauce and gnocchi.

The Tate Modern is a must-see, not only for the content, but also for the continent, a magnificent work of architecture signed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and redesigned by Herzog & de Meuron, and one of the most recognizable buildings in the capital. The ideal thing is to approach it from Saint Paul's Cathedral, crossing the Calatrava Millennium Bridge, and take the opportunity to get to know the not-so-frequented southern bank of the Thames. With Borough Market just ten minutes away, options for eating anything quick and delicious abound. There you can try the baos that revolutionized the London gastronomic scene just five years ago (Bao Borough). For a quieter meal, the recently opened Lasdun is a perfect choice. Located on the Southbank, inside the Royal National Theatre, a jewel of Brutalist architecture designed by the architect of the same name, this elegant restaurant offers a pre-theatre menu (2 courses, £32; 3 courses, £38 without pairing), in addition to the letter. Fish soup, a tub of guinea fowl with pear or chicken, leek and mushroom empanada are some of the options. When booking it is worth asking for a table with a view of the river.

Another recommendation on the Southbank is The Anchor & Hope, a very special gastropub that also has an interesting list of biodynamic wines and craft beers. If you can arrange your visit on a Sunday, it is advisable to try the

Sunday roast

, the classic comingo roast that they prepare to perfection.

The Royal Academy of Arts is one of those institutions that always leaves a good taste in your mouth and its central location means there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. Sometimes, when traveling, you want to eat recognizable food and have a break from foreign flavors. Welshman Tomos Parry's restaurant, Mountain, with a menu highly inspired by Spanish gastronomy, offers precisely that: recognizable flavors, executed to perfection, with a product of the highest quality. Located just a ten-minute walk from the museum, divided into two floors, flooded with natural light, the restaurant has several spaces and you can eat both at the bar and at the table. The ovens and kitchen are visible to diners, a complete statement of intent. Dishes such as roast cockles, lamb chops, squid with roasted peppers (£21), seafood stews - lobster, £90 for 3 people - or ensaimadas for dessert (£9) make up a very attractive menu. One of the dishes that is difficult to forget is a starter, the homemade walnut bread with peaches and bottarga.

Brasserie Zédel is a classic on the London dining scene. This French restaurant located in the heart of Piccadilly impresses with the vastness of its

art-deco

style room where marble and gold details reign supreme. Despite its opulent appearance, prices are very modest for central London, with a 2-course menu for £16.95 or 3 courses for £19.75. The menu includes French bistro classics, from spinach quiche to onion soup or rabbit rillettes and pork liver tub to frog legs with garlic butter.

The Photographers Gallery, a paradise for photography lovers, is located very close to both as well, next to Oxford Circus. And there, a stone's throw away is Rovi, the restaurant with which the famous chef Ottolenghi consecrated his mastery of vegetables, fermented foods and grilled cuisine. The room, which has space for almost 100 diners, has a central bar where you can watch the specialists create the spectacular cocktails they serve. In addition to the main dishes, the menu offers small plates to share that include meat and fish, but in which vegetables take priority. Grilled cucumbers with tahini and shiso, cauliflower with hazelnut cream or roasted beets with coffee, pickled tomatoes and chilli sauce are some of the options.