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jooky
Jan 15, 2003

I'm going London with some friends soon, and I was hoping for some recommendations for some reasonably priced lunch and dinner spots. We'll be staying in Shoreditch at the Hoxton for most of my trip (Mon-Fri), and at the Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington on Saturday and Sunday. I've looked a few pages back and already gleaned some places that look interesting (Shoryu, Best Mangal, Honest Burger), but I was hoping for some general suggestions for places to eat that won't break the bank for an entire week. Obviously we'll be doing some sightseeing, and we'll be hitting up a lot of museums like the Tate, Science, and Natural History, plus the usual touristy places around Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Tower of London, etc, so any suggestions for restaurants around those places would be wonderful. Curry suggestions in particular would be great, as there seems to be so many of them it'd be hard to make the right choice with out some guidance.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

jooky fucked around with this message at 21:19 on May 3, 2013

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sweat poteto
Feb 16, 2006

Everybody's gotta learn sometime
Rasa (Oxford St or Stoke Newington) for curry. Fernandez & Wells in South Ken for coffee / wine / nibbles. Loads of places central for good coffee.

angelicism
Dec 1, 2004
mmmbop.

I just moved to London from NYC and I'm going to be living in Angel; hopefully you guys can help me out with a couple things.

Specifics: good Korean food (willing to travel a bit from Angel for this); great burgers; places to get solid yakitori; good Brazilian, specifically properly done pão de queijo and picanha, I don't dare hope for açai; good Ethiopian; best place to get afternoon tea given that I'm a wide-eyed American that hasn't had "afternoon tea" and thinks it's a novel idea.

General: a site like nymag.com where I can get restaurant recommendations given a neighborhood, cuisine, and price range, with reasonably consistent reviews (yelp and its equivalents are terrible) for when I want to find someplace new.

Thanks for any help!

powertoiletduck
Feb 19, 2004

dance dance dance

jooky posted:

I'm going London with some friends soon, and I was hoping for some recommendations for some reasonably priced lunch and dinner spots. We'll be staying in Shoreditch at the Hoxton for most of my trip (Mon-Fri), and at the Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington on Saturday and Sunday. I've looked a few pages back and already gleaned some places that look interesting (Shoryu, Best Mangal, Honest Burger), but I was hoping for some general suggestions for places to eat that won't break the bank for an entire week. Obviously we'll be doing some sightseeing, and we'll be hitting up a lot of museums like the Tate, Science, and Natural History, plus the usual touristy places around Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Tower of London, etc, so any suggestions for restaurants around those places would be wonderful. Curry suggestions in particular would be great, as there seems to be so many of them it'd be hard to make the right choice with out some guidance.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!


Mate you're in exactly the right place at the Hoxton. Your nearest tube is Old Street, I live in one of the flats overlooking the roundabout. The London rule that the closer you are to the tube, the worse the bar/pub/shop, is pretty much in full force.

The local great food is Vietnamese. Suggest you look at Cay Tre and then wander up to Kingsland Road for a mile of Vietnamese Restaurants (http://goo.gl/maps/oPL7y). Next to the arches on Kingsland Road is the "Bridge Street Coffee House" which upstairs has the most insane art deco attic I've ever seen. Fully licenced so head there for Turkish delight and Turkish beer/coffee.

Other great local restaurants include a 2 minute walk to Beard to Tail (http://www.beardtotail.co.uk) which is a meat, bourbon and cocktails specialty. Slightly further away but essential dining is Hawksmoor Spitalfields (http://thehawksmoor.com/locations/spitalfields), for mine the best steak in London, but at a price.

To drink later in the evening you're not short of bars - the Hoxton's bar is quite good anyway. In any case try and get a reservation (ask the concierge) at Nightjar (http://www.barnightjar.com/) or turn up early-ish to Happiness Forgets (http://www.happinessforgets.com/) which are both prohibition style downstairs bars with incredible drink menus.

I work pretty crazy hours in a private equity group in Mayfair but always keen to grab a beer in the evening if you want to meet a local.

powertoiletduck fucked around with this message at 01:50 on May 4, 2013

Bollock Monkey
Jan 21, 2007

The Almighty

angelicism posted:

I just moved to London from NYC and I'm going to be living in Angel; hopefully you guys can help me out with a couple things.

Specifics: good Korean food (willing to travel a bit from Angel for this); great burgers; places to get solid yakitori; good Brazilian, specifically properly done pão de queijo and picanha, I don't dare hope for açai; good Ethiopian; best place to get afternoon tea given that I'm a wide-eyed American that hasn't had "afternoon tea" and thinks it's a novel idea.

General: a site like nymag.com where I can get restaurant recommendations given a neighborhood, cuisine, and price range, with reasonably consistent reviews (yelp and its equivalents are terrible) for when I want to find someplace new.

Thanks for any help!

I found this site and it seems like it could be what you're looking for? I also tend to read Time Out and then check those reviews against the ones you find from a quick Google of the restaurant in question and that seems to work out.

Dotori is in Finsbury Park, which is really close to Angel, and whilst I've not been there it has come oft-recommended for Korean/Japanese food. I think Neris might be able to help more with this?

I'm no expert on Ethiopian food, but I went here with a friend who loves it on his recommendation and it was pretty good. There is also a place called Senke in Finsbury Park that seems to be popular.

Primrose Hill, I hear, is a good place to sniff out an afternoon tea, though I personally couldn't recommend anywhere as I, as a boring British person, have also never had it. You can grab a tube directly from Angel to Chalk Farm and explore that area.

Lady Gaza
Nov 20, 2008

Had a really nice lunch at Da Marios in South Ken the other day for my graduation. I found it on the map from this thread but would like to second that recommendation. Good wine, amazing pasta and pizza, not too expensive either.

Kaiho
Dec 2, 2004

The only Ethiopian you need is Gojo in Ladbroke Grove.

peanut-
Feb 17, 2004
Fun Shoe
The Queen of Sheba in KT is still the best Ethiopian I've had in London, and I've tried a lot of them.

Rolled Cabbage
Sep 3, 2006
There are quite a lot of fancy korean places in London (Asadal etc) and the food is nice, but unless you specifically want to go somewhere fancy I would skip them. Lico (little corea) in Chinatown is cheap and tasty and famously offers many dishes with 'mixed vag'. Best place of all is the korean pub in rotherhithe, food is not mindblowing but where else could you have bbq in an edwardian pub with men with dogs onna string drinking fosters (!) and arguing about millwall while you have 3l of makkori. It is amazing!

Also avoid the places off TCR all but one of them is super gross and not worth it. Supermarket is ok if you want to takeaway though.

therattle
Jul 24, 2007
Soiled Meat
Koba and Han-kang are decent Korean places. Both near TCR (Tottenham Court Road). Dotori near Finsbury Park Station is good too.

angelicism
Dec 1, 2004
mmmbop.

Sweet, thanks everyone for the help. I've been mostly craving proper dduk-bokki and bulgogi. Relatedly: is there any Korean/asian supermarket in central-ish London? At some point I'm going to need to bite the bullet and buy a rice cooker and a giant fuckoff bag of rice because I'm too Korean not to have these things. :D

Bollock Monkey
Jan 21, 2007

The Almighty

angelicism posted:

Sweet, thanks everyone for the help. I've been mostly craving proper dduk-bokki and bulgogi. Relatedly: is there any Korean/asian supermarket in central-ish London? At some point I'm going to need to bite the bullet and buy a rice cooker and a giant fuckoff bag of rice because I'm too Korean not to have these things. :D

There are loads in varying sizes dotted around. Here's a quick list of what the Guardian deems to be the best for each specific bit of Asia.

Squibsy
Dec 3, 2005

Not suited, just booted.
College Slice

peanut- posted:

The Queen of Sheba in KT is still the best Ethiopian I've had in London, and I've tried a lot of them.

Glad to hear that one's good. It's on my route into town and I've been eyeing it up since I had some Ethiopian food in Ethiopia (!) last year.

(Yes I'm really bad at actually doing stuff rather than just thinking about it)

EvilMoJoJoJo
Dec 9, 2004

ask me about leaving the cult of black metal and bringing jesus into your life

Job 19:17

angelicism posted:

Sweet, thanks everyone for the help. I've been mostly craving proper dduk-bokki and bulgogi. Relatedly: is there any Korean/asian supermarket in central-ish London? At some point I'm going to need to bite the bullet and buy a rice cooker and a giant fuckoff bag of rice because I'm too Korean not to have these things. :D

No idea if it's authentic, but I liked the bulgogi fries at Kimchi Cult at the Black Heart. (Repeating my recommendation from above because I looove the Black Heart.)

Re afternoon tea: The classic is at the Ritz but it's gonna cost you! The recently reopened Savoy might be worth a look? (Also £££ but eh. it's a once in a lifetime type thing.)

therattle
Jul 24, 2007
Soiled Meat
Dean Street Townhouse is good for afternoon tea, and not super pricey. I imagine the Wolseley and Delauney do good ones too.

Rolled Cabbage
Sep 3, 2006

therattle posted:

Dean Street Townhouse is good for afternoon tea, and not super pricey. I imagine the Wolseley and Delauney do good ones too.

Delauney cafe is not very plush and full of shitey dictator daddy LSE types in the afternoon. Restaurant is very pleasant at lunch, gets a bit suity at dinner, but it's not really a 'proper' afternoon tea. St John's hotel alternative afternoon tea is smashing if they still do it, but not very trad either. Also it's worth checking if wherever you go does refils if you plump for afternoon tea, FYI Ritz doesn't.

I've had tea at Brown's Hotel, very good, (edit: apparently they do refils now), give you samples of your teas as little presents and it has a smashing cocktail bar attached, but you might be out of the window for booking depending on when you're coming to the UK. Fortnum and Mason is very nice as well, very trad and good quality of food, no refills either though. If you want to knock out a two for one and do something cultural the Wallace Collection also had a very good afternoon tea last time I went, be prepared for £££ because the cocktails are amazing but not cheap and you will want them even with afternoon tea.

Rolled Cabbage fucked around with this message at 20:07 on May 5, 2013

Supernova9
Apr 5, 2005

jooky posted:

I'm going London with some friends soon, and I was hoping for some recommendations for some reasonably priced lunch and dinner spots. We'll be staying in Shoreditch at the Hoxton for most of my trip (Mon-Fri), and at the Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington on Saturday and Sunday. I've looked a few pages back and already gleaned some places that look interesting (Shoryu, Best Mangal, Honest Burger), but I was hoping for some general suggestions for places to eat that won't break the bank for an entire week. Obviously we'll be doing some sightseeing, and we'll be hitting up a lot of museums like the Tate, Science, and Natural History, plus the usual touristy places around Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Tower of London, etc, so any suggestions for restaurants around those places would be wonderful. Curry suggestions in particular would be great, as there seems to be so many of them it'd be hard to make the right choice with out some guidance.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I work opposite Best Mangal. It's a kebab takeaway joint, I wouldn't eat it before a significant amount of alcohol.. Go further down towards Shoreditch High Street and Brick Lane for eats.

Bollock Monkey
Jan 21, 2007

The Almighty

EvilMoJoJoJo posted:

No idea if it's authentic, but I liked the bulgogi fries at Kimchi Cult at the Black Heart. (Repeating my recommendation from above because I looove the Black Heart.)

I went there the other day after reading your recommendation and also had the chicken thigh burger. So tender and delicious and mmm, I'll definitely be back for that alone! We shared some kimchi cheesy chips as well, which were also yummy.

angelicism
Dec 1, 2004
mmmbop.

EvilMoJoJoJo posted:

Re afternoon tea: The classic is at the Ritz but it's gonna cost you! The recently reopened Savoy might be worth a look? (Also £££ but eh. it's a once in a lifetime type thing.)

I think I'd prefer to go once to a very "traditional" and up-to-my-expectations tea and spend a pretty penny on it and never do it again, than go someplace that isn't as magically fantastical as I imagine. ;) I'm going to imagine both places also require reservations about a million years in advance?


Bollock Monkey posted:

There are loads in varying sizes dotted around. Here's a quick list of what the Guardian deems to be the best for each specific bit of Asia.

Seems my best bet is heading out to New Malden. I was really hoping it would be a lot longer before I had to figure out how to drive here/get someone to drive me somewhere. Eep. (Yes, I see there is a train but if I'm going to schlep out of London proper I'll likely want to make one large trip.)

angelicism fucked around with this message at 02:22 on May 6, 2013

Bollock Monkey
Jan 21, 2007

The Almighty

angelicism posted:

Seems my best bet is heading out to New Malden. I was really hoping it would be a lot longer before I had to figure out how to drive here/get someone to drive me somewhere. Eep. (Yes, I see there is a train but if I'm going to schlep out of London proper I'll likely want to make one large trip.)

A rice cooker and a giant fuckoff bag of rice will be easily found around Chinatown if you don't want to trek out to New Malden straight away. Also, if you're in Angel, there are a few Asian shops around - for example, there's one on Green Lanes (you can get the 341 bus directly there from Angel) that seems to sell lots of different things from China, Japan and Korea, and the owners are very accommodating so you could always ask them to order anything in that they don't have. They're in the process of expanding their premises at the moment, so it could be worth a look in! Here's a local forum that's talking about it.

Loving Africa Chaps
Dec 3, 2007


We had not left it yet, but when I would wake in the night, I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.

So a little shoutout. My brother is one of the three guys who've taken over a new pub in old street called the three crowns http://www.the3crowns.co.uk/. Open for dinner tomorrow and then breakfast from wednesday. Check it out and let me know what you think!

F E Smith
Aug 15, 2006
And all this because of a newcomer who has just bought a house there next to the cricket ground.
Just to add to the Korean recommendations, Kimchee (http://www.kimchee.uk.com/) is a very popular and casual Korean food joint on High Holborn between Holborn and Chancery Lane on the Central line.

angelicism
Dec 1, 2004
mmmbop.

Bollock Monkey posted:

A rice cooker and a giant fuckoff bag of rice will be easily found around Chinatown if you don't want to trek out to New Malden straight away. Also, if you're in Angel, there are a few Asian shops around - for example, there's one on Green Lanes (you can get the 341 bus directly there from Angel) that seems to sell lots of different things from China, Japan and Korea, and the owners are very accommodating so you could always ask them to order anything in that they don't have. They're in the process of expanding their premises at the moment, so it could be worth a look in! Here's a local forum that's talking about it.

Sweet, it looks like they're likely to have my korean chips and snacks that I can never find in normal shops, too!

Fatty
Sep 13, 2004
Not really fat

angelicism posted:

Sweet, it looks like they're likely to have my korean chips and snacks that I can never find in normal shops, too!

If they don't I think they'll probably be happy to order them. They're a really nice couple.

E: Oops, just noticed Bollock Monkey already mentioned ordering.

jooky
Jan 15, 2003

powertoiletduck posted:

Mate you're in exactly the right place at the Hoxton. Your nearest tube is Old Street, I live in one of the flats overlooking the roundabout. The London rule that the closer you are to the tube, the worse the bar/pub/shop, is pretty much in full force.

The local great food is Vietnamese. Suggest you look at Cay Tre and then wander up to Kingsland Road for a mile of Vietnamese Restaurants (http://goo.gl/maps/oPL7y). Next to the arches on Kingsland Road is the "Bridge Street Coffee House" which upstairs has the most insane art deco attic I've ever seen. Fully licenced so head there for Turkish delight and Turkish beer/coffee.

Other great local restaurants include a 2 minute walk to Beard to Tail (http://www.beardtotail.co.uk) which is a meat, bourbon and cocktails specialty. Slightly further away but essential dining is Hawksmoor Spitalfields (http://thehawksmoor.com/locations/spitalfields), for mine the best steak in London, but at a price.

To drink later in the evening you're not short of bars - the Hoxton's bar is quite good anyway. In any case try and get a reservation (ask the concierge) at Nightjar (http://www.barnightjar.com/) or turn up early-ish to Happiness Forgets (http://www.happinessforgets.com/) which are both prohibition style downstairs bars with incredible drink menus.

I work pretty crazy hours in a private equity group in Mayfair but always keen to grab a beer in the evening if you want to meet a local.

Awesome! Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll definitely be checking some of these places out. I'd definitely be up for grabbing a beer if my friends aren't too put off by meeting someone from the internet. I'll be there all next week so I'll drop you a PM before I leave.

Bollock Monkey
Jan 21, 2007

The Almighty

Fatty posted:

If they don't I think they'll probably be happy to order them. They're a really nice couple.

E: Oops, just noticed Bollock Monkey already mentioned ordering.

You don't have PMs but I was wondering where exactly you're living? Need to get this meet on the go, ha!

Mr. Wiggles
Dec 1, 2003

We are all drinking from the highball glass of ideology.
Delightful supper tonight at Koya - thank you to all who suggested it. Best udon I've had outside of Los Angeles.

therattle
Jul 24, 2007
Soiled Meat

Mr. Wiggles posted:

Delightful supper tonight at Koya - thank you to all who suggested it. Best udon I've had outside of Los Angeles.

Yessss! That's good eatin'. Glad you enjoyed it. Sorry about the lovely weather.

regularizer
Mar 5, 2012

E: What are some good cheapish places to eat around Westminster Bridge? And some good chain places to get takeout/late night.

regularizer fucked around with this message at 19:33 on May 12, 2013

powertoiletduck
Feb 19, 2004

dance dance dance

jooky posted:

Awesome! Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll definitely be checking some of these places out. I'd definitely be up for grabbing a beer if my friends aren't too put off by meeting someone from the internet. I'll be there all next week so I'll drop you a PM before I leave.

No worries mate let me know if you want to grab a beer, no stress if not.

the fart question
Mar 21, 2007

College Slice
L'Entrepot in Hackney (I think) if you want some great wine and good food in a relaxed/vibrant kinda place.
There was a great place I went to quite a while ago now at one end of Broadway market (near the canal) but I can't remember the drat name. Anyway, it was great food, great cocktails, great music and great decor. In summary, great.

Kaiho
Dec 2, 2004

gender illusionist posted:

L'Entrepot in Hackney (I think) if you want some great wine and good food in a relaxed/vibrant kinda place.
There was a great place I went to quite a while ago now at one end of Broadway market (near the canal) but I can't remember the drat name. Anyway, it was great food, great cocktails, great music and great decor. In summary, great.

Off Broadway, I bet.

the fart question
Mar 21, 2007

College Slice

Kaiho posted:

Off Broadway, I bet.

South end of Broadway Market.

Kaiho
Dec 2, 2004

gender illusionist posted:

South end of Broadway Market.

No, I meant the bar called that :D

peanut-
Feb 17, 2004
Fun Shoe
Off Broadway gets points for being the only bar I've been to in London with contactless payment card machines. All bars need those.

Loving Africa Chaps
Dec 3, 2007


We had not left it yet, but when I would wake in the night, I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.

peanut- posted:

Off Broadway gets points for being the only bar I've been to in London with contactless payment card machines. All bars need those.

Kings head in crouch end has them as well. Contactless was made for bars

Neris
Mar 7, 2004

don't you dare use the word 'party' as a verb in this shop
Jesus, and I thought using a debit card instead of cash in bars was a disaster, take the pin element out of it and that's a guaranteed miseryfest on Monday morning for your bank account and your general physical condition!

Kaiho
Dec 2, 2004

Thing is, with the maximum limit on contactless, you can't buy a horrendously expensive round with one.

Or you can always take a bag of cider with you...

Squibsy
Dec 3, 2005

Not suited, just booted.
College Slice
All PINs should be 24 digits long: once you're too inebriated to enter it, you can't drink anymore!

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sweek0
May 22, 2006

Let me fall out the window
With confetti in my hair
Deal out jacks or better
On a blanket by the stairs
I'll tell you all my secrets
But I lie about my past
What would one you recommend as a good place to go for a quick meal before going out in Brixton?
Franco Mana is unfortunately ruled out because I'm going with a celiac friend.

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