Guidebook for London
Food Scene
A shocking name for Italians (Google it) but it is a fun Italian place with huge dishes. Mid priced. Has a sister restaurant in Wapping called Il Bordello also fun but book as it gets busy. Traditional menu and outdoor seating on a terrace with a fountain.
77 locals recommend
La Figa Restaurant
45 Narrow StA shocking name for Italians (Google it) but it is a fun Italian place with huge dishes. Mid priced. Has a sister restaurant in Wapping called Il Bordello also fun but book as it gets busy. Traditional menu and outdoor seating on a terrace with a fountain.
Airy ground floor restaurant in a Canary Wharf tower, for Modern European cooking with a twist.
23 locals recommend
One Canada Square
Airy ground floor restaurant in a Canary Wharf tower, for Modern European cooking with a twist.
Trendy spot for British comfort food run by celebrity chef Tom Aikens, with deli, bar and terrace.
22 locals recommend
Tom's Kitchen Canary Wharf
11 Westferry CircusTrendy spot for British comfort food run by celebrity chef Tom Aikens, with deli, bar and terrace.
Long-standing, white-tablecloth restaurant for traditional Indian cuisine and tandoori specialities.
19 locals recommend
Indiana
129 Salmon LnLong-standing, white-tablecloth restaurant for traditional Indian cuisine and tandoori specialities.
Steakhouse with leather-seated booths, low-hanging pendant lamps and dark wood panelling.
44 locals recommend
Goodman Canary Wharf
3 S Quay SquareSteakhouse with leather-seated booths, low-hanging pendant lamps and dark wood panelling.
Designer furnishings and cowhide fabrics create a lavish backdrop for Argentine food and wine.
53 locals recommend
Gaucho Canary Wharf
29 Westferry CircusDesigner furnishings and cowhide fabrics create a lavish backdrop for Argentine food and wine.
Refined seafood dining with sweeping river views from an elegant and stylish contemporary interior.
54 locals recommend
Smiths of Wapping
22 Wapping High StRefined seafood dining with sweeping river views from an elegant and stylish contemporary interior.
Old-school Italian restaurant with an authentic feel, whitewashed dining room and copper bar.
125 locals recommend
Il Bordello
70 Wapping WallOld-school Italian restaurant with an authentic feel, whitewashed dining room and copper bar.
Perhaps the cheapest English Breakfast on the planet - £4.25 for a full English with tea and toast included. Don’t expect poached eggs, chives and haddock.. And they even do lunch. Closes at 2pm. Lots of local characters, mostly builders filling themselves up for the day ahead. The BEST English mug of tea you can get anywhere.
Anchor Cafe
123 Salmon LnPerhaps the cheapest English Breakfast on the planet - £4.25 for a full English with tea and toast included. Don’t expect poached eggs, chives and haddock.. And they even do lunch. Closes at 2pm. Lots of local characters, mostly builders filling themselves up for the day ahead. The BEST English mug of tea you can get anywhere.
Looks like nothing special but it is the real deal. Avoid any of the other restaurants nearby called Lahore (like the Lahore 2) they are not the genuine article.
They don’t serve alcohol here but you are allowed to take a bottle (or three) and drink it in the restaurant! So that makes it a cheap option ;-)
56 locals recommend
Lahore Kebab House
Umberston StreetLooks like nothing special but it is the real deal. Avoid any of the other restaurants nearby called Lahore (like the Lahore 2) they are not the genuine article.
They don’t serve alcohol here but you are allowed to take a bottle (or three) and drink it in the restaurant! So that makes it a cheap option ;-)
Very characterful, great food and genuine Turkish feel. Huge dishes so be careful.. Local families love it on a Sunday. No alcohol.
101 locals recommend
Rüyam Turkish Restaurant
230 Commercial RdVery characterful, great food and genuine Turkish feel. Huge dishes so be careful.. Local families love it on a Sunday. No alcohol.
A pleasant yurt with coffee and snacks. Good place to relax very near Limehouse DLR station.
23 locals recommend
Yurt Cafe
2 Butcher RowA pleasant yurt with coffee and snacks. Good place to relax very near Limehouse DLR station.
Jewish snacks - mostly smoked salmon and cream cheese or salt beef beigels. These are the genuine article and it’s a characterful shop There is another place almost next door which is said not to be as good. They are both pretty damn fine establishments.
236 locals recommend
Beigel Bake
159 Brick LnJewish snacks - mostly smoked salmon and cream cheese or salt beef beigels. These are the genuine article and it’s a characterful shop There is another place almost next door which is said not to be as good. They are both pretty damn fine establishments.
A bit pricey but high end British Gordon Ramsey fare if you are feeling you want a bit of luxury. I only go here to sit outside and have a beer by the river. A good place for a business meeting.
136 locals recommend
The Narrow - Gordon Ramsay
44 Narrow StA bit pricey but high end British Gordon Ramsey fare if you are feeling you want a bit of luxury. I only go here to sit outside and have a beer by the river. A good place for a business meeting.
The Grapes, right on the river bank, has been a pub for 500 years! Owned by class-act actor Ian McKellan (Gandalf in ‘Lord of the RIngs’) it oozes character. And has a fabulous balcony over the Thames at the back. You can eat bar food downstairs and there is a classier restaurant upstairs. One of my favourite places in the world.
156 locals recommend
The Grapes
153 Milton RdThe Grapes, right on the river bank, has been a pub for 500 years! Owned by class-act actor Ian McKellan (Gandalf in ‘Lord of the RIngs’) it oozes character. And has a fabulous balcony over the Thames at the back. You can eat bar food downstairs and there is a classier restaurant upstairs. One of my favourite places in the world.
Great place for a drink, fabulous views over river. Food is the kind of stuff kids like. A bit so-so but filling.
108 locals recommend
The Prospect of Whitby
57 Wapping WallGreat place for a drink, fabulous views over river. Food is the kind of stuff kids like. A bit so-so but filling.
The Captain Kidd
108 Wapping High StAnother great place for a drink next to the river.
Don’t miss this fabulous place - it is a vintage time machine and superb for a pot of tea and cakes. Seems to have become a hub for writers. Occasionally has fantastic musicians playing Easternish folkishish music. Cretan, Balkan, Armenian…
10 locals recommend
The Vintage Emporium
14 Bacon StreetDon’t miss this fabulous place - it is a vintage time machine and superb for a pot of tea and cakes. Seems to have become a hub for writers. Occasionally has fantastic musicians playing Easternish folkishish music. Cretan, Balkan, Armenian…
Arts & Culture
Georgian sugar warehouse, now home to a museum chronicling London's history as a trading port.
217 locals recommend
Museum of London Docklands
Hertsmere RoadGeorgian sugar warehouse, now home to a museum chronicling London's history as a trading port.
Drinks & Nightlife
Cool Portuguese-themed, hipster and studenty bar. Packed in the evenings, good atmosphere. You get used to the noisy table football players. Eventually.
50 locals recommend
Bar Kick
127 Shoreditch High StCool Portuguese-themed, hipster and studenty bar. Packed in the evenings, good atmosphere. You get used to the noisy table football players. Eventually.
Truly fabulous and historic place, beautifully restored. Where the whole British Music Hall tradition of popular entertainment happened (and has been revived!). Oozing with character it is a great place for a drink and worth going just for the architecture. There is also a rich programme of theatre, music, dance.
162 locals recommend
Wilton's Music Hall
1 Graces AlyTruly fabulous and historic place, beautifully restored. Where the whole British Music Hall tradition of popular entertainment happened (and has been revived!). Oozing with character it is a great place for a drink and worth going just for the architecture. There is also a rich programme of theatre, music, dance.
My favourite place in London for music. A fin de siecle feel in an artists’ colony. Every night there are great bands playing. Thursday is particularly brilliant.
29 locals recommend
Jamboree
566 Cable StMy favourite place in London for music. A fin de siecle feel in an artists’ colony. Every night there are great bands playing. Thursday is particularly brilliant.
A super cool boho-youf rocker place. A beautiful old pub that is destined to be knocked down. Help save it. The owners are brilliant and arty and interesting and they put on some VERY experimental stuff. Open very late and usually FREE!
64 locals recommend
George Tavern
373 Commercial RdA super cool boho-youf rocker place. A beautiful old pub that is destined to be knocked down. Help save it. The owners are brilliant and arty and interesting and they put on some VERY experimental stuff. Open very late and usually FREE!
Best to walk - 20 minutes up the canal from the end of Salmon Lane. A jewel. Empty during the week (but still worth going). Eccentric, old British clientele. Jazz at the weekends. Go for an East End knees-up.
116 locals recommend
The Palm Tree Pub
127 Grove RdBest to walk - 20 minutes up the canal from the end of Salmon Lane. A jewel. Empty during the week (but still worth going). Eccentric, old British clientele. Jazz at the weekends. Go for an East End knees-up.
Sightseeing
Wander round the little port and see the boats. Yachts, Thames barges, canal boats. When London was still a major port, Limehouse basin was an important offloading wharf. You will see the beginnings of the canal system that still can be navigated all the way to Manchester!
56 locals recommend
Limehouse Basin Marina
46 Goodhart PlWander round the little port and see the boats. Yachts, Thames barges, canal boats. When London was still a major port, Limehouse basin was an important offloading wharf. You will see the beginnings of the canal system that still can be navigated all the way to Manchester!
Brick Lane is at the end of Commercial Rd, near Aldgate stop, 15 - 20 minute bus ride. Famous for fabulous graffiti and hipsterdom and Indian/Bangladeshi restaurants. (These restaurants have become a tourist trap and are famously not brilliant. I’d avoid. There are so many great Indian/Bangladeshi restaurants everywhere that are better).
878 locals recommend
Brick Lane
Brick LaneBrick Lane is at the end of Commercial Rd, near Aldgate stop, 15 - 20 minute bus ride. Famous for fabulous graffiti and hipsterdom and Indian/Bangladeshi restaurants. (These restaurants have become a tourist trap and are famously not brilliant. I’d avoid. There are so many great Indian/Bangladeshi restaurants everywhere that are better).
Here you are right next to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. It is more upmarket than my end. There are two great riverside pubs here, The Prospect of Whitby and The Captain Kidd (see listing). You may want to go to the Prospect of Whitby Pub for a drink then walk along Wapping High Street to Tower Bridge via St Catherine Dock.
257 locals recommend
St Katharine Docks Marina
50 St Katharine's WayHere you are right next to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. It is more upmarket than my end. There are two great riverside pubs here, The Prospect of Whitby and The Captain Kidd (see listing). You may want to go to the Prospect of Whitby Pub for a drink then walk along Wapping High Street to Tower Bridge via St Catherine Dock.
A great place to go on a Saturday when the market is open. Fabulous food market, and also has a delicious range of food stalls to have a meal. It is a bit of a walk but a great one - all the way along the canal, past Victoria Park from the end of Salmon Lane. About 30 minutes from the pub, check out the Palm Tree Pub too!
1735 locals recommend
Broadway Market
Broadway MarketA great place to go on a Saturday when the market is open. Fabulous food market, and also has a delicious range of food stalls to have a meal. It is a bit of a walk but a great one - all the way along the canal, past Victoria Park from the end of Salmon Lane. About 30 minutes from the pub, check out the Palm Tree Pub too!