In four weeks I’m taking a little holiday across the pond and I’m dying for your tips! We’ll be staying a few nights at Shoreditch House and a few at the Dean Street Townhouse (prepare yourself for the epic Anglo-spired instagrams!) and I can’t wait to explore all the lively little pockets of London. Do you have any suggestions for museums/boutiques/pubs that can’t be missed…? These photos of Kate Moss from the Spring 2000 Burberry campaign remind me why I’ve always been madly in love with all things British. I can’t wait to read your London suggestions! God save the queen! xx
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You’re going to have such a fantastic time, Katie! I just returned from ten weeks working in London and will be moving there full time next year, so I am always so happy to share my favorite city with fellow Anglophiles. While you’re at the Dean Street Townhouse, try Burger and Lobster across the street for a fun, casual dinner. Definitely go shopping at Liberty, too–it’s a great place for gifts for friends and family (and yourself!) and it is so British it hurts. Shoreditch House is right by one of my favorite restaurants in London, Dishoom. If you like Indian food, don’t miss it, and definitely try the chocolate chai! Pizza East is also a must for delicious thin crust pizzas, wine on tap, and fantastic industrial-chic interior decor. As for museums, the Victoria and Albert is my favorite, and I have a feeling it would be right up your alley. They also have the best museum cafe I have ever seen–you must go there! Swipe one of their William Morris to-go cups for me!
Have an amazing time–can’t wait to see those Instagrams!
x Eileen
You must check out The Cock, great old victorian pub! Not far from Oxford Circus.
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Shopping on Marylebone. Sadly I haven’t been in a few years, wish I had more (some) great spots for you to check out. You should touch base with Jane http://simple-pretty.com, she’s sure to know where to go!
Eileen – This is SO helpful! Thank you! Adding them all to my itinerary, pizza and Indian food, my kind of list!
Allison – Ohhh yes, I have heard good things about Marylebone! Must explore, thank you!
Katie – London is an amazing city and you will have the best time! I’m an American who has lived in London for 5 years. Check out Modern Pantry for delicious brunch, lunch or dinner. Pentreath & Hall stocks unique items to lust over. My favorite museums are the Tate Modern and the National Portrait Gallery. Old Spitalfields Market has an antiques and vintage market on Thursdays. It’s not far from Shoreditch House and Pizza East. While you’re at Spitalfields, Meson Los Barriles is great for Spanish tapas at a reasonable price. If you have time, head up to my neck of the woods and visit Hampstead Heath. It’s an enormous open green space and has spectacular views over London from Parliament Hill. Kenwood House is worth visiting and there is no charge. The Spaniards Inn is at the top of the Heath and is one of the best pubs in the area. It was opened in 1585 and has connections with Dickens, Byron and Keats. Enjoy your trip!
So exciting! I adore England! I only spent a few days in London myself, and the best thing to do is just wander through the city, pop into old pubs for a pint, walk along the Thames, indulge in an afternoon High Tea, peruse Portobello Road Market and enjoy the insanely good collections at London’s many FREE museums.
There is plenty to do and see in London but if you find yourself craving a quick day trip, Cambridge is only an hour away by train. I spent a summer studying abroad at Cambridge University and it is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I desperately miss those cobblestone streets, the open air market in the center of town, the quaint little shops and those ancient stone college buildings. (Pembroke College, where I stayed, was built before Columbus even came to America!).
Hi Katie,
You’re going to have so much fun!! I’ve visited several times since I was a child and had an amazing high school graduation gift of a two week holiday spent in London, Paris and Florence so I definitely have a few tips for you! I know this is a bit touristy but you absolutely must visit the Saturday market at Portobello Road. It’s an experience of a lifetime and the stalls are chock full of gorgeous costume jewelry, sterling flatware and vintage clothes. Another fab antiques market that is more under the radar is Bermondsey Antiques Market- it’s excellent and less touristy. You also may want to check out the costume jewelry store Butler and Wilson on Fulham Road. It is to die for!! The outside of the shop has a giant rhinestone crown on top and Princess Diana used to shop there. For a great shoe shop, there is London Sole, which is all ballet flats, located in Knightsbridge. It’s the best! And last but not least, if you have time for a day trip, a train ride through the English countryside to the village of Stoke-on-Trent, which is the home of the potteries, where Spode, Royal Doulton and Bridgewater dishes are made, is really magical.
Have a wonderful trip!
Katie,
You’re going to have a fantastic time in London! I am a museum curator and decorative arts historian in the States and I find London to be so rich with history and design. I would highly recommend going to Sir John Soane’s Museum – it is the most unique small museum and hidden gem of London. Soane was a distinguished architect and collector of antiquities, which are all still currently on view (and jam packed!) in the rooms of his house. Their gift store stocks unique art and architecture items, and their is a cafe called Fields Bar & Kitchen in Lincoln’s Inn Fields for a coffee and sandwich nearby. Leighton House Museum and Linley Sambourne House are two more suggestions. Also, Victoria and Albert Museum is a must!
For shopping, Liberty of London is fantastic for its array of merchandise and cool historical building. Also check out Linley, a beautiful store for home accessories and bespoke furniture (several locations and there’s a shop inside Harrod’s).
There’s a contemporary art space in Shoreditch called Raven Row and many other great shops!
Enjoy! Let me know if there is something particular in which you’re interested!
Happy travels to London!
Hi there. Couldn’t resist commenting as you’re going to be staying in my Shoreditch/Spitalfields/Whitechapel stomping ground – east London really is the best! Shoreditch House backs on to Redchurch St – lots of great shopping (APC) and great coffee (Allpress) and a nice place for brunch (Albion) but a few streets back is Calvert Ave where you can find some lovely boutiques and grocers, and beautifully made British leather goods at Ally Capellino. Spitalfields has the most wonderful Hawksmoor (the 18th C architect) designed church, and for lunch or dinner St John Bread and Wine is simple, seasonal and completely delicious. Also try the bar downstairs at the equally good Hawksmoor (the steak restaurant) for cocktails. Head down to the bottom of Brick Lane for the cutest French bistro Chez Elles, and out onto Whitechapel High St for the Whitechapel Gallery, which has great shows and a beautiful frieze by Rachel Whiteread. Also, the best Indian food is not on Brick Lane but a bit further down on Fieldgate St – Tayyabs on Fieldgate St is an institution and an experience. Lastly, all the London galleries are great, but for true English eccentricity try the Soane Museum (the candlelight evening tours are magic) or hop on train for a day at the seaside in Brighton and visit the extraordinary Regency pleasure palace, the Royal Pavilion. Have fun!
katie– I am terribly jealous you’ll be in london! ive called it home a few times and its indisputably the best city in the world. a few of my favorites…
-i agree with eileen– dishoom is a must for both the excellent indian food and the atmosphere.
-jackson & rye is a favorite for brunch, and while it’s often busy there is usually space at the bar (don’t let them seat you in the basement! the upstairs decor is so chic and worth the wait for a table or a spot at the bar).
-if you’re up for it, check out some of the bars in camden. the blues kitchen is a favorite of mine, and has great bbq if you’re craving a taste of the states.
-i personally think the best g&t in the city can be found at graphic in soho, it’s very hip but rarely overcrowded.
-the magic garden pub in battersea often has fantastic live music and is quaint and comfortable, decked out with plush couches and fairy lights if you’re looking to step out of the bustle of the city.
-you should definitely stop by battersea park at night and enjoy the view of thames and the st albert bridge by the buddhist temple, it’s one of the most charming views in the city.
-the v&a is by far my favorite museum in the city and be sure to grab a latte in cafe/garden as it absolutely gorgeous.
-the churchill war rooms are extremely well done and had me wanting to redecorate my entire apartment in british wartime decor
-i always love strolling kings road in chelsea as well, which you could make an afternoon or morning of. be sure to check out the satchi gallery in duke of york square and wander down to bluebird for lunch and shopping in their boutique (and rococo chocolates across the street is a dream come true if youre a chocolate lover!)
-if you get a sunny day, it’s really nice to take a boat ride down to greenwhich and see london from the water. greenwhich is a lovely place for a picnic (you can grab delicious street food at the market) and has a fantastic view from the observatory.
-and again like eileen said- no trip is complete without a stop at liberty. be sure to check out the paper goods on the ground floor and stop for tea in the cafe.
have a lovely trip!!!
So exciting! I moved to London 6 years ago from California and have loved every minute. Just a couple things to add to what has already been mentioned… Be sure to add Borough Market to your list – it is a great food market right off the Thames. It is rammed on the weekends so try to go during the week. The Churchill Arms on Kensington High Street is a beautiful pub that is COVERED in flowers and has a surprise Thai kitchen in the back that serves incredible food. My biggest recommendation would be to take time to explore. London is a great city where you can wander around and find lots of great treasures. Have a great time!
Oh my goodness! I can’t thank you all enough! I just copied all of your amazing tips into my itinerary to sift through and schedule one by one. So excited for our trip! Thank you again!
I moved to London 10 months ago and just can’t get enough of it…
-Insanely jealous you are staying at Shoreditch House. Gorgeous views of the city from the rooftop and just too cool inside. Boundary is a rooftop restaurant that is a must – but you’ll need to reserve. The Looking Glass Cocktail Club isn’t too far away and they make cocktails so pretty you almost don’t want to touch them.
-Chez Elles on Brick Lane really is a special little restaurant not too far away from where you’ll be staying. Sager + Wilde is one of the East’s trendiest little wine bars (its adorable). And the whole Spitalfields area is wonderful – you’ll feel like you’re walking through old BBC sets.
-You might just miss the season, but if they are still running, try to catch a show at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Its magical with wind blowing through the trees as you watch a show and I believe “To Kill a Mockingbird” is their next play. Otherwise, see Miss Saigon or Shakespeare in Love in the West End.
-Walk by the Tower of London – they have an incredibly touching memorial to WWI soldiers at the moment with planed ceramic poppies all over the moat (over 888,000 of them for every fallen Commonwealth solider)
-I couldn’t handle Harrod’s but would certainly echo the calls above to shop at Liberty – that place is magical – especially the stationary, makeup and home wares floors.
-If you want an Afternoon Tea, the Ampersand Hotel has a gorgeous offering and is just a short walk away from the V&A. Their Horst exhibition opens on Sept 6th and should be wonderful.
-My favorite pub in all of London is the Holly Bush in Hampstead. Hampstead is lovely and has a real villagey feel to it. Its great after you’ve spent a few days in the busy city to feel like you escape (but you can still get there on the Tube). Great shopping in Hampstead as well.
I should stop there – but cannot wait to hear what you get up to!