Capital Cuisine!

London Town! Image by Daniel Gorecki

London has long been a foodies idyll due to it being home to many of the best restaurants in the country. These days its food scene is more thriving than ever with cuisines the world over being represented and all budgets being catered for. So whether you’re looking for a high-end restaurant, BYO cafe or budget street food, it’s all to be discovered in the gastronomic dream that is our capital city.

Top London Food Spots

Soho has always been considered the epicentre for all things food-related in our capital. In the maze of winding streets located just to the South of Oxford Street can be found a huge range of restaurants catering for all tastes and budgets. From upmarket French patisseries to falafal outlets, cocktail bars, sushi restaurants and Lebanese cafes, there’s literally something for everyone in the buzzing streets of Soho. Chinatown is also just around the corner, centering around Gerrard Street, where you can find over 80 restaurants serving all manner of delicious Chinese food from dim sum to crispy duck to steaming hot soups.

Kingsland Road, Shoreditch. The southern end of Kingsland Road as you head up to Dalston has been nicknamed ‘Pho Mile’ due to the proliferation of Vietnamese restaurants on the stretch. Song Que, Cây Tre, and Tay Do Cafe are all long established classics with reasonably priced delicious food. Head there on a weekend night for a particularly lively atmosphere. Many are ‘bring your own’ as well ensuring that you can cut down on expensive drinking costs.

Vietnamese Food on Kingsland Road. Image by Tim Bryden

Brick Lane is synonymous with Indian cuisine. Wander along the street any day of the week and you’ll be overwhelmed with waiters vying to tempt you into their restaurant. If you’re in the vicinity on a Sunday then be sure to check out the market which has an array of alluring food stalls selling everything from bbq food to Thai to gourmet salads.  For a completely unique dining experience then you can always eat on the old stationary Routemaster (or ‘Rootmaster’) bus in nearby Elys Yard which has been converted into a vegetarian restaurant.

The Brick Lane Rootmaster Restaurant. Image by Bestimmte Rechte vorbehalten

The bustling Camden Market has been the hangout for London’s alternative scene for years now but there’s also a plethora of great food stalls and cafes lining the markets and nearby canal. The weekend is the best time to visit as the food options are literally overwhelming, the portions huge and the prices very reasonable.  Types of cuisine range from Chinese to Moroccan, Cuban, Thai, Malaysian, Italian and all manner of delights in between.

Brixton Village is the newcomer on London’s restaurant scene but is fast-becoming the destination of choice for everyone looking for original high-quality budget eating. The village located in an old arcade contains over a dozen restaurants, most of which offer a quality meal for less than a tenner. The range of foods on offer include cuisines from Africa, South-East Asia, the Caribbean and South America. Take note that most of the restaurants only take cash and few accept reservations so you might have to queue, but the village is lively enough to keep you entertained while you wait. If you happen to be there on a Thursday or Friday night, the market is open late with live music and a spirited atmosphere.

Brixton Village Vendor. Image by Jonny2Love

Do you know of a brilliant food spot in London that we missed? Or what about a food scene happening outside of London? We want to know about! Please leave your comments.