Delicious Britain & Ireland: 2001
When you take your tongue out sightseeing in Britain, what are its favorite taste treats? (Or does it just want to go back home?)
Alternatives to Sally Lunn in Bath
In Bath, in a small side street near the cathedral, is a small, very friendly vegetarian restaurant. Neither Chris nor I are vegetarian but we never miss the chance to drop in for a meal or a snack when we're in town. Lovely soups and sandwiches and the owner is likely to come round for a chat.
k-b
Seattle, USA 12/18/01
As an American living in the UK for the past year, I can say that the food is truly delicious and generally always to a very high standard. The variety and quality of food here has astounded me. You can eat very well for however little (or much) you choose to spend. We live in Knutsford, up near Manchester, and our favorite local meals are generally from pubs (with very upscale menus). They are:
The Black Swan, Swettenham Heath. Very pubby, with outstanding gourmet continental fare.
The Dog Inn, Lower Peover. Excellent pub. Try the club sandwich for lunch.
The Cross Keys. Knutsford. Nice pub right in town, excellent beer, food, and ambience. Good rooms upstairs too.
The Belle Epoque. Knutsford. French/Continental. Lovely restaurant — very stylish and delicious meals.
Jitrada Thai. Sale. (Outskirts of Manchester). Delicious Thai meals and wonderful, friendly management.
If you are travelling to Keswick, don't miss Morells (on the road down to the lake). The food and service is great (Brit/Continental). Don't miss quiz night (Thursdays) at the Dog and Gun either. Very lively and local. We always stay at the Parkfield guest house in Keswick (same as the Rick Steves tour groups use), and cannot say enough nice things about John and Susan, the owners. The rates are the best you'll find, and the quality and friendliness of the service is outstanding.
A previous writer suggested using the CAMRA Good Beer Guide (a new one each year) as a guide to rooms, eating, and drinking in the UK. I heartily concur. It won't guide you to the best Indian or Thai meals, but for fine pub and pub/restaurant food and places to stay, and the very best of REAL hand-pulled beer, its all you need. (and the beer names are great to ponder over. Dogs Bollocks. Sneck Lifter. T'owd Tup.).
Lisa Dukes <email>
Knutsford, Cheshire, UK 12/07/01
Lots of choices and easy
Just got back from a few days in London, also spent a week there in August. Almost every neighborhood has a cafe, pub, or a take-out. I don't particularly like the traditional fare, but you have lots of other choices. Theatre district alone is loaded with restaurants of every stripe. Chinatown in the theatre district for a filling and reasonably priced meal. We ate at "New World" on Gerrard St. A little authentic Italian restaurant (forget the name) on Moore St. "Blues Bistro" billed as "modern global" with seafood, chicken, and steak on Dean Street (pricey but good), booked it over the internet on "Time Out London". Shaheen Indian restaurant on Brompton Rd in Knightsbridge/South Kensington.
Lynn
Cherry Hill, NJ USA 11/30/01
All good!
We just got back from a week in London and enjoyed everything that we ate! I am mostly vegetarian and my husband doesn't eat beef or fried foods, and we had no problem finding wonderful, easy foods. Thai food near the British Museum (Thai Garden) and near Victoria Station (Victoria Thai?) were wonderful, Jenny Lo's (Chinese near Victoria Station) was scrumptious.
We figured out early on that the locals were all grabbing sandwiches for lunch — we joined them at Benji's and Pret A Manger and a couple of museum cafeterias. I don't know what the big deal about London food being so expensive is — for two meals and two drinks (usually coke or mineral water), we generally spent about $25-$30 per meal for dinner and $12 or so for sandwiches, drinks and "crisps" for lunch. They have some wonderful sandwich combinations — we're inspired to create some of our own now that we're back home!
And our favorite discovery, Cadbury chocolate bars, picked up at the supermarket or Boots pharmacy or even in the tube stations! (They were actually cheaper from the vending machines in the tube!) Especially the Fruit and Nut variety — yum!!!!
And Cafe in the Crypt at St. Martins-In-The-Field was serving a "holiday supper" throughout November — we had it for our Thanksgiving on Tuesday Nov 20th — roast turkey, stuffing, cauliflower, peas. Thanksgiving dinner with a British twist — also not very expensive ($20 or so for both of us). London had wonderful, light, inexpensive filling food easily available. We can't wait to go back.
Betsy <email>
Huntsville, AL USA 11/29/01
Pasties!
These meat and vegetable pies are wrapped in a pastry crust and sold in pubs throughout Britain. (Sort of a Cornish "empanada".) They are filling and inexpensive. Just like anything else, you find good pasties and those that aren't so good, but I recommend you try them.
Paul Hughes
Albuquerque, NM USA 11/26/01
Great Food in Britain
London's best eating has to be in its ethnic restaurants-you are truly eating like locals when you eat Indian or Thai. On our recent trip we found the best eating strategy was to eat ethnic in the more touristed cities (had great Greek food in Stow-on-the-Wold, Italian in Bath and Cambridge). We saved pub food for the smaller, off the beaten path cities where there weren't as many options.
Karen <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 11/03/01
Good food in the Cotswalds!
There is a lovely old restaurant/pub in Todenham, Moreton-in-Marsh(Glos.) called the FARRIERS ARMS that serves the BEST Yorkshire pudding in England! No other Yorkshire pudding has been as good, so if you're in the area, give it a go!
Shannon
Los Angeles, CA USA 10/27/01
Picnics in the Park.
I keep hearing about how English food sucks, and is expensive. Nonsense! Recently, I got a fantastic take out lunch at Harvey Nicks, and sat down in Hyde Park for a picnic. Watched the boaters, fed the ducks, had a grand time. Including the one pound charge for using the chair (cheapies can use the benches, but they hurt), the whole thing cost under L10. Picnic, folks. Even in London, it is cheap and fun.
joe santa maria <email>
Stratford, nj USA 10/26/01
Going to Wales?
Well, you should be, if for no other reason than to try Britain's best fish 'n chips! The place is Pembrokeshire, west Wales and the restaurant is Something's Cooking. Located on the Fishguard Road, midway between Haverfordwest and Fishguard. Award winning food, large portions, friendly staff and I know it's good 'cause I used to work there! Nothing is frozen, nothing is canned - Trevor (the owner) would sooner die than serve anything not recently swimming!
Alan Lyman <email>
El Cerrito, CA USA 10/15/01
Another Vote for Porters
Let me add to the others who have commented about Porters English Restaurant in Covent Garden. It's wonderful. I had steak and mushroom pie that was the best I've ever tasted. Delicious, huge beef pie with a puffed pastry top that was as flaky and light as a croissant. Add a couple of pints of ale and you have a wonderful, traditional British meal at a relatively cheap (for London) price of around 11BP. An extra treat was the free outdoor opera that was being performed two blocks away in Covent Square. Wonderful first night introduction to a couple of first-timers to London.
Roland Davis <email>
Carol Stream, IL USA 10/03/01
Seafood in Edinburgh
In Edinburgh, for a good inexpensive seafood meal, try the Mussell Inn on Rose Street. For 8.99£ you can get a kilo of steamed mussells prepared in any one of 6 or 7 ways (I had the lemon, garlic and it was great).
Dave
Midlothian, VA USA 09/28/01
CHOCOLATE!
I traveled all around Europe this summer (2001). And one of my first stops was in Bath, England. I just had to say that the best hot chocolate around is at Thortons. Upstairs they have a litte cafe and chocolate shop. when they serve you your glass of hot chocolate it comes with a truffle! And the whip cream had freshly ground chocolate shavings on it. And for the best clotted cream go to Sally Lunn's Kitchen. I still havn't found any clotted cream that comes close.
Kristin Leach <email>
Ventura, CA USA 09/25/01
We just returned from a trip to London. We slept comfortably at Rick's recommended Asters Hotel and dined at listed Duke of Wellington pub, Jenny Lo's and La Campagnola in the Victoria Station neighborhood. All are accurately described and we're completely satisfied and pleased. We also enjoyed a visit to the atmospheric Cheshire Cheese pub. It's down an alley just off Fleet Street (see map, p. 41, Rick's London 2001 guidebook). Samuel Johnson, a regular patron, here wrote, "There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn." As an aside, Americans Teddy Roosevelt and Mark Twain logged time here. If character and history isn't enough to attract, maybe cheap beer is. We heard we'd be hard pressed to find cheaper ale in central London than a pint of bitter on tap here.
Dick
Seattle, WA USA 09/23/01
Another thought from me. Probably the only accommodation/beer/food book you need for the UK is the CAMRA Good Beer Guide which is sold in the US: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/158017101X/qid=1000123974/sr=1-2/ref=sc_b_2/104-3904683-9229518. The various icons tell you which pubs have accommodation, which specialise in food, have real fires, unusual decor, serve real cider, are particularly welcoming for children, have beer gardens and eccentric landlords etc. As it's published by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale (http://www.camra.org.uk) every pub listed has to serve properly presented and kept real ale. This is the book that we over here regard as a Bible and keep in the car. You could probably keep yourself amused for hours reading the weird names of all the beers in the index, such as Druid's Revenge, Old Horizontal etc.
England 09/10/01
OK, local info from a native here. Hay on Wye - The Granary. Excellent, freshly-prepared vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, including three home-made soups per day. At least one is veggie and one meaty or fishy and the third can be either. Cake and pud counter out of this world, especially the coconut and caramel slice which is to die for. Bowl of soup, large wholemeal bap and butter, cake and a soft drink or coffee for £5 - £6. The coffee shop (Treasures?) at Burford House garden centre and nursery on the road west of Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire (on the way to Ludlow). Coffee and cinnamon crumble slice also to die for. The Bull's Head at Craswall in a tiny, off the beaten track valley in west Herefordshire, about 7 miles south of Hay on Wye. Stone-flagged bars with open fires, the gravity-dispensed ale comes from the little room at the back and the food is all home made and really, really filling. Used almost exclusively by local farmers and the occasional cycling club from Wales.
<email>
England 09/10/01
In our opinion, the best food in Scotland and Ireland can only be found in pubs! There was one exception, though and that's Mary's restaurant in Oranmore, Ireland. Her restaurant is small (in her home), menu is small, and the very best traditional Irish food we had while in Ireland. There's nothing fancy about this place, and it's wonderful! One thing we weren't aware of when ordering pub food in Britian: order and obtain your drinks at the bar. The waitress will take your food order if you're at a table. For some reason, the same didn't apply in Ireland. Our second favorite restaurant was the Four Mary's pub in Linlithgow, Scotland. They'll serve you up a nice helping of haggis! If you can't quite do it, a wonderful coleslaw accompanies fish and chips!
Dawn
MN USA 09/01/01
Two great restaurants in Edinburgh, one very expensive, one not, are The Witchery by the Castle and Haw House Mexican Restaurant. The Witchery is located on the Royal Mile about 20 feet from Edinburgh Castle esplanade. The atmosphere is spooky but fun (lots of occult decorations and all candlelight), and the food is wonderful. Be prepared to spend around 45 pounds each (approx. $70), but it's well worth it if this is your only luxurious dinner of your holiday. The Haw House in Candlemaker Row (off of Cowgate) is a quaint place with tables on two floors. It serves EXCELLENT Mexican cuisine and is usually packed (and they don't take reservations). If you get there at opening time (around 6:00), you shouldn't have any problems.
Meriwyn <email>
Summit, NJ USA 08/22/01
I took Rick's advice and went to the Yo! Sushi Bar (although I went to the one in Edinburgh and not London). What a cool place! And the food is great. If you're a sushi/sashimi/hibachi food lover, this is a great place for something quick.
Meriwyn <email>
Summit, NJ USA 08/22/01
" ... do not eat out in nice looking restaurants ... the bill will shock you," Jody. Every restaurant in London (90% of Europe as well) has a menu in the window or available with the host/hostess. You know what they say about things with no prices, if you have to ask ... :). You give up the right to complain about the price when you walk in without looking at the menu. There are plenty of moderately priced restaurant suggestions all over London in guidebooks and on this board, if you are having trouble use them or ask a local. Furthermore going to a nice/upscale restaurant without a recommendation is a bad idea, even at home. Chris, I shudder to think what a "gourmet pizza" in London would be (though I really liked the sweet corn addition to vegetarian) and I am surprised there are any pizza places aside from Pizza Express still around, a better value though I would still steer clear. You are in London, eat something fun (Lebanese, Curry, a meat pie with a bitter).
Tom <email>
Chicago (formerly London), IL USA 08/21/01
Stay out of chain resturants (Garfunkels and the like) eat at Pubs...take advantage of the full English Breakfast in your B&B..and when in London...do not eat out in nice looking resturants...the bill will shock you..instead eat of the street vendors carts or in one of the many stand up and eat pizza shops that can be found nearly everywhere.
Jody Marsh <email>
LaVergne, Tn USA 08/17/01
I was told London was expensive but had no idea how expensive until we ate at a "gourmet" pizza place, the two of us each had a pizza and a slice of cake (tap water to drink) — and paid the equivalent of $42US!! In order to eat on a budget in London, you will have to eat pub food. The best meal we had while there was at a pub, and it was also the cheapest. Another tip for the budget-concious traveler is to stock up at Woolworths, which has a variety of food items. We grabbed a ton of food items there one night and were pleasantly surprised to only spend 32 pounds — food for two days that was cheaper than most of our meals!
Chris Bryant <email>
Southfield, MI USA 08/14/01
Delicious Britain! Just returned from 2 weeks in Britain, and as a budget concious traveller I found ways to stretch my money AND eat well. I stayed at B&B's and took advantage of the English Breakfasts (and with the amount of walking you'll do, you need the carbs!). Lunch was light - sandwiches from Pret Manger or Marks and Spenser, or Cornish Pasties or Sausage Rolls from a local bakery. Dinner was usually pub grub - and it was incredible, too! Usually under 10 pounds, including beer. Best, by far, was in York, at the Golden Fleece pub. Not only do they serve trad pub grub, but also some more 'adventuresome' European food, and a huge selection of french press coffee. Cream Tea at Betty's Tea Room in York is a must, as well. Touristy, but delicious! If in Liverpool, make sure to check out their incredible Chinatown; had the best Chinese dinner of my life. Deacon Brodies in Edinburgh is a must for roast beef and yorkshire pudding - and mine came with mashed potatoes and '2 veg' that turned out to be spring potatoes and chips. But delicious indeed! The food in Britain is great, just put aside your cravings for Big Macs and go with the local food and you won't go wrong. In the 2 weeks that I was there, the only American chain that I went to was Starbucks - and that was because it was a heatwave, and I needed an iced latte that had LOTS of ice in it. Have fun, and be adventurous!
Kerrie Kent <email>
Redmond, WA USA 08/12/01
Best meals during our three weeks in the UK:
1. Stow Lodge Hotel in Stow-on-the Wold. Our overnight hostess was the delightful Mrs. Joan Cave of West Deyne B&B.
2. Yorkshire pudding, Golden Fleece Pub. We went there three times in two days.
3. Breakfast at Kilmaurs House, Edinburgh (not in Rick's book last year). There is a fruit/muffin buffet and they have a menu for the hot stuff (including haggis!). Info: Donna McKinlay, 9 Kilmaurs Road, Edinburgh EH16 5DA TEL: 0131 667 8315. EMAIL: ami3920419@aol.com
Rebecca <email>
Piedmont, CA USA 08/05/01
Sticky Toffee Pudding. Delicious. Pancreatic shock on a fork. Spicy, heavy, variable, served with clotted cream, ice cream or cream. Worth the trip.
<email>
Amesbury, MA USA 08/04/01
I have a hard time thinking of more than one or two *bad* meals we've had in three trips to Britain — and we're not junk-eaters! We frequently eat in pubs. Great game (Rick's book recommends one near Hadrian's Wall that's great), mountains of steamed vegetables even with many pub meals, tender lamb, fantastic Indian vegetarian food. Very sophisticated and varied offerings. There was, I admit, a surfeit of potatoes in Scotland — I once ordered lamb curry over rice at a hotel restaurant in Oban and it came with a side of chips. But even if you want good fish n' chips, look for the chippy with the longest line (best grease in town!!).
A good food pub in Windsor last year: the Vansittart Arms, a 10-minute walk from the castle. Also, the wonderful Burt's Hotel in Melrose in the Borders of Scotland.
<email>
Amesbury, MA USA 08/04/01
The best mussels we have ever had were at the Mussel Inn located on Rose Street in Edinburgh. Six of us had a kilo of mussels each (about 50 mussels) for 8.95 pounds. The price included all the fresh crusty bread you could eat. The service was fast, efficient and very friendly but the place is small and fills up quickly.
Gretchen Wiegand <email>
Boulder, CO USA 08/03/01
French food: The Bleeding Heart Italian Food: Gusto near the Corchran Theatre British Fare: The oldest continuously operating resturant in London, Rules. Fish and Chips: The North Sea Resturant. Prices are good, wine is fabulous, ambiance is great and service FABU!
Tracey <email>
Dallas,, Tx USA 07/23/01
If you are in Cambridge, the most beautiful English town in my opinion, you have three places to eat. In mid-day, while you are hungry after doing all the sight seeing treat yourself with a "less than 2$" English lunch. It's cart right in the middle of market square, I can't remember it's name but it's the only. The "Jacket potatoes" that it offers are the best ever. As for dinner, after you have had your "punting" tour in the canal (similar to the gondola in Venice), you have two choices. A. a genuine back door for a typical English menu. Just next to the ticket booth of the canal self guided tours (not the group tour guided) there is the back door (not a metaphor) of one of the universities canteen's which you can pass through with no hassle and you can treat your self with a perfect British dinner for no more than 10-15$. Ask the girl at the ticket booth and she will show you, and don't worry you will not spend the night in jail as this is not a private area you truly have the right to be there, it's public.
The other option B.You can leave the English mode and ask at the canal for THE very near by "Japanese noodle bar". A perfect restaurant that offers huge filling dishes of different types of noodles from all over Asia and with literary all varieties. Just name it, seafood, meat, chicken, vegetarian. You can even tailor your own. And you will treat your self with a "posh" (as the british say) meal in a classy place that is filling for only 5 sterling pounds(about 7$). So these are my best places you can eat at in Cambridge, quiet classy, cheap and UNFORGETTABLE. Well, I know I am the only one on this "WALL" that's not from America, but I hope you will enjoy my tip.
Mohammed Ghallab <email>
Cairo, Egypt 07/20/01
Britain has first class dining, if you use a little common sense. We have been eating our way across the British Isles for 15 years and have found that not only was it far better than "they say", but it just gets better every year. We avoid hotel restaurants, unless it's a small country inn or guest house (6-8 rooms max) that bills itself as a "hotel, dinners open to non-residents". Often, the host/hostess is a talented, trained chef who has fled the city crush for the laid-back but genteel elegance of a small hotel with a loyal local following. B&B owners will also gladly steer you to their favorite pubs, which are often also pleasantly off the tourist trail. We avoid "carveries" tea 'shoppes' and anything close to major tourist attractions. Highlights this trip were owners Neil and Margariet's cooking/baking at Druimnacroish Hotel (6 rooms?) on Isle of Mull, owner Celia's delightful cuisine at Craigadam near Castle Douglas in southern Scotland ( a lovely,rural retreat surrrounded by sheep and Highland cattle in the heart of one of the hardest hit F&M areas...proof that the media really has distorted the picture... and Jane and Peter Heard's personal cooking at Tregynon Farmhouse Restaurant in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
But the finest dining on this trip... or others in recent memory since the Butlers of Rangers House (Yorkshire) retired is the Kingfisher in Milnethorpe, within easy driving distance of the Lake District. The non-descript appearance of the outside belies the warm elegance of the inside and the outstanding culinary feats of its chef/owners. This is probably the best kept secret in Cumbria and Lancashire. So think about it, Rick. Let's end the myth of British food. Anyone who eats badly in Britain isn't looking in the right places and deserves boiled peas and frozen fish cakes!
Jamie
Florissant, MO USA 07/19/01
Though it might not be the "typical" or stereotypical British experience that many tourists seek, the Tai Tai Teahouse in Bath is well worth a stop. Taiwanese Niki and her Brit hubby Philip run this little slice of China just off the main part of Bath. Let them pour you a pot of Jin Shuan or Keemun, and enjoy some moments of relaxation... If you're feeling up for a snack or meal, Niki cooks up a fine bowl of noodles, with a slightly spicy sauce based of carmelised onions. My wife and I try to seek out something off the beaten path, and TaiTai is certainly not on the standard Bath itinerary. But give it a try — I think you'll find it a memorable experience. www.taitaiteahouse.com Cheers!
A M Schwartz
San Diego, CA USA 07/10/01
Some places that we thought were pretty good: London (near the Lime Tree Hotel) ASK, La Campagnola, Oliveto; Bath & London (Leicester Square): All Bar One; Stow-On-The-Wold: The Queenshead Pub; Oban: Mondo (great pasta)and Ee-Usk (fish) were great, the seafood restaurant on the waterfront was terrible; Edinburgh: The Filling Station and the Italian place next to Starbucks. Pret a Manger had great sandwiches and Benjys (near St. Paul's) had delicious salads in London.
Craig Phillips <email>
Tonganoxie, KS USA 07/06/01
It hasn't changed since we first went two years ago. Run, don't walk, to Ffiona's Restaurant, 51 Kensington Church Street, Kensington for a great dinner. Ffiona's seats about 30 people. Dinners are listed on two blackboards, but Ffiona comes and tells you all the specials. Great traditional British dishes, as well as fish, lamb, wonderful soups, and great lemon tart, and sticky toffie pudding, which is to die for. Each time we have been there, she has given us free wine, desserts, or after dinner drinks. A warm place, and a charming owner.
JudyH <email>
Sykesville , MD USA 07/03/01
Four of us got off a 12 day Baltic Cruise - then spent the night in Horley near Gatwick Airport. Our B&B host suggested the Three Bells Pub. Terrific Food! We agreed the two meals we ate there were better than anything on the ship. Part of the pub has been there since the 800's. The new part goes back to the 1800's. Terrific food! Terrific atmosphere! I don't have the address but it's near Gatwick and any native would know of it.
Lynn H. Frisbie <email>
Ocala, FL USA 06/29/01
An experience in both superb atmosphere and cuisine...The Witchery in Edinburgh, Scotland. The entire restaurant is lit by candlelight only (a sure fire-hazard here in the States) and the service is impeccable. It is a little expensive, but well worth it. The food is mostly local Scottish produce (the lamb is particularly good) and the desserts are very creative!
Meriwyn Travisano <email>
Summit, NJ USA 06/29/01
Way back on 3/27/01 I made an error of location. I have no excuse except to say the trip in question was in 1988. It was not Castle Combe wherein i had the best cream tea; it was Corfe Castle — -and it is STILL the one that sticks in mt memory. Sorry if I sent anyone astray. Really. Profound apologies.
K-B
Seattle, USA 06/19/01
If in Chipping Camden try the Eight Bells Inn! You'll be eating with the locals, which we met one of...and he acted like we were his long-lost friends. You won't be disappointed at Eight Bells - what a treat! We also liked the Lygon Arms in Chipping Camden. In York you have to stop by Betty's for tea. We liked it so much for tea that we came back for dinner. Great service and food. In Edinburgh is Deacon Brodie's - great food and location. The farther away you get from London, Bath and the Cotswolds, the more reasonably priced food is. Although, if in London try the Stock Pot (the original one that Rick mentions in his guidebook - 18 Old Compton Street) in the heart of the theatre district. Lots of good food in a cozy atmosphere with a budget price. Overall, the pub grub we liked the best - a true bit of ordinary life in the UK.
M Hughes <email>
Chandler, AZ USA 06/10/01
In Bath: Stay away from Sally Lunn's (yes, I know it's a tourist "must.") Dinner was forgetable, and how can you mess-up apple pie? They did. Just walk-by and look in the window for your "Bun" tourist "fix." Meanwhile, I had a great Italian dinner at Martini Restaurant, 8-9 George Street, Bath.
Tom <email>
San Diego, CA USA 06/09/01
(as an emigrant...although I hold both US and UK passports) here are some of the nicest pubs I know: Cornwall: "Tinners Arms", Zennor. "Sloop", St Ives. Hampshire: "Harrow", Steep. "Pub with no name", Froxfield. "Coal Exchange", (Old Portsmouth). "Three Horseshoes", Elsted. "Red Lion", Chalton Bedfordshire: "Swan", Radwell. "Bedford Arms", Oakley. "Bell", Odell. "Six Ringers", Felmersham. Buckinghamshire: "Star", Sulgrave (especially for USA visitors !!) If there are two areas I miss they are: The Great Ouse villages north of Bedford (from my youth)...and The Hampshire downs in and around Petersfield...whence we emigrated BOTH areas have wonderful pubs in EVERY village.
Alastair Stone <email>
Louisville, CO USA 06/05/01
We just got back from London and were impressed with the diversity of foods and restaurants. We stayed in Marble Arch, and pretty much all the restaurants there are Lebanese. A good place to get shwarmana(? chicken/lamb kebab gyro type pita sandwich) after midnight is a small shop on Edgeware Rd and George St. The place opens till 6am!! Also another good cheap eat in London is the selection of sandwiches at Sainsbury, the grocery store chain. We had pretty good egg sandwiches w/tuna or chicken or pork sausage for a pound fifty each. Now the complaints: we were not very impressed with Porters, the service was subpar and took them a long time to serve our food. Generally, I don't understand why all restaurants shuts down at 11:30pm - even TGIF in Picadilly Circus closes at that time! Insane!
Matt
Washington , DC USA 06/01/01
I've done several single "back door" experiences, and LOVE putting together an amazing adventure. Food is a challenge for me, as I am vegetarian, preferably organic. Rick's suggestion of Food for Thought (Covent Garden, 31 Neal Street) is SO GREAT! I plan my day so I can pick up a quick lunch or supper before the theatre. Also - I found by complete accident the BEST organic grocery store: Planet Organic. It's in Kensignton/Princess Court area, a block off Bayswater. Smoothies, packaged food, groceries, and the MOST amazing organic chocolate! Thanks to all the responders here - great place for tips!
Robin Bennett <email>
Chicago, IL USA 05/30/01
I went to Rick Steves recommendation Belgro in London. It you like mussels this is the place to go. They have a "Beat the Clock Special" between 5pm and 630pm. If you arrive at 5pm you pay 5 pounds for a kilogram of mussels with a beer. "Such a Deal!" I think you can get a quarter of a chicken for the same price. Belgro is located near Covent Garden tube station. Please let me know what you think? Regards, MaxM.
Max C. Maksymetz <email>
Rochester, Mi USA 05/22/01
I have just returned from a ten day stay in London and searched for the BEST fish & chip place. Beware, many pubs and Cafes just fry prefrozen unknown breaded fish and prefrab chips with some kind of oil. However, I think I found one of the best fish and chip resturants in London. The place is The SeaShell located on 49/51 Lisson Grove about two blocks from Marylebone tube station. The resturant has both take-out and a sit resturant. I ate at the resturant. The beer-batter haddock and freshly cut chips were super. The price was about 10 pounds. But worth every pence. If you go, please send me your review. Regards, Max M.
Max C. Maksymetz <email>
Rochester, MI USA 05/22/01
We just got back from two weeks in London and Paris. All the food we had was delicious. Some of our favorites, Porters English Restaurant, Pret A Manger, tea at the Savoy. Garfunkels, is like an American Denny's, decent food, low prices. The food at Pret A Manger was fresh and delicious. There were also losts of new and interesting soft drinks, candies, cakes etc. And we had no trouble feeding our son, even though he is a really picky eater.
Adrianne <email>
Richmond, VA USA 05/20/01
Last summer we were trying to stretch our money out on a 30 day adventure with our 12 year old son. We found England to be a bit more expensive than the other countries we were planning to visit. We found that if we bought 2 meals and split them 3 ways we left restaurants with full stomachs and wallets. P.S., my husband is 6'4'' and 200 lbs, he never felt hungary. (Don't try this when sleeping though, we did, 3 in a double,the results wern't as satisfying).
Marie Frank <email>
Esko, MN USA 05/20/01
We just got back from Great Britain. The food was great.
In Edinburgh a new coffee shop/cafe is Angels Expresso, toward the end of the Royal Mile. The food was great, and the owners were very friendly and we were able to strike up a conversation with them. We liked them so much we went back again.
A great place to have tea is at the Court Resturant in the British Museum. It provides you with a chance to rest after all the mummies, and you have a great view of the reading room — you can see into the upper windows of the reading room and it gives you a new perspective.
Leslie
Decatur, TX USA 05/05/01
We've just returned from two weeks in the UK, and I think the Brits and the Scots have been getting a bad rap for their food! We found great little restuarants in the Cotswolds, York, Edinburgh and London. Maybe "traditional" British food isn't the most adventurous, but we found dining that would rival anything we can find in Northern California and Nevada.
Mike Glover <email>
Reno, NV USA 05/02/01
I sadly want to report that Pret-a-Manger no longer has the delicious hot croissants stuffed with chese and mushrooms that it used to have. Could this be a result of McDonald's buying some of the stock?!
Donna Carty <email>
The Bronx, NY USA 04/28/01
I highly recommend Chimes, a cider/wine bar and English-style restaurant at 26, Churton Street in Pimlico, near Victoria station. They serve all the traditional dishes, and they are all delicious and the price is right, usually about $15-20 each with drinks and desserts. Traditional beverages, too, like dandelion and burdock. And desserts to die for. We found it by chance, and my fellow wanted to return there every night for dinner.
Donna Carty <email>
The Bronx, NY USA 04/28/01
We have been to London several times and are always surprised by the expense of breakfasts in hotels in which we stay, usually in Bloomsbury. But we recently found a great bargain for breakfasts at the Forum Cafe located directly across the street from the main entrance to the British Museum: four pounds for a full English breakfast that will last you all day long. Extremely clean and friendly place to fill your tank for the day's sightseeing!
Craig and Maribeth Smith <email>
Milledgeville, GA USA 04/25/01
Just returned from Europe. While in London, did the Dinner & Theatre at the Savoy Hotel's River Restaurant and the Savoy Theatre. At 40 pounds, it was a great bargain, marvelous service, and an excellent show.
Jimmie
Salt Lake City, ut USA 04/18/01
I think we have a consensus here: Porters, located in London's Covent Garden, is hands-down the best value for your money. The food is great, the service is superb, and it isn't even a fancy restaurant. Porters also serves excellent afternoon tea which comes with a basket of scones and a small sandwich. It is meant as a snack but is almost a meal in itself.
In addition, I've been to London a few times now, and I have yet to have a bad breakfast/brunch anywhere. English breakfast surely beats a bowl of cereal! All in all, the English eat better than what most Americans believe, that's for sure.
Yuji Banno <email>
New York, NY USA 04/10/01
I've had some great Indian food in London. West Indian food is great there too. If you ever tire of fish and chips, and bangers and mash, try some curry lamb or jerk chicken. Ask around for a good restaurant. There are plenty.
Sheniqua Williams <email>
New York, NY USA 04/06/01
I agree with one of the previous writers that Porters (17 Henrietta Street) in Covent Garden is the best English restaurant with moderate prices. Also in the neighborhood of Covent Garden are a couple of excellent pasta places which are inexpensive.
For chain places to eat, "Garfunkels," which is similar to Woolworths and Howard Johnsons in the USA, is a good choice. They have decent food and the desserts — expecially the chocolate profiterole — are fantastic.
Also check out the basement of St. Martin's in the Fields Church for inexpensive lunches.
Joel <email>
Brooklyn, NY USA 03/27/01
There IS no "best" place in Britain to have "cream tea." Have tea anywhere; cream teas are often aimed at the tourists (and as a tourist you should try several). But TEA is a wonderful institution that should be enjoyed at every opportunity. That said, the best cream tea I ever had was at the National Trust tearoom in Castle Combe.
K-B
Seattle, USA 03/27/01
When I traveled to London I found 2 great places: Garfunkel's had great food at great prices. The Whistle Stop was at the tube. This place was totally run by French people. They had great food and they sold packaged foods as well. This was a fun place. Recommended highly. Don't miss these two places.
Nancy <email>
Dallas, TX USA 03/21/01
Over four recent trips, Chris and I have made a determined investigative approach to the question of sticky toffee pudding: thus far the benchmark production is to be found at The Wild Strawberry in Keswick in Cumbria.
K-B
Seattle, USA 03/20/01
I lived in London for most of 2000, and I can't believe no one mentioned Porters' off Covent Garden, with the best Brit food (pies and puddings) in England.
Also in the neighborhood, go to BELGO, ideally with a big group, and order shot boards (long pieces of wood with 8 to 64 holes for shot glasses — don't worry they are really weak).
Other than that, I would suggest eating as much Indian (curry) as possible. Ask a local — everyone has a favorite curry house.
Tom <email>
Chicago, IL USA 03/14/01
In Salisbury, Cafe Med serves very tasty food at reasonable prices. Get there before 7:00 PM and a bottle of the house red or white is included with your meal. Nice people, too.
K-B
Seattle, WA USA 03/06/01
In Shrewsbury the Three Fishes pub has good food and is non-smoking.
K-B
Seattle, WA USA 03/06/01
All our meals in London were great. We gathered specific names & addresses of pubs & restaurants from Fodor, Frommer, and Unofficial Guide to supplement our Rick Steves: Geales & North Sea Fish (fish & chips), Y Ming and Royal China (Chinese), Khans (Indian), Belgo (Belgian), and several great OLD pubs. Fun and relaxing, and we can say the food in London is good.
Gail S
Reynoldsburg, OH USA 03/05/01
My wife and I spent a semester studying in Reading (about 30 min northwest of London). Our favorite place to eat in London was Amalfi's Ristorante — a classic Italian place complete with Italian-speaking waiters in crisp red shirts, candlelight, and amazing food. It's been about 5 years since we've been in the UK, but we're headed back this summer. We'll definitely stop at Amalfi's.
bcd <email>
oxford,, ms USA 03/03/01
To Jonez, the risk of catching CJD from British beef is pretty small. The real danger period apparently was c. 1985-1994, although you are more likely to get struck by lightning than catch CJD. To put it in perspective, there have only been about 100 known cases of CJD, amongst a British population of 60,000,000.
Also, a lot of beef here is Scottish beef, which is BSE-free. In addition, "English" beef does not necessarily mean raised in England — half the time it means just processed in England.
As a visitor to the UK you are probably at very, very low risk. Of course, due to the current Foot and Mouth outbreak, it is unlikely that you will get British beef.
Fred
Norwich, UK 02/28/01
If your journey takes you through Galway, Ireland, do not miss MacDonagh's for fish & chips. If it's your thing, they are THE best!
Michael T. <email>
Sewell, NJ USA 02/24/01
To Jonez, I believe they think that C-J disease typically incubates for quite a while before symptoms show. So people that show signs of the disease now probably ingested diseased meat quite sometime ago. I think you'd be safe eating the beef because they have very strict controls now.
Brad
Sioux Falls, SD USA 02/14/01
There seems to be a consensus now that Mad Cow Disease can cause Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in humans. I've done a bit of 'Net research on the mad cow situation and it seems that the UK now has strict measures in place to prevent bad meat from getting out. There are, however, still new cases of CJD in humans in the UK every year.
Jonez <email>
Hoboken, NJ USA 02/13/01
We just got back from London with our two teenage daughters. After watching Rick Steves' London show, we decided to take the girls to Yo Sushi & Belgo. They were a big hit! For a brief moment, our girls actually thought that they might have cool parents!
Karen Herreid <email>
Austin, MN USA 02/07/01
In June we'll be making our fourth trip to London, where we stay at Regent's College in Regent's Park for a month. We love British food and the friendly people who serve it.
Some of our favorites echo others listed here. The Globe pub at Baker St. and Marylebone Rd. serves casual fare downstairs and has an excellent restaurant upstairs. We've always have excellent food and enjoyed the atmosphere and friendly service.
Takeaway food in Britain FAR surpasses offerings in the US. Harrod's and Marks & Spencer are well known. Less-known, but featuring fresh baked goods, wrapped sandwiches, soups, and entrees: Cullen's food stores, and Europa markets.
British supermarkets are fun! Try the house brands and different types of products. My first stop usually includes Rombaud's Coffees or Tesco, where plastic filter units, including coffee, are 2-3 pounds a box. They make a decent cup of coffee. McVities' digestive biscuits are another "must." And — though it's not food — I buy boxes of facial tissues. They have whimsical prints in delightful boxes. Boxes can be un-glued and flattened to travel, tissues pad breakables and don't take much space, and it's an unusual, inexpensive souvenir.
A walk down Marylebone High Street (perpendicular to Marylebone Rd., near Madame Tussaud's but on the opposite side) offers interesting restaurants, bake shops, and pubs. We like Verbanella for Italian food, on Blandford Street, just off Marylebone High St.
And stop in a grocery or snack shop with an ice cream freezer for a Cornetto — an ice cream like our "drumsticks," but MUCH better.
We enjoyed the food in the Regent's College refectory, but sometimes slipped over the the open-air restaurant beside Queen Mary's Rose Garden for a change. A takeaway meal, the rental of a striped lawn chair, the amazingly lovely park...aaaaaaah.
And we liked Texas Embassy, even without a single "y'all" to be heard!
Ruth Krieger <email>
Stillwater, OK USA 02/03/01
For those of you who are going to Warwick and Stratford, there are a number of good restaurants in the Warwick and Leamington area. In Warwick, a few minutes' walk from the Castle on Dury Street (ask a local), is Castle Balti - a fairly good Indian restaurant (bring your own alcohol - there is a liquor store just down the road). In Leamington there is The Royal Thai Dragon just off the Parade (a pretty good Thai restaurant), and The Emperors Chinese restaurant at the bottom of the parade.
Alex <email>
Leamington, UK 01/24/01
Yorkshire Pudding can't be beat!
Kathy Vernam <email>
Lostine, OR USA 01/24/01
The Windrush in Bourton-on-the-Water has the best-ever fish and chips! If you like crispy and delectable, you've got it! Place your order and it is delivered to your table outdoors. What could be more delightful than enjoying a great meal while watching the world go by in this perfectly charming village.
Also, don't miss a walk to Lower Slaughter and a visit to the Old Mill Museum. Sounds of WW2 music, won- derful memoribilia to purchase and lemon meringue ice cream that sends you back for seconds! The village is as beautiful as any I've seen in my 11 trips to the UK. But then, the whole Cotswold area is beyond compare!
Judy <email>
Richfield, MN USA 01/17/01
Perfect day in London (guy's perspective): First, call for a haircut appointment (if you need it), but more importantly a shave at Trumper's in Mayfair. Then grab a few pints in any one of the nearby pubs, and take the tube across the Thames to the Imperial War Museum.
Next, the British Museum, and in Notting Hill, the Portabello Road street markets (have your wife/girlfriend meet you here). You can eat lunch anywhere in this area.
Now, in the early afternoon, go to Pink's in St. James and check out their dress shirts and ties (women's shirts are great too, so you won't be in the doghouse).
Back at the hotel (I like the Duke's in St. James), dress casually for the evening. Go downstairs to the Duke's bar and ask for Gilberto, known everywhere as the guy who makes the world's best martini. You won't believe his presentation.
For dinner, take a cab to La Capannina on Romilly street in Soho (having first asked Gilberto call his nephew the owner). Excellent Italian dining. Then back to the Duke's for a nightcap if you want to pass on the club scene around Picadilly Circus...
Dave <email>
Arlington, VA USA 01/14/01
I was studying in London for the past four months and my recommendations for great food include:
1. Khan's for cheap and delicious Indian food. In the Bayswater area.
2. Pret-A-Manger on every street corner. Has great sandwiches.
3. Yo, Sushi! Just off Oxford Circus, a fun place with a conveyer belt of sushi.
<email>
CO USA 01/12/01
The food in Britain is not bad at all, contrary to popular myth. I had a great time and enjoyed the food everywhere I went.
While staying in London the past week we ran across a great pub/restaurant I highly recommend. Henry's is on Kensington High Street just up Picadilly Rd. from the Hard Rock Cafe. It had a great atmosphere and ambience and the food and drink were of the highest caliber. They have a great mixture of "British" food and foods you would recognize from America also. I had my fill of British food earlier in the week, with Bangers and Mash and such, so I had a toasted club sandwich with fries and a pint of Bass ale. It was a spectacular meal and the waitress was very attentive and courteous and even helped us decide what to do for New Year's Eve, telling us what all the locals typically did. (We ended up going for drinks at a couple of different pubs in Soho, then standing with a throng of other people in Trafalgar Square going mad when it struck midnight.)
We also ate in the Cafe in the Crypt underneath St. Martins-in-the-Field and that too was very nice. We decided we were going to have the bacon and avocado sandwiches and pastries and tea. The server told us he was very sorry but they had run out of bacon and they had substituted duck. As if that was a bad thing! We had duck sandwiches for the same price as bacon! You would never get that here in the States. The duck was phenomenal and I never thought I would have duck on a sandwich...!
Lance M. <email>
Seattle, WA USA 01/06/01
In response to Sarah Dorseys's comment (below) about the hesitancy of establishments to use our term "napkin" with meals, I think it only civilized to refer to serviettes as such, as the term "napkin" has an entirely different meaning in the UK.
I've found my best meals at pubs, usually in the countryside, since I vacation to avoid cities.
Gary <email>
Berkeley, CA USA 01/06/01
Ok, I'm hesitant to give this tidbit for fear that the place will get swamped. For the best sticky toffee pudding around and great meals at a reasonable price try Tutton's in Covent Garden. Two of us dined for about 30 pounds, including wine and dessert.
I've been there once a year over the last four years and it has not changed. Service has been good, and food is better than good (specials are really quite a deal). The location is prime. It seems to attract a pre-theatre crowd or mostly professionals. If you go in the summer, you get seated faster if you request indoors. Going early, say before 6 p.m., also helps. If you do get seated outside, you are often entertained by all the goings-on in the Garden.
Elizabeth <email>
Lawrenceville, VA USA 01/02/01