Gastronomy

Gastronomy

Forget everything you’ve heard about London gastronomy.

From the famous “fish and chips” to the most refined palates of a good Frenchman, London today offers everything your imagination and appetite desire like in few cities in the world.

When I moved here, in the early ’90s, my refined Paulistano taste suffered a lot! Let’s face it, our Brazilian palate is very privileged.

However, a gastronomic “revolution” has occurred in the last 15 years and with globalisation, we can find the most diverse cuisines in the world, in one city, with special flavours as if we were in the country of origin.

Today, some of the more interesting restaurants can be found in other less famous neighbourhoods, outside the City Center, such as Bermondsey, Clapham, Hackey and Brixton.

However, Soho and Convent Garden are going through a great “revival” and the range of restaurants of all prices and types are innovating and multiplying at full steam, that was the reality before we stand still for while in lockdown.

There is no specific area of ​​London to find the best restaurants, there is little to unify the offerings around the city, except that the bill is calculated in pounds. As with music and fashion, the culinary domain here has expanded that the options are now almost endless …

SOME SUGGESTIONS WHERE TO EAT:

If your goal is to spend little and eat well during your trip to London, the options are endless!

In the age of apps, it has never been easier to choose how much to spend and on what type of food. These include Uber Eats, Nez, Dines and Deliveroo, for those who prefer to have an experience “at home” in case your option of accommodation is an Airbnb or a hostel.

To avoid tourist trap places, there are interesting options in all areas, usually with the menus at the restaurant entrances. If you like the look of the place and the menu is not displayed, ask to have a look, it is very common in London and Europe in general.

AFFORDABLE RESTAURANTS:

Franco Manca, Wagamama, Banana Tree, Prezzo, Zizzi, Flat Iron, Tonkotsu, Burger & Lobster, Paul, Le Pain Quotidien, Bill’s, Salsa, Comptoir Libanais, Byron Burger, Street Pizza at York & Albany (part of the Gordon Ramsay restaurant family), Cabana Brasil, Rudies’s Shoreditch, Pizza Pilgrims and Pret a Manger Café (for lunch-time sandwiches, salads and soups).

But if gastronomy is a fundamental part of your visit to London and money is not the problem, I have 5 unmissable restaurant’s for those with a very exquisite taste for food and atmosphere:

SOME OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN LONDON:

Sushi Samba (in the Shard with panoramic views of the city), Le Pont de la Tour (overlooking the Tower Bridge), Sketch Gallery (five magical rooms with very quirky decoration! The toilets are an experience in themselves), Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (a famous English chef, known as a culinary scientist) and the newest “kid on the block” Amazonico (breathtaking decoration, a fusion of tropical flavours from the Amazon, Mediterranean and Asian area).

As you can see, the options are limitless. Bon appétit!