1. Click here to read Paul Bennett's favourite places to eat and drink in London
2. Click here to read Adam Greenish's favourite things to do in London
Paul's favorite places to
eat and drink in london
Once you get used to your commute you'll find London a tremendous place to live. I'd recommend avoiding the central line in the morning if you can; I usually cycle in from the east, to which I am now well accustomed.
There is certainly no shortage of things to do, although it definitely helps to get to know some people who can give you a few pointers to begin with.
Drink
In terms of watering holes, there is a good selection of pubs around Westminster, but these are very work-oriented, mostly servicing the after work office crowds. For more relaxed downtime I would head east to the Old Street area where there is no shortage of lounge-esque pubs and bars, although this will depend entirely on where you live: Clerkenwell is hardly on the way back to Clapham. Everyone will find their own area of preference that suits them, however.
An alternative, if you're feeling flash, is to try one of the excellent hotel bars around town. The Churchill bar at the Hyatt, in Marylebone, is well worth a look if you feel like dressing up.
Eat! And leave the comfort zone.
For food you could do no better than Buen Ayre in London Fields or any of the Gaucho chain for fabulous, straightforward steaks of epic proportions. Green Lanes (close to Manor House tube) has a huge variety of Turkish and Kurdish restaurants which are as good for their vegetarian dishes as they are for their exquisite take on kebabs and hot and cold mezze, and will be well within your slightly squeezed trainee's budget.
If you're feeling a little adventurous, a particular favourite of mine is "Snazz Sichuan", close to Euston; one of a growing number of London outlets serving extraordinarily vivid and spicy Sichuan food, currently the most popular of the regional Chinese cuisines. Their "fire exploded kidney flowers" is one of the finest things I've tasted, although is not for the fainthearted. Go with friends!
Most of all enjoy your time here; and may it be long and fruitful.
Adam Greenish -
Nights out in london
Those that have been on a night out in London will be aware that it undoubtedly has some of the best nightlife in the world. For those that haven’t sampled the London experience you have a lot to look forward to, and plenty of negotiating with your bank manager. Most places have discounted or themed nights, so always best to check before you turn up.
Pubs and Bars
For people (like me) who prefer the bar scene to clubbing all night then there are plenty of bars around London. Best thing to do is find a couple around where you live that you like, but here are some of my favourites if you ever find yourselves near them.
The Strongroom Bar in Shoreditch has to be one of the best. A late licence means that you don’t get thrown out just as you are starting to enjoy yourself, and the music is predominantly ‘60s and ‘70s. There is an outside area for the summer, and the drinks are about as cheap as you will find in London without picking up a two litre of white lightning from your nearest supermarket.
For pubs in my humble opinion the Pig’s Ear and the Phoenix in Chelsea are two of the best. Both offer excellent food (the Phoenix’s Sunday roast is particularly decadent) and the Pig’s Ear has a very fine cider selection.
After Hours
Here are a couple of mainstream clubs, but it is important to note that with so much on offer often the best thing to do is just strike out and see where you end up.
Fabric is probably the best known club in London, and its size (and cost) can be intimidating, plus they have unisex toilets! However if you have never experienced a night at Fabric you will be astonished at how easy it is to plan to get the last train home and instead fall out of the doors to find yourself blinking in the morning sunlight. Found opposite Smithfield meat market on the northern fringe of the City of London.
Mahiki is found next to the Ritz, and therefore only a short walk from the BDB offices. This is a ‘tropical’ themed club, although they do seem to object if (the men at least) turn up only wearing swimwear. Great cocktails and central location, but again this is an expensive night out.
If you find yourself in West London then the Notting Hill Arts Club provides a fun and fairly low key night out. The music is often far more interesting than what you would find in a more mainstream club, and the costs are a little lower.
For those who live south of the river and also enjoy a disco (apparently this is a surprisingly common affliction) Infernos is the place to go. While I cannot personally recommend this place, my nights there generally ending with a tray of multi-coloured shots, the people of Clapham swear that a fun night can be had here.
Soho offers a huge selection of clubs, bars and other entertainment, and if you can’t decide on a single place to spend your evening then this is the best place to head. The central location is convenient for everyone, and if you get bored of one venue then all you have to do is walk across the street into another one.
Culture
It is important to remember that not all activities in London are completely hedonistic. The self-improving among us are well catered for.
Museums in London are generally free, with the Natural History Museum and V&A Museum in South Kensington being highly recommended.
When it comes to theatre you really are spoilt for choice. The National Theatre on the South Bank produces a huge number of high quality productions, and if you book far enough in advance they can be very competitively priced. The Donmar has some of the most interesting productions in London, and some of the finest Shakespeare I have seen has been here. If you don’t mind standing, the Globe is a must for any Shakespeare enthusiast.
Art galleries are also numerous in London, and perhaps unsurprisingly the most highly recommended are the Tate and the Tate Modern. The National Portrait Gallery is well worth a visit, and the café is brilliant and very modestly priced.
While perhaps slightly less self-improving there are many comedy clubs and venues in London. Always a fun and generally affordable night out. For mainstream comedy you can’t beat the Comedy Store, Jongleurs and the live shows at the Apollo in Hammersmith, but for a really high quality and intimate venue AKA near Holborn is brilliant.
Sports enthusiasts are spoilt for choice:
Football fans can watch Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, QPR or Fulham if they want to see some premiership play, although tickets can be expensive. If you don’t mind slipping down a couple of leagues then there are a huge number of London teams to occupy your weekend and ticket prices are much more reasonable.
For ladies and gentlemen there are two of the finest cricket pitches in the world close to central London. Lord's is always a tremendous occasion, and if you can’t stomach sitting through a whole day of test cricket then a 20:20 game is a hugely fun spectacle, and has the added bonus of being in the evening after work and a little lighter on your wallet. The Oval, just south of the river, is always a fun day out, and to get into a county game these days costs almost nothing. Brilliant on a sunny summer day.
If you enjoy rugby then you will already know that Twickenham is the place to go. If you live in West London then it is well worth going, especially as England seems to occasionally win these days.