Food. It’s the greatest thing in the world. (Other than family and friends.) I have realized that I have partially become a food traveller. It started with my trip to Boston in November 2013 when we wanted to visit all the top spots on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. When I was moving to London, I just assumed that they have horrible food. Vancouver is absolutely spoiled with delicious food. The close proximity to the ocean provides seafood and the farms provide vegetables and meat. Needless to say, everything is fresh which enhances the taste. As much as I love food in Vancouver, London also has great food though most of the times, it may leave a hole in your pocket. Here are my top picks for best restaurants (so far) in London…
3. Princi
I went to this restaurant after I started writing my restaurant post and had to change the third from Whole Foods (look below at the honourable mention) to Princi. After having a delicious pizza at Princi, I’m in love. In fact, I went back four days later for dessert. (Both times the restaurant was packed!) I may have actually fallen in love as soon as I walked in. Half is a restaurant and half is more cafe style. The whole restaurant is brightly lit with high ceilings, providing a welcoming feel. The stone counters are lovely and the mini waterfall on the side is quite calming. Their pizza dough is as thin as it gets with lots of veggies and cheese on top but their crust is huge and crispy. It really provides the best of both worlds. The cannoli I had on my second visit was tasty but still does not compare to Mike’s Pastry in Boston. The cakes my friends ordered were a little too fruity for my baked goods taste.
2. J. Sheekey Oyster Bar
Hidden on St. Martin’s Court behind Noël Coward Theatre, this restaurant makes me feel much older and sophisticated. Although it was only opened in 2008, it has a Gatsby feel with leather chairs and dim lighting. It helps that it’s overlooking one of London’s most historic looking streets. There is something so romantic about the set up that makes you want to stay for hours. The food makes me feel like I’m back in Vancouver but paying double the price. The only thing I love more than pizza is raw seafood – oysters, smoked salmon, tuna sashimi, etc. The oysters at J. Sheekey are DE-licious! I don’t remember which ones I tried (one was from Jersey) but they were the perfect size and saltiness. The smoked salmon was also great and you also can’t go wrong with any of the wines on their list. Even though I just tried one, the whole list looked tempting. The only thing I would change about this place are their swivel bar stools – extremely difficult to stand up from especially when wearing a dress.
1. Hush Mayfair
Lets just say that I can understand why this one won Tatler’s Test of Time Restaurant of the Year award. Set in a beautiful courtyard in Mayfair, I can’t think of a better patio to enjoy a glass of Pimm’s. With the stone ground and the small green bushes, the patio welcomes you in. As for the food, lets just say I no longer doubt that London has fantastic food. I quickly chose the Loch Duart Salmon Tartare with Lemon Oil and Chilli as a starter as the waitress was taking our order and I think I made a pretty fantastic choice (not meaning to toot my own horn). It was delicious and fresh. As for the main, I had a hard time choosing between all the great seafood options. I finally decided on the Risotto of Tiger Prawns with Curry and Crispy Shallots. It’s really a surprise how I have never gotten seafood poisoning! The one thing that made this day even more fantastic was the constant pour of the sparkling rose. My one day of being spoiled in food heaven could have lasted a lifetime and I would have been perfectly content as a complete fatty.
Honourable Mention: Whole Foods
This is a cheat one as it’s not really a restaurant but their ready made food is mouth watering. A year and a half ago, I gave up [bad] carbs but my obsession with pizza remains. Well, Whole Foods has one of the most delicious pizzas I have yet tasted. It may be because subconsciously I assume I’m eating healthy food but the pizza tastes fresh (even though it’s been sitting on the counter for the whole day). What complements the pizza even more is a freshly made smoothie. I’m a fan of anything with berries and mango. Whole Foods is my top pick for affordable and healthy food even though it’s technically American.
A London Story 