A couple months ago, I went to London for a project with my good pal Eoin Glaister. Eoin, like me, loves food. He was excited to show me his favorite places to eat. I was a bit worried about the cuisine— I’d never really had traditional English food, and everyone in LA warned me about the food in London.
My first day in town, I fell into the faux pas of eating tourist-y food. Jet-lagged, I sat down at what looked like a nice, quaint, French bistro. It was a trap. After waiting 40 minutes, my food arrived: a handful of fries and a burger cooked far too long. I realized then that I’d played myself. I’d let the European facade get the better of my instincts, and was now spending £35 on a tourist meal. The patio tables and pastry display had deceived me— I wasn’t in France, or Italy, or anywhere in Europe— I was in London.
I quickly turned to Eoin, and he did me well. In between meetings, scouts, and rehearsals, he’d make sure that I’d eat and drink my way through the city. What follows is a list of all the standout spots I went to during my trip. Special thanks to all the folks who pointed me in the right direction: Eoin, Andrew Francis, Cole Santiago, James Rodenhouse, and Joanna at Bocca Di Lupo.
Beigel Bake
Although I certainly wasn’t craving a bagel with thick cut pastrami and a sliced pickle, I was pretty hungry— and somehow this meal felt suspiciously close to something like Shabbat dinner. I was half astonished, half disturbed by the pseudo fast food “beigel”. It hit the spot. Bonus points for being open 24/7.
Beigel Bake £ Brick Lane My order: 1x Pastrami Bagel, 1x Sausage Roll Pro Tip: Ask for half the mustard.
Holland Street Kitchen
Excellent coffee and pastry, and pretty convenient if you are staying in Kensington. Fantastic Cortado. They also have healthy cold salads at lunch time.
Holland Street Kitchen £ Kensington My order: 1x Cortado, 1x Olive Cake Pro Tip: They have a coffee punch card-- a free drink after 8 cups.
The Scarsdale Arms
The Sunday Roasts in London are insane— huge pieces of meat, mashed potatoes, thick eggy bread. A meal that makes the coming Monday sting just a little bit less. Of all the roasts we had in the UK, The Scarsdale Arms was my favorite.
The Scarsdale Arms £ £ Kensington My order: Sunday Roast, Guinness Pro Tip: This is a Fuller's Pub-- Fuller's also runs some other nice pubs, like The Churchill Arms.
Dishoom
Huge Art Deco dining room, delicious drinks, and very flavorful Indian food. Some of the best marinated chicken I’ve ever had. Frankie asked for the recipe for the marinade and the chef actually wrote it down for her.
Dishoom £ £ Kensington My order: Dishoom Chicken Tikka, Chicken Ruby, Vegetable Samosa, Raita, India Gimlet Pro Tip: Get a reservation!
Gelupo
Incredible gelato form an unassuming shop. They make a mean Affogato.
Gelupo £ Soho My order: 1x Hazelnut Affogato Pro Tip: Gelupo is the sister shop of Bocca Di Lupo.
Bocca Di Lupo
Bocca was a sight for sore eyes. After a week of Sunday Roasts, Fish & Chips, and Indian food, I was very ready to have a comfortable meal— a cuisine I knew well and had heritage with: Italian food.
“Bocca Di Lupo” is another way of saying “good luck” in Italian, but it literally translates to “in the mouth of the wolf” in English. When offered this phrase, you reply, “Crepi”, which means, “the wolf shall die”.
The atmosphere at Bocca is fantastic— warm lights, a general buzz, and fast and entertaining service. We sat at the counter, and after a couple of Martinis, we were having a grand old time. Joanna, the Pastry Chef, recommended us a few more restaurants to check out.
Bocca Di Luppo £ £ £ Soho My order: , 2x Martini, Courgette flower, Whole Round Lettuce, Ricotta Ravioli, Suckling Pig, Pound Cake with Strawberries and Ice Cream. Pro Tip: Sit at the counter.
Silo
Silo is a no-waste restaurant. They use every last piece of every last ingredient. Even the little cutlery rest is recycled— made out of crushed wine bottles. The food was pretty good: über ripe vegetables, small plates, all fresh and healthy. The aura was strange, though… the service was a little too formal. Still worth checking out.
Silo £ £ £ £ Hackney Wick My order: The "All In" tasting menu Pro Tip: Unless you are getting the tasting menu, skip the dessert.
Kiln
Kiln was fantastic-. Spicy thai food, all cooked with coals behind the counter you eat at. I’m not sure if the coals do much for the flavor, but the experience of watching an entire kitchen cook by fire is quite entertaining. The whole menu has incredible flavor, with extremely spicy options for the hot heads, and delicious, ice cold wine.
Kiln £ £ My order: Aged Cull Yaw, Laap Sausage, Slow Grilled Chicken, Clay Pot Baked Noodles, Malas Uvas Skin Contact Pro Tip: Don't bring your jacket-- it's hot.
My Neighbors The Dumplings
My Neighbors The Dumplings surprised me. I thought I was walking into a casual dumpling spot, and caught myself inhaling the crispy pork belly, Dim Sum style dumplings, and expert cocktails. Highly recommend.
My Neighbors The Dumplings £ £ Victoria Park My order: Siu Mai Classic, Pork & Kaffir Potstickers, Peanuts & Mixed Veg, Pork Belly, Plum Margarita Pro Tip: They also sell frozen dumplings & sauce to make at home.
Regency Cafe
Eoin took us to a classic for our last meal in London: Regency Cafe. A line out the door for English Breakfast the way momma made it. Baked beans, thick toast & butter, charred tomatoes, sausage. There’s no table service here— once your order is ready, the cashier will yell your order at the top of her lungs until you come grab it at the counter.
Regency Cafe £ £ Regency Street My order: Perhaps best put in the cashier's words, "ONE SET BREAKFAST, TWO EGGS TWO SAUSAGE, TWO TOAST, BLACK COFFEE" Pro Tip: If you're waiting in line, don't fret. There is a perfect harmony in place between meals ready and seats available. It reminded me of the old days at The Apple Pan.
There were many more places we tried, and many I didn’t get a chance to check out. It turns out, the food in London isn’t so bad In fact, I could get used to a roast every week.
But today, I am craving those squash blossoms from Bocca Di Luppo. It’s easy to find zucchini on a menu, but a good Courgette is few and far between. A pleasant thought— that the flower and the fruit each have their own unique flavor.
Alas, I am back in LA, on the lookout for that experience of sensory memory. I leave you this Sunday with a proper Sunday Roast: