If you follow me on Instagram you’ve most likely been subjected to the sizeable wave of spam from my recent trip to London. As my boyfriend and I pretty much planned our trip around where we wanted to eat & drink (excellent way to go about things fyi), I thought I’d share my top eats in the big capital.
Searcy’s Champagne Bar
Located across from St. Paul’s Cathedral (I believe there’s also one in the Gherkin), Searcy’s is described as an “Elegant champagne bar in a modern retail development, with a snack menu of seafood and charcuterie.” You may have already deduced that this is a more upmarket place to grab a drink, so I suggest going during happy hour (17:00-19:00) where the champagne cocktails are only £6.95 – no more than a TGI’s cocktail. I’d personally recommend the Pink Rose or the Adore Commodore from the ‘fizzy’ section of the cocktail menu. Despite the fact I’m not a big champagne drinker, I felt obliged to try a glass of the real deal too as the flutes were draped so elegantly from the ceiling. We had a Searcy’s own Brut which must have been excellent because even we liked it.
Wasabi
Wasabi provides Japanese street food at true street food prices – an idyllic concept for someone like myself. With such a wide array of sushis, soups and bento boxes it was a tough decision. I ended up going for the salmon nigiri box (6 pieces of sushi and pickled salad with wasabi + soy) for £3.99 while my boyfriend got the katsu curry bento box for £4.99. I don’t have to tell you how the price of this compares to something along the lines of a Wagamamma – I should know. Wasabi also had a load of cool aloe Vera waters and iced herbal teas so it felt quite authentic. I like to think of it as a fast food Wagamamma; instant, cheap but still very tasty Japanese food. (I mean technically Wagammama is more of an Asian fusion but let’s not get bogged down in the details). Wasabis were also very easy to find – for every MacDonalds and Starbucks, there was also a Wasabi.
The Ivy Chelsea Garden
I did much research on where’s best to find a member of the MIC cast (not obsessive, just enthusiastic) and it was a draw between Bluebird and The Ivy Chelsea Garden. Since we were looking at having brunch in Chelsea, we went with The Ivy Chelsea Garden as their breakfast menu had me truly shook. If you can ignore the occasional elitist waiter then the food and ethereal ambience is definitely worth it. The fresh juices, smoked salmon & poached eggs should definitely not be missed. We were wedged in between a group of Scandinavian socialites and a woman who appeared to have been plucked straight out of the Great Gatsby (and of course she got an espresso martini), so it made for some interesting ear wigging. So basically, if not for the gorgeous food, you should go for the fact that everyone who walks through the door is a complete character – including Alex and Tiff from MIC who we saw having lunch (thank you studious research).
Cutter and Squidge
We had to walk past a couple of seedy looking sex shops to get to this gem in Soho but once you find it you’ll be glad you did. This shabby chic bakery is run by two of the loveliest women in London we came across. They make the most amazing looking cakes (pictured below) and ‘freakshakes’ which is what we opted for. Not only are they dazzlingly photogenic, they’re also a sugar junkie’s dream. There’s a picture on my Instagram if you need photographic evidence. At the time I wasn’t feeling overly chocolate-y so I went for a raspberry shake with bits of brownie. Also available were vanilla, chocolate, salted caramel and passion fruit with bits of brownie / cookie / crunchie. The shakes themselves come in large jars on a plate with all the extra sweetie bits attached with bits of whipped marshmallow and cream. They also came with giant wafer cones on top to help you scoop up all the good stuff. To conclude, if you’re looking to jump aboard the freakshake bandwagon or buy an abstract hand-crafted cake, I wouldn’t miss this.
Tortilla
Mexican Subway. That’s what Tortilla is. A true combination of two of my favourite things. You go in, pick your size of burrito, rice, filling, beans, cheese/sour cream, salsa, sauce and any other extras such as guacamole or spicy onions. Maybe I just remember it as being one of the best meals of my life because it was the first thing I’d eaten that day but who’s to say? I got a small burrito with coriander rice, Tinga chicken, cheese, chunky mild salsa, pinto beans & guac. It was an intense love affair. Tortillas prices are also very similar to that of a Subway which was a nice bonus. We ate in the one just off Trafalgar Square which was in a great part of town.
Yumchaa Cafe
“Makers of Immodest Tea”
If you’re not a tea fan please just do yourself a favour and skip this paragraph. Being the tea connoisseur that I am, I obviously discovered this place years ago. Yumchaa specialise in the most amaze flavourful loose teas (they’re incredibly anti-tea bag). I still have my highly rationed bag of Blueberry Hill from my first visit to their stall in Camden Market because it’s just THAT good. So naturally upon my return to London I returned to their cafe – also in Camden Market – to try some out. Whilst I stocked up on loose teas in the cafe, I also got a cup of Gentle Giant white tea & a cup of black tea called Caramel Sweetheart. Both were next level cups of tea. It might sound silly, but they taste like the flavours they’re supposed to. But they really taste like their flavour. Really. I can’t seem to do this cuppa justice so I beg you, if you’re into tea, just try one for yourself as to understand my raving. The cafe also has a lovely range of gluten free cakes – I’d suggest the brownie.
I focused mainly on what I ate for my post about London as I had an utterly fantastic time away and I put a lot of that down to the fact I never had a bad meal. I suppose the company was okay as well.
Lucy x
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