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The London Edition
For a sophisticated stay
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London, United Kingdom
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Welcome to Cool Britannia 2.0: Art spaces are launching seemingly by the month, joining recent additions like the V&A Photography Centre, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries and Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery, which sparked a renaissance south of the river. Fashion enthusiasts have more to explore, with the East End going glam and West London getting hipper – and the soon–to–open Crossrail (Elizabeth line) will take you everywhere quicker.
Due to COVID-19, please contact businesses directly to determine their current business operations before travelling.
Where to stay
- A hotel room at The Buxton in London, UK.The BuxtonFor budget-friendly rates
- A hotel room at London's The Standard.The StandardFor the decadent kitsch
- London-The-MondrianSea ContainersFor views of the Thames
- London-Ham-Yard-HotelHam Yard HotelFor the interior design inspiration
- A room at London's The Beaumont hotel.The BeaumontFor the refined glamour
Eat & Drink
Sharing plates at Wild by Tart The “tarts” in question are gorgeous wonder–chefs who get everything so right: light yet satisfying sharing plates with Middle Eastern spices, wood–fired aromas and colourful presentation. The experience extends beyond the lofty plant–filled restaurant to the adjacent concept shop and café.
Luxurious lunches at Frenchie A Jamie Oliver protégé outdoes his mentor with this sunny brasserie, serving sensuous pâtés and fish tartares with frothy sauces and inventive veg. Prices are steep, with a single pig’s head croquette at £2.50, but the masterful list of French and New World wines starts at a reasonable £5.50 a glass.
Italian fare at Canto Corvino Explore the cobbled back roads of Spitalfields before seeking refuge in this modern Italian restaurant on a skinny lane. Veal meatballs and sirloins please the peckish, while mussel orecchiette and carbonara with pig’s head and black truffle sate more serious eaters.
Spanish tapas at Barrafina There’s always a wait for a stool at the marble–topped bar, so let the staff ply you with sherry and salchichon to ease your impatience. Once seated, watch chefs expertly plate an oozy croqueta and a milk–fed lamb’s kidneys. Or choose from basic tortillas and vegetable dishes that are charred at the edges and infused with fruity flavours to balance the salt.
DIY pasta at Carousel World–renowned chefs descend for one– and two–week residencies in this art–filled space near Selfridges department store. Book ahead for a two–hour lunchtime workshop in pasta–making or barbecuing (dining on the results, obviously), or come for the single–seating dinners. The chef makes the rounds of the dining room before dessert.
Fiery curry at Tayyabs Skip the over–sauced tikka masala on Brick Lane and walk five blocks east to this Punjabi institution. Start with the tender grilled lamb chops, followed by garlic chicken, king prawns and the surprise hit: cumin–dusted okra. They don’t serve alcohol, though you can BYOB, or head to nearby Pride of Spitalfields for a pint of ale.
Dark roast coffee at Monmouth Coffee City–wide java supplier Monmouth buys its beans in small batches from family farms, so the offerings rotate constantly. Devotees line up outside this original branch outside Borough Market (worth a visit with your takeout cup) for the roast du jour.
Locavore brunch at Granger & Co. Enjoy the ricotta hotcakes as you rub elbows with London locavores versed in the virtues of acai and chia at this brass–accented brunch institution. Bring the whole family to the buzzing Clerkenwell branch, where they take reservations, for homemade muesli and organic sourdough.
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What to do
Feats of athleticism at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Get your bearings atop the ArcelorMittal Orbit, an Anish Kapoor sculpture with the world’s longest and tallest tunnel–slide. Explore the network of playgrounds, rock pools and climbing walls en route to the VeloPark, where you can book an hour–long track session (bike and helmet included), or test the waters at Zaha Hadid’s London Aquatics Centre.
Glimpses of the future at the Design Museum The museum’s new location opened in 2016 in a mid–century building outfitted by London minimalist John Pawson. It’s an exciting development for design buffs and anyone interested in the future of technology, globalism, media and the environment.
Shopping on Redchurch Street A steady influx of conceptual retailers has polished up this graffitied six–block stretch of East London. Get aesthetic inspiration from boutiques like Toogood, showcasing deconstructed fashion and furnishings; Blue Mountain School, purveyor of singular off–beat menswear with galleries for collectible design; and Monologue, where homewares are displayed like high art. On Sundays, shimmy up to Columbia Road for the weekly flea and flower markets.
Books galore at Foyles Start with apple–crumble cake from the sunny café on the fifth floor, then make your way down the wood staircases all the way to the basement Travel section. The second–level music department has an unrivalled collection of jazz and blues albums. For souvenirs, find classic fiction titles in jacket designs available only in the UK.
Guffaws at Soho Theatre The first port of call for up–and–coming comics is this 150–seat theatre with a raucous bar and basement cabaret. Better–known American acts often workshop new material here – you could catch one for roughly £12.
Laid–back city views from Regent’s Canal The London Waterbus Company navigates the Victorian–era Regent’s Canal on its traditional narrow boat. There’s no booking required for the one–hour, one–way voyage, which takes you past weeping willows, Regency manors and the London Zoo’s chirpy aviary. Start in Little Venice, a quaint enclave on the water, or in Camden, the hangout for goths, punks and music fanatics.
Forward–thinking menswear at Folk Folk was at the vanguard of London’s current romance with minimalist, eco–friendly men’s fashion, and also at the vanguard of Lamb’s Conduit Street’s gradual rebranding as a destination for responsible, distinctive casual wear. Florists, bookshops and homeware stores have followed suit, making this Georgian lane a wise stop after wandering through the nearby British Museum.
Designer womenswear at Alex Eagle “Curation” is an overused word, but Eagle truly has a gallerist’s eye for stocking her Soho boutique. What cashmere and silk pieces she hasn’t designed herself she buys from small avant–garde makers, mixing in vintage furniture and striking sculpture throughout the bright space.
Cutting–edge art at Serpentine Galleries Artists on the cusp of greatness become superstars after showing in this tiny villa in the rolling green of Kensington Gardens. Exploring the gallery’s annual summer pavilion, designed by a new, innovative architect every year, is an event in itself.
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