London Top Restaurants

The Fat Duck is at the top of the list when looking for top restaurants in the London area. This fine restaurant opened in 1995 by Heston Blumenthal boasts such awards as Best Restaurant in the UK by Good Food Guide 2007, Chefs Chef and Second Best Restaurant in the World by 50 Best Restaurants in the World awards 2007, Grand Prix de L’Art de la Cuisine by International Academy of Gastronomy 2007 as well as numerous others.

The Capitol Restaurant is another wonderful dining experience to enjoy in the London area. This beautiful restaurant is situated inside a hotel and currently is the only of one of its type to hold 2 Michelin stars. The head chef, Eric Chavot, is world recognized and acclaimed by even the toughest of critics. He came to The Capitol in 1999 and has continued to astound the restaurants patrons with his French inspired dishes. A warm an inviting atmosphere continues to lure guests back time and time again to enjoy a wonderful meal prepared by a wonderful chef.

Le Gavroche is a jewel found in the heart of London and stays at the head of the class for classical and modern French cuisine. Michel Roux Jr. provides his families touch to a seasonal menu that attracts guests from all around. La Gavorche’s extensive wine selection continues to amaze its guests with the prize winning vintages it offers. Comforting surroundings and a relaxed atmosphere help this jewels visitors to fully relax and enjoy a well prepared meal every time. Exceptional service adds to the wonderful experience making it a restaurant that guests come back to time and time again.

Another hot jewel to be found in the London area is Beach Blanket Babylon. Nestled in the heart of Notting Hill, Beach Blanket Babylon occupies an old Georgian House. BBB as it is better known by its admirers was established in the 1990’s and after major renovations has become a well known place for top socialites. Its beautiful décor is probably the main reason this dining experience is so popular. French Country Château and Gaudiesque architecture draw the guests in to enjoy a dining experience they will not soon forget. Visual motifs found throughout the restaurant continue to awe its guests over and over.

A modern British menu gives Axis its rank among the top dining destinations in London. The newly acquired Executive Chef, Tony Fleming, has created an inspiring menu from the best of seasonal ingredients. As an added gift from this talented chef, Tony Fleming has also created Christmas inspired menus for the month of December for all parties with 12 or more guests. Enjoy a wonderful dining experience along with a movie as well on Friday and Saturday evenings with a glass of champagne, a three course meal and an entertaining flick played in the evening hours.

So, there you have it, the top restaurants in London, if you decide to dine in one of these fantastic.

Visit London in five days

See the previous article for your first three days.

Day Four:

1. Day Four begins at the Covent Garden, famous for its shops, street performers, fashionable boutiques, theatres and the Royal Opera House. It's Italian-style piazza is packed with restaurants and bars, a perfect spot for lunch.
2. In the afternoon, stroll in Kensington Gardens and visit Kensington Palace, once the London home of Princess Diana, and Hyde Park, considered as one of the largest green spaces in London.

Day Five:

1. Day Five begins with three best museums in London, all near South Kensington — the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, and the Victoria & Albert Museum.
   
2. In the afternoon, you may consider a short trip outside central London. There are plenty of choices: the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, Hampton Court, Windsor Palace, Hampstead Heath, and Greenwich. Most of the places are within 30-40 minutes of London tube.
   

Visit London in three days

Three days doesn't seem like a very long time. But with a bit of planning, you can cover most of top attractions in London.

Day One:

1. Start day with a visit to majestic Westminster Abbey, the Royal Tombs and Poets' Corner.
   
2. Next to the abbey is the Houses of Parliament and the Big Ben. From August through September, you can actually get inside to hear the live debate.
   
3. On the opposite side of the Thames is the British Airways London Eye, the new symbol of London. Reserve in advance, otherwise you may have to spend 1-2 hours in line for a ticket and to get on the flight.
   
4. If you are interested in looking at some of great English arts, Tate Britain is not far from here.
   
5. In the afternoon, explore Piccadilly Circus - the London's West End, and do some shopping at Oxford Street (the busiest street in Europe).
   
6. End the day with a West End show. You may need to book in advance or check the half-price ticket booth in Leicester Square to see what's available.
   
7. Have dinner in Soho before the show.

Day Two

1. Day Two begins with a visit to Buckingham Palace to witness the pageantry of the Changing of the Guard. Reserve tickets in advance, so you don't have to wait in line for an hour or more to get in.
   
2. From Buckingham Palace, you can stroll down the Mall, through St. James's Park, passing Clarence House, where the Queen Mother lived until her death in 2002, and St. James's Palace, once the London home of Prince Charles and his two sons, William and Harry.
3. Next stop is Trafalgar Square, London's grandest and certainly most famous square. You can have lunch or tea at the National Gallery's restaurant. Spend your afternoon at the National Gallery, with over 2300 paintings including the “The Virgin of the Rocks” by Leonardo Da Vinci.
   

Day Three

1. You should arrive as early as you can at the Tower of London to join one of the one-hour guided tours led by the Beefeaters. The Tower Bridge is close by. You can now walk over the high-level walkways between the two towers.
   
2. The British Museum, the best museum in London, is your next stop. It has a vast amount of art and culture from all over the world and houses over 13 million different objects from many continents of the world.
   
3. Finish off your afternoon in Knightsbridge at Harrods, the most famous department store in London, and perhaps the world. Knightsbridge and adjacent South Kensington offer innumerable dining options.

Stay in London: best areas outside central London

Dockland is the new center of London developed over the last 20 years. Canary Wharf has become one of Europe's biggest clusters of skyscrapers and poses direct challenge to the financial dominance of the City. 2012 Olympic game will also be held there. Travel to central London takes about 30 mins via Tube and Dockland Light Railway.

Another area is northern London near Swiss Cottage. It is a high-end residential area but there are a few nice but reasonably priced hotels there. Close to Hampstead Heath (one of London’s finest open spaces) and Camden Town market (a popular street market)

Check out some offers in the areas (Superbreak.com)

Offers in Docklands, Offers in Swiss Cottage

Stay in London: best areas in central London

In central London, your best bets are the following three districts: Bloomsbury, Paddington and Kensington.

Bloomsbury is London’s literary capital - lots of bookshops and near one of London’s biggest tourist lures – the British Museum. Plenty of nice and affordable hotels in the area.

Paddington is famous for its train station and is close to the tranquility of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. A good area looking for budget hotels.

Kensington is delightful place full of chic boutiques, expensive restaurants, snooty aristocrats and whippet-thin IT girls in slick sports cars. Lots of small but extremely nice boutique hotels in the area. A bit more expensive but close to all the attractions.

Check out the special offer pages at Superbreak:

Hotels in Bloomsbury, Hotels in Paddington, Hotels in Kensington