19QOS19 Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 The New York's unwanted little brother thread Booked to go to London for my anniversary in July. Heading down on friday and returning on the monday. We are staying at Covent Garden and have a show on Saturday night. I've not been since I was 12 so this will be my first free roam in London, what does everyone recommend? Are the dungeons worth a visit? They have made it into an interactive experience which looks pretty decent. Anyone been since this started? Also, any nice but reasonably priced restaraunt's in the area? That would be specifically for the anniversary night so I'd be prepared to spend more than the usual Burger King fee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pabst Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Souk Medina on Shorts Gardens in Covent Garden is brilliant - great Moroccan food, really atmospheric Arabic setting - perfect for anniversaries. There's also a Masala Zone (Indian chain in London) that does superb Indian thali (street food). Highly recommended, and pretty cheap overall. If you're in a bit of a rush and just need to grab something quick, Benito's Hat does amazing burritos - there's a few of them around central London, though the one in Covent Garden is on New Row. If you're staying in Cov Garden, you should hit Monmouth Coffee on, surprisingly enough, Monmouth Street for your morning coffee on the Saturday. You've also got the Transport Museum across from the piazza on Covent Garden which is pretty good. There's a ton of unremarkable chain pubs round the Covent Garden / Piccadilly Circus / Leicester Square area (wetherspoons / youngs / fullers etc) which are probably best avoided. Detroit in Covent Garden will impress the lady, it does great cocktails, or you could hit the Lowlander just off Long Acre, which does great Belgian beers. Soho also has good bars. Apart from the usual Buckingham Palace/Big Ben/Tower Bridge stuff, a stroll along the South Bank on Saturdays is always good fun - you've got the Eye, the BFI, the SouthBank centre (go up to the Skylon Bar / roof terrace bit for a nice view across to Charing Cross). One absolutely essential thing is to go for a drink in one of the rooftop bars - personally I'd say go to the Shard next to London Bridge tube. You can go up to Aqua Shard on the 32nd floor - they do superb cocktails - and grab a seat by the window and enjoy stunning views across the city. You've got Sushi Samba / Duck & Waffle at the top of Heron Tower on Bishopsgate (nearest tube Liverpool St) and Paramount Bar at the top of Centrepoint building on Tottenham Court Road - both these have great views too. You could also hit the Shoreditch / Spitalfields / Brick Lane area as well - Brick Lane has some nice curry spots, and there's Ambala for the great Indian sweets. Shoreditch is less hipster/Nathan Barley territory than it was (that scene has moved out towards Dalston & Hackney). Loads of great bars and restaurants around Curtain Road / Old Street / Great Eastern Street area. Red Dog Saloon - a US style burger and ribs place - on Hoxton Square is brilliant (make sure you do the Viper wings challenge and then eat a Devastator burger!). Camden is similar, though a bit more touristy (punks in union jack leather jackets) but still fun. Not been to the London Dungeons so couldn't comment, but the museums out towards South Ken are all free and pretty good. You could also take a Thames Clipper down towards Greenwich, stroll round the market, walk up the hill to the Greenwich observatory in the park and enjoy the great views across to Canary Wharf and the O2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pabst Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Oh, Kenza - in a little lane just off Bishopsgate / Liverpool street - does some of the best Lebanese food you'll ever have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broken Algorithms Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Off to London next month so any further recommendations would be welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev23 Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Fitbaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19QOS19 Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Fitbaw Season will be over by July 12th. I'm kinda hoping for Fulham or Chelski to have a friendly game arranged by then mind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doulikefish Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Season will be over by July 12th. I'm kinda hoping for Fulham or Chelski to have a friendly game arranged by then mind you. A march around would be good On a serious note i do like a wander down the south bank of the thames,some really nice bars/restaurants and at that time of the year the weather should be fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broken Algorithms Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Fitbaw I wish! The two games on the weekend I go are Arsenal vs Man City and Crystal Palace vs Chelsea! I'm sure I'll get a ticket easily enough for that first one, cheap too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshmallo Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I wish! The two games on the weekend I go are Arsenal vs Man City and Crystal Palace vs Chelsea! I'm sure I'll get a ticket easily enough for that first one, cheap too... Lower league? One piece of advice I'd give is don't go on the London Eye. There's a restaurant/bar type thing really high up in the Shard where you can get a couple of cocktails for the same price as admission to the Eye, you can take as long as you want having a look about and you get a couple of drinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19QOS19 Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Lower league? One piece of advice I'd give is don't go on the London Eye. There's a restaurant/bar type thing really high up in the Shard where you can get a couple of cocktails for the same price as admission to the Eye, you can take as long as you want having a look about and you get a couple of drinks. The Eye will be a definite miss. Did it with the school and it's 30 minutes I'll never get back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mid-table Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I went to the top of the Shard last month. It is pricey, about £30 or so, but the views were unbelievable. We stayed about an hour up at the top. Also, the lift takes no time at all and you have virtually no sense of going up, but within 10 seconds you are up at the 34th floor. Really weird. I have been on the Emirates airline a few times too. It's £2.20 on Oyster pay as you go and well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Lived there for a long time but hesitate to give advice on restaurants, pubs etc. as they change so quickly. If you're after a bit of culture interspersed with a few ancient pubs and a big market though, walk across the wobbly bridge to fearsome Sath Landin. The Tate Modern is in front of you, drop in if you want some modern art in a pretty spectacular setting. The re-creation of what they think Shakespeare's Globe Theatre looked like is almost next door, and you can walk in and out with a glass of wine (not sure about a pint) during a show as you feel like. It's kind of half indoors and half out. Borough Market's nearby, and is massive, loads of weird food for the mrs to look at. On the way you pass the Anchor, an ancient place with tiny rooms and corridors at random, and a big beer garden overlooking the Thames. The George was good too, by London Bridge and also near the market. Then maybe a river trip or bus to Greenwich, or walk back over the bridge to some Soho debauchery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19QOS19 Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 Just discovered the place I get the odd Cohiba cigar from is a 20 minute walk from my hotel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMDP Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Would agree with the suggestion of going on the Emirates Airline across the Thames, cheap and good views across the river. Can also be combined with a visit to the O2 and a boat trip on one of the Thames Clippers back into town. If you are there over the weekend, I would recommend a Saturday tour of the Houses of Parliament if you don't make it to a game. Also, would echo others comments about wandering along the Southbank. For going out, I prefer Camden to Shoreditch, but any of the main areas in the centre will find you something you like. I quite like the Samuel Smith's pubs for a cheapish pint before going somewhere else. For food, I love Wahaca(Mexican) which has branches throughout London, Bento in Camden for Sushi. Alternatively, jump on the tube to Angel/Highbury & Islington and take a walk down Upper Street which has a fuckton of restaurants catering for whaterver you want. Have lived in London almost four years now and still love it. Hope you have a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Wilson Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Lived there for a long time but hesitate to give advice on restaurants, pubs etc. as they change so quickly. If you're after a bit of culture interspersed with a few ancient pubs and a big market though, walk across the wobbly bridge to fearsome Sath Landin. The Tate Modern is in front of you, drop in if you want some modern art in a pretty spectacular setting. The re-creation of what they think Shakespeare's Globe Theatre looked like is almost next door, and you can walk in and out with a glass of wine (not sure about a pint) during a show as you feel like. As you like it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 As you like it? Nah, measure for measure it was a bit of a coriolanus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzdrk Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I hear they have motorised horses down in that London Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I hear they have motorised horses down in that London They are for the restricted use of the lady aristocracy down those parts.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I go at least once a year and being a tight b*****d like to do all the free stuff. The museums are fall fantastic. My favourite is national gallery closely followed by British museum. Head up Camden and have a wander about and a pint. Food stalls at the stables market is highly recommended. Also I'm definitely not a beast or anything but I thoroughly enjoyed hamleys. Dungeons,tussauds etc are overpriced Pish. Go on a ripper walk or one of the ghost bus tours instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoBNob Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Heading down to start a new job this year and a part of the travel includes going on the underground, going from Kings Cross to Waterloo. Was down at London last year for the Scotland game and got what I thought was a reasonable understanding of the Underground. I originally thought that getting the Piccadilly line down to Leicester Square would be the best option before getting the Northern Line down to Waterloo. Looking around though other people are also suggesting getting the Victoria line to Oxford Cirucs before getting the Bakerloo line down to Waterloo, would anyone with a better knowledge of the underground be able to say what would be quickest? Only got an hour to get from Kings Cross to Waterloo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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