Here is the final article in this London triptych, which began with a short city guide, continued with my review of several London hotels, and ends here on one of my favorite subjects: gastronomy! As you can imagine, having only 2 days in 2016, I had very little time to test many places, but I am sharing my few discoveries here, especially around typically English cuisine, with an afternoon tea (rumored to be one of the best in London), an English breakfast, and a quick lunch consisting of burgers and English beers. I also update this article regularly when I return to London and test new spots!
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Table of Contents
Where to eat in King’s Cross station? MI + ME
MI + ME is the meat and cheese quick-bite restaurant from the luxury Renaissance St Pancras hotel, secretly nestled in King’s Cross station. The appeal of this place is that it exclusively offers English products on its menu, with a great selection of cheeses and charcuterie made in the UK. The design of the space is also very nice. The tables are located right above the train tracks, but it is pleasant to sit there even in winter, as there is a quite effective heating system and blankets for those who get chilly like me.
A really cool spot, then, inside the station that hosts the Eurostar and which is therefore a must-visit for many when traveling to London from Paris (though I proved in my first article that there were other cheaper solutions for the brave…).
Must-try:
- As a starter to share or for an appetizer, I recommend the house specialty, the Cheese + meat with cured meat & 2 cheeses (£15) from a selection of local cheeses and charcuterie.
- For the main course, we dove into the beef brisket + cheddar burger (£11.50), truly a great find with a special mention for the huge fries served with it, both crispy on the outside and melt-in-the-mouth on the inside.
- A very fine selection of London beers for enthusiasts: the Hells Lager, Camden Town Brewery (£5), the Wu Gang Chops (in tribute to the Wa Tan Club) the True Hefeweisse (£5), and finally the beer produced by the hotel itself, the St Pancras beer.
Tested in 2016
MI + ME
open from 11 am to 9 pm
Upper Terrace
St Pancras International Station, London
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Where to have lunch near King’s Cross station? At the German Gymnasium restaurant
This establishment has the advantage of being located between King’s Cross station and St Pancras. It is therefore the ideal spot for a lunch before catching a train. It offers specialties with German influences in a very chic setting. For our part, we tested the Sunday brunch menu, which is of very high quality!
Must-try: the smoked salmon tartare; the GG burger; for dessert, the Sweet Berlin, with cinnamon pancakes, rhubarb compote, whipped cream, maple syrup, and caramelized bananas (a killer)…
Tested in 2019
German Gymnasium Restaurant
1 King’s Boulevard, London N1C 4BU
Price: Weekend Brunch Menu 2 courses £28 / 3 courses £35
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Where to dine in the Whitechapel neighborhood? At Mr. White’s English Chophouse restaurant in the New Road Hotel
This industrial-style hotel (where we stayed during a short trip in 2019) has a very good restaurant, Mr. White’s English Chophouse, and it is a very good place to dine in the evening on-site, for example.
Tested in 2019
Mr. White’s English Chophouse
New Road Hotel
103-107 New Road, Whitechapel London
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Where to eat a good fish & chips in London? The Builders Arms Kensington
This very cool London pub is the local hangout for English people to have a beer after work. It is the perfect place to experience the atmosphere of an English pub (if the noise bothers you, though, move along). We had a fish and chips to accompany our beer, and I must say we really enjoyed it. Plus, the team is very, very friendly! I can only warmly recommend this address, discovered completely by chance (we saw light and we went in, basically…).
Tested in 2023
The Builders Arms Kensington
1 Kensington Ct Pl, Greater, London
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Where to have afternoon tea in London? At the Brown’s Hotel
The Afternoon tea is a typically British moment that you must experience at least once if you go to London. It’s not just a tea time; it can be considered a full meal in its own right. It could eventually replace the Parisian Sunday brunch. Ideally, it should be enjoyed on Sunday afternoon between 2 pm and 6 pm.
The concept: apart from an essential cup of tea, you are served a tray of pastries and savory sandwiches.
The one at Brown’s Hotel is reputed to be one of the best in London. First of all, for the exceptional setting of the establishment’s English Tea Room, in the purest English tradition, then for the quality of the products and the service. On the menu, around twenty different high-quality teas are offered to accompany a selection of savory sandwiches, delicious sweet pastries, divine scones, and a slice of cake of your choice.
It is important to say that everything is all-you-can-eat in this afternoon tea. So as long as you can eat, your tray will be endlessly refilled. It is also the perfect place to discover the “English-style service”. You are absolutely well taken care of in this Mayfair palace to make this moment a so british break. The ultimate little touch: the head waiter who comes to place your little napkin on your lap every time you sit back down. The first time it feels weird, but eventually you get used to everything…
The extra touch: the Sunday we enjoyed this afternoon tea, a pianist was playing live in the central room of the English Tea Room.
Tested in 2016
Brown’s Hotel
Albemarle Street / Mayfair / London
Closest subway: green parkAfternoon tea between 2 pm and 6:30 pm during the week and between 12 pm and 6:30 pm on weekends
Price: traditional afternoon tea £75 / with champagne £85
Reservation required
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Where to have an English breakfast in London? At the Royal Garden Hotel
This 5-star hotel (which I have already talked about quite a bit in my previous article) located in the Kensington district, offers a real English Breakfast that we tested with great pleasure, I must say, after our wonderful night in this luxurious establishment.
On the program: free access to the continental buffet, and additionally, à la carte, you can choose eggs (I opted for the poached version), bacon, sausages (the traditional Cumberland), mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, not to mention the famous baked bean soup.
Tested in 2016
Royal Garden Hotel
2-24 Kensington High Street London W8 4PTPrice: £25 for an English breakfast
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I hope that with all this, I have made you want to discover and re-discover London, and if you too have your own favorite spots to eat in the English capital, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments!
Find all my articles on my trips to Great Britain below:
⇒ All my articles on Great Britain
⇒ All my articles on England
⇒ All my articles on London
MY ARTICLES ON LONDON
⇒ London Food Tour
⇒ Selection of hotels in London
⇒ Weekend in London
⇒ London by bike
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's permission required before any use
