Tasty Eats in London

It's been almost a year since we moved to London and in that time we've tried a lot of restaurants: some great, some good and some not so good. It's always hard moving to a new place and finding the best spots to go...it's one of those things where you just have to give it a go and hope for the best! Before taking a leap of faith in a new place, I usually poke around on Yelp and Top Table (the UK version of Open Table) to read reviews. I wanted to share a few of my favourites in case any of you are coming over here anytime soon or just want to know what's good in this lovely city. So, here are a few of my faves...hope you enjoy!

Jim and I first went to Tom's Kitchen in Chelsea when our friends Alexis and Patrick were in town earlier this spring, and we've been back a few times since. Everything I've had was delicious...creamy burrata, truffled mac & cheese and fish & chips...it's all so good! I've only been for dinner, but they do serve lunch and dinner too. They've also got another location at Somerset House, where London Fashion Week/end is held (I'm actually going this weekend!)

The Big Easy in Chelsea offers a taste of Southern cooking with fresh lobster, steaks, BBQ chicken and all the trimmings. We've been here several times and always leave happy. They've got a great deal on Thursdays where you can get a whole lobster or surf & turf with a margarita or beer for £20.

Granger & Co. has become a recent favourite for breakfast and dinner. It's in a great neighbourhood on trendy Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill, and it has an airy, open floorplan which makes the space really inviting. The owner is Australian so he brings this cuisine together with British tastes to offer really good, inventive dishes like corn fritters & bacon or coconut cream cake. 

Bocca Di Lupo is an Italian restaurant in the West End near all the theatres, so it's perfect for a quick dinner before a show. They have really good Italian dishes served tapas style so you get a little taste of everything. My favourite dish was the broad bean (fava bean) paparedelle...it was such a creamy, delicious alternative to pesto. They also have their own ice cream shop across the street if you're in the mood for something sweet.

Polpo is part of a collection of Italian eateries in London and has a fab selection of little plates to share. It's in Soho and is always super busy so grab any seat you can...when I went I sat at the bar with a friend. They've got a large selection of wines from around the world, and the plates are small enough so you can try out a lot and not feel completely over-stuffed. I loved the chickpea, spinach and ricotta meatballs and arancini.

The Butcher's Hook is our favourite neighbourhood pub for a good, quick meal any night of the week. It's just a five minute walk down Fulham Road towards the Chelsea stadium and has a great, relaxed ambiance. The goodness here starts with the fresh bread & salty butter they serve while you wait for your meal. The menu changes every week, but they always have a roast, a veggie option and lots of good starters like fried Jerusalem artichokes. And every night of the week you can get a main course and wine or beer combo for £10. 

Burger Lobster serves just what it says it does: burgers and lobsters. Those are the only two things on the menu (both at £20) and they do it right. I must admit, the lobster is even better than the Big Easy's! It's a tiny restaurant in Mayfair so you can expect to wait an hour or more for a table, but it's really worth it. They also have another location in Covent Garden if you can't get in here.

[Images via Tom's Kitchen, Big Easy, Granger & Co., Bucca Di Lupo, Polpo, Butcher's Hook, Burger Lobster]