London rewards booking two meals and walking between everything else. Eat at a Soho counter, book lunch by Smithfield Market, spend a Sunday south of the river, and see an architect’s house left as it was in 1837. Save the addresses you want, then walk between them.

London at a glance

Time zone
Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+0) in winter; British Summer Time (UTC+1) from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October
Currency
Pound sterling (£). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, and some places take no cash
Language
English
Airports
Heathrow (LHR): about 15 min to Paddington by Heathrow Express; Gatwick (LGW): about 30 min to Victoria by Gatwick Express
Best months
May to September, for long light evenings
Power
Type G plugs, 230 V
Tipping
Restaurants often add a discretionary service charge, commonly 12.5%; check the bill before adding more. Not expected when you order at a pub bar

Know who’s in London when you are

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Where to spend your time

  • Soho Start with an espresso at Bar Italia, eat at a Dean Street counter, then have a glass at The French House.
  • Marylebone Browse Daunt Books on Marylebone High Street, then see the Wallace Collection on Manchester Square; entry is free.
  • Clerkenwell Book lunch at St. JOHN beside Smithfield Market, then walk up to Exmouth Market.
  • Shoreditch and Spitalfields Walk Redchurch Street and Arnold Circus, then book a visit to Dennis Severs’ House on Folgate Street.
  • Bankside and Borough Get to Borough Market early for coffee, then follow the river path west to Tate Modern.
  • Bloomsbury and Holborn Visit Sir John Soane’s Museum, Wednesday to Sunday, then walk to Lamb’s Conduit Street for lunch.
  • Bethnal Green and Hackney Go to Columbia Road for the Sunday flower market, or Broadway Market on a Saturday.

Where we’d send a friend

  • Monmouth Coffee Borough Market. Coffee from single farms and cooperatives, by the cup or the bag, at the corner of Borough Market. 2 Park Street, SE1 9AB. London Bridge, about 5 min. Order: Filter coffee of the day. Closed Sundays. Open 7:30 AM to 6 PM; card payments only. Website
  • Prufrock Coffee Leather Lane, Holborn. Coffee and food on Leather Lane since 2011. 23–25 Leather Lane, EC1N 7TE. Chancery Lane, about 5 min. Opens at 7:30 AM on weekdays, 8 AM on Saturdays and 9 AM on Sundays. Website
  • Bar Italia Soho. A Frith Street espresso bar run by the Polledri family since 1949. 22 Frith Street, W1D 4RF. Tottenham Court Road, about 5 min. Order: An espresso at the counter. Open daily, 7 AM to 4 AM. Website
  • Ozone Coffee Shoreditch. Ozone’s first London café, just off Old Street roundabout, with a seasonal kitchen. 11 Leonard Street, EC2A 4AQ. Old Street, about 5 min. Order: A filter coffee and brunch. The kitchen serves until 3 PM. Weekday tables can be booked; weekends are walk-in only. Website
  • St. JOHN Smithfield, Clerkenwell. Nose-to-tail cooking in a former smokehouse beside Smithfield Market, since 1994. 26 St John Street, EC1M 4AY. Farringdon, about 5 min. Order: Whatever is on the day’s menu. The menu is written twice a day. Lunch Monday to Saturday from noon, and Sunday until 4 PM; no supper on Sundays. Website
  • Barrafina Soho. The original Barrafina: a tapas counter on Dean Street, and the only branch that takes no bookings. 26–27 Dean Street, W1D 3LL. Tottenham Court Road, about 5 min. Order: Something from the specials board. Walk-in only; wait with a drink at the standing bar. Lunch from noon, dinner from 5 PM. Website
  • Quo Vadis Soho. Jeremy Lee’s seasonal British cooking, in the restaurant of a Dean Street members’ club. 26–29 Dean Street, W1D 3LL. Tottenham Court Road, about 5 min. Lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday; book a table online. Website
  • Rochelle Canteen Arnold Circus, Shoreditch. Margot Henderson’s canteen: a small menu that changes every day, served since 2004. 16 Playground Gardens, E2 7FA. Shoreditch High Street, about 8 min. Lunch daily from noon; supper Wednesday to Saturday, 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Website
  • Noble Rot Lamb’s Conduit Street, Bloomsbury. A long wine list and French-leaning cooking in a townhouse from 1701. 51 Lamb’s Conduit Street, WC1N 3NB. Russell Square, about 7 min. Order: A glass from the by-the-glass list. Closed Sundays. Book the restaurant; the wine bar at the front is walk-in only. Website
  • Kiln Soho. Grills, laap and curries with Thai flavours, cooked along a counter on Brewer Street. 58 Brewer Street, W1F 9TL. Piccadilly Circus, about 5 min. Order: Something from the grill. No bookings: drop in and they’ll seat you when there’s space. Kitchen open noon to 11 PM, and to 9 PM on Sundays. Website
  • The Camberwell Arms Camberwell. Seasonal cooking in a 19th-century pub since 2014; on Sundays, roasts come to the table to share. 65 Camberwell Church Street, SE5 8TR. Denmark Hill, about 10 min. Order: A Sunday roast to share. Book a table, especially for Sunday lunch. A 12.5% discretionary service charge is added. Website
  • Padella Borough Market. Fresh pasta, rolled by hand in the window since 2016, on the London Bridge side of the market. 6 Southwark Street, SE1 1TQ. London Bridge, about 3 min. Order: Pici cacio e pepe, or pappardelle with beef shin ragù. No reservations: join the virtual queue at the door, or in the Dojo app from 11:45 AM for lunch and 5:15 PM for dinner. Website
  • The French House Soho. A Dean Street pub with about thirty champagnes and wines by the glass, and a small dining room upstairs. 49 Dean Street, W1D 5BG. Leicester Square, about 5 min. Order: A glass of champagne. No reservations for drinks. The upstairs restaurant takes bookings, Monday to Saturday. Website
  • Connaught Bar Mayfair. The Connaught hotel’s cocktail bar: classics and its own creations. The Connaught, Carlos Place, W1K 2AL. Bond Street, about 10 min. No reservations. Open Monday to Saturday, 4 PM to 1 AM. Website
  • Satan’s Whiskers Bethnal Green. A neighbourhood cocktail bar since 2013, with a menu that changes every day. 343 Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9RA. Bethnal Green, about 7 min. Order: A classic cocktail. Opens at 5 PM. Walk-ins welcome; reservations by phone only. Website
  • Lyaness South Bank. Mr Lyan’s cocktail bar in Sea Containers London, by the river, with a menu built on its own ingredients. 20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD. Southwark, about 8 min. Book a table online. Opens at 5 PM Monday to Thursday, 4 PM on Fridays and 1 PM at weekends. Website
  • Gordon’s Wine Bar Embankment. Wine and sherry in candlelit vaults by Embankment station, first come, first served since 1890. 47 Villiers Street, WC2N 6NE. Embankment, about 1 min. Order: A glass of sherry. No reservations; arrive early for a table. A 5% service charge is added to table service. Website
  • Daunt Books Marylebone. A travel bookshop with books arranged by country, under a skylit gallery. 83–84 Marylebone High Street, W1U 4QW. Baker Street, about 8 min. Open 9 AM to 7:30 PM, and 11 AM to 6 PM on Sundays. Website
  • Labour and Wait Redchurch Street, Shoreditch. Household tools, kitchenware and its own brown work aprons, in a former Truman brewery pub. 85 Redchurch Street, E2 7DJ. Shoreditch High Street, about 5 min. Open daily, 10 AM to 6 PM. Website
  • James Smith & Sons New Oxford Street, Bloomsbury. Umbrellas and walking sticks, with its own repair department. 53 New Oxford Street, WC1A 1BL. Tottenham Court Road, about 3 min. Closed Sundays and bank holidays. Open from 10 AM (10:30 AM on Wednesdays) to 5:30 PM, and to 5:15 PM on Saturdays. Website
  • Word on the Water King’s Cross. Second-hand and new books on a 1920s Dutch barge moored on Regent’s Canal by Granary Square. Regent’s Canal towpath, Granary Square, N1C. King’s Cross St Pancras, about 8 min. Open daily, noon to 7 PM. Website
  • Sir John Soane’s Museum Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Holborn. The architect’s home and collection, left as it was when he died in 1837. Free, and no need to book. 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A 3BP. Holborn, about 5 min. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Open 10 AM to 5 PM; you may have to wait to get in. Website
  • Wallace Collection Marylebone. Fragonard’s The Swing, old masters, armour and French furniture in a townhouse on Manchester Square. Manchester Square, W1U 3BN. Bond Street, about 7 min. Open daily, 10 AM to 5 PM. The permanent collection is free. Website
  • V&A South Kensington. The world’s largest museum of art and design; start in the Cast Courts, where Trajan’s Column stands in two halves under a glass roof. Free. Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL. South Kensington, about 5 min. Open 10 AM to 5:45 PM daily, and until 10 PM on Fridays (some galleries close at 5:45 PM). Entry is free and needs no ticket; some exhibitions charge. Website
  • Dennis Severs’ House Spitalfields. An 18th-century house set as if its family had just left the room; some visits are silent and lit only by candles. 18 Folgate Street, E1 6BX. Liverpool Street, about 5 min. Book online; latecomers can’t be admitted. No photography, and no toilets in the house. Website
  • Wigmore Hall Marylebone. Chamber music and song, with lunchtime, morning and evening concerts most days. 36 Wigmore Street, W1U 2BP. Bond Street, about 5 min. Book tickets online; some concerts sell out. Website

A first week in London

  1. Day 1: Land and walk Soho. After dropping your bags, walk Soho at dusk. Eat at the Barrafina counter or have a glass at The French House rather than crossing town again.
  2. Day 2: Marylebone. Be at the Wallace Collection when it opens at 10 AM, then browse Daunt Books. Book an evening concert at Wigmore Hall, a short walk away.
  3. Day 3: Borough and the river. Have coffee at Monmouth in Borough Market, walk west along the river past Tate Modern, then book a table at Lyaness in Sea Containers for a cocktail.
  4. Day 4: Holborn and Clerkenwell. Visit Sir John Soane’s Museum (closed Monday and Tuesday), have lunch on Lamb’s Conduit Street, then dinner at St. JOHN by Smithfield.
  5. Day 5: Out of town. Choose one: Oxford or Bath from Paddington, or Brighton from Victoria. Each takes most of the day.
  6. Day 6: East London, then Camberwell. On a Sunday, start at the Columbia Road flower market and walk Redchurch Street, then go south for Sunday lunch at The Camberwell Arms; book it ahead.
  7. Day 7: Mayfair. Walk Jermyn Street and Mayfair’s galleries, then finish at the Connaught Bar, which takes no reservations.

Where people meet

  • Wine bars The front bar at Noble Rot and the bar at The French House take no bookings, so arrive early for a seat.
  • Pubs Order and pay at the bar unless there’s table service. In a group, people often buy rounds.
  • Coffee Monmouth in Borough and Prufrock on Leather Lane take no bookings and suit a short morning meeting.
  • Talks and concerts Daunt Books hosts author talks, and Wigmore Hall has concerts most days. Book both ahead; popular nights sell out.

Eating in London

  • Book what matters Reserve the dinners you care about before you travel; some restaurants open bookings about 60 days ahead.
  • Sit at the counter Barrafina on Dean Street and Kiln on Brewer Street keep every seat for walk-ins. Arrive early or late to avoid a wait.
  • Check the service charge Many restaurants add a discretionary service charge to the bill. If it’s there, you don’t need to tip again.
  • Set lunches Look for set lunch menus at restaurants that cost more at dinner; Noble Rot on Lamb’s Conduit Street serves one at lunchtime.

Getting around

  • Tap in Touch in with a contactless card or phone on the Tube, buses and the Elizabeth line, and touch out on trains. Use the same card or device all day so the daily cap applies.
  • Walk one stop Many central stations are close together: Covent Garden to Leicester Square is a short walk. Check the walking time in TfL Go before taking a one-stop ride.
  • After midnight The Night Tube runs on Friday and Saturday nights on the Victoria and Jubilee lines and most of the Central, Northern and Piccadilly lines. On other nights, take a night bus or a taxi.

Good to know

  • Stand on the right On Tube escalators, stand on the right and walk on the left.
  • Let people off first Wait beside the train doors and let passengers off before you get on.
  • Order at the bar In most pubs, order and pay at the bar; there’s no need to tip for a drink.
  • Quiet coaches On intercity trains, quiet coaches are marked: no phone calls or loud music.

When to go

In late June the sun sets after 9 PM; in December it sets before 4 PM, so plan museums for the day and dinners for the dark. Summer and the weeks before Christmas are the busiest: book restaurants and concerts further ahead.

January to February
Short, cold days. Theatres, museums and restaurants are easier to book than later in the year.
March to April
Blossom in the parks and squares. The clocks go forward on the last Sunday in March.
May
The evenings stay light. The Chelsea Flower Show is usually in late May; check the dates and book ahead.
June to August
The longest days and the busiest weeks. Wimbledon starts in late June or early July; Notting Hill Carnival is on the August bank holiday weekend.
September
Open House London opens buildings that are usually closed, free, in September. Check the programme and book the popular ones.
October to November
The clocks go back on the last Sunday in October. Fireworks are held around Bonfire Night, November 5.
December
Christmas lights and markets. Many restaurants close on December 25 and 26, and the Tube doesn’t run on Christmas Day.

Day trips and next stops

  • Oxford Take GWR from Paddington; walk between the colleges, the Bodleian and the Covered Market. About 1 h.
  • Bath Take GWR from Paddington for the Roman Baths and the Georgian crescents. Check Roman Baths entry times before you go. About 1 h 20 m.
  • Brighton Take Southern or Thameslink from Victoria or London Bridge for the seafront and the Lanes. About 1 h.
  • Margate Take a Southeastern high-speed train from St Pancras for Turner Contemporary and the beach. About 1 h 30 m.

Questions people ask

Where should I stay?

To walk to restaurants and theatres, stay in Soho, Covent Garden or Marylebone. Shoreditch and Clerkenwell suit East London and the City.

How do I get in from the airport?

From Heathrow, the Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in about 15 min; the Elizabeth line is slower but stops across central London. From Gatwick, the Gatwick Express reaches Victoria in about 30 min.

Do I need cash?

Rarely. Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, and some places, such as Monmouth Coffee, take cards only.

Do I need to book restaurants?

For dinner at popular places, yes. Barrafina on Dean Street and Kiln take no bookings, so go early; book Sunday lunch at a pub like The Camberwell Arms ahead.

Is London a good city for meeting people?

Try a counter seat, the bar of a pub or a talk at a bookshop. If you’re an O member, you can also see people who choose to share overlapping travel dates.