Things to do in London
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Enoteca Turi
The atmosphere at this stylish place is serene, the service charming. Enoteca Turi devotes equal attention to the grape as to the food, which means that each dish, be it a shellfish tagliolini or saddle of new season lamb, comes recommended with a particular glass of wine (or you can pick from the enormous wine list if you have ideas of your own).
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Wright Brothers
Should you be tempted by the offerings at the fishmongers of Borough Market and must have a fix of iodine right then and there, head for this excellent oyster bar and porter house. You'll find up to a dozen different types of the bivalve (around £7 to £17 for six) available at any given time, along with more substantial main courses.
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St John Bread & Wine
Little sister to St John, this place is cheaper and more relaxed but offers similar ‘nose to tail’ traditional fare (potted pork, venison and trotter pie, blood cake) in a simple, clean and bright space popular with Spitalfields creative types. It also has an excellent selection of British cheeses and puddings.
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C&R Café
When we're in the mood for a bit of Asian, we know of no better place than this hole-in-the-wall serving fairly authentic Singapore noodles, laksa (soup noodles with seafood) and gado-gado (salad with peanut sauce). For those who answer to a higher authority, it's halal. There's a larger Westbourne Grove branch.
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Lesley Craze Gallery
Considered one of Europe’s leading centres for arty, contemporary jewellery, this gallery has exquisitely understated and sometimes pricey designs.
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El Parador
This laid-back Spanish place has a generous selection of tapas - try the empanadillas de espinacas y queso (spinach and cheese dish) - from all over Spain. There's a walled garden for when the sun's out and you're feeling moderately Mediterranean; the reasonably priced rioja (from around £17) should help.
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Tokyo Diner
Everyday Japanese food at everyday prices is what Tokyo Diner's all about, and you can't ask for fairer than that. The waiters are all Japanese; they are discreet and graceful in their service, and very knowledgeable about the food. The miso is ordinary but the Japanese-style curry is tops, as are the noodle dishes.
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Amused Moose Soho
One of the city’s best clubs, Soho’s Amused Moose is popular with audiences and comedians alike, perhaps helped along by the fact that heckling is ‘unacceptable’ and all of the acts are ‘first-date friendly’ in that they’re unlikely to humiliate the front row.
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Masala Zone
This spacious place with outside seating set back from Upper St is one of the best budget Indian options in London. Thoroughly modern in design, it serves up meals centred on its famous thalis, as well as tandoor and grilled dishes. There are now several other branches throughout the capital.
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Absolute Vintage
Check out the mammoth vintage shoe collection here – there are colours and sizes for all, with footwear ranging from designer vintage to something out of your grandma’s storage. Clothes for men and women line the back of the shop.
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Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie’s signature wholesome look (denims, jersey tops, cosy knitwear, perfectly tailored cotton shirts) doesn’t seem to wane in popularity, despite the relatively high price tag. This shop is busy from the minute it opens its doors, and at weekends queues for the till snake through the ground floor. The store itself is more nightclub than classic retail: loud dance music, dark, moody lighting, overpowering perfume and topless hunks greet you at the entrance.
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Victoria & Albert Museum
The V & A has the finest collection of decorative art and design ever assembled and galleries are being redeveloped and reinvented all the time. Visitors are particularly drawn to the fashion displays and the Islamic and Asian galleries with their carpets, ceramics, and ornate arms and armour.
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Eagle
London’s first gastropub may have seen its original owners move on, but it’s still a great place for a bite to eat and a pint, especially at lunchtime, when it’s relatively quiet. Watch the chefs work their magic right behind the bar, above which is chalked the menu.
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Bar Gansa
Decked out in loud yellow and red, Bar Gansa is a focal point of the Camden scene and is howlingly popular. The menu is mostly tapas, which makes it very popular with small groups of friends. Bigger specialities include traditional favourites such as Paella Valenciana. There’s live flamenco on Monday evening. It stays open late (12.30am or 1.30am) and so doubles up as a bar.
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Gallipoli
The draw here is decent Middle Eastern dishes at reasonable prices (there’s a good selection of meze and a large range of kebabs). The drawback is the crowds (unbearable on a Friday and Saturday night, when birthday parties take over the place) and the very loud music.
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Café on the Hill
Largely organic, this place has been a real hit with locals, who come here in droves. It's all you could hope for in a local café - seasonal menus, all-day breakfast, good coffee, light lunches, afternoon tea, relatively adventurous evening meals, newspapers and a welcoming atmosphere.
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Agent Provocateur
For women’s lingerie that is to be worn and seen, and certainly not hidden, pull up to Joseph (son of Vivienne Westwood) Corre’s wonderful Agent Provocateur. Its sexy and saucy corsets, bras and nighties for all shapes and sizes exude confident and positive sexuality.
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Maze
If you want to sample the Gordon Ramsay magic in small doses, try this light-filled restaurant on Grosvenor Sq. The Michelin star–winning menu fuses French haute cuisine and subtle Asian flavours – tasting is the idea here, so order several plates to make a meal.
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Captain Kidd
With its large windows, fine beer garden and displays recalling the hanging nearby of the eponymous pirate in 1701, this is a favourite riverside pub in Wapping. Although cleverly done up, it actually only dates back to the 1980s.
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New World
If you hanker after dim sum, the three-storey New World can oblige. All the old favourites – from ha gau (prawn dumpling) to pai gwat (steamed pork spare rib) – are available from steaming carts wheeled around the dining room daily 11am to 6pm.
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Books for Cooks
All the recipe books from celeb and non-celeb chefs you can imagine are sold here – perfect for more adventurous cooks or for those looking for ‘exotic’ cookbooks. The cafe has a test kitchen where you can sample recipes at lunch and teatime.
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Dover Street Market
Showcasing the colourful creations of Tokyo fashion-darlings Comme des Garçons, among other labels, Dover Street Market is the place to come for that shirt you only wear on special occasions. There are four floors of clothing for men and women, all artfully displayed.
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Fujiyama
This deceptively small Japanese place behind Dogstar, with its welcoming dark-red interior and communal benches, has a large choice of bento (meal) boxes, noodles, tempura, miso soups and sushi and sashimi on its lengthy menu.
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Cabbages & Frocks Market
Although it’s nothing to rival Camden Market or Borough Market, Marylebone’s Cabbages & Frocks Market does sell some particularly fine designer frocks, along with arts and crafts and gourmet foodstuffs.
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Nahm
If you want top-notch Thai food, visiting the former chef of the king of Thailand is probably a good start. David Thomson has brought the tricks he learnt at the royal palace to this posh dining room at the Halkin hotel.
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