Food and drink in London

In London, a meal is about more than the food on your plate; it’s about the setting, too. Sit down by the Thames and watch the world float past your riverside table, or head up, up and away to one of the city’s skyscraper restaurants for a bird’s eye view of the capital.

Take one food-obsessed city, add 270 nationalities, and you get one enormous melting pot of multi-cultural cuisine. Everything a foodie craves can be found in London, from spicy Indian curries that will blow your head off, to Michelin-star Japanese fare, traditional British pub grub (Fish and Chips is, naturally, a local favourite), and giant American-style burgers.

For a major metropolis, London offers a surprising amount of fresh farm produce across its many food markets. Local fruit and veg from the British countryside; homemade artisanal jams and jellies; international fare cooked right in front of you… all this and more can be found if you venture to iconic spots such as Borough Market or ‘hipster’ food arcades like Brixton Village.

In this fast-paced city, restaurateurs keep diners on their toes with fresh innovations all year around. From pop-ups and themed eateries (cereal for dinner, anyone?), to seasonal menus and food challenges, there’s always something new and exciting on the menu. 

Pubs are at the heart of London’s nightlife scene, and with around 7,000 dotted across the capital, this makes for one epic pub-crawl. Super clubs stay open all night (and now, so does the tube) and there are more trendy cocktail bars than you could possibly visit in a month, let alone a week. Londoners sure know how to party; it’s the going to sleep part that needs some work.

Raise a glass to the British drinks industry by sampling some of the UK’s beloved homegrown booze. Start off with a pint of fruity cider or craft beer, before moving on to a cool glass of London-made gin and tonic or Scottish whisky – the perfect digestif.