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Food and drink in London

Is London the food capital of Europe? If you consider trend-setting cuisine, innovative culinary concepts, and a Milky Way of Michelin stars the marker of success, then the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. Eat your way around the city’s ever-evolving restaurant scene and discover flavours from the furthest corners of the globe alongside an endless stream of pop-ups, while world-class nightlife keeps the party going all night long. With so much to sample, you won’t regret planning your day around your stomach.

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Skyscraper restaurants

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.

London's skyscraper restaurants

Global cuisine

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.

The best burgers in London

Food markets

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.

London for foodies: a suggested one day itinerary

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Innovative eateries

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. 

The 10 craziest food challenges in London

Capital of nightlife

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.

Home-grown booze

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.

The best gin bars in London

Search flights to London

Image credits:

London nightlife © iStock: gilaxia
Madison © Madison
Borough market organic vegetables © iStock: solariser
Cheeses at Borough Market © iStock: coldsnowstorm
British food, roast beef © iStock: Silvia Jansen
Channa Masala © iStock: Shalith
Cider © iStock: Shalith
Food truck © iStock: Gregory Lee