What's your favorite place to eat in London?

FH and I have institued a date night. I am more into trying new places, while he likes to frequent places he loves. So i've been canvusing our friends to see if they can give us recomendations. Does anyone on the board have a recomendation to pass a long?

argh! That's way too wide a question! (But also my favourite kind of question)

You have any area or cuisine preference, any budget restrictions?

I try a new place in London most weeks, and travel all over the place to try recommendations, I've also got a list a mile long of places on my "need to  try" list

As a former Southern Californian, by far my favourite place to eat in London is Cafe Pacifico in Covent Garden. They do decent Mexican.

http://www.cafepacifico-laperla.com/cpl.html [nofollow]

I'm a veggie that likes to drink, so I'm biased, but Saf in Shoreditch is awesome. Their cocktails are soooo good.  So even if you aren't into the cuisine, definitely stop in for some drinks  They have a garden patio out back to sit in as well.

http://www.safrestaurant.co.uk/drinks-menu/shoreditch-cocktails/


Under starters, the "cheese" tasting place is so yummy.  It's made from cashews.

cheesebiscuit: we have no limitations! i'd like to try even posh places if just for a cocktail. I'm trying to re-institute date night after 2 years long distance. To make up for all those missed dates.

thanks everyone else for the ideas. we like all cusine and veg options as well. I went to my first veg BBQ and died this weekend over the awesome dishes.

I like Christophers in Covent Garden. I can drink my weight in cocktails.

I like Christophers in Covent Garden. I can drink my weight in cocktails.

you sound like my kinda gal ;-)

Hubby and I are totally cheap so we love wetherspoons 

Two of our favourites:

Attilios (teeny tiny Italian restaurant) -- 1 Cowcross Street (Smithfield)

Marine Ices (not just ice cream, also Italian) -- 8 Haverstock Hill (Chalk Farm)

cheesebiscuit: we have no limitations! i'd like to try even posh places if just for a cocktail. I'm trying to re-institute date night after 2 years long distance. To make up for all those missed dates.

thanks everyone else for the ideas. we like all cusine and veg options as well. I went to my first veg BBQ and died this weekend over the awesome dishes.

Okay....here we go, don't say I didn't warn you!


Gastropub -
http://www.harwoodarms.com/ (get a scotch egg!)
http://www.thebullandlast.co.uk/ (great for lunch, Ferrero Rocher ice cream FTW!)

Thai -
(issan style) http://www.101thaikitchen.com/

Steak/meat - ( Hawksmoor Seven dials has a nicer dining room than Spitallfields, if you eat one steak in London, let it be the fillet at the Hawksmoor! )
http://www.thehawksmoor.co.uk/
http://www.stjohnrestaurant.com/ (the cooking is just so perfect)


Chinese -
Pearl Liang http://www.pearlliang.co.uk/london/bookings/index.asp
Szechuan  http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/569918/restaurant/London/Ealing/Sichuan-Acton
Yum Cha - http://www.yauatcha.com/



Modern British -
http://www.themodernpantry.co.uk/ (love love love!)
http://www.thesummerhouse.co/ (Decent cooking but the dining room is extrodinary)
http://www.herefordroad.org/ (I miss you! I never get up that way anymore)

Italian
http://www.trullorestaurant.com/ (yum!)

Indian
http://www.quilon.co.uk/ (South indian)
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?ie=UTF8&q=the+empress+indian+london&fb=1&hq=the+empress+indian&hnear=0x487603554edf855f:0xa1185c8d19184c0,Westminster,+London,+UK&cid=14391611623490926500&dtab=2&z=14 (Just lovely lovely solid elevated take away style Indian food, way better than the rubbish on Brick lane)
http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/sagar-london (Kerala Vegetarian Indian)
http://www.benaresrestaurant.com/ (Very delicate, lovely indian)


That's all I can think of for now! I'll go back later and do spanish and french and seafood, oh my god seafood. One of my favourite things in the world has been chomping my way around London

cheesebiscuit: i want to hug you.

I really miss Red Robin, so my fave place for burgers is Gourmet Burger Kitchen. It's excellent. For fish and chips my husband and I have fallen in love with Prince of Wales pub which is about a block down from the Kensington High station (next to pizza hut). I know it sounds crazy but their bread is to die for.

Pizza Pappagone - http://www.london-eating.co.uk/3525.htm

Great Italian food and very friendly in Finsbury Park.

cheesebiscuit: i want to hug you.

No problem...Here's part two

Burgers & Diner Food
Right, I'll prefix this with, I hate the thick meatloaf style patty you get sometimes so I don't like GBK at all, I'll try and describe the burgers a bit so you know what you're getting

All Star Lanes - Burgers good, Milkshakes and Cocktails much better! All their desserts = lush.
http://www.allstarlanes.co.uk/

Byron - Best burger in London hands down for me, cooked to medium perfection, lovely side salads good bun, and amazing courgette fries.  This is the place to go if you want a burger imo http://www.byronhamburgers.com/

Sticky Fingers - Surprisingly tasty! Their Nachos fondita come with a passable attempt at queso (not really, but it tastes good and tries hard), their burgers are really good and are half price on Mondays, the bun is in a brioche style which is really nice. I also quite like their fajitas strangely enough.  http://www.stickyfingers.co.uk/
Chicago Rib Shack - I've only been there once so feel this is not a fair comparison. I thought their ribs were "okay" not terrible but not amazing. They serve something which pretends to be iced tea (it's kind of lemony), their ice cream cake is fantastic. The onion loaf is the size of a house brick (but surprisingly good), personally I don't think it's worth the money at all but YMMV - http://www.thechicagoribshack.co.uk/#!home/
Big Easy - http://www.bigeasy.co.uk/v1/index.aspx Now opinions vary on the big easy but they do a decent lobster imo, especially on half price lobster night
Bodeans - The only place to get BBQ in London.
Lucky Seven - Milkshakes to die for.
Old Street Diner - Pancakes! Their pancakes and maple syrup are totally yum, everything else meh.

Tapas
http://www.saltyard.co.uk/ Modern cool, high quality delicious.
http://www.losmolinosuk.com/ Friendly, neighbourhood, also delicious, get the fabada, so gorgeous.
Menu changes daily but is always delish - http://www.cambiodetercio.co.uk/cambio-de-tercio/tendido-cuatro-restaurant.html

Fish & Chips
Pain to get to but - http://www.twobrothers.co.uk/
Love love love!  http://www.poppiesfishandchips.co.uk/
The classic - http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/venue/2:1175/masters-super-fish

More Italian!
Totally forgot - http://www.boccadilupo.com/  and http://www.zuccalondon.com/
Horror!

Vietnamese
Cay tre - http://www.vietnamesekitchen.co.uk/caytre/
Bahn mi - Keu! (it's opposite Cay tre) I get lunch from there about twice a week

Coffee -
I know, I know, a cliche but it's still lush - http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/
If you go in the morning I'll be in the queue All press http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/venue/2:27956/allpress-espresso
Or I'll be in the queue for a flatwhite at present -
http://www.prufrockcoffee.com/


Ahhh, I can't think of anything more, but there's all the trendy places like Viajante

Pizza Pappagone - http://www.london-eating.co.uk/3525.htm

Great Italian food and very friendly in Finsbury Park.

I was just there on Mother's Day weekend back in April & can attest the food was good! 

Very crowded place & I didn't have the best time as I had just sprained my ankle on the very fast half walk-half run there with the in-laws from BIL's place over near the Green Lanes area.    (but that wasn't the restaurant's fault)

I haven't eaten out in London enough times to have a favourite place.  We went to Mildred's (vegetarian) in Soho once & it was very good!