London is a relatively new city for me. In fact, up until a few years ago, I had never even been to the UK at all. When I first came here, it didn’t really click. I grew up in a city that had a heavy British influence, but I was never really able to appreciate the culture.
My partner recently spent some time living here, and I’ve been fortunate enough to come visit 3-4 times over the past couple years. It’s grown to become one of my favorite cities, and I’ve even begun to form a routine when I come visit.
Today I’ll be sharing few of my favourite restaurants, stores, and galleries, that I’ve experienced. The list is quite long, so this will likely have to be split into multiple parts.
The Design Museum
If you’re reading this newsletter and are interested in design whatsoever, The Design Museum in Kensington is a no-brainer. The building was recently redone by legendary minimalist British architect John Pawson, and the museum does an incredible job showcasing the history of modern design.
St. JOHN
St. JOHN is a British institution. In fact, their chef/owner Fergus Henderson literally coined the term “nose to tail eating”. They have a lot of famous dishes, most notably their bone marrow on toast, but you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
Their Smithfield restaurant is the original, but I’d recommend their newer Marylebone location if you’re looking for a more intimate & elegant setting.
It’s also worth nothing that Fergus’ partner Margot Henderson owns a restaurant called Rochelle Canteen that comes highly recommended (which I have unfortunately not been to yet).
IDEA Books
Although IDEA books is internationally known, their physical shop is still a hidden gem. Located in Soho above the Supreme store, IDEA is now open to the public - after being previously appointment only.
If you’re searching for rare archival fashion books, magazines, or prints, there’s simply no better place to go.
Oranj Wine
Located in Shoreditch, Oranj Wine features an incredible wine list and a robust roster of rotating chefs. Last time I was here I had one of the most incredible pastas I’ve ever had.
In an age where natural wine bars that serve small plates in trendy neighbourhoods are a dime a dozen (to put it nicely), Oranj is one of the few that get it right.
The Row
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s ultra-chic minimalist luxury brand The Row is always aspirational, and their Marylebone store is no exception.
Even if you’re not coming to shop, seeing the James Turrell at the front entrance along with their collection of museum quality modernist furniture is reason enough to justify the visit.
Dishoom
London is undeniably one of the best food cities in the entire world. This is largely due to it’s vast range of ethnic cuisines - most notably Indian. While there are countless places to get incredible Indian food at various food stalls, markets, and family owned restaurants (which you should definitely do); the one place I feel confident recommending to literally anyone is Dishoom.
Although they have quite a few locations, they’re able to pump out consistently high quality food at an astounding volume. Their King’s Cross location has hundreds of covers each night, and the energy in the room feels more comparable to Balthazaar in New York, than any traditional Indian restaurant (that I’ve been to).
Dover Street Market London
DSM is one of the few remaining well curated multibrand retailers, and their London location is my favorite store in the city. The space more closely resembles a museum than a traditional retailer, and I always leave the store feeling inspired.
If you’re in the middle of an intense travel day I’d also highly recommend their cafe at the top floor, which is fully furnished with a well-worn collection of stools from Artek.
Next up I'm off to Copenhagen and Amsterdam (for the first time), and I’ll be sure to follow up with a scene report. Make sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss any of that, as well as a part 2 of my London recommendations (coming soon).
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