On a trip to London, what better way to discover typical restaurants of the city.
Today, we're off to discover the city's most popular establishments.
Typical London restaurant: article summary
Typical London restaurant: Maggie Jones
Let's take a trip back to the 1970s. The menu at Maggie Jones's behind Kensington High Street, in West London, is as fresh as ever. virtually unchanged for almost 50 years.
On site, you can enjoy :
- Shrimp cocktails
- Duck pâté
- Chicken with tarragon sauce.
Authentic English cuisine typical of the city.
Prices haven't changed much either, with :
- Inputs à 9,50 £
- Main courses à 23 £
- 5,50 £ for a glass of house wine
Better yet, they bring the bottle of wine to your table and charge you for the amount you drink.
It's like a labyrinth inside, with tables squeezed into little nooks and crannies. It's the perfect place to spend some quality time as a couple.
Oslo Court
Oslo Court, in St. John's Wood, north-west London, is an establishment of the early 1980s.
Once again, the menu is a journey back in time, featuring Holstein veal and duck à l'orange.
The interior is an explosion of pastel pink with lots of fabric. You'll discover a unique ambience during your visit to the city.
Typical London restaurant: Rules in Covent Garden
The two previous establishments are mere newborns compared to the patriarch of London restaurants, Rules in Covent Garden, founded in 1798.
The interior features a traditional decor including :
- Thick carpets
- Old paintings
- Dark wood
The paneled private dining rooms are particularly inviting, and you'll have your own personal waiter for the evening.
Rules has never really gone out of fashion. It's still popular with actors from neighboring theaters and politicians.
If you only have to order one thing from this establishment, I'd advise you to ask for game such as pheasant or rabbit.
J. Sheekey's
Just a few steps from Rules in Covent Garden is J. Sheekey's Restaurant, founded in 1893. Try eating in the paneled dining room rather than the bar for an old-fashioned meal.
Along with Scott's and Wiltons, both in Mayfair, Sheekey's is the Holy Trinity of West End fish restaurants.
Sheekey's and Scott's are both part of the Caprice group, and their menus have been somewhat updated, but Wiltons remains resolutely traditional.
It began life as a seafood store in 1742, and although it's moved around a lot since then and has only been at its current Jermyn Street address since 1984, it has the air of an immutable institution.
Typical London restaurant: Sweetings
Sweetings, which has been around since 1830, is also famous for its seafood. Open only at lunchtimea large proportion of our regular customers are :
- Bankers
- Lawyers
- Stockbrokers
Dover sole and oysters are the local specialties. All washed down with pints of Black Velvet, a blend of Guinness and champagne served in pewter mugs.
However, the place is also famous for its traditional puddings. These are real delicacies.
The India Club
London's first Indian restaurant, the Hindoostane Coffee House, opened in 1810. Sadly, it didn't survive, but Veeraswamy, opened in 1926, flourished.
Unfortunately, largely unchanged until the 1990s, they have since undergone several transformations, just like the menu.
The food is very good, but the place has lost some of its history. Instead, for the ultimate Anglo-Indian experience, head to India Club at the Strand Continental Hotel.
The establishment was founded in 1946 and hasn't changed much since. The liner-style white jackets worn by the waiters seem to have been made when the place first opened.
There are many typical restaurants to choose from in London. During your stay, you'll be able to discover these different places and taste delicious specialities.