Page 311 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

WHERE T O EA T AND DRINK  309

Lunches Avenue and Covent Garden. great pizza and pasta in
For those on the go, there is a Time-honoured establishments addition to its famous ice cream
plethora of sandwich chains include family favourite (see Street Food, pp310–11).
with branches throughout Maxwell’s in Covent Garden, From humble beginnings in
the city: Pret a Manger serves the Hard Rock Café and the fun, street markets and roving food
a good range of prepacked 1950s-kitsch Ed’s Easy Diner, vans, Franco Manca, Pizza
sandwiches, salads, cakes but thanks to the continuing Pilgrims and Homeslice have
and soft drinks, and Eat offers vogue for retro burger eateries, taken up permanent residency
a daily-changing menu of choices are plentiful. GBK around the city, the last
interesting soups and salads (Gourmet Burger Kitchen) and providing tasty wood-fired
made using seasonal Byron (both with several pizzas and the first two
ingredients, as well as sand- branches) are two of the best, specializing in authentic
wiches made with home-made while Lucky 7 and The Diner Neapolitan sourdough pizzas.
breads and tortilla wraps. serve up burgers and breakfasts
Healthy fast-food chain in a dice-and-cards-themed
Leon offers a great range of setting, complete with vinyl- Food in Pubs
lunchtime alternatives to the seated booths and blaring Perhaps the biggest – and most
sandwich, such as curry pots, rock ‘n’ roll. popular – change in the London
salads and wraps. Itsu and The Electric Diner in Notting dining scene has been the trans-
Wasabi are also excellent for the Hill is open from 8am until late formation of the food found in
health-conscious luncher, with at night and offers French- pubs. Before the early 1990s,
a range of Asian-inspired soups, American diner-style food most pubs that provided food
salads and sushi. Supermarkets throughout the day, both at at all offered a pretty simple
are also a good choice for those the bar and in booths. For great- range of salads and sandwiches,
on a budget as they often offer tasting burgers made with high put together with no great
a lunchtime meal deal: look out quality all-British ingredients, imagination (see pp312–15).
for branches of Tesco, Sainsbury’s visit Honest Burgers, which has The rapid rise of the
and Marks & Spencer. several locations across London, gastropub, in which the food
and also offers gluten-free has equal billing with the beer
burger buns. Covent Garden’s selection, steadily made the
Delis Shake Shack has a more pub a viable dining option.
With Londoners becoming extensive menu, complete with Grilled steaks, fresh fish or
more and more interested in frozen custard shakes and even English classics like sausage and
high-quality foods from small snacks for dogs. mash have been reinvigorated
producers in Britain and abroad, by the use of first-rate, seasonal
there has been a boom in stylish Pizza and Pasta or organic ingredients and the
delis, many of which provide menus have become
seating so that you can sample Italian food has now become a increasingly sophisticated,
their wares on site. Minkies deli staple of the British diet. Street- mixing Mediterranean, Asian
in north London is renowned side stands offer variable quality, and other global influences.
for its award-winning food. The but there are decent well- The neighbourhood
chic Luigi’s in the south sells established chains with lots of gastropub has become an
delicious Italian fare, from fresh branches, including Ask. Pizza essential London institution.
pasta to farmhouse cheeses, Express offers thin-crust pizzas Some have separate dining
freshly roasted vegetables and that are a step up from the rooms while others have
salads, while deli/cheese shop norm. Try the elegant Georgian retained the traditional pub
La Fromagerie in Marylebone townhouse outlet on Chelsea’s style, where you order at the bar
has a large communal table in King’s Road, or the branch in from a chalkboard menu. All
the back for light bites. The Soho that plays live jazz. A tend to be more relaxed than
family-run delicatessen/ smaller chain, Pizza East, runs formal restaurants, but they can
lunchroom Paul Rothe & Son, one of the largest, rowdiest get busy, so book in advance.
which opened in the early pizzerias in London, in a former Among the best are The Eagle,
1900s, serves sandwiches and tea warehouse on Shoreditch The Engineer, The Lansdowne,
soups among shelves of “British High Street. The Jugged Hare and the
and foreign provisions”. The Carluccio’s chain, which Wells Tavern.
has a branch with alfresco
tables in pedestrianized St
Diners and Burger Joints Fish and Chips
Christopher’s Place, serves
London is full of American- good-quality, freshly made Fish and chips is typically
style fast-food joints, serving pastas and salads. Inexpensive considered the national dish
burgers, fries, fried chicken, pasta is also served at bustling of Britain, with a “chippy”
apple pie, milk shakes and cola, trattorias such as La Porchetta serving a choice of fish
particularly around Soho, Pollo Bar in Soho. Marine Ices (typically cod) deep-fried in
Leicester Square, Shaftesbury near Camden Market serves batter, accompanied by chips

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