 From that grand dame of food halls to the design frenzy of Soho with its glitzy clothing district, dayGlo bars and strip clubs, you’ll discover in this labyrinthine of streets London’s very essence as a city. Begin your walk at Green Park, home to the London Ritz and all things Royal. Experience the airs and graces of St James, the dapper attire of Jermyn Street as well as 200 years’ worth of traditions at Paxton and Whitfield, cheesemonger. Pop into Fortnum and Mason, supermarket to the Queen, as you’re sure to find something quintessentially English in which replenish your larder. With your royal seal of approval, the irreverence of Soho awaits beginning with Dover Street Market. This fashion incubator has been playing with the edges of fashion since opening in 2004. Upstairs on the 5th floor is Rose Bakery and Labour and Wait, showing that good design extends to the simplest of home wares and ingredients. (If you want to merger your fashion with your royalty, then continue to the Royal Arcade to Charbonnel et Walker, the favourite chocolatier of the late Queen Mother, whom was said to be partial to a violet cream. To get there, pass by (Sir) Paul Smith, an icon of British fashion for his contemporary interpretation of English tailoring. From here head straight for Beaker Street, tucked just behind Piccadilly Circus. In this urban kaleidoscope, identities collide and cross. The old blends with the new, designs converge, separate and then remix. So abandon all direction and follow this course of streets, walking down a laneway here, taking a shortcut there. If you end up at Regent Street, Shaftesbury, Oxford Street or Charing Cross Road, simply turn around and head back in.
On your travels look out for the Nordic Café and its celebrated cinnamon rolls (best when they come straight from the oven), the tapas bar of Fernandez & Wells, the famously quaint Maison Bertraux, and Gelupo for ice-cream. Visit the Algerian coffee house for its very own breakfast blend and while there, I Camisa & Son for the best Italian sausages. Nearby Bar Italia offers a La Dolce Vita experience in London, whereas back on Becker Street be tempted by the fresh pasta at Lina Stores. If you’re lucky, you might catch the Soho Flea Market as I did in June, when Dean Street market goes market. In this metropolis of activity, treasures are to be found. Like the psychedelic sweet frothy delights of Meringues Girls (@ meringue_girls) and the quirky upcycled china of Melody Rose (@MelodyRose_UK). Otherwise, if you need a break, try Flat White at number 17 Berwick Street or alternatively Yumchaa tea house. Visit Clothing House for inspired table wares while in the heart of the garment district. Exaggerated and vertiginous, Soho offers a heady food and design experience. So grab a map, throw caution to the wind, and explore. EAT Rose Bakery 5th Floor Dover Street Market 17-18 Dover Street W1S 4LT Tel 020 7518 0680 Nordic cafe 14A Golden Square W1F 9JG Tel 020 3230 1077 Rapha Cycle Club 81 Brewer St W1F 0RH Tel 020 74949 831 Gelupo 7 Archer Street W1D 7AU Tel 020 7287 5555 Bar Italia 22 Frith Street W1D 4RP Tel 020 7437 4520 Fernandez & Wells 43 Lexington Street, W1F 9AL Tel 020 7734 1546 73 Beak Street W1F 95R Tel 020 7287 8124 Hummingbird bakery 155a Wardour Street, W1F 8WG Tel 020 7851 1795 DRINK Gerry's Wines & Spirits 74 Old Compton Street W1D 4UW Tel 020 7734 2053 Yumchaa tea house 45 Berwick Street, W1F 8SF Tel 020 7209 9641 Flat White 17 Berwick Street, W1F 0PT Tel 020 7734 0370 LARDER Charbonnel et Walker One, The Royal Arcade 28 Old Bond St W1S 4BT Tel 020 7491 0939 Paxon & Whitfield 93 Jermyn Street SW1Y 6JE Tel 020 7930 0259 Fortnum & Mason 181 Piccadilly London W1A 1ER Tel 0845 300 1707 I Camisa & Son 61 Old Compton Street W1D 6HS Tel 020 7437 7610 Algerian Coffee store 52 Old Compton Street W1D 4PB Tel 020 7437 2480 Maison Bertraux 28 Greek Street W1D 5DQ Tel 020 7437 6007 Lina store 18 Brewer Street W1F 0SH Tel 020 7437 6482 WARE Labour and Wait 5th Floor Dover Street Market 17-18 Dover Street W1S 4LT Tel 020 7518 0680 The Cloth House 98 Berwick Street, W1F 0QJ Tel 020 7287 1555
2 Comments
10/18/2013 05:34:39 pm
I'm just browsing around your site for the first time, interesting read
Fiona Symington
10/20/2013 03:55:34 am
Thanks for the feedback. I'm trying to add to the site all the time - thus the London larder and food producer features, so each time you come back, you're likely to find something new. Leave a Reply. |
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