I’m back with another fantastic find, this time near Angel station! A charming little corner that feels like a hidden village is just steps away, nestled in Islington’s Camden Passage. I met a friend there to explore the antiques market, wander around, and find a cosy spot for a glass of wine.
Guess what? We stumbled upon the cutest artisan cheese shop! It sells an amazing selection of cheeses, crackers, and chutneys. Despite its small size, this place offers incredible cheeseboards and specials with rotating selections. We opted for the cheeseboard for one, along with the brie & grape toast, which was insanely good, full of texture and flavour.
You know what to expect with a cheeseboard, but this one was exceptional. The cheeses, crackers, and accompaniments were all delicious, and the wine pairing was perfect. I honestly can’t recall the specific wine we had; we simply asked the guy for a recommendation, and it was spot on.
The star of the show was definitely the brie and grape toast. I highly recommend trying it if you’re in the area, or even making a trip specifically for it.
Both my friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our cheese and wine date. I would happily return anytime soon. Although I don’t live nearby, I highly recommend stopping by if you’re in the area—even just to pick up some cheese.
Thanks for reading! To see more of my day-to-day adventures, follow me on Instagram. See you in my next post! Bye!
Key Points:
Location: Camden Passage, Islington, near Angel Station.
Highlight: Artisan cheese shop with award-winning cheeses.
Must-Try: Brie and grape toast.
Atmosphere: Cute, charming, and village-like.
Recommendation: Perfect for a cheese and wine date with your bestie
Tarantella on Elliot Road in Chiswick London, is an authentic family-run restaurant, serving Pugliese cuisine.
I went there twice already and have a table booked for my next visit. I have an unpopular admission: I am not the biggest fan of pasta; in general, I could live without it. But guess what I order every time I visit Tarantella? Pasta! It’s so good it’s making me change my mind!
They also make amazing pizza and of course, anything seafood is to die for.
They are known for their viral Giant Tiramisu, and I was lucky to try it just the other day, as soon as they launch it (I joined their new menu photoshoot!), and it was so good! The Dubai Chocolate is such an interesting twist for a tiramisu, and I loved it, almost as much as the original. If you go to try it – note that the Giant Tiramisu (any flavour) is a pre-order only dish, so make sure to confirm it at least a day before you visit.
A great little trattoria in one of the most charming neighbourhoods in London, Tarantella is worth the visit!
Are you looking for a new activity to brighten up your new year, and boost your mood? Research shows spending quality time with a dog (or other any animal for that matter) can have a positive impact on your mood and your health. Pets can be calming stress-fighters… but what if you don’t have any? My Soho Timesand My London Times editors, Kai Lutterodt and Justina Matuleviciute, put the tail-wagging yoga trend to the test… is Puppy Yoga all that it’s cut out to be? Justina shares more…
West End covers some of London’s most popular and exciting neighbourhoods in the city. It is true also for dog owners looking to take their furry friends out on a day out.
It can be difficult to find restaurants that welcome pet parents with their dogs with open arms, so I thought I will share a few of my favourite places both you and your friends, including the ones that woof, can enjoy.
Here’s my hand-picked choices of places in or around West End where you can find spots where you can get yourself a coffee or meal, without leaving your pooch at home!
This hot brunch spot in the heart of Soho is a popular neighbourhood hang out spot not only for hoomans but for pooches of Soho too. If you are lucky you will get a table outside so you and your furry bestie can people watch as you sip away a great cup of coffee or a steller espresso martini. Or… head inside for a cosy getaway from the heat and busy streets whilst you have a bite from a wide selection of brunch favourites, burgers and sharing platters. You won’t need to sacrifice quality in exchange of being able to bring your pet!
One of iconic Soho spots, serving authentic Italian food for nearly two decades and is located in the very heart of Soho neighbourhood. A perfect location to enjoy a delicious meal, stellar spritz and watch Soho life go by from their cozy terrace (insider tip: this little spot also serves the prettiest cocktails, at great prices!). A lovely place to bring your four legged friend, ideally during off-peak times when it’s less busy.
Another Soho place that I cannot imagine Soho without. Quo Vadis is a restaurant and a member club founded in 1926. “They take seriously their role as stewards of the reputation for excellent food and drink, uproarious company and serious enjoyment.” You might need to be a member to be able to bring a dog with you but it’s well worth it – give them a call to discuss, as you might be okay if you join them with a pup for breakfast service.
Newly opened restaurant is the latest addition to the area I am so excited about. Famous for their love of dogs, they offen have one of the owner’s pups, Molly, the sweetest of golden retrievers, making the rounds to make sure everyone is enjoying their visit. For the humans, 28-50 offers their extensive award winning wine list and modern European cuisine. It’s also a very instagramable spot ir you or your pup needs an instagram update!
Just steps away from the famous Burlington Arcade, in the glamorous Mayfair, Cecconi’s is well know not just as the spot to be seen in, enjoy an great Italian meal, a killer cocktail and outstanding service but also for their hospitality to pups. Why not try their mouthwatering Truffle Pasta, pizza or rib eye. It’s a perfect spot, especially for a special occasion, when you want to treat yourself but want a place worth every penny of the slightly spendier prices.
Venturing a little bit further, into the lovely Marylebone, in a beautiful location on Blandford Street – a place for matcha lovers, a perfect spot for a catch-up over a How Matcha frappé with a mountain of matcha whipped cream and a matcha ice cream sando – summer afternoon essentials, really! Or choose something healthy to keep up with your diet, with creative blends featuring power nutrients like turmeric, collagen, and ginger, plus calming boosters like CBD and many more. They do not leave out your fluffy companions from the indulging into a treat either, at the counter you will find a jar filled with various treats – there will be something even for the pickiest of pooches.
Have you visited one of these places before? Perhaps you have a few of your favourites you would like to suggest that are worthy to add to the list?
The Plan: | Immersive Play “The Great Gatsby” | 28-50 By Night
In Short: Dress up for immersive theatre, afterwards relax with smooth jazz while sampling through an award-winning wine list
Budget: 70£/person or more if you add dinner etc
Looking for an interesting date night? Try immersive theatre! Gatsby’s mansion is located in the fabulous Mayfair and is a perfect setting to start off your evening.
Enjoy one of the greatest stories of the 20th century and join Jay Gatsby’s party. This brilliant adaptation of the novel takes you to the roaring ’20s… at Gatsby’s new mansion, just around the corner from Grosvenor Square.
You are encouraged to dress up although it’s not an entry requirement. Keep in mind, at least during our experience, the best and worst dressed have been acknowledged – and I am all for it. I miss the days when people at least put some effort into getting ready for theatre, our lives can get so monotonic, why not make it a bit more special by mixing in a feather here or there… or a feather boa. I went all out of course:
My tip no2 – don’t be late! Doors close precisely at start time and you will need to wait to be let in after the initial welcome by the cast is done. It’s not more than ten minutes but still takes away from experience. This brings me to tip no3 – make sure you order plenty of drinks (be it water or a bottle of Champagne or whatever else you fancy) for the play. Once it starts, the bar won’t be open until much much later – staying without a drink at Jay Gatsby’s party sounds like a shame to me!
The play is about 1 hour 50mins and you’re welcome to stay for a drink afterwards. Another good note: the only time you can take pictures inside is after the cast leaves.
23/08/22 edit: Currently can get general admission tickets for £25 (instead of £39.95) and general admission + cocktail for £34 (Instead of £49.95)! Get them here on travelzoo.com
When it’s time to leave the Mansion, it still feels too early to call it a night – I have the perfect spot for you to visit to end your evening just right:
28-50 By Night
Head to 28-50 By Night (just about 5mins walk) to enjoy a late night dinner or snacks and some amazing wine (or cocktails but they are famous for their wine list and my policy is always: …when in Rome…) whilst you enjoy smooth jazz and blues performed by some of the best of London’s Jazz scene.
The atmosphere is dark and reminds a hidden NYC jazz bar – you do need to know where to go to find the entrance! It’s the little alley just off the Marylebone lane, sort of hiding behind their sister venue 28-50 Marylebone. The team is lovely and will be happy to direct you should you have any trouble finding it!
Full disclosure, I know of both places due to PR work. It did not require a blog review but I find this night-out plan lovely and genuinely would recommend it to anyone that wants to do a little different than just getting a drink at a bar.
I find it wonderful to have visitors and get a chance to be a tourist in London. It’s so easy to get into a routine and stop exploring. When someone visits me, I ask for my guests’ preferences, what they would like to see. Every time I realise how much London has to offer and how difficult it is to plan out a day’s route that would include a variety of activities, would be interesting and cover as much as possible must-sees in the least amount of time possible.
I am no expert guide but I have a few places I love revisiting and showing to people out of town. Last week I had my cousins visiting for a couple of days but they only had half a day for sightseeing and we made the best of it. Our plan included:
Oxford Circus, Soho, China Town
The National Gallery, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Square
Trafalgar Square
St James’s Park
Buckingham Palace
Hard Rock Cafe
Our time was limited so we couldn’t add much more, and we do enjoy walking around taking our time and getting a few pictures. I will add a few recommendations on what else to see around these locations for those that have more time to explore.
We had breakfast at home and headed straight to Soho, on our way passing Oxford Circus, and China Town because our plan was to treat ourselves for brunch – Bubblewrap Waffles.
I do recommend to consider having your breakfast in one of many cute cafes in Soho, perhaps visit a few shops on Regent or/and Oxford streets and then head to China town for this delicious treat to make it a full morning in Soho.
From there we headed to The National Gallery. On your way, you can pass Leicester square and having the time, treat your kids, or the kid inside you, to a visit to the M&Ms store as well as LEGO store. Keep in mind these are very busy and your visit can be prolonged by waiting in queues, especially LEGO store which usually has quite a queue to get inside even when the weather is not too nice. Just a few minutes walk away is Piccadilly Circus which is one of London’s most popular tourist destinations, home to the iconic Piccadilly screens and the statue of Eros.How much time you will spend in The National Gallery will depend on how much of it you will want to see, typically people spend up to 2.5 hours here but if you just want to see the highlights to save time, I would say 1hour would be plenty. Next to The National Gallery is the National Portrait Gallery where a visit usually takes up to 2 hours.
After the visit to the museums, take a bit of time to check out Trafalgar Square and possibly take a few pictures of the fountain with the National Gallery in the background or with the famous statues of four lions, surrounding Nelson’s Column.
Next destination, St James’s Park. On your way, you pass Admiralty Arch which is just 2 mins away from the Trafalgar Square. Unfortunately, due to road works, it was mostly covered but I’m sure they will wrap up soon so future visitors can enjoy this majestic landmark. Close by you have a number of museums & galleries to check out if you have the time, however, we continued down The Mall towards St Jame’s park, briefly stopping in the square in front of the Household Cavalry Museum, to take a few very Instagram friendly pictures with a bit of London Eye peeking behind the museum.
From here, you have an option to do a little 1hour detour to see the Horse Guards, Downing Street, London Eye, Big Ben, Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey.
Then have a stroll in the beautiful St James’s Park where you can expect to see many different birds (check Duck Island), feed squirrels and parrots. Must spot to visit is the Blue Bridge, offering spectacular views across St James’s Park Lake to Buckingham Palace to the west and Horse Guards Parade, Big Ben and the London Eye towards the east.
We were there just as the sun started to set and it was so very beautiful.
Another must-see on our list was the Buckingham Palace, a sight to pass by or depending on visit’s timing & season, visitors can tour the palace’s opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard.
The last item on our list was dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe as per the request of one of my guests. We chose the original venue, standing on Old Park Lane since June 14th 1971. On our way there we passed Green Park and Wellington Arch. As it was already quite late and we were super hungry after all the walking, we didn’t visit Hyde Park which is just there, and it’s a beautiful place to visit if you have the time!
As an alternative, you can choose to pass on dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe and head towards Knightsbridge and have your pick of upscale restaurants or go for a visit to Harrods where you can do some shopping and choose from many dining options.
Thank you for reading and if you are planning a trip to London, I hope it helped! What would be your favourites to see on this route? Should I do more posts like this with different sights?
By Justina 