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Dining in Europe > London Londoners are spoilt for choice when it comes to dining out. Admittedly, English cuisine once had an appalling reputation, but there have been huge changes in the last fifteen years - the British palate has finally become adventurous. Today, one could practically pick any country in the world and sure enough their cuisine could be sampled here in the capital. The incredible mixture of races and nationalities has given us a wonderful, unparalleled new wave of gastronomic delight. (Fans of steak and kidney pie, shepherds pie, fish 'n' chips, Sunday roasts and other British specialties, however, will find traditional offerings everywhere from the local pub to trendy Modern British restaurants.) Curry houses now appear, often in droves, on practically every high street - in effect, its a reverse colonisation. Japanese sushi bars likewise have mushroomed all over the centre. Take your pick from Korean to Burmese, Argentine steak to Vegan, Malaysian to Mauritian, Modern British to Hungarian - what an epicurean feast! Food is the new hedonistic pleasure, with food halls emerging as trendy hang-outs, chefs becoming TV stars and cookery books turning into hot bestsellers. London is indisputably foodie heaven and luxury ingredients are the latest must-haves. Naturally every area and every other road in London have places to eat - but certain areas do excel: Brixton & Clapham - South London is flourishing. Hang out at bars like Trainspotters and Café Cairo, sample delicious vegetarian dishes at Bah Humbugs in the crypt of St. Matthews Church and chill out to some mellow tunes at the Tearoom des Artistes on Sunday evenings. Camden - This perennially popular neighbourhood teems with great mid-range venues like Wagamama, everyones favourite modern noodle bar. Go organic at SAUCE or Caribbean at Cottons. Meanwhile the famous Jazz Café brings some great blues and an eclectic selection of music to the area. Chelsea & Fulham have a first-rate selection of restaurants catering to the areas wealthy clientele - but the variety is just as vast as the rest of the city. Enjoy classy Thai at Blue Elephant and join locals for authentic Italian at Chelsea stalwart La Famiglia, but for some brilliant 'Modern British', head to Conrans Bibendum and Bluebird restaurants. For the gastro-pub experience, join the Chelsea crowd at The Admiral Codrington and sample great, updated British grub like salmon fishcakes and warm liver salad. Covent Garden mixes the simple with the traditional, the substantial with the stylish. Food for Thought on Neal Street is a popular vegetarian hole-in-the-wall that serves hearty portions to students and passers-by alike. Traditional English fare is the order of the day at Rules, always a refined and restrained experience. Perhaps celebrity spotting at The Ivy, in the heart of Theatreland, would appeal more? Beer lovers can wash down some informal British food with a great selection of beers at the Freedom Brewing Company. Charlotte Street up the road in Fitzrovia is packed with superb restaurants, perfect for business and romance. Islingtons Upper Street is swarming with restaurants, bars and cafés - Modern British cuisine is very well represented by restaurants like Granita and Euphorium. You can also find a range of other cuisines, from Turkish to Vietnamese. Kensington & Knightsbridge - Kensington Place is a good spot for lunch, Julies for a romantic evening and Clarkes delicatessen for a mid-morning treat. San Lorenzos on Beauchamp Place was Princess Dianas favourite Italian and continues to attract ladies who lunch and the Belgravia crowd. Marylebone has some great eateries, including the elegant Orrery (another Conran venture) and Ibla which serves modern Italian food. For Irish cuisine try the Ard Ri Dining Room above the O'Conor Don Pub. In St. Christophers Place, a charming courtyard off Oxford Street, you'll find a branch of the vegetarian cafe Cranks, the Mediterranean Zoes Café, a creperie, a row of Italian trattorias spilling out onto the pavement and Joose Juice Bar. The French restaurant and top-notch delicatessen Villandry on Great Portland Street is definitely worth a visit. Mayfair & West End - The 28th floor Windows bar at the Hilton Hotel offers fantastic views of Londons nightscape; have a drink before indulging at eternally trendy Nobu or Mirabelle. Deeper in Mayfair, enjoy a seafood extravaganza at Scotts or Michelin-starred modern French cuisine at The Square, probably one of Londons finest restaurants. Every Londoner has a favourite local Indian, but you should also check out Veeraswarmy and Chor Bizarre, two upmarket Indian restaurants. If you seek opulent relaxation visit Momo, where you can sit cross-legged and sup on Middle Eastern treats. Notting Hill is home to hip restaurants of all kinds. There is a vast choice of Italian 'locals' in the area - Osteria Basilico is snug and friendly. Toms delicatessen is popular for weekend brunches, but be prepared to queue. For something more exotic, try some Caribbean food, abundant at Carnival time from street stalls. If you don't want to wait until summer, then head to Mandola, a Sudanese gem that remains very reasonably priced despite its loyal following. Dakota is a modern South-west American restaurant favoured by trendy locals and celebs, while the hugely hyped Pharmacy has as many detractors as it does fawning fans. Primrose Hill is one of Londons best-kept secrets. The hugely popular Greek restaurant Lemonia is perfect for families while Odettes suits intimate, romantic dinners and enjoyment of fine wines. Manna is a great vegetarian restaurant, and Sesame, the wholefood store, is one of the great cafés on Regents Park Road. Soho & Chinatown, one of Londons top nightlife areas, has an incredible concentration of bars, restaurants and cafés. From Bar Italia, Soho Soho and the trendy vegetarian eaterie Mildreds to the very exclusive Lindsay House, you can find practically anything you want in just a few dense blocks. South Bank - Oxo Tower has the hype to match the buzz and the formidable view, and its West London counterpart Putney Bridge is an architectural delight offering both great views of the Thames and knock out food. Terence Conrans Blue Print Café leaves a fine impression with views of Tower Bridge. The City has a super vegetarian lunch venue in the crypt of St. Mary-le-Bow called The Place Below. Other options for those working in the area include Futures restaurant, The Eagle gastro-pub and the literary Filthy McNasty pub for a drink. Stylish and formal restaurants - from Conrans Aurora to more trendy Smiths are abundant due to the obvious market for expenses-paid meals. Hotels are also a good bet for eating out, since they have a pleasant touch of luxury, tip top service and often, available tables at the last minute. Afternoon teas are an English tradition that cannot be missed - scones, clotted cream and leaf tea in silver teapots. The Dorchester and Browns are among the smart hotels serving tea from 3pm. You can even find good food at Internet cafés, mushrooming all over the capital. Many public houses, besides pumping real ale, are metamorphosing into gastro-pubs. With such a fabulous choice, standards are truly very high. London is good on a global scale - after all, food critics Egon Ronay and Fay Maschler still choose to live here. Please note that prices quoted can vary widely; also wine can increase your total bill considerably. Z.Torun Entertainment in LondonArt is alive & kicking in London. The injection of new British vitality spearheaded by Damien Hirst and the proliferation of these hip, trendy and increasingly famous YBAs - young British artists - merely add to the wealth of more traditional art that London has to offer. The National Gallery and the Tate Gallery are mainstays. Courtauld Institute of Art, the National Portrait Gallery, the Barbican Centre and Hayward are lesser known but just as excellent. For a modern challenge check out the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) Gallery and of course, the Bankside behemoth that is the Tate Modern. Cinema is centred on Leicester Square, where most of the mainstream chains have their flagship theatres. Close by and much cheaper is the Prince Charles cinema. For an 'Art House' experience try the Gate Cinema, the ICA Cinema, or the National Film Theatre (NFT). There are also frequent film festivals, mostly held at the NFT. One exception is the annual Latin American Film Festival, which takes place in September at the Metro. The BFI London IMAX at Waterloo is the capitals new state of the art screen showing special films on huge screens - a real viewing experience. Comedy - London cannot be bettered if you're looking for a laugh. The most famous club is the Comedy Store, but also worth a look are the branches of Jongleurs and the Comedy Café. Dance is on the up thanks to a recent influx of cash. It tends to centre on Sadlers Wells theatre at the moment, where contemporary dance, ballet and opera can all be found. However the Royal Festival Hall and the Barbican Centre also house excellent productions, and the ICA is a mecca for experimental dance. Museums are abundant and of excellent quality. The Science Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Victoria & Albert are all located in South Kensington. Check out our London Tours section for a day-trip around these museums. The Imperial War Museum is also worth a look - it isn't just for tank-spotters. Of course there are an absolute myriad of smaller, often fascinating museums throughout London - Pollocks Toy Museum, the Design Museum and the Horniman Museum and Gardens are just a few examples. MUSIC: Classical music has three main homes in London: the Barbican Centre, the South Bank Centre and the Royal Albert Hall. The London Symphony Orchestra is resident at the Barbican and the Philharmonia is based at the Royal Festival Hall, which is part of the South Bank Centre. The Royal Albert Hall annually plays host to the Proms - a fabulous summer-long festival of classical music. Rock/Pop/Jazz music is everywhere in London. Camden is always bubbling with Indie vibes. The Brixton Academy is an excellent place to see bands on the verge of stadium-sized fame, and Borderline is good for bands on the verge of Brixton Academy-sized fame. For Jazz you can't beat the legendary Ronnie Scotts. Nightclubs come in as many flavours, shapes, sizes and styles as there are people to fill them. The better-known clubs tend to be around the Leicester Square/Charing Cross Road area. For example, LA2 is a flamboyant-friendly, glammed-up favourite; Stringfellows plays host to both strippers and a conventional partying crowd; and Equinox is big, commercial and boasts an excellent light show. Other clubs worth seeking out are The End, The Fridge, and The Ministry of Sound. For a run down of different club nights - which may or may not stay at the same club - see Club Nights. (Be sure to call the club night promoters - often on their mobile numbers - rather than the actual club for information.) Opera resonates from two sources - The English National Opera (ENO) and the remodelled Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Theatre in London may be separated into three parts. First there are four repertory companies based in their own theatres: the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Court and The Globe Theatre. This is the sophisticated end of the theatre spectrum - plenty of Shakespeare and excellent modern plays. Then there are the 'West End' shows - this refers to the big productions, not to where they're located. Many of the West End shows can be found on or around Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road. Long-runners which are worth checking out include Les Miserables and the rare non-musical, Art. But there are many other big-production musicals and plays that make for a great evening out. The rest are generally known as Off-West End. One of the best exponents of this sector is the Almeida Theatre where film stars Ralph Fiennes and Nicole Kidman have recently trod the boards. Also regularly putting on good quality productions are The Lyric and the Young Vic. AREAS: Soho is practically pedestrianised (often by sheer weight of numbers) and is packed full of character-filled pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants. Its also home to Londons lively gay scene. Do be warned, however, every other establishment is a sex shop. Islington is vibrant and hip, with a café/bar scene that induces time wasting and people-watching. Here you'll find Sadlers Wells (for contemporary dance, ballet & opera), the Almeida Theatre (as mentioned above), the London Design Centre (where the prestigious BAFTA award ceremony was recently held), and an excellent antiques market called Camden Passage. Camden has a friendly, underground kind of feel. There are loads of live music venues here including the Jazz Café and the Roundhouse arts centre. Theres also a massive, trendy market at weekends, and Jongleurs comedy club. Dining in Europe > London
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