foodie break // the lazy girl’s guide to london eats

SO, now that I’ve told you all my fave London eats around Notting Hill (so far), I figure it’s only fair that I widen the search a little bit. As expected, we’ve stayed in our little neighborhood bubble quite a bit over the past year and a half. But there’s obviously tons more to see — and eat! — around this fine city.

Clearly, this is by no means a comprehensive list. This is basically just a random assortment of London eats and places we’ve liked. These are also places that, if you’re exploring central London, are never too far away. As always, if you have additional recommendations, sharing is caring. I’m always on the look out for MORE FOOD. Bonus points if the restaurant is baby-friendly.

Let’s get to it!

Battersea

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Ben’s Canteen, 140 St John’s Hill, London SW11 1SL // The only time I’ve actually been to Battersea was for brunch at Ben’s Canteen, so maybe there are better options in the neighborhood? But based on the line out the door, I’d say this is a pretty good bet. The French toast was good enough, but I’m going back for the Eggs Pig Out.

Borough Market

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Wright Brothers Oyster & Porterhouse, 11 Stoney St, Greater London SE1 9AD // The perfect escape when strolling the market starts to feel way too overwhelming (so, like, five seconds after you arrive). Sit at the bar and order bubbles and whatever oysters are on special. If you’re lucky, they’ll talk you through each one. Then, it’ll feel a bit more like a proper tasting than just a casual lunch.

Chelsea

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Bluebird, 350 King’s Rd, London SW3 5UU // You have a few options here, as Bluebird is more of a complex than a restaurant, and it pretty much takes up the entire block. There’s a small market/bistro with food takeaway, a cafe with a huge terrace, or a full-scale restaurant. Oh, and there’s a high-end shop. Basically, you could roam around Bluebird for like a year. We’ve only eaten at the cafe, but the food was fresh and simple, albeit a bit pricey. I would definitely go back for the main restaurant, though. Also, I like knowing of a convenient place to pop in down in Chelsea. I tend to get turned around easily because we never go down there.

Polpo, 81 Duke of York Square, London SW3 4LY // I’ve been to a few of Polpo’s spots around London, but this one tucked back into Duke of York Square is my favorite — mainly for the outdoor space. It’s especially perfect for groups because it’s all small share plates. The portion sizes are ideal for ordering a huge variety, even if its just a few of you. Trying all of the meatballs is particularly key, obviously.

Fitzrovia

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Bobo Social, 95 Charlotte St, London W1T 4PZ // Twice a week, Bobo hosts an Experimental Burger Society, and whatever the Monday night society creates becomes the burger of the week. We haven’t been to the actual society, but just going for the burgers on any old night more than suffices. The Peanut Butter burger wins for weirdest but surprisingly delicious…est.

Roka, 37 Charlotte St, London W1T 1RR // My first foray back into sushi post-pregnancy! We popped in just before the lunch rush, and they were surprisingly baby-friendly. Most importantly, however, is that everything was delicious. I could live off the kampachi sashimi no salada  (yellowtail sashimi with yuzu truffle dressing).

Kensington

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The Churchill Arms, 119 Kensington Church St, London W8 7LN // If you’ve been down Kensington Church Street, then you’ve seen this pub, which is always, always, always completely bedecked in foliage — flowers for most of the year, Christmas trees and fairy lights during the holidays. In the back sits London’s worst-kept secret: an equally over-decorated Thai restaurant! We’ve eaten at the restaurant a few times, but appears to be in one of Rick Steves’ round-ups. So… now we do mostly takeaway. Still, it’s a London icon and worth a stop if you’re craving low-key Thai.

Kensington Square Kitchen, 9 Kensington Square, London W8 5EP // Solid brunch spot just off High Street Ken, where finding an enjoyable, non-chain restaurant can be tricky. We’ve been a few times now, and though it fills up on a Saturday morning, they do take reservations! Also, the staff is insanely friendly.

Marylebone

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Chiltern Firehouse, 1 Chiltern St, Marleybone, London W1U 7PA // It’s a little scene-y, but Marylebone is one of my favorite neighborhoods, and we had a really nice brunch here — though not your typical brunch fare, the menu skews way more savory. It was more about the ambiance and the people-watching. The space is lovely, and I’m excited for warmer weather when we can return and sit on the terrace.

Coco Momo,  79 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 5JZ // Another brunch spot! Can you tell that most of our restaurant outings have been during the day? That’s because I spent the majority of 2015 needing a nap by 6 PM. We first went to Coco Momo for a boozy brunch with friends when we first moved here. The Bloody Marys immediately won me over. We’ve since been back a few times for more breakfast/brunch (sans all the vodka, of course). Don’t worry, it holds up!

MEATLiquor, 74 Welbeck St, London W1G 0BA // One of my weirder pregnancy cravings has definitely been buffalo wings, because normally I have no interest in them whatsoever. But on a recent errand run near Oxford St, the hubs used MEATliquor as a successful method to keep me from punching tourists. It’s dark and loud, but the wings are as close to home as we’ve had so far, and hellloooo, deep friend mac & cheese squares. Man, I swear I wasn’t this disgusting throughout my pregnancy. Sometimes the need for fried food just strikes, you know? This spot is the answer. Oh, and the hubs had a burger that he said was on point.

Mayfair