by Kelly | Jul 25, 2018 | Europe, London, Travel, United Kingdom
The original intent of this post was to highlight restaurants in London throughout the city. However, as I made my list of recommendations I realized that most of the restaurants were in the Notting Hill area, where I had lived in London. Therefore, this post will focus on restaurants just in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Next time you are in London, use the information below to head west and check out the best restaurants in London’s most exclusive neighborhoods!
Looking for more information about London? Check out the Getting to London post!
1. Julie’s
Julie’s restaurant is a hidden gem in Holland Park, an upscale neighborhood just past Notting Hill. The unassuming exterior on Portland Road opens to a variety of rooms, elegantly-decorated in a British-Egyptian style, creating many intimate spaces to enjoy your meal. Julie’s has been noted as a favorite special-occasion date spot of Princes William and Harry. Many other A-listers have been spotted walking through its doors as well. Prince Charles even began his bachelor party here before marrying Princess Diana! Even so, the menu and prices still are accessible to those of us commoners looking for fine dining in London, and reservations are not too difficult to come by.
135 Portland Road, Holland Park, London, W11 4LW * http://www.juliesrestaurant.com/
2. Electric Diner and Cinema
The Electric Diner is a casual restaurant connected to an old-fashioned cinema showing current movies (this week’s selection is Mama Mia! 2). You can grab a drink or a bite to eat at the diner before catching a show in one of the leather armchairs, couches, or front row beds featured in the theatre next door. One of the best features, especially for Americans, is the brunch served every Sunday! Among other offerings, the diner features many popular brunch items, including a proper Bloody Mary, which is surprisingly hard to find at restaurants in London.
191 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London, W11 2ED * http://www.electricdiner.com/
3. Beach Blanket Babylon
Beach Blanket Babylon has some of the best pre- or post-dinner cocktails in the area. Its decorations are also incredibly ornate with Roman and Greek design influences. I unfortunately cannot speak to the food, but be sure to try the Elderflower Daiquiri if you go for cocktails, you won’t be disappointed.
45 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill, London, W11 2AA * https://www.beachblanket.co.uk/
4. Granger and Co.
Granger and Co. is a lovely casual upscale restaurant in the heart of Notting Hill. Its large windows let in vast amounts of light during the day, which make it an inviting space to either chill out at the bar with a pastry or grab lunch with friends. The light lunch menu reflects the high-end air of the area without the high-end price points.
175 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, London, W11 2SB * https://grangerandco.com/
5. Harrod’s Champagne Bar
Outside the Notting Hill area in Knightsbridge, Harrod’s is famous for its luxurious shopping experience. This Qatari-owned shopping mecca, offering everything from Alexander McQueen ball gowns to gustatory delicacies to throw pillows, also features 23 dining options. Though you may not think of a shopping emporium as hosting some of the best restaurants in London, you should give it a chance: the Champagne Bar in particular does not disappoint. Do not make the mistake of thinking you should skip this option due to its high price-points. Like most things in life, the price is worth it for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
87 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7XL * https://www.harrods.com/en-gb/restaurants/fine-dining/the-champagne-bar
6. The Real Greek
This restaurant has ten locations in London, including a location just outside Kensington and Chelsea in Shepherd’s Bush. I became obsessed with finding authentic Greek food when I visited Greece two years ago, but long before this I became obsessed with London’s restaurant The Real Greek. Featuring a variety of hot and cold small plates, The Real Greek is a fun place to dine out with friends while also a welcoming environment when dining alone: I can personally speak to both experiences! With so many locations you cannot fail to run into this restaurant, so be sure to stop in when you see one.
Southern Terrace, Westfield Shopping Centre, 1073 Ariel Way, Shepherd’s Bush, London W12 7GB * http://www.therealgreek.com/
Bonus! Borough Market
Borough Market is an outdoor food market on the opposite side of London from Notting Hill. Regardless, it is my favorite lunch spot in the city. It is fun to walk around and see the unique specialty items offered from around the world. It also allows a group of picky eaters to each select a different cuisine and still all dine together. Best of all, you can pick up a pitcher of sangria or Pimm’s cup to enjoy along with your selection!
8 Southwark Street, Southwark, London SE1 1TL * http://boroughmarket.org.uk/
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by Kelly | Jul 1, 2018 | Europe, London, Travel, United Kingdom
So you want to go to London!
This beautiful city is one of the biggest transportation hubs in the world, so whether you’re arriving by plane, train, bus, or car, you should have no problem getting to the city quickly and easily from wherever you are.
Looking for more information on London? Check out the post Top 6 Restaurants in London’s Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea!
By Plane
London is serviced by five international airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, and London City. You can reach central London from each of them by public transportation or taxi, so it doesn’t make too much difference which one you fly into.
Heathrow: Heathrow is the main London airport for flights coming from the U.S., although direct flights are now available to Gatwick and Stansted as well. The easiest and cheapest way to get from Heathrow to downtown London is to take London’s subway, officially known as the Underground and commonly referred to as the Tube. To do so, purchase an Oyster Card at the airport (you will get a refund when you return it later), add value, and board the Picadilly Line, the only line available from Heathrow. The first half of this journey on the Tube is above ground, so it is a relaxing way to experience your first views of the city.
However, it will take you over an hour to reach central London from Heathrow by subway, so for a few pounds more it is well worth it to take the Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station. It will take you just 15 minutes to get into the city using this option. You will be dropped off at Paddington Station, from which four Tube lines are accessible.
You could also consider taking a National Express bus or a taxi, but the price of the taxi could be double or triple that of the train, and both methods will still take about an hour to get into the city.
Gatwick, Standsted, and Luton: To get from Gatwick, Stansted, or Luton Airports to London, you can take a train, bus, or taxi. The train is most advisable as it will take you right into one of London’s major train stations (Victoria or Blackfriars Station from Gatwick, St. Pancras Station from Luton, and Liverpool Street from Stansted). Tickets cost between $13 and $23, and trips take about 30 minutes. By contrast, bus tickets are less than $10 and will also get you to a major train station but could take closer to an hour. The biggest advantage of taking the National Express bus service over the UK’s National Rail service, aside from the cost, is that the bus is rarely if ever affected by strikes (I once waited over an hour for a train from Stansted to London after returning from a week-long trip, which was tiresome and frustrating when all I wanted was to be back relaxing in my apartment).
London City: London City is the smallest of the London airports, but it does service international flights on budget airlines. It is also on the Tube system, so you can take the above-ground DLR train from the airport to Canning Town station and then access the rest of the Tube network from there. A trip on the Tube to central London will take about twenty minutes; a taxi from London City airport will take about a half hour.
By Train
If you are traveling to London from somewhere else in Europe, I recommend taking the train. Your journey will end right in central London at one of its many beautiful train stations, and you will have a chance to take a picturesque ride through the countryside. If you will be pre-booking your train ticket online (versus buying it at the train station), check out TheTrainLine.com for the cheapest tickets available. You can access additional discounts by purchasing a railcard, such as the railcard for travelers under 25 years old, which would be cost-effective if you plan to take multiple train rides around Great Britain.
The most popular train from continental Europe to London is the Eurostar! Although it is more expensive than flying, it is much faster and will take you right from city center to city center. For both the convenience and experience, taking the Eurostar between London and Paris or any of its other accessible cities is definitely worthwhile.
By Bus
Although London sits on the island of Great Britain, it is actually accessible by coach bus from various locations within the country and around continental Europe! National Express buses are available for cheap transportation around Great Britain; to find other bus lines for transportation to and from Europe, check out GoEuro.com. The bus may be the least comfortable transport option, but it is also the cheapest, and like the trains will bring you right from city center to city center.
By Car
Of course if you have access to a car, driving to London is always an option. It is accessible by multiple major highways in Great Britain. Keep in mind if you are not used to driving in a British-owned territory that cars drive on the left-hand side of the road, left turns on red lights are generally not permitted, and gas prices may be higher than what you are used to (currently gas costs around $5.79 USD per gallon in the UK, and just $3.50 USD per gallon in the U.S.).
The biggest downside to driving in London is the Congestion Charge that applies as a toll in city center. The charge applies from 7 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday, and will be applied whenever you enter the Congestion Charge Zone. The zone expands from Hyde Park in the West to just past Liverpool Street Station in the East, and from Kings Cross Station in the North down past Borough Market in the South. The charge is about $18 USD for each entrance into the zone. However, the freedom of having your own transportation may make the extra fees worth it.
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by Kelly | Mar 16, 2017 | Boston, Massachusetts, North America, Travel, Travel Advice, United States
So you want to visit Boston!
I have lived in Boston for about 10 years, first as a student and now as a young professional, and I am so excited to share what I know about the city over the next few posts. The first thing you need to do is get here: Boston is easily accessible by car, plane, train, and bus.
Driving to Boston
Boston is on the far Eastern coast of the United States. If you’re going to drive here, you have a few major highways to pick from. Visitors from the West, you’re probably going to drive in on Route 90 aka the Mass Pike or the Pike. I use the Pike every time I go home to visit my family and in 10 years I have never had a great experience. The speed limit may be posted as your standard 65 m.p.h., but if you’re not going at least 70 in the middle lane you will have someone on your bumper almost immediately. Further, the left lane is not necessarily used for passing, but for drivers going over 80 m.p.h. I recommend spending as little time on the Pike as possible, though it is unfortunately the best way for most drivers to reach Boston.
The other major highways running through Boston are Routes 93 and 95, both running North to South. In fact, Route 95 runs the entire length of the U.S. East Coast from Maine to Florida! They are more manageable to drive on than the Pike , but be careful going South on 93 as it doesn’t continue down to Rhode Island or Cape Cod (aka “the Cape”) but instead loops back around to the city.
As in any major city, parking in Boston can be difficult to find and expensive. If you are able to find a metered spot, I recommend using the “Park Boston” app to pay for your meter. If you find yourself out longer than anticipated and your meter is about to run out, you can just re-load time using your smartphone instead of running back to your car. If you are heading for the North End, the best garage to use is Parcel 7 because most North End locations will validate your ticket, leaving you to pay just $1 for 2 hours or $2 for 3 hours, which is unheard of in Boston. Most hotels will have parking garages available for you to leave your car, but likely at a steep price. Many people will opt instead to leave their cars outside the city at a T-station and take the T (the metro system) into the city instead.
Flying to Boston
Sunrise over Boston Harbor from the window of Boston’s Logan Airport
Boston has its own airport pretty close to the city, Boston Logan Airport (BOS). This is the best airport to use to get to Boston, and it is serviced by 40 different airlines flying to and from 35 different countries and territories as well as most of the U.S. Other regional airports include Manchester, New Hampshire, and Providence, Rhode Island, but they are smaller, about an hour away, and will require you to rent a car or take a bus or train into the city.
Once you arrive at Logan Airport, you can catch a taxi at the taxi stand. The ride to city center will be about 15-20 minutes depending on traffic and cost about $35 plus tip. You can also rent a car, though as a local I have never had that experience so unfortunately cannot offer any information on doing so.
Your other option to get into the city is to take our metro system, known as the T! I highly recommend taking the Silver Line (which is actually a bus) to South Station, and then connecting to the rest of the T system from there. This is probably the quickest and most direct way to get to the city, and will take about 20 minutes. The other T line accessing the airport is the Blue Line: to use this line, you’ll need to catch the #88 shuttle bus at the airport, and then transfer at the aptly-named Airport T stop. Either way you choose, it will cost $2.75 per ride with a Charlie ticket, $12 for a 24-hour pass, or $21.25 for a 7-day pass. If you can find a Charlie Card at the airport, rides will be just $2.25 each.
Boston by Train or Bus
As with most cities, the most direct way to the city center is to arrive at the train station. Boston’s South Station is the main Boston station for Amtrak trains, though some trains also arrive at the North Station. The bus terminal is also located at South Station. Two types of trains roll into Boston each day, the Accela and the Northeast Regional. The Accela is more expensive, but travels faster and has less stops. Its interior is also more spacious and it usually has a dining car. The Northeast Regional is cheaper but stops multiple times along the Connecticut coast, in Rhode Island, and in southern Massachusetts coming from New York City (which could be ideal if you’re not originating in NYC).
South Station by Night
You can take a bus to Boston from New York City, Springfield, MA, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, or Connecticut. Your bus line options run the gamut from the super-cheap Lucky Star and Mega Bus lines to the very common Peter Pan and Greyhound buses.
Both the Red and Silver lines of the T run through South Station, so as soon as you arrive you can easily get to your final destination! There is also a taxi stand available just outside where you can catch a cab.
The T
Welcome to Boston! Now that you’re in the city, stay tuned for posts in the near future highlighting places to go and things to see.
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