bittenbybeaumont

‘Sun is in the sky oh why oh why would I wanna be anywhere else?’ – Lilly Allen

Now that is a great question. I’ve only been to London twice. The first time was when I was thirteen, together with my mom. Very cute. The second time was in April 2026 with my friends, and that was a completely different vibe.

Let me tell you one thing upfront: London is expensive. Of course, you can do it on a budget, but chances are you’ll still end up spending more than you’d like. And honestly, that’s okay. I’m just warning you in advance.

For some weird reason, I’m always comparing cities to each other. It’s probably my toxic trait. London is totally different than Paris (obviously) But in my opinion, London feels raw yet kind-hearted at the same time. The city has absolutely outstanding restaurants, and I already know I’ll have to go back many more times because I’m definitely missing out on a lot.

Still, here are the places we did visit, and they’re absolutely worth checking out:

1. Osteria Angelina
A place where Italian and Asian cuisine come together: what an invention! I know they’re not the first to do it, but they do it very well.

At the back of the restaurant, there’s an open kitchen with flaming grills and at least ten chefs moving around nonstop. The restaurant itself is big, with lots of tables, but somehow it never feels overwhelming or annoying.

The menu is huge, serving everything from pasta dishes to sashimi and grilled specialties. Amazing winelist serving (almost?) only Italian wines.

The service? 10/10. Fast, friendly, and just the right amount of flirty – hey, I’m not complaining :—-)

I do want to be transparent with you guys: this place was expensive. Very expensive. But honestly, absolutely worth it.

Book in advance!

2. Duck soup

So while looking for restaurants, we came across a few potential ones. Most of them were already fully booked or just a little too much. What spoke to me the most about this gem was not only the menu but also the whole vibe. It felt real and honest, if you know what I mean. Nowadays, it can feel like someone just bought a restaurant concept somewhere without adding any personal touch. With Duck Soup, this is not the case. They cook with local, seasonal ingredients – pure and honest.

They have a few small dishes and larger ones. My suggestion is to share both. The larger dishes are quite generous, and the smaller ones are just the right size. Just order a bunch and share them so you can enjoy the full experience. Bonus points: they pour natural wine! The best part about Duck Soup is that it’s only a 5-minute walk from the West End.

(photos will be added on later)





3. St. JOHN

Oh my days, a dream came true that day. I’d been following St. JOHN on social media for years, and I even own one of their cookbooks.

A little backstory (scroll down for long story short): before we left for London, I had already made a reservation here. I didn’t tell my friends because I was worried they wouldn’t really get this type of restaurant. And, unfortunately, I was right. A few days before our trip, I showed them the booking and they said they’d rather go somewhere else. I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but my heart broke a little that day. Oh well, life goes on, and I figured it would just give me another reason to come back to London.

Fast forward to the trip. We’re in London, baby! Slowly getting familiar with the neighbourhood when, all of a sudden, we walk right past St. JOHN Bread and Wine. They have a few different locations across the city, each with its own vibe. This particular one was the restaurant I’d booked and unfortunately had to cancel.

And I shit you not…

“Hey, this looks like a nice place.”

I turned around, trying my best not to let my eye twitch. Really?

At that moment, I knew I had two options: either remind them that I’d already suggested this place and probably start a pointless discussion, or simply play along.

So I played along like an Oscar-worthy actor.

They studied the menu, peeked inside, and within minutes they were completely sold. I walked up to the host, said a little Hail Mary, and asked if there was any chance they had a table for three.

To my absolute surprise… they did.

One table. Waiting for us.

Amaze. Amaze. Amaze.

This is a place like no other. It feels as though you’ve stepped onto a farm but it’s a five-star farm, where the vegetables have just been harvested and are served straight to your table, bursting with the flavours of the land. You can taste the terroir and the hard work behind every bite and every sip. They cook from nose to tail, exactly as it should be, in my opinion. Try their famous Welsh rarebit and drown it in Worcestershire sauce. I still dream about it.

If you’re not afraid of the unknown, definitely go here. Book that table, don’t tell your friends what to expect, and just bring them along 😉

4. MIEL bakery
Just before heading home, we decided to make one last stop at MIEL Bakery. It wasn’t exactly around the corner, but we went anyway. Mind you, we’d already walked around 20,000 steps a day that weekend, and our feet were absolutely killing us. It was worth every single step.

I read a few Google reviews saying that some people thought it was overpriced, but I couldn’t disagree more. These pastries and bakes are made with high-quality ingredients, crafted with care, looked phenomenal and they tasted incredible.

One thing I still think about is their sausage roll. The moment I finished it, I went back and bought another one to take home for my husband to try. He went absolutely crazy for it too.

5. Nightjar
This is a jazz/cocktailbar with live jazz music. It’s a bit hidden ….