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Where To Eat Vegan Food In Soho: The Best Restaurants

THE IDEAL FOOD TEAM
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Where To Eat Vegan Food In Soho: The Best Restaurants

Soho has always been a somewhat disruptive area in the West End of London, never going along with the times but instead subverting the zeitgeist and leading the rest of London into new eras and ideas. 

Be it the rock music scene that ushered in an area-defining genre in the 1960s, with Soho opening the first rock club in all of Europe, or The Golden Mile of Vinyl that sported countless record stores before it was mainstream, Soho was a brilliant place to try new ideas and push society forward.

It makes sense, then, that Soho is such a hallowed location for vegan dining, with many restaurants offering meat-free options as early as the 80s, before the idea went mainstream in the UK.

Still relevant today thanks to its continuing history as a haven for bohemian and counterculture living, with it also being an entertainment district filled with upmarket bars, theatres, and clubs, it’s no surprise that regulars living in the area were one of the first to embrace a vegan lifestyle.

In the past, perhaps you’d have been lucky to get just one tasty and considered vegan option when dining out here. Now, a whole host of Soho restaurants have added colour and vibrancy to their animal-free offerings, making this famous London district a great place for vegan eating in London. With that in mind, here are the best vegan restaurants in Soho.

Gauthier Soho 

Gauthier is a much loved vegan-only fine dining restaurant with an admittedly chequered history. As one of the few three rosette (former) Michelin-star restaurants focusing on vegetables and plant-based cuisine, Gauthier subverts the traditions of your classical French fine-dining experience. 

The restaurant is headed up by Alexis Gauthier, a once-controversial figure who was an Alain Ducasse protege and has held multiple awards and accolades for over 12 years. 

That controversy we mention occurred when Alexis suddenly switched to veganism after his restaurant was subjected to intense protests regarding his restaurant’s use of foie gras, that infamous, oversized duck liver obtained after force-feeding a duckling until its liver swells to over eight times its natural size. 

Gauthier seemed to take these protests to heart – and fair fucks to him – at first removing foie gras from the menu, before committing to overhauling the entire thing, which is now an entirely vegan affair and serves as a testament to just how good vegan dining can be. 

Unlike some British culinary institutions that tend to treat vegetables as an afterthought or distraction, at Gauthier they are everything – the main focus – paired with herbs and spices to create decadent combinations. 

And in true decadent style, the food here is delivered as a tasting menu; one which at the time of writing includes hand-picked wild mushroom tortellini and fragrant saffron roasted butternut squash. You can also get the deviously delicate rainbow swiss chard parcels, given grandeur with a roasted chestnut velouté.

The interior takes up three floors of a regency townhouse and oozes a sense of traditional class, with an elegant look boasting with white-linen-cloaked tables, appearing somewhat like a dressed-up living room in a stately home. In the best possible way of course…

Gauthier Soho claims to be the first classical French fine-dining vegan restaurant in the world, and whilst many others have since followed suit, it still represents one of the UK’s best treats for vegans looking to dine out in style.

Website: gauthiersoho.co.uk

Address: 21 Romilly Street, London W1D 5AF

Mildreds

Mildreds, sitting proudly in an 18th century townhouse on Lexington Street, is all about challenging conventions, offering taste-bending experiences that go against the norm, and we’re very much here for it.

A wholly plant-based affair, a good slice of their cuisine is designed to be meat alternatives, with the restaurant serving up white bean ‘sausages’ and burgers made from soy or tofu, opening up new options of what ‘meat’ can taste like.

Mildreds is an institution in Soho, and has rubbed shoulders with the area’s distinct history for over three decades. First opened by the dynamic duo of Jane Muir and Diane Thomas in 1988, the idea behind Mildreds was to reimagine what vegan food can be, giving it a vibrant kick in the arse and moving away from the outdated beliefs that have lingered since the 60s. It’s certainly worked; there are now six outposts of Mildreds in the capital with more rumoured to be on the horizon.

Much like a lot of the area, Mildreds wears its building proudly and loosely, like your favourite jacket that’s getting a little frayed around the edges but looks all the better for it. A contrast to the elegance of Gauthiers, Mildreds has a more relaxed and bohemian feel, with potted plants hanging off the ceiling and large mirrors creating a light, inviting environment. It’s always packed, thanks to its prime location, considered service, and plenty of celebrity endorsements to boot. 

Mildreds caters to all diners, offering wheat-free and gluten-free options, making it a popular spot for people with such dietary requirements looking to enjoy a meal in inclusive surrounds. What’s not to love? 

The food here is creative and inspired, with the Mexican-influenced mango, brie and jalapeno quesadillas being a favourite among regulars, served with a softly whipped avocado and sweetcorn salsa. You can also pair your meal with vegan wine or vegan fizz, making it an all-around fantastic experience for vegan diners.

The vegan desserts at Mildred’s are something to write home about, too. The ginger sticky toffee pudding, in particular, is a thing of beauty. The same could be said for their caramel cheesecake.

For a touch of class, you can also book their more regal private dining room, perfect for a group of up to 14. Here you’ll get genuine Soho vibes thanks to the dark panels, quirky and clashing furniture and out-there artwork. 

Website: mildreds.co.uk

Address: 45 Lexington Street, London, W1F 9AN

Govinda’s Pure Vegetarian Restaurant

On Soho Street, just off Oxford Street, Govinda’s has been serving vegetarian and vegan food since 1979, making it one of London’s original meat-free establishments. Connected to the Radha Krishna temple next door, this restaurant champions plant-based dining with true clarity and commitment – most dishes on their menu are marked with a ‘V’ for vegan-friendly.

The space maintains its original canteen-style charm, with wooden tables spread across a bright, tiled room adorned with Hindu artwork. It’s refreshingly unpretentious – a contrast to some of Soho’s more affected modern venues. The spotlit interior and street-facing windows keep things airy and welcoming, and the food follows suit.

Their menu centres on thalis – metal platters featuring various small dishes – with The Veggie offering a fully vegan spread for a remarkable £7.95. It comes with rice, a choice of beans or lentil soup, vegetable curry, bread and salad. The bean pot is the star of the show, offering a rich, warming depth that’s entirely plant-based. For those after something more substantial, their thali options scale up to the Govinda’s at £15.95, which can be ordered with all vegan elements except the paneer and sweet treat elements.

The kitchen also turns out less necessary but considered vegan versions of European favourites. Their veggie burger (which is fully vegan) hits the spot, while their vegan lasagne is an interesting, non-dairy twist on a classic. Both are around the fiver pricepoint, which is absurd value for money in this economy, in this part of town. Still, we’re here for the thali spreads first and foremost, which are buoyed by some excellent homemade chutneys, especially their distinctive banana version, which adds interest to anything you choose (including the lasagna, quite frankly!).

What sets Govinda’s apart is their connection to Food For Life London, serving thousands of free vegetarian meals to those in need. This social conscience, combined with their dedication to affordable, accessible vegan cooking, has helped maintain their relevance in Soho’s ever-changing dining scene.

Website: govindas.london

Address: 9 Soho Street, London W1D 3DL

Ugly Dumpling 

Ugly Dumpling isn’t an exclusively vegan venue like the last two options. They do, however, offer comprehensive vegan dishes and some of the tastiest plant-based meals in Soho. 

An admittedly compact venue, dining at Ugly Dumpling becomes a communal experience organically, as you’ll be bumping elbows with other diners in the venue. With long rows of tables integrating separate groups with each other, this coming together is fitting for the restaurant, as its original intentions were to combine eastern and western cooking in perfect harmony, uniting to create something distinctive, bold and memorable. 

It certainly succeeds in this aim.

When it comes food, order their vegan dumpling platter, which consists of tender, saucy dumplings filled with various exciting and out-of-the-box fillings. 

The tempura aubergine is another great option, super crisp and coated in a slick of sticky, syrupy glaze and sprinkled with peanuts for that fatty mouthfeel sometimes missing in plant-based grub. 

Experimentation and fun are the focus of head chef Andrew Mead at Ugly Dumpling, who harnesses the knowledge and experience of owner Ping Wong to create new and exciting options for their regularly rotating menu of dumplings filled with all sorts of intuitive, occasionally daring ingredients. 

Images via Ugly Dumpling

The forward-thinking New Favourites platter is a case in point. Boasting mushroom & truffle dumplings and courgette spring rolls, ingredients not usually associated with traditional dumplings, it somehow works, with all the produce hand-made and freshly prepared, offering crisp dumplings perfected to an art. We’re also huge fans of the spring roll dumpling; inside is a delicious medley of vegetables, its delightful miso dressing certainly doing no harm.

Their forward-thinking approach has garnered the restaurant recognition, as it was nominated as one of the New Casual Dining Concept of the Year in 2019 by Casual Dining.

Website: uglydumpling.co.uk

Address: 1 Newburgh St, Carnaby, London, W1F 7RB

Read: Where to eat near Soho’s Carnaby Street

Bone Daddies 

With a name that seems to make more sense for a Soho sex shop, Bone Daddies fits in well with the tongue-in-cheek, frivolous vibe of this district of London. Devoted to creating the best ramen in London, Bone Daddies offers brilliant vegan options without compromising on ramen’s traditionally hearty tastes and textures. 

The chefs at Bone Daddies are obsessed with their process, toiling over their plant-based broths for over 20 hours, declaring this liquid gold as an essential part of any good ramen bowl. For vegans, the mushroom ramen is as close as you’ll get to something meaty without it having moo’d or oinked in the not too distant past. 

Scrap that last statement. If you’re keen to venture further into the world of meat substitutes, then the restaurant has recently released their notkotsu ramen, a vegan take on tonkotsu which harnesses the power of THIS™ vegan pork, providing plenty of umami and expansive mouthfeel while being entirely animal free. 

You can also have a go at their extremely popular miso ramen, a spicy option served with delicious garlic chilli tofu, that’s punchy and assertive in all the right places.

Bone Daddies are serious about following the ramen tradition, yet also aim to give new life to the perception of this dish and how it’s viewed in the west. The founder, Demetri Tomazos has created a vibrant venue that syncs with the history of Soho, with the venue offering a slick, Shibuya-inspired interior and playing rock and roll music that serves a great backdrop to the encouraged slurping of ramen. Devil’s horn salutes at the ready, hey?

The drinks are great, too, with the painappuru and mint fizz soda a real winner, or a frozen yuzu margarita the right choice if you fancy going hard. Of course, there’s also ample sake that will see you stumbling out of Bone Daddies and into the Soho night a little wobbly but very happy indeed.

Website: bonedaddies.com

Address: 31 Peter St, Soho, London, W1F 0AR

Neat Burger Soho 

One thing that vegan diners have missed out on over time is the authentic fast food experience. With this type of casual and convenient dining typically reserved for burgers and other protein-led options, it’s something that vegan culture hasn’t been able to embrace wholeheartedly.

Neat Burger came with the noble aim of changing all this and creating a fresh and exciting experience that can be used as an example for the rest of the world. 

Sustainability is the aim of the game for Neat Burger, offering alternatives to the environmentally impactful beef industry. There’s a sense that owner Tomasso Chiabra wanted to prove the world wrong, showing that vegan fast food can be both tasty and potentially better for the environment. 

Neat Burger’s main offering is its array of burgers that give off the recognisable meaty look and feel; however, all the typical sensory points have been achieved through a medley of plant-based choices only. The deep red colour of traditional beef mince has been achieved by combining beetroot, carrot, lemon and turmeric. At the same time, the familiar grilled flavours are brought to the bun via onion, garlic, and a blend of secret spices that give the burgers oomph and muscle.

Images via Near Burger

Neat Burger goes beyond just sustainable burgers, though. Everything from their packaging to their culinary is compostable or biodegradable, demonstrating how ethical fast food can be. The interior of their locations are vibrant, with murals of leaves and plants all over, as well as a pastel green and pink colour palette that is reminiscent of 1970s fast food diners, giving the impression that Neat Burger wants to turn back time and rewrite what fast food could have been, changing it to its core. 

The chain is backed by many famous faces, including F1 maestro Lewis Hamilton and Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio, who are backing this business with the aim of it going global and increasing its influence beyond Soho and the UK. Voted as Deliveroo’s Best Vegan Brand in 2021, this one looks certain to catch on. 

Address: 33 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 5JU

Website: neat-burger.com

123V Browns

In Browns on Brook Street (not quite Soho, we realise) 123V brings a touch of innovation to Central London’s plant-based scene. Opened by Alexis Gauthier – the chef behind Gauthier Soho from earlier in this piece – in 2024, this venture reimagines sushi without fish, proving that vegan dining can embrace luxury without compromise.

The space makes the most of its department store setting, with a rather special hidden courtyard filled with mature ferns offering Mayfair’s only alfresco spot on Brook Street. Inside, the dining room balances the building’s original features with modern touches, creating an atmosphere that feels both established and fresh.

The menu centres on what they call ‘Garden Sushi’ – clever plant-based interpretations of familiar favourites. Their nigiri selection includes ‘Zalmon’, made from pressed tapioca and flaxseed oil, while their vegan prawns combine potato starch and kelp to achieve that distinctive texture. The Green Dynamite roll, featuring spicy tofu ‘crab’ with guacamole and green jalapeño, demonstrates how creative plant-based sushi can be. And yes, we do realise just how many speech marks we’ve deployed in that paragraph.

Beyond the rolls, their Garden Bowls offer proper substance. The Paris Aubergine (£18) pairs lightly spiced aubergine with a mushroom medley in red wine sauce, while the Soba Queen (£15) brings together seasonal vegetables in a warming broth. For those after something sweet, the chocolate mousse with crunchy nuts and liquid cacao offers proper indulgence. It is, of course, 100% vegan and dairy free.

The drinks list deserves mention too – it’s entirely vegan, curated by Gauthier Soho’s sommelier David Havlik, alongside a thoughtful selection of seasonal plant-based mocktails. The bottomless sushi option (£36 per person) has proven popular with Mayfair’s lunch crowd, offering unlimited nigiri and signature rolls.

Address: 39 Brook St, London W1K 4JE

Website: 123vegan.co.uk

Where To Eat The Best New York Style Pizza In London

Editorial Team
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Where To Eat The Best New York Style Pizza In London
When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore…

Across London over the previous decade, there was a tendency for the authenticity obsessed, produce-pedants of the Big Smoke to look down their 00 flour-tipped noses at the ‘New York’ style pizza.

Sure, we were content with a 330ml IPA, some deep Derrick May cuts, and a sturdy slice of the good stuff once the clock passed midnight and standards slipped. But if superlatives were getting dished out towards pizzas in London, it was usually in a Neopolitan direction. Whether that was aimed at Pellone, Salvo, Chionchio or Condurro largely depended on which pizzeria was closest, but the praise followed a similar script – of San Marzano tomatoes, 58-65% hydration, and 13.8 inches.

Fortunately, London’s pizza scene feels like it’s loosened up in recent years. The pie purists have begun experimenting and have found that, sometimes, in a city this big, there’s room for a more diverse set of marriages between dough, tomato and cheese. 

Though our two favourite neo-Neapolitan and New York by-the-slice joints have now sadly closed, (RIP ASAP Pizza and Paradise Slice), there’s still plenty of joy to be found in London’s crisper, thinner based brethren. 

With that in mind, today we’re exploring London’s best New York style pizzas, pie-by-pie and slice-by-slice.

*Yes, we realise some of the below aren’t strictly New York pizzas, and may even bring a touch of the ol’ New Haven across the dough, but these guys are closer to the New York style than the Neapolitan, the two key totems of the genre. Soz.*

Crisp Pizza, Hammersmith

Ideal for trying London’s hottest pizza, New Yorker, Neapolitan or otherwise…

Quite possibly London’s hottest pizza (not temperature wise – that would be Fatisa in Wood Green, of course) right now, the queues for this humble Hammersmith pub-cum-pizza purveyor tells a story. A story of Londoners keen to delve deeper than the Neopotlian culinary diktat, of discerning diners seeking a slice that won’t fold so dramatically that their starched white shirts get splattered in marinara sauce.

Enter the prosaically, aptly named Crisp Pizza, a pub-based pop-up inside the Chancellors that has been dubbed London’s best pizza by just about everyone from GQ to the Evening Standard’s Jimi Famurewa. 

Boasting a base that simply won’t budge under the weight of its admirably restrained toppings, a good covering of Roni Cup pepperoni and wefts of grated parmesan are all you need to let you know you’re eating a New York adjacent pie. That, and the gravity-defying nature of the slice. Oh, and the literal name of the place – these are certainly crispy boys, and damn delicious, too. 

A quick heads up – or rather, several heads up; though you can usually buy full pizzas here, on Saturdays when Fulham are at home, Crisp Pizza becomes a slice-only slinger. It’s also highly recommended that you book a table or pre-order your pizzas for pick-up in advance via phone call, text, or on the Store Kit app (all of which are on their Instagram). Should a table not be for the taking, then you’ll see plenty of folk pitched up on the kerb outside, pizza box in hand and a look of wild anticipation in their eyes…

…the wait will be worth it.

Friday lunchtime walk-ins (start queuing at about 11:30am for a midday opening) are the best times to get in quickly and easily, we’ve found.

Address: 25 Crisp Rd, London W6 9RL

Instagram: @crisppizzaw6

Website: Crisp W6 at The Chancellors | Menu

Alley Cats Pizza, Marylebone & Chelsea

Ideal for a taste of London’s most hype new New York pizza…

If you’re on the hunt for a slice of New York in London, look no further than Alley Cats Pizza in Marylebone. This bustling pizzeria only opened its doors in January of this year, but has quickly become one of the city’s go-to spots for authentic New York-style pizza. And that’s why you’re here right?

The mastermind behind the 14 inches here is Francesco Macri, a Sicilian-born pizza specialist whose impressive resume includes stints at Pizza Pilgrims and Santa Maria. At Alley Cats Pizza, you’ll find a menu that boasts plenty of west-leaning pizzas, including the signature vodka pizza, a creamy concoction of buffalo mozzarella and tomato sauce enriched with vodka, inspired by the iconic pasta dish penne alla vodka. 

With design details like wipe-clean gingham tablecloths and church-pew style seating, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a classic New York pizzeria here. The open kitchen extends into the bar area, allowing diners to witness the magic of pizza-making firsthand. And while traditional New York pizzerias might serve their pizzas by the slice, Alley Cats opts for a whole-pie approach, with prices ranging from £17 to £21. This one, then, is for sharing.

And this fairly recently in; Alley Cats have now opened a second branch on Chelsea’s King’s Road. Perhaps it might be a little easier to actually snag a table now!

Website: alleycatspizza.co.uk

Address: 22 Paddington St, London W1U 5QY

Address: 342 King’s Rd, London SW3 5UR

75 Slices at Three Colts, Bethnal Green

Ideal for your daily fix of crisp bar pizza in a historic tavern…

Speaking of the shades of those tablecloths, you may have seen the reds and whites of the 75 Slices gazebo in London in recent years, at various events you hadn’t been invited to.

You might have also caught the enticing aroma of their bread oven working overtime as it sashayed through the city streets, that perfectly puffed dough just out of reach as the company VW campervan disappeared onto the London horizon. 

Well rejoice, as the team at 75 Slices have now pitched up somewhere a little more permanent, at the Three Colts Tavern just minutes from Bethnal Green station, where they’re slinging their superb New York style pies every day of the week. 

These are truly glorious things, with plenty of structural integrity, blisters and imperfections giving way to skilfully restrained adornments. The ‘Calabria’, topped with ice cold stracciatella and a drizzle of hot honey is a case in point, with each ingredient very much belonging on a pizza that’s all about balance – balance between temperature, between spice and satiation, between resistance and surrender. 

Website: 75slices.co.uk

Address: 199 Cambridge Heath Rd, London E2 0EL

Dough Hands at The Spurstowe Arms, Hackney

Ideal for a fleeting flavour of New York pizza perfection…

Even more evanescent than a canotto crust pre-exhale, the team at Dough Hands have made a big name for themselves in the London pizza game with periodic pop-ups across the city in recent years, from their inaugural spot at Brixton Market in the pre-COVID blessed times, all the way to, confusingly, a spell at the Three Colts at the tail end of last year, where 75 Slices have since pitched up. 

Dough Hands has now settled in for a (hopefully) long term residency at the Spurstowe Arms in Hackney. We couldn’t be more excited to be trying chef Hannah Drye’s signature ‘Jode’ again, a spicy little number with nduja, hot honey and buffalo mozzarella. Open 7 beautiful days a week, it’s walk-in only.

And an exciting update for 2025; Dough Hands will be opening a second permanent kitchen, this time south of the river in The Old Nun’s Head in Nunhead. It’s slated to open on the 13th February.

Address: 68 Greenwood Rd, London E8 1AB

Instagram: doughhandspizza

All Kaps Pizza, Dalston *currently on hiatus*

Ideal for affordable, delicious slices of the good stuff…

Another pizza pop-up with claims at the crown of best NY-style pizza in London, All Kaps Pizza at Papo’s Bagels in Dalston is one (or two, or three…impossible to resist as they are) stunning slice of pizza. 

Available by the slice or as a whole 16 inch take home pizza, All Kaps is an inclusive, democratic affair; those slices start clocking in at just £2 which, in today’s economy, is basically giving them away. Though the Pepp Pie – a rich red sauce, mozzarella, provolone, and properly spicy pepperoni – is a crowd pleaser and surely the best seller (it’s often sold out come late afternoon), we’re even more enamoured with the garlic cream-based slices. A recent green sauce and shiso topped affair was a real ripper.

Do be aware that these esteemed pie slingers are currently on hiatus. We’ll be keeping a keen, obsessed eye on their next moves.

Address: 73-75 Shacklewell Ln, London E8 2EB

Instagram: @allkapsslicesnpies

Vincenzo’s, Bushey 

Ideal for a spicy, satiating slice where Harrow meets Hertfordshire…

Bang on the border with the London borough of Harrow, Vincenzo’s in Bushey, Hertfordshire, does such a good pizza that we’re stretching the very limits of what the “best New York style pizza in London” can be. 

Available in 12 inch and 18 inch pies, to eat in or to take out (that is the question), the base here is thin and with just the right level of resilience, the crust gently puffed yet pliable. 

We’re here, time and time again, for Vincenzo’s Raging Hog (sounds like a fucking weird innuendo), which is a carefully-composed, assertive though not aggressive balancing act of aged mozzarella, tomato sauce, and heat brought by pepperoni, hot and sweet roquito peppers and chilli honey. It’s that sweetness from the bee piss that tempers the more fiery notes here. Fresh basil, sniped and scattered, rounds it all off. Magic.

If we’re stretching the definition of ‘London’ pizzas further still, then do check out Gracey’s Pizza over in St. Albans, too. A phenomenal Neopolitan/New York hybrid, it’s well worth leaving the big city for.

Address: 42 High St, Bushey WD23 3HL

Website: vincenzospizzas.com

Instagram: @original_vincenzos_pizza

Voodoo Ray’s, Dalston & Peckham

Ideal for late night slices…

Such is the scarcity of London’s New York-style scene that Dalston’s Voodoo Ray’s feels like a proper veteran of the landscape. Now entering their second decade of slice slinging, the self-proclaimed OGs of NYC pizzas must be doing something right; they now have a second branch in Peckham and another in Manchester. 

Here, the main draw is their obscenely sized single slices, with two the equivalent of a whole 11 inch pizza. Though they do sell whole 22 inch pies for taking away and sharing, you’ll more likely find us leant against a weeping wall in the corridor-like space of the Dalston branch in the early hours (open ‘till 2am on the weekends, these guys), clutching a slice of their gorgeous Queen Vegan – no fake cheese here, just heaps of vegetables – and pontificating about life’s larger questions. Like, ‘’shall we order another slice?’’. 

Website: voodoorays.com

Instagram: @voodoorays

Yard Sale Pizza, Various Locations

Ideal for award-winning, enormous pies…

A synthesis style of New York and ‘London’ Neapolitan pizzas, Yard Sale is one of the city’s most ubiquitous pizza brands. But their omnipresence hasn’t dampened the quality of their pizzas, with the restaurant group winning a slew of awards recently, including being voted Best Value Eats in the Observer Food Monthly awards in 2022 and London’s favourite pizza in Time Out’s inaugural Clash of the Slices in 2022.

Whilst not perhaps quite as thin and flexible as you came seeking in this article, and cooked in a brick static oven rather than a deck, the by-the-slice nature of Yard Sale definitely renders them worthy of a mention. That, and they’re damn delicious.

Website: yardsalepizza.com

Instagram:@yardsalepizza

Bad Boys Pizza Society, Seven Dials Market

Ideal for carefully composed, beautifully balanced pizzas…

Though you’ll find the good guys from Bad Boys Pizza Society at London Bridge’s Vinegar Society, as well as outside the National Theatre, it’s at Covent Garden’s Seven Dials Market that the pizza group has turned their attention to New York style slices. 

It’s a tight menu of just four pies here, the generosity reserved instead for the 22 inch pies, which boast a raft of finely balanced toppings. Ours is the rather unappealing sounding Crusty Old Goat, a goat’s cheese and caramelised onion number that’s brought to life with a sticky balsamic glaze and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Yours for £5.50, or grab three slices for £13.

For those living south of the river, these boys have recently popped up at The Railway in Tulse Hill, and will be slinging for the foreseeable. Rejoice!

Website: badboypizzasoc.com

Instagram:@badboypizzasoc

Read: The best restaurants in London’s West End

Brooklyn Pizza Crew, Fulham

Ideal for pizza-purist bating…

We end where we began, back in Fulham in search of a slice of the best New York style pizza in London. Available for pick-up and delivery, these Fulham Road pizza purveyors offer 12 inch and 20 inch pies in a vast variety of flavours. The Hawaiian – ham, pineapple and the rest – is particularly good. 

Hey, we said this was no place for pizza purists; when in Rome and all that. Or, rather, when in Brooklyn….

Instagram: @brooklynpizzacrewuk

World Famous Gordos at Brick Brewery, Peckham

Ideal for superb slices centred around nostalgia…

A New York-adjacent pizza operation baking thin, structurally sound pies from the humble confines of a neighbourhood pub kitchen? Someone seems to have their script stuck on repeat here, but that’s not to say that the concept feels tired yet (okay; we’re getting close to feeling a little sleepy here). 

And so it is to Peckham Rye and into the warm embrace of the Brick Brewery, where from Tuesdays to Sundays, World Famous Gordos are slinging single slices of real poise and precision, with a few inventive twists on traditional toppings keeping things interesting.

A recent slice of buffalo chicken and mozzarella, with both buffalo and blue cheese sauce spaffed across its surface, was ace; a crisp, digestible dough marking it out as a genuinely delicious thing rather than the product of a late night fridge raid. Even better on the same visit, a tribute to Coney Island hot dog culture saw a slice of the standard mozzarella and fior di latte base given lift off with chopped hot dogs, chilli beef, chopped raw white onions and a zigzag of mustard.

Sure, there’s a lot of ‘spesh’ and ‘boi’ in the Insta vernacular, and Eating with Tod might praise these pies for being ‘dirty’, but they’re genuinely gold-standard in their delivery, with the more experimental, nostalgic American toppings a welcome change from a pie culture that’s become homogenised and samey surprisingly fast in the city.

You’ll also find World Famous Gordos doing their thing out of Netil Market, selling slices from 11am every day until they sell out.

Address: 209 Blenheim Grove, London SE15 4QL

Website: worldfamousgordos.com

Where To Eat In Blackpool: The Best Restaurants In Blackpool

THE IDEAL FOOD TEAM
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Where To Eat In Blackpool: The Best Restaurants In Blackpool

Blackpool may not enjoy the stunning sunsets of Santorini, the panoramic vistas of Turkey or the glimmering turquoise blue seas of the Caribbean, but it does offer a value-for-money holiday to suit almost every taste.

Over the years, Blackpool’s famous terraced guest houses and family-run hotels have earned a reputation for offering no-nonsense, no-frills experience, but things have changed in recent years and this seaside resort now has much more to offer the discerning traveller.

Perhaps this is most clearly exemplified in the town’s flourishing culinary scene, with Blackpool boasting a diverse range of restaurants aiming to cater to every palate and price point. 

We’ve endured all the fish and chips one man can muster in a single weekend, picked over pickled cockles, gorged on goulash and crammed in pizza crusts, all in the name of an article. This article, in fact; here’s where to eat in Blackpool.

The Bank Bar & Grill

Ideal for classic pub grub in a nostalgic town centre setting…

Sitting in the beating, rambunctious heart of Blackpool’s town centre just a pebble’s skim from the North Pier, The Bank Bar & Grill embodies the essence of a classic pub and grill. Its a place you want to settle into, all dark wood furnishings and adorned with vintage photographs and sporting memorabilia, transporting diners back in time, to a Blackpool of yesteryear. The menu features hearty and comforting dishes, such as rich steak and ale pie and the generous Sunday roast, which sees the locals flocking.

Address: 28 Corporation St, Blackpool FY1 1EJ

Website: thebankblackpool.com

The Cartford Inn, Little Eccleston

Ideal for sophisticated Lancashire cooking and riverside views…

Just a short drive from Blackpool’s bright lights, this 17th-century inn offers a masterclass in sophisticated Lancashire cooking. Perched on the banks of the River Wyre with views stretching to the Lake District, the AA Inn of the Year 2024/25 serves hearty, gutsy fare with clear French influences – think French onion soup and lobster thermidor from their aptly named ‘Premeditated Gluttony’ menu. The riverside setting is matched by a thoughtfully designed interior that manages to feel both historic and contemporary.

The emphasis here is firmly on local produce, with meat from nearby farms and seafood fresh from Fleetwood docks. The on-site TOTI (Taste of the Inn) deli and farm shop lets diners take a piece of the experience home, selling their own-made artisan breads, cakes and house specialities. Booking is essential, particularly for their panoramic River Lounge restaurant where the food is elevated further by those spectacular Bowland fells views.

Address: Cartford Ln, Preston PR3 0YP

Website: thecartfordinn.co.uk

Michael Wan’s Mandarin

Ideal for authentic Cantonese classics from a long-standing Blackpool institution…

If you’re after proper Cantonese cuisine in Blackpool, Michael Wan’s Mandarin has been the go-to spot since 1961. This Clifton Street stalwart has earned its reputation through consistent dim sum and faithfully prepared Cantonese classics. The crispy aromatic duck is done well – served with wafer-thin pancakes and house-made hoisin sauce – while the salt and pepper squid arrives gossamer-light and perfectly seasoned. As in, nice and salty like the adjacent sea…

The restaurant’s interior boasts the usual Chinese elements of a British/Cantonese joint, with red lanterns hanging above crisp white paper tablecloths. There’s surely a beckoning cat (Japanese, we know) in here somewhere. Service is notably attentive without being intrusive. Book ahead for weekend evenings, as locals and tourists both flock here for their Chinese food fix.

Address: 27 Clifton Street, Blackpool FY1 1JD

Website: michaelwansmandarin.co.uk

Elvin’s

Ideal for casual Lebanese dining and vegetarian-friendly fare…

Something of a hidden gem, tucked away just south of Blackpool in Lytham St. Annes, Elvin’s serves up tasty food, focusing on flavours from Lebanon.

An unassuming cafe with unpredictable opening hours, it’s so highly regarded, in fact, that Elvin’s has previously been Trip Advisor’s number one restaurant in Lancashire. A great option for vegans and veggies, too, with the butterbean stew and flatbread combo utterly delicious. 

Address: 73 Clifton Street, Unit 2 Clifton Walk, Lytham St Annes FY8 5ER

Website: elvinslytham.co.uk

Twelve Restaurant, Thornton

Ideal for refined British cooking beneath a historic windmill…

Situated beneath one of Europe’s tallest working windmills, this Michelin Bib Gourmand holder has been delighting diners for over two decades. The restaurant’s edgy décor – think exposed brickwork meets urban graffiti – provides an unexpected backdrop for refined British cooking. Head chef Graham Floyd’s menu showcases clever yet unfussy dishes, with standouts including their signature ‘Twelve’s Banana’ dessert, a nostalgic tribute to the owner’s childhood reimagined as a deep-fried bread and butter pudding with raspberry jam and toasted rice custard.

Owners Paul and Caroline’s hands-on approach ensures consistently high standards, which have earned them not just the coveted Bib Gourmand but also two AA rosettes. The bustling cocktail bar makes this as much a destination for evening drinks as it is for dining, with an impressive selection of gins and house cocktails. Their three-course menu, featuring dishes like wild halibut with mild curry sauce and celeriac tart with date purée, offers remarkable value for cooking of this calibre.

Address: Fleetwood Rd N, Thornton-Cleveleys FY5 4JZ

Website: twelve-restaurant.co.uk

Yorkshire Fisheries

Ideal for traditional fish and chips from one of Blackpool’s oldest chippies…

For a taste of authentic British fish and chips, Yorkshire Fisheries is the place to be. One of Blackpool’s longest standing restaurants, founded in 1959, this traditional chippie has been serving up the laciest batter and fresh local fish for generations. The queues are often long, but the wait is well worth it. 

Though primarily a takeaway, there is a no-frills dining room for those wanting to linger a little over their tea. Either way, don’t miss out on the ultra-viscous gravy here; it wouldn’t be Blackpool if your chips weren’t drowning in the stuff!

Address:14-18 Topping St, Blackpool FY1 3AQ

Website: yorkshirefisheries.co.uk

Read: The best restaurants on the Isle of Wight

Twisted Indian Street Food

Ideal for contemporary British-Indian fusion in a lively setting…

For an adventurous culinary experience, Twist & Shout is a must-try. This British-Indian fusion restaurant offers a modern take on classic street food dishes. Forgive the neon lights and silver-specked sofas, and instead get stuck into a sub-continental menu that features everything from samosas and tandoori chicken to lamb Karahi and keema. 

Here, nothing is cooked from frozen and everything is preservative-free, and you can taste that freshness in dishes that sing of vibrancy and don’t weigh too heavy. Booking in advance is recommended here; Twisted is particularly popular with stag and hen parties.

Address: 15 Clifton St, Blackpool FY1 1JD

Website: twistedindianblackpool.co.uk

Stefani’s Pizzeria

Ideal for wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas in the heart of town…

For a taste of Italian cuisine, Stefani’s Pizzeria is a local favourite. This family-run pizzeria, sitting pretty on Cedar Square, has been serving up delicious pizzas, pastas, and calzones for over 20 years. 

The pizzas are cooked in a traditional wood-fired oven, giving them that distinctive blistered, Leopard-like crust that is like catnip to pizza purists. Keep things simple and elegant with the Milano. Topped with wisps of prosciutto ham, sauteed mushrooms and fresh rocket, it’s a steal at £11.90.

Address: 3 Cedar Square, Blackpool FY1 1BP

Website: stefanispizzeria.co.uk

Photo by Luke Ellis-Craven on Unsplash

Scott’s Bistro

Ideal for elegant modern British dining with locally-sourced ingredients…

Dining in Blackpool isn’t all fish and chips, stags and hens; there’s the finer end of dining to be found too, and perhaps the best iteration of a slicker, sleaker restaurant experience in town is at Scott’s Bistro, an intimate eatery half and hour down the road in Preston. The interior is sleek and modern, with a focus on natural light, and the menu follows a certain breezy suit with fresh, locally-sourced dishes that let the ingredients do the talking.

A soused local herring salad with roasted beetroot and dill is particularly fresh and lively, and a calves liver main – served just the right side of blushing – arrives with the creamiest of potato purees. The whole thing is given lift and piquancy via some expertly cured sherry onions. Yep, Scott’s is the place to wine and dine near Blackpool.

Address: 2 Glebe Ln, Kirkham, Preston PR4 2YN

Website: scottsbistro.co.uk

Pizza Grazie

Ideal for hearty Italian favourites from a family-run establishment…

For a taste of simple Italian cuisine that rivals Stefani’s up the road, Pizza Grazie is the place to be. This family-run pizzeria, located on Talbot Road, has been serving up humble, hearty food for the best part of three decades, and it shows in the resplendent, generously topped pizzas here.

Address: 44 Bolton St, Blackpool FY1 6AE

Website: pizzagrazieonline.co.uk

Speaking of seaside breaks, we’re heading to Brighton next. Care to join us?

How To Prepare Your Car For A Family Road Trip: 8 Simple Checks

Editorial Team
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How To Prepare Your Car For A Family Road Trip: 8 Simple Checks

There’s something wonderful about a long family road trip and the unbridled sense of freedom and adventure that it brings, all windows rolled down, the wind blowing back your hair, and perhaps a little Bruce Springsteen on the radio. Until the kids call for Baby Shark, that is…

That carefree spirit of abandon won’t last long should you suffer a breakdown. They say your next road trip is only as good as the checks you carry out before it – actually they don’t, but should – and you know what? They’re right.

Indeed, a long drive is only a good idea if you’ve first taken the proper time to prepare your car. Without doing this, you are risking costly or even dangerous breakdowns, and even if nothing is wrong, checking your vehicle first gives you the peace of mind that you need to truly enjoy the journey.

Because let’s be honest; the last thing you want to be doing on a family road trip is sitting by the side of the road, waiting to be towed, with the kids bawling, the partner sighing and stomachs all round rumbling.

Banish the threat of this scene from your mind at once; here’s how to prepare your car for a family road trip with 8 simple checks.

Check Your Tyres

Tyres are one of the first things that you should look at prior to embarking on an adventure, especially if you haven’t driven for a while, as the pressure might have changed without your noticing. Even the safest family cars can suffer breakdowns due to worn out or deflated tyres.

Best make some checks, then, before setting off. First, test the pressure either with a home gauge or a pressure machine at a garage or petrol station, and add more if necessary. Then, look at the tread. If your tyres are noticeably bald, bulging or otherwise deformed, they need to be replaced as a matter of urgency.

If you’re not yet tired of tyre talk, then check out our deep dive into wheel health for more tips and tricks.

By Kate_sept2004 from Getty Images Signature

Take A Look At Fluid Levels

A quick look under the hood will tell you if you have enough oil, brake fluid and screen wash. If not, top up now before you start your journey. 

You should also check the anti-freeze mixture, since this tends to accumulate silt over time, impacting on the efficiency of the cooling components. 

The engine oil, gearbox and differential also require a quick assessment; consider an update of oil before embarking on a road trip, particularly for the engine. Fluid perishes the rubber components within the system, so you should make sure you are regularly checking this, too. 

Also be sure to inspect your fuel filter, making sure it’s clean; should the petrol have sat for a lengthy period, it could need changing. While you’re down there rooting around with your clipboard out, have a look for signs of unexplained fluid; there’s always a reason for it and, if left, it could get much worse.

Check Your Air Conditioning

Before setting off on a long journey, test your air conditioning system thoroughly. Run it for at least 10 minutes to ensure it’s cooling effectively and there are no unusual smells coming from the vents. If you notice a musty odor or weak airflow, this could indicate your AC needs servicing or the cabin filter needs replacing. Remember that a well-functioning AC isn’t just about comfort – it helps keep drivers alert and passengers happy, especially during summer road trips.

Test Your Brakes

The easiest way to test your brakes is by using them. Before moving off, press your foot down gently on the pedal; any sense of sponginess or of them being loose should alert you. When you’re driving, pay attention to how well your car brakes, even trying an emergency stop in a quiet area; your vehicle should feel firm and pull up without veering drastically to one side or the other. You should also listen for any scraping or squeaking which could be signs that your pads are wearing out. 

Check The Lights

Again, the best way to check your lights is to look at them. Park up, put the hazards and lights on and walk around your car to check each light, or ask someone else to help you. You could also use reflections in shop windows. If in doubt, stock up on some spare bulbs.

Battery

To put it simply; if your car’s battery is on the blink, it is going to be a stressful trip. Batteries with a five-year warranty can prematurely decide to fail well before that warranty has expired, so you should always keep on top of the renewal date.

Batteries dislike inactivity and whilst you may have had it on a trickle charger, if there is the slightest reluctance from the battery to turn the engine over, then you should consider getting it checked. If the battery is under warranty, it is well worth taking it to the supply store to put your mind at rest.  

Test Your Windscreen Wipers

Though often overlooked, windscreen wipers are crucial for safe driving in unpredictable weather. Check both front and rear wipers for signs of wear, cracking, or splitting. Ensure the wiper blades make proper contact with the windscreen and aren’t leaving streaks. If they make a chattering sound or skip across the glass, it’s time for new ones. Also, check that your washer jets are properly aligned and not blocked.

Fill Up With Fuel

Fuel prices vary hugely in the UK, with pumps closer or within busy cities, tourist destinations or motorway service stations tending to be more expensive. Do check out an extensive list of locations with the highest petrol prices before visiting a tank, and consider downloading an app which tracks geographically the best places to fill up.

The Best Cars for Your Next Road Trip

For family adventures on the open road, certain vehicles stand out from the pack. The VOLVO XC90 offers exceptional comfort and safety features, making it perfect for long-distance traveling. Its spacious interior and advanced driver assistance systems provide peace of mind on extended journeys.

The NISSAN X-Trail is particularly well-suited for road trips, partly due to its efficient engine oil volume. At 5.7 litres, the engine oil volume for NISSAN X-Trail provides excellent lubrication for long-distance driving, helping to maintain optimal engine performance and reliability over extended journeys. This, combined with its versatile interior and robust build quality, makes it a solid choice for family adventures.

The SKODA Kodiaq offers outstanding value with its combination of space, comfort, and fuel efficiency. Its clever storage solutions and optional seven-seat configuration make it ideal for family road trips.

For those prioritising fuel economy, the TOYOTA RAV4 Hybrid provides an excellent balance of performance and efficiency. Its hybrid powertrain means fewer fuel stops on long journeys, while still offering plenty of space for luggage and passengers.

The VOLKSWAGEN Multivan, though pricier, excels in space and comfort. Its flexible seating arrangements and superior build quality make it perfect for extended road trips with larger families or groups.

Each of these vehicles offers distinct advantages, but they all share common traits essential for road tripping: reliability, comfort, adequate storage, and good fuel economy. Remember to consider your specific needs – family size, typical journey length, and storage requirements – when making your choice.

The Bottom Line

After these checks and inspections, it’s time to hit the road. The world, or least Britain, is your oyster! Oh, one more thing actually; check out our 7 tips on planning the perfect family road trip, if you know what’s good for you. Have a great trip!

What To Wear To A Black Tie Wedding

Editorial Team
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What To Wear To A Black Tie Wedding

Might we assume you’ve arrived here after receiving a rather formal looking wedding invitation in the post? 

You know the one. Amongst all the usual ‘the honour of your presence is requested’, ‘dinner and dancing to follow’, and the rest, there’s a rather dreaded wedding dress code announcement; black tie.

A black tie wedding is just about as formal as it gets. And if you’re keen to not only avoid embarrassment but perhaps even look pretty darn glamorous doing so, then this thing is largely defined before the event even takes place, during the shopping process. 

Setting yourself up for making the most stylish memories possible means hunting down just the right centrepiece – the dress. It’s a delicate art to get the tone right for any wedding, but a black tie affair? That invitation ups the ante ten fold. 

But this doesn’t mean ‘black tie’ is a rigid, one-dress-code-fits-all situation. Instead, here are a few perfect outfit ideas to have you looking and feeling your absolute best at your upcoming black tie wedding.

What Even Is Black Tie?

It means you’re going to have to get dressed up. Traditionally, a black-tie dress code denotes a formal, evening occasion with tuxedos and stunning, floor-sweeping gowns. While we love floor length gowns for a black-tie wedding, guests who wish to wear a dress have more flexibility when it comes to a black-tie dress code. While evening gowns once were standard, nowadays you can get away with a long or even midi cocktail dress. 

What To Wear To A Black-Tie Wedding

Black formal dresses are, of course, a classic colour choice for a black tie event and while many gravitate towards black and darker shades, don’t be worried about wearing other colours.  

Anything is fair game, apart from white of course (more on that later). That said, it’s a good idea to find out what colour the bridesmaids are wearing too,  so you aren’t accidentally mistaken for a member of the bridal party. If you can’t find out first hand, the colours on the invitation often match the wedding colours of the bridal party. 

When deciding the silhouette of your dress, wear whatever you please, from a form fitting sheath dress to a waist accentuating tulip dress. It’s wise to take into consideration if the dress is dance floor-appropriate if you’re going to partake in some boogying. You can always opt for a jumpsuit- they are easier to dance in, afterall. 

When it comes to necklines, we’re huge fans of strapless gowns. The clean and straight cut and neckline looks strikingly minimal yet classically beautiful on absolutely everyone. A figure-hugging dress with spaghetti straps is a timeless option that you can’t go wrong with and you can count on almost every dress retailer to offer a bevy of them to choose from.

Here at IDEAL we adore halter neck dresses which are still having a moment since Meghan Markle wore a Stella McCarthy creation to her own wedding. The sleeveless silhouette of a halter neck dress accentuates the shoulders beautifully, giving an elegant and feminine look.  

Concerning jewellery, simple, minimalist bracelets, necklaces and earrings are most appropriate. Since there are so many types of jewellery to consider, it makes sense to let your dress dictate the jewellery your choice. If your evening dress has a high neckline, then forgo a necklace and wear a pair of subtle, statement earrings instead. 

Or, if your dress has an open back, consider a long, dainty wrap necklace. While a black-tie wedding is the ideal opportunity to pull out all the bells and whistles, avoid anything too bling. Don’t wear every piece of sparkly jewellery that you own.. Speaking of things to avoid. 

Images courtesy of Ever Pretty

What To Avoid

Those super tight dresses you see on the red-carpet and ones with dramatic splits are best avoided – trying to sit through dinner and speeches in these types of dresses is not the one. 

Unless the invitation specifically requests that guests wear white, avoiding white and cream goes without saying (though we realise we’ve said it several times). Same goes for champagne, cream, ecru, beige and any other hues with close ties to the fair and frosted shade. 

You’ve probably heard that short dresses are a no-no when it comes to a black-tie wedding. However, times are changing and while we wouldn’t advise wearing a mini dress,  we think that a shorter hemline can totally work for a buttoned-up event. 

When it comes to wearing a shorter dress to a black-tie wedding consider a cocktail dress with lace,  beading, or some fancy embroidery, all of which can take a shorter dress up a formal notch or two. A high-low hemline, where the hemline in the back of the dress is longer than the front, embracing asymmetry, or long sleeves with a high neckline to give coverage, will also balance a shorter dress. However, if in doubt, stick to a full floor length hemline.  

Read: What are the biggest fashion faux pas at UK weddings?

Ask A Friend

As reported by Hello, the average spend for a new wedding outfit is £79.76. This may seem like a splurge on attire, however, wedding expert’s The Knot’s 2021 Guest Optimism Study revealed that 51% of people look forward to getting dressed up for a wedding, hence the willingness to splurge on a new outfit. 

However, if you want a sustainable and affordable answer to your black tie wedding guest dress woes, why not borrow one with one of your nearest and dearest? It’s an easy way to keep things financially viable. Moreover, it means that you don’t have to go through all that cognitive dissonance and the paradox of choice that we all experience when buying a new dress. No doubt your girlfriends will be under similar pressure during wedding season; a mutually beneficial arrangement for sure.

Rent A Dress

A black tie wedding is the perfect excuse to go glam and wear something fancy, something couture even. We know what you’re thinking; you can’t afford a designer dress, the likes of which celebrities wear, usually accompanied with a four figure price tag. However, did you know that most A-listers you spot on the red carpe are not wearing clothes that they actually own? Yep, they’ve borrowed a frock from a designer. So, why shouldn’t you?

Enter the clothes rental service where you can rent gorgeous designer frocks for a fraction of the price they actually cost. We think that borrowing a frock is the best way to nail your black tie wedding dress. While the idea behind clothes rental services is to offer a more sustainable way to shop, they also serve as a way for you to access designer clobber you couldn’t ordinarily afford.  

There are lots of rental apps out there, but for black tie dress, there is no better place to look than Rotaro. The Independent voted it as the best rental service for designer dresses saying;  “With pieces from cult labels such as Cecilie Bahnsen and Rixo, Rotaro is a great choice if you’re looking to rent something that has the serious wow factor for special occasions, be that a wedding or birthday”. 

They add; “similarly, should you be getting hitched, it has a handy section dedicated to bridalwear”. A handy bit of advice should you be the one who catches the bride’s bouquet, for sure. We’re also big fans of By Rotation which bills itself as “the social network to rent, lend and buy designer fashion”. 

Read: Our IDEAL guide on dressing for a spring wedding 

Say It With The Seasons

When it comes to fabrics, Vogue writes that “This is your moment to go all out with sumptuous, flowy silks, luxurious chiffon, and dreamy layers of tulle. A few embellishments here and there won’t hurt, either.” 

We concur. That said, when it comes to fabrics we think it’s best to let the seasons dictate what you wear. Indeed, when choosing your outfit, it’s imperative to choose a gown that is weather appropriate. The same goes for colours. 

For spring, think light, loose and flowy fabrics that will keep you comfortable and cool. For effortless elegance, a long flowing maxi dress is ideal. If you’re going to a summer wedding, it’s best to avoid restrictive gowns that are heavy and tight. Instead, consider a timeless and chic silk slip dress or a lightweight strapless gown. Since silk is a breathable fabric, it’s a good choice of material as it will keep you cooler if the weather gets too sticky. Pretty pink and pastel hues are always a good idea for spring and summer nuptials.

During autumn, the change in colour scheme is unavoidable, so it’s sensible to channel it with enthusiasm. At this time of year, burnt orange, auburn, maroon and dark green, earthy, rich shades take over. Harness these colours in your outfit for a synergistic take on the season. High necklines and billowing sleeves can add a sensible sense of occasion to an autumn wedding outfit. 

A winter wedding is the perfect time for lots of texture and luxurious fabrics like velvet and satin. It’s also the ideal opportunity to break out the glitz and glam – think sequin and metallic dresses.  Deep tones like black, purple and navy are great for a winter wedding. Berry hues of burgundy and jewel tones of emerald green and ruby red can also add a festive touch to your dress. 

The Bottom Line

The implications of a wedding invitation that stipulates black tie are numerous. A certain level of decorum is implied, of airs and grace, and, in the anxiety of the receiver, an expectation of judgement unless the outfit adheres to certain preset rules.

For those currently going through that anxiety, good news; as with any self-respecting dress code and event, ‘black tie’ invites a fair amount of creative licence, with a little expressivity actively encouraged. We’re sure you’re going to look fabulous!

Where To Eat Near Shoreditch High Street Station

Joseph Gann
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Where To Eat Near Shoreditch High Street Station

If you’re wondering where to eat near Shoreditch High Street station, then you’ve come to the right place. Whether it’s smoking hot Thai food, forward thinking modern British or handmade, fresh pasta, some of the best restaurants in Shoreditch are just a short stroll away from the station.

Sitting on the Circle Line, and just a stone’s throw from both Old Street on the Northern and Liverpool Street on the Central, Shoreditch High Street Station is one of the most accessible foodie focal points in all the city. But with such an abundance of choice brings a certain paradox; just where to find the best restaurants near Shoreditch High Street that actually live up to the hype? 

We’re here to help with that; here’s where to eat near Shoreditch High Street Station.

Smokestak, Sclater St

Ideal for fire, smoke and meat…

For sheer proximity to Shoreditch High Street Station, Smokestak can’t be beat; you’ll catch its enticing wafts of wood smoke and grilled meats the moment you hear that familiar refrain to ‘mind the doors please’.

This is a restaurant that benefits from having a group of you round the table; their sharing beef brisket is the star of the show and could feed six easily. Complete with pickles and a few buns, this is finger food elevated to giddy new heights.

Read our full review of Smokestak here.

Address: 35 Sclater St, London E1 6LB

Website: smokestak.co.uk

Laphet, Bethnal Grn Rd

Ideal for experiencing the regional flavours of Myanmar in London…

Burmese is a cuisine that feels criminally underrepresented in London, but Laphet is flying the flag for this fabulous food and the city’s residents are taking note. 

The dishes at Laphet are divided into small and large plates ideal for cramming the table with complementary tastes and textures, as well as bowls of noodles and broth that can be enjoyed as a single dish, should you be in a hurry. 

Salads are keenly represented and their emphasis on crunch, bite and give, as well as an intricate interplay between savoury and sharp, is characteristic of the fine balancing act of Burmese food. 

The pickled tea leaf salad is a must-order, and manages to feel both indulgent and light with every bite. And the country’s national dish, Mohinga, a catfish and lemongrass broth piquant with chilli and lime and deeply herbal, is as reinvigorating a bowl as you’ll find anywhere in East London, and that’s saying something, particularly with Kingsland Road so close.

To learn more about the food, history and culture of Burma, check out the excellent book Mandalay by cook and writer MiMi Aye.

Address: 58 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6JW

Website: lahpet.co.uk

Lyle’s, Shoreditch High St

Ideal for an ever-changing menu of modern British cooking…

In just 7 years of being open, Lyle’s has already become an East London institution and was named the world’s 33rd best in 2019. Right now is when the restaurant shines most vividly; with game season beginning in earnest, Lyle’s, housed in the bright and airy tea building on Shoreditch High Street, is the place to be. 

Chef James Lowe’s modern British restaurant has a wicked way with hyper seasonal British produce and their ‘May Contain Shot’ guest chef series, which celebrates game season, is one of the hottest tickets in town. Chefs from restaurants like Momofuku Ko, The Restaurant at Meadowood and Septime have all come to Shoreditch to collaborate on incredible game dishes in recent years, many with spectacular results.

Though the evening is a no-choice, tasting menu only affair, priced at £79, the lunch menu is a la carte. On top of that, Lyle’s have recently introduced a set lunch menu, which at £30 for three courses of this calibre is an absolute steal.

Read: The best restaurants to eat game in London

Address: Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JJ

Website: lyleslondon.com

Smoking Goat, Shoreditch High St

Ideal for Thai food that reinvigorates your tastebuds and soul…

We’ve been huge fans of Smoking Goat since its raucous, ramshackle days on Brewer Street, Soho. Rest assured; since the Thai barbeque restaurant’s move to Shoreditch, the vibe remains rowdy, the chill levels still Scoville baiting, and the aroma of smoke even more pervasive, in the best possible way of course.

This is food designed to reinvigorate. Though the fish sauce chicken wings have gained deserved cult status, and their Tamworth pork chop with spicy jaew dipping sauce is a real crowd pleaser, it’s the restaurant’s work with the offal which keeps us coming back. 

With liver, heart and kidney featuring heavily in various laap, you could go to the Goat and dine very well on these intoxicating Laotian/Thai salads alone. With several rounds of sticky rice, a som tam salad and a couple of cold ones, it’s the ideal lunch in the city.

Address: 64 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JJ

Website: smokinggoatbar.com

Brat, Redchurch St

Ideal for Basque-inspired grill cooking and the best turbot in London…

We did mention that you wouldn’t have to walk far from Shoreditch High Street Station to enjoy some truly world class cooking, right? Well, above Smoking Goat, chef Tomos Parry’s Michelin-starred ode to his native Wales and the fish-over-flames cooking of the Basque country has resulted in one of the standout London restaurant openings of the last few years.

Bring a couple of friends and order the whole turbot, which is the restaurant’s star dish (Brat is a name for the fish in colloquial old English). It’s even been reported that Brad Pitt and Bradley Cooper are fans, as keen to luxuriate in the king of the sea, its gelatinous flesh and pil-pil style accompanying dressing as the rest of us.

And would it even be a visit to Brat if you didn’t finish with the burnt cheesecake and seasonal fruit? A couple of London’s already most iconic dishes, right there.

If you can’t get a table here, then Brat’s residency at Climpson’s Arch in London Fields is still going strong, too.

Address: 4 Redchurch St, London E1 6JL

Website: bratrestaurant.com

Burro e Salvia, Redchurch St

Ideal for bowls of handmade pasta that change with the seasons…

Though Padella Shoreditch recently opened just a short walk from Shoreditch High Street Station, if it’s fresh, handmade pasta you’re after, the proud pastificio Burro e Salvia perhaps pips it for us.

In fact, Burro e Salvia’s 2013 opening predates the proliferation of pasta restaurants in the city, and this place is all about simplicity. The name refers to the beautifully humble sage and butter sauce that often adorns stuffed pasta, and the signature dish here involves a meat-filled agnolotti with a generous dressing of the stuff. 

Superb for a quick solo dinner if you need something delicious and filling before meeting friends, you can also buy handmade pasta to take home from the restaurant, as well as take a pasta-making class here, if you have the time. Yep, these guys really know their stuff. Just delicious.

Address: 52 Redchurch St, London E2 7DP

Website: burroesalvia.co.uk

Caso Do Frango Shoreditch, King John Ct

Ideal for the most succulent Peri-Peri chicken in town…

Hey, there’s a Nandos just a five minute walk away from Shoreditch High Street Station in Spitalfields Market, but even closer (and quite possibly, better) is Caso Do Frango, whose grilled Peri-Peri chicken qualifies as truly top notch. Considering half a chicken is only a couple of quid more here than the cost of a cheeky one, Caso Do Frango feels like a fairly thrifty treat, too.

At the restaurant, chickens are grilled over wood-charcoal, ensuring a smoky finish and blistered skin, with their secret Piri-Piri blend providing a satisfying kick of chilli. It’s not all about the chicken, though; the supporting acts and side dishes are fantastic, too, particularly the rice with crispy chicken skin and chorizo, rounded off with plantain, which is an inspired touch.

Address: 2 King John Ct, London EC2A 3EZ

Website: casadofrango.co.uk

Leroy, Phipp St *now sadly closed*

Ideal for long, languid lunches that transport you to the continent…

The furthest walk from the station on our list, at a whopping three hundred metres, you might even feel like you’ve earnt your supper here.

A whole ten minutes from Shoreditch High Street to Phipp Street, Leroy is nominally a wine bar but one which wants to feed you really, really well. It’s a small plates, modern European affair, with all the noisy cheer and chatter which a good version of the ‘sharing concept’ brings out in people. 

Here, simplicity is the watchword, and the cooking is confident and free from all frippery. A steak tartare has sharp, piquant notes aplenty to help it along, and a smoked eel, chicken skin, grape and parmesan salad eats as well as it reads.

With a 100 bottle strong, globe trotting wine list and an open-arms welcome, don’t expect to be racing back to the station after your meal; it’s a lovely one to spend some time over.

The restaurant has also recently opened up Royale just up the road in Bow Wharf, which is well worth checking out for its rotisserie chicken and small plates of Provencal style country cooking.

Sadly, as of November 2024, Leroy has closed.

Address: 18 Phipp St, London EC2A 4NU

Website: leroyshoreditch.com

Sticks’n’Sushi, Shoreditch High St

Ideal for elevated Japanese dining that caters to both sushi lovers and skeptics…

This stylish Danish-Japanese chain may have outposts across London, but their Shoreditch location on Kingsland Road manages to feel both special and intimate. Dark leather seating and a striking central bar create an atmosphere that makes you forget you’re in one of the city’s busiest neighborhoods.

While the extensive menu might seem overwhelming at first (there’s a reason it comes with photos), the set menus here are a foolproof way to sample their greatest hits. The ‘As Good As It Gets’ option lives up to its name, featuring standouts like the Hotate Kataifi – delicate scallops wrapped in crispy strands with miso aioli and trout roe – and their Wagyu Bites, which elevate the humble idea of beef on toast to new heights.

True to their name, both the ‘sticks’ (yakitori) and sushi portions of the menu deserve equal attention. The black cod with miso (Gindara no Miso) is butter-soft and perfectly glazed, while the Hell’s Kitchen roll, loaded with tempura shrimp and spicy sauce, proves they can nail both traditional and contemporary takes on Japanese cuisine.

As for drinks, the cocktail menu is impressive, but we opted for a bottle of Picpoul de Pinet priced at a reasonable £36 per bottle, which paired perfectly with the diverse flavours of the meal.

Part of the beauty of dining here lies in the rhythm of the meal; the dishes keep coming, each one a new surprise. At £115 for the ‘As Good As It Gets’ menu (feeding two generously), it’s not everyday dining, but for a special occasion or when you want to impress out-of-towners, it’s worth every penny. Better yet, bring a group – this is food that’s meant to be shared and debated over which stick or roll – or indeed whether stick or sushi – reigns supreme.

Address: 136 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8EA

Website: sticksnsushi.com

The UK’s Love Affair With Plants: The 7 Best Houseplants for Sunny South-Facing Rooms

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The UK’s Love Affair With Plants: The 7 Best Houseplants for Sunny South-Facing Rooms

The British obsession with houseplants, which bloomed during lockdown, shows no signs of wilting. While once we might have been content with a lonely spider plant on the windowsill, our homes have transformed into veritable urban jungles. And if you’re blessed with a sun-drenched, south-facing room, you’re sitting on prime real estate for some of the most striking houseplants around.

South-facing rooms offer the perfect environment for plants that thrive in bright conditions, opening up a world of possibilities for creating your own slice of paradise. From towering tropical beauties to cascading succulents, these light-loving specimens will transform your sunny space into a verdant oasis, breathing fresh life into your home even on the bleakest of UK days (yep: we’re talking about right now).

Let’s explore 7 stunning houseplants that will transform your sunny space into a botanical paradise.

Bird Of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) 

This majestic beauty, with its paddle-shaped leaves, brings instant tropical drama to any room. While it may take a few years to flower indoors, the foliage alone makes a striking architectural statement. 

Give it plenty of space – these plants can grow up to two metres tall in ideal conditions. A weekly misting will keep those glossy leaves looking their best.

Bird Of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) 
Bird Of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) 

Bird of Paradise Care 101

Position your Strelitzia reginae about one metre back from south-facing windows to prevent leaf burn. During intense summer days, sheer or voile curtains can provide welcome protection from scorching rays. 

These tropical showstoppers thrive when their soil is kept consistently moist but never waterlogged. Feed fortnightly during the growing season with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser to encourage those spectacular paddle-shaped leaves. 

Pro tip: Wipe leaves monthly with a damp cloth – Strelitzias are notorious dust collectors, and clean leaves mean better photosynthesis.

String Of Pearls (Senecio Rowleyanus) 

This quirky succulent, with its trailing stems of bead-like leaves, looks spectacular in a hanging basket or perched on a high shelf. While it needs bright light to maintain its compact growth, it’s remarkably low-maintenance. 

Just remember: less is more with watering – these pearls prefer to dry out between drinks.

Senecio Rowleyanus
Senecio Rowleyanus

String of Pearls Care 101

Place your Senecio Rowleyanus where its delicate strands can cascade freely without tangling. The pearls should feel firm to the touch – soft, mushy beads are a sign of overwatering. 

Pro tip: When propagating, coil a strand on top of fresh soil rather than hanging it down – this encourages multiple root points and creates a fuller plant more quickly.

Jade Plant (Crassula Ovata) 

Often called the money plant, this succulent is a favourite among both novice and experienced plant parents. Its thick, glossy leaves and tree-like growth pattern make it an elegant addition to any sunny windowsill. With proper care, these plants can become family heirlooms, living for decades and growing into impressive specimens.

Crassula Ovata
Crassula Ovata
Crassula Ovata

Jade Plant Care 101

Your Crassula Ovata appreciates a terracotta pot with excellent drainage – these porous containers help prevent the dreaded root rot. Watch the leaves carefully; they’ll tell you what they need. Slightly wrinkled leaves mean it’s thirsty, while soft, mushy leaves indicate overwatering. 

Pro tip: Pinch back new growth in spring to encourage branching and create a more tree-like appearance.

Read: How to keep your houseplants alive for longer

Snake Plant Laurentii (Sansevieria Trifasciata ‘laurentii’) 

While snake plants are famous for tolerating low light, they truly thrive in bright conditions, developing stronger variegation and more vibrant yellow edges. Their upright growth and architectural form make them perfect for narrow spaces, and they’re practically indestructible – ideal for those who occasionally forget to water.

Snake Plant Laurentii
Snake Plant Laurentii

Snake Plant Laurentii Care 101

Your Sansevieria thrives when slightly pot-bound, so don’t rush to re-pot. Water thoroughly but infrequently – these plants store water in their leaves and actually enjoy being forgotten occasionally. 

Pro tip: If your Laurentii develops brown tips, it might be fluoride sensitivity – try using filtered water or leaving tap water out overnight before watering.

Croton (Codiaeum Variegatum) 

If you’re after a colour explosion, look no further than the Croton. These flamboyant plants produce leaves in an array of patterns and colours – from sunny yellows to deep burgundies. The brighter the light, the more vivid their colours become. Just keep them away from cold drafts, as they can be a bit temperamental about temperature changes.

Croton (Codiaeum Variegatum) 
Croton (Codiaeum Variegatum) 

Croton Care 101

Your Codiaeum variegatum throws a proper tantrum when moved, often dropping leaves dramatically. Once you’ve found the perfect spot, leave it be! Maintain high humidity through regular misting or a pebble tray. 

Pro tip: To achieve maximum leaf coloration, ensure your Croton gets bright morning light – it’s less intense than afternoon sun but equally effective for colour development.

Mediterranean Fan Palm (Chamaerops Humilis) 

This compact palm brings a touch of the Riviera to British homes. Unlike many palms, it actually enjoys direct sunlight and can tolerate the occasional dry spell. Its fan-shaped leaves create beautiful shadows when backlit by afternoon sun, adding another dimension to your room’s ambience.

Mediterranean Fan Palm Care 101

Your Chamaerops humilis appreciates a deeper pot to accommodate its robust root system. Unlike its tropical cousins, this palm can handle cooler temperatures and lower humidity levels. 

Pro tip: Remove any brown fronds at the base where they meet the trunk – never cut them midway, as this can create entry points for pests.

African Milk Tree (Euphorbia Trigona) 

For those seeking something more unusual, the African Milk Tree provides vertical interest and requires minimal care. Its triangular stems and small leaves create an interesting architectural presence, and it can grow impressively tall over time. Do mind the milky sap when pruning – it’s best to wear gloves.

Euphorbia Trigona
Euphorbia Trigona

African Milk Tree Care 101

Your Euphorbia trigona needs very well-draining soil – mix regular cactus compost with extra grit or perlite. Always wear gloves when handling, as the milky sap can cause skin irritation. 

Pro tip: If you spot aerial roots forming along the stems, don’t panic – this is natural and can actually help stabilise taller specimens. Consider adding a few small stones around the base of the plant for the aerial roots to grip onto.

The Bottom Line

Remember, even these sun-loving plants may need time to adjust to their bright new home. Introduce them to direct sunlight gradually to prevent leaf scorch, and always monitor their response to their environment. With a bit of attention and care, these botanical companions will thrive in your sunny space, bringing life and vibrancy to your home for years to come.

So whether you’re a seasoned plant parent or just beginning your green journey, these sun-worshipping varieties are sure to flourish in your south-facing sanctuary. The British love affair with houseplants isn’t just a passing fad – it’s a relationship that continues to grow and evolve, one sunny windowsill at a time.

11 Tips For Turning Your Garage Into A Home Gym

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11 Tips For Turning Your Garage Into A Home Gym

Did you know that your exercise environment has a direct impact on your desire to workout? And when your motivation is low, that atmosphere can be the make or break between idleness and ‘I did it!’. 

Indeed, while so many of us resent going to that mediocre yet over-priced gym, prior to the global pandemic and subsequent closing of gyms, so few were asking the question; what if we could have your own?

Where once a private gym might have sounded like such a luxury, many Brits have now realised that all you need is a garage, a few pieces of equipment or even just some free weights, and voila, you have yourself a gym. Of course, it’s not quite that easy, but with our help, that dream can become a reality. Here’s how; our 11 tips for turning your garage into a home gym.

First, Declutter

No matter how hard you try to fence off the space and keep it tidy, garages inevitably end up becoming a dumping ground for all your junk. So, before you even consider a few reps out there, start by decluttering and clearing out the space so it’s fit for purpose. Donate, recycle, sell or throw away whatever you don’t need. Starting with a clear space and clear mind will allow you to maximise the potential of the real estate when designing. 

Renovate Floors

More often than not, garages have concrete floors, which aren’t ideal for a gym. And that’s putting it mildly. Instead, you’ll require softer flooring, such as interlocking CrossFit or Jujitsu mats that can absorb high impact. If you’re converting your garage into a gym, you’ll want flexible flooring such as that made from epoxy. It’s easy to clean and doesn’t crack under high pressure, making it perfect for home gyms.

When selecting your flooring, consider the type of exercises you’ll be doing – heavy weightlifting might require additional rubber matting in specific areas to protect both the floor and your weights, while cardio zones might benefit from shock-absorbing foam tiles. Don’t forget to check the subfloor for any cracks or moisture issues before installing your new flooring, as these problems will only worsen over time with regular use. A proper moisture barrier beneath your chosen flooring solution can prevent future issues with mould and mildew.

Storage Solutions

Just because you’ve cleared out your garage doesn’t mean you should neglect storage planning in your new gym space. Smart storage is essential for keeping your workout area organised and safe, while maximising the usable floor space. Wall-mounted storage options like pegboards and heavy-duty hooks can keep resistance bands, skipping ropes, and other accessories neatly arranged and easily accessible. For weights, consider installing sturdy weight plate trees or wall-mounted storage racks that keep your plates organised and off the floor.

If you have multiple sets of dumbbells, a compact dumbbell rack can save precious floor space while keeping weights safely stored. Remember, a cluttered gym isn’t just unsightly – it’s a safety hazard. Having dedicated storage spaces means you’ll spend less time searching for equipment and more time actually using it. Plus, proper storage helps protect your investment by keeping equipment off the floor and away from potential moisture damage.

Insulation

Environmental concerns should be at the forefront of any and all thinking when in the process of building and renovation, and in order to create an energy-saving gym, you’ll need to invest in proper insulation. From insulated walls to inlayed garage doors, this measure will prevent energy wastage. Roller garage doors can help improve energy efficiency, as they typically provide better sealing against drafts. As such, your gym will retain heat during the winters and keep things cool in summer.

Prioritise Versatile Equipment

When you’re turning your garage into a gym, the space you’re working within is, of course, limited. That’s why it’s important to make smart choices when it comes to choosing gym equipment. Don’t cramp the space with too many equipment, as this will be counterintuitive to a productive workflow. Instead, prioritise versatile workout equipment which caters to several exercise needs simultaneously. 

A power or squat rack is the smartest investment you can make here; a multi-purpose structure which if used right can give all your muscles a good going over with a fine variety of lifts and squats. Safety is at the heart of the structure (look for dual mounted safety bars with ‘J’ hooks) which is vital in the home gym setting when gym buddies are scant for spotting.

Those with pull-up capabilities are a real bonus; goodbye dodgy, dangerous pull-up bar slung between your bedroom door frame. These racks (sometimes referred to as cages) needn’t cost a bomb; you can find some very capable ones in the £400 region.

Read: 7 essential items you need in your home gym

Introduce Some Light, Motivational Entertainment

Working out in complete silence can make you (us, we mean us) quickly lose interest. That’s the reason why commercial gyms have television and music systems installed, often blaring at irritatingly high volume. To recreate this ambience (the positive parts) invest in good quality speakers or a small television screen. Upbeat, fast-paced music will encourage to push yourself and work harder, and the best bit? You, and you alone, will have control of the tunes! 

Make Sure It’s Well Lit

Garages are notorious for being dingy and clammy, which isn’t exactly motivating. What’s more, that low lighting could put you at greater risk of injury. Sure, we get that ‘prisoner’ aesthetic, working out against the odds in a tight, restrictive space, but if your budget allows it, then consider installing a window to let in natural light. However, if that’s not possible, then illuminate it well with light fixtures to make your workout experience safer and more productive.

Mirror Wall

Yep, we’re thinking about that small space again. But hear us out; installing a mirror wall is an easy way to create the illusion of a much larger room and reflect light. Also, mirrors allow you to make sure that you’re practising correct techniques, and, ahem, admire those gains, too, right? The good thing is that your mirror doesn’t have to be glass, you can install an acrylic mirror sheets are an ideal alternative to using glass mirrors in a home gym. 

Ensure Adequate Ventilation

Garages are usually quite stuffy, and no one wants to feel suffocated when they’re exercising. It’s imperative, then, to make the necessary changes to your garage space to ensure proper ventilation. In addition to installing a fan to circulate air and prevent mugginess, consider adding multiple ventilation points to create effective cross-flow. Wall-mounted exhaust fans can help remove hot, humid air quickly, while strategically placed windows or vents near the ceiling can help hot air escape naturally.

If your garage door has windows, installing opening panels can provide additional airflow without compromising security. During intense workouts, proper ventilation becomes even more crucial – not just for comfort, but for maintaining healthy air quality. Consider adding a dehumidifier during warmer months to control moisture levels, which can affect both your workout experience and the longevity of your equipment.

Temperature Control Matters

Converting your garage into a gym means you’ll need to think carefully about temperature regulation throughout the year. While insulation helps, installing a proper heating and cooling system is crucial for year-round comfort. A split-system air conditioner can provide both heating and cooling efficiently, or you might consider infrared heaters for targeted warmth during winter workouts.

Remember, the ideal workout temperature is between 20-22°C (68-72°F); too hot and you risk overheating, too cold and your muscles won’t perform at their best. Plus, controlling the temperature helps prevent your equipment from degradation due to extreme temperature fluctuations, particularly any electronics or rubber components.

Use What’s Already There

Of course, you could still create a home gym in your garage without having to invest in any equipment at all. There are plenty of resourceful ways to use what you’ve already got as weights and equipment. We’ve written loads on the subject already, so check out our 5 IDEAL tips for creating a free home gym with items you already own over here. You won’t regret it!

From Flour To Flowers: Some Of The Unique Ways Birthdays Are Celebrated Across The World

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From Flour To Flowers: Some Of The Unique Ways Birthdays Are Celebrated Across The World

Spare a thought for those who celebrate a birthday in January. With the country collectively unpickling their livers, giving their bank balances a much needed rest, and pledging to go meat free for the month, the appetite for celebration tends to be somewhat suppressed during the new year’s first month. 

Should you be keen to breathe new life into your birthday and give it a different twist this year, or you’re simply curious about customs from across the world, then you’ve got to the right place; from flowers to flour, here are some unique ways birthdays are celebrated in different cultures around the world.

Canada: Grease The Nose 

In Canada, the birthday boy or girl is pinned to the ground and their nose is smeared with butter or grease, all in the name of making them too slippery for bad luck to take hold in the coming year.

Another Canadian tradition is that a wrapped coin is hidden among the layers of the birthday cake. If you find the coin, you get to go first in all of the party games!

How to say Happy Birthday: Happy Birthday or Bonne Fête

Sweden: Birthdays In Bed 

Next up, Swedish birthday traditions dictate that birthday boy/girl is woken up, no matter how old they are, and serenaded with ‘Ja må du leva’ while they’re in bed. It’s also custom to open birthday presents in bed, too!

When it comes to birthday cakes, the Princesstårta (Princess Cake) is by far the most popular confectionary to enjoy on birthdays in Sweden. This cake was named in honour of the three princesses, Margaretha (from Sweden), Martha (from Norway), and Astrid (Queen of the Belgians), and is a layered cake of sponge, pastry cream, raspberry jam and whipped cream. The cake is covered by a layer of green marzipan, giving it a smooth, rounded top, and a truly distinctive appearance.  

How to say Happy Birthday: Grattis På Födelsedagen

Iran: The Sabzi Polo Tradition

In Iran, birthdays are celebrated with a special dish called Sabzi Polo ba Mahi – a fragrant rice dish made with fresh herbs and served with fish. The herbs used typically include parsley, dill, chives, and coriander, creating layers of green throughout the white rice. This dish is considered particularly auspicious because green represents life and renewal in Iranian culture.

Another unique aspect of Iranian birthday celebrations is the ritual of burning wild rue (esfand). Seeds are thrown on hot coals, creating a fragrant smoke that’s believed to ward off the evil eye and ensure good fortune for the coming year. The crackling sound of the seeds popping is said to drive away negative energy.

How to say Happy Birthday: تولدت مبارک (or, Tavalodat Mobarak)

Mexico: Cake Face  

After singing a special birthday song called ‘mañanitas’ (or little mornings) in Mexico, guests shove the face of the birthday boy or girl in the cake for good luck. The tradition, known as the ‘La Mordida’, happens since it’s considered good luck for the birthday boy or girl to take the first bite of their cake without using utensils. Thus, a helping hand is offered! In fact, you’ll find this tradition popular across South America, too.

Las Mañanitas is a traditional Mexican birthday song sung in Mexico. It’s usually sung as an early morning serenade to wake up the birthday boy or girl.

When it comes to gift-giving, flowers are always a good choice in Mexico, coming second only to tequila in the present buying popularity pyramid. However, be sure not to give Marigolds. Often called “flowers of the dead”, Cempasuchil, or Flor de Muerto, are strongly associated with the Day of the Dead celebrations. 

Dahlias are Mexico’s official flower. When given as a gift, they are a symbol of a commitment. As such, they are often used in floral arrangements at weddings and given at anniversaries. Avoid giving purple flowers as they are reserved for funerals. On the other hand, white flowers are seen as being uplifting. 

How to say Happy Birthday: Feliz Cumpleaños

Oleg Baliuk via Canva

Jamaica: Throwing Flour 

From flowers to flour…

In Jamaica, the birthday boy/girl celebrates their special day by having flour thrown in their face by ‘well-wishers’. Often, they will be anointed with water first to ensure that the flour truly adheres to the celebrant’s face. 

This flouring tradition also happens in Germany, but only on your 16th birthday! On your 18th birthday in the country, the flour is replaced by an egg. Hey, they could almost make a cake out of you…

How to say Happy Birthday: Happy Birthday, or Happy Earthstrong in Iyaric, the Rastafari language

China: Slurping Noodles

All across East Asia, noodles represent longevity and a long, prosperous life. It’s believed that the longer the slurp, the longer your life will be, and because of this, it’s important not to cut the noodles with your chopsticks or spoon as you’re eating them. 

In fact, in China, whenever it’s a family member’s birthday (even if your aunt, for instance, lives on the other side of the world), the whole brood eats noodles to confer a long life on the celebrant.  

Every culture has superstitions around gift-giving and China is no exception. While fruit baskets are always a good thing to give here, be sure not to include a pear –  the Chinese word for ‘pears’ sounds the same as the word for leaving or ‘parting’ and as such, is considered bad luck.

Gifting flowers for a loved one’s birthday in China can also get a little complex. Red flowers tend to denote a fortunate, prosperous future, and are the safest bet. Steer clear of white flowers entirely, as well as yellow chrysanthemums, both of which are reserved for funerals.

Anyway, speaking of noodles…

How to say Happy Birthday: 生日快乐 (or, ‘shēngrì kuàilè’)

Leung Cho Pan via Canva

Nepal: The Rice & Colour Blessing

In Nepal, birthdays begin with a special blessing ceremony where parents apply a colorful tika (a paste made from rice, yogurt, and bright colors) to their child’s forehead. The birthday celebrant also receives colorful threads to tie around their wrist, known as ‘doro’, which are believed to bring protection and good fortune. Before the modern tradition of cakes, Nepali birthdays were marked by eating kwati, a soup made of nine different beans, representing abundance and prosperity.

Another beautiful Nepali birthday tradition involves the birthday person receiving fresh flowers and durva grass (considered sacred) as blessings from elders. These natural elements symbolize growth, strength, and longevity – much like the long-running roots of the durva grass itself.

How to say Happy Birthday: जन्मदिनको शुभकामना (or, Janmadina ko Subhakamana)

Netherlands: Circle Celebrations

Here’s one that will have your head spinning: birthday celebrations in the Netherlands take on a distinctly circular nature, both literally and figuratively! Dutch birthday parties often involve guests arranging their chairs in a circle in the living room. But that’s not all – calendar congratulations are also a unique Dutch tradition. Not only do guests congratulate the birthday person, but they also congratulate all of the birthday person’s family members present at the party, creating a continuous circle of well-wishes.

The Dutch are also famous for their love of hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles) on bread, and on birthdays, this simple treat is elevated to party status with special fruit-flavored varieties and elaborate decorative patterns. Unlike fairy bread in Australia, this isn’t just for kids – adults indulge just as enthusiastically!

How to say Happy Birthday: Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag

Ghana: The Outdooring Ceremony

While Ghanaians celebrate birthdays throughout life, one of the most significant birthday celebrations is a baby’s first – known as the ‘Outdooring’ ceremony. Traditionally held on the eighth day after birth, this ceremony marks the baby’s first time being brought outside and officially presented to the community and elements of nature like the sun and rain.

During modern birthday celebrations, Ghanaians often engage in the tradition of ‘spraying’ – where guests shower the birthday celebrant with money while they dance. The amount isn’t as important as the gesture itself, which symbolizes wishes for prosperity. Another unique aspect is the breaking of a kola nut and sharing it among guests – a practice that represents unity and blessings.

How to say Happy Birthday: Afihyia Pa (in Twi, one of Ghana’s major languages)

Russia: Pull The Ear 

In Russia, a wonderfully childish tradition exists where you get to pull the birthday person’s ears as many times as their age, plus one for luck. This is often accompanied by the saying ‘’grow up; don’t be noodles’’, which is an encouragement to mature into a tall and strong adult. This pulling ear tradition is also popular in Brazil.

Interestingly, 40th birthdays tend not to be celebrated in Russia. This is because, in the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition, it’s believed that the 40th day after death is your soul’s judgment day. On this day, a memorial service for the departed is traditionally held. Therefore, it’s considered back luck to celebrate your 40th in Russia, and the year’s birthday celebrations are usually skipped.  

How to say Happy Birthday: с днем ​​рождения (or, ‘s dnem ​​rozhdeniya‘)

Australia: Eating Fairy Bread

This iconic sweet treat, consisting of soft white bread spread with butter and sprinkled with hundreds and thousands, has graced Australian birthday party tables for decades. However, as Mashed writes, “you do not have to be young to enjoy this food fit for Tinker Bell.’’ In fact, an Australian birthday party is the perfect excuse to indulge in some treats usually deemed only fit for kids! 

In Australia, your 21st birthday is considered the ‘big one’, and will often be celebrated with a huge barbeque party and an extravagant gift that symbolises a transition into adulthood, such as a car, from mum and dad. Incidentally, in South Africa, your 21st is also considered your most important birthday, with parents giving their child a symbolic key as a gift on this date.

How to say Happy Birthday: Happy Birthday Mate

South Korea: A Bowl Of Seaweed Soup 

Originally a postpartum food for mothers, in South Korea seaweed soup is given to new mums to replenish the nutrients in the body after going through the tiring process of labour. As such, the tradition of eating seaweed soup by Koreans on their birthday stems from that simple way of honouring the mothers who brought them into the world. 

So how do you make it? As Korea.net explains “The preparation of this soup is simple, with just dehydrated seaweed, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, salt and water needed as ingredients. Throwing in meat or seafood adds protein but beef is the meat of choice, though coastal areas add mussels or white fish. Even with these variations, the seaweed remains the star of the dish.’’ Sounds downright delicious to us!

How to say Happy Birthday: 생일 축하합니다 (or, saeng-il chu-ka-ham-ni-da; a polite and respectful way to say it)

Stick around in South Korea a little longer with us, in the capital Seoul, eating the city for all it’s worth.

The Best Vegan Restaurants In Edinburgh

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The Best Vegan Restaurants In Edinburgh

Whilst Edinburgh’s fine dining and seafood scenes are without doubt thriving, it’s arguably in the city’s plant-based restaurants that the most culinary-based excitement currently lies.

Indeed, Edinburgh has long been recognised as a vegan-friendly location, recently coming out on top of a Student Beans poll on the best UK cities for vegan living and dining, with the Scottish capital boasting a whopping 642 vegan restaurants in 2022.

Having all these venues makes perfect sense for Edinburgh, as it has become a significant hub for veganism, with just under 20% of all its inhabitants stating that they do not eat meat, according to the Daily Record. Edinburgh leans into this as a city, being the first European capital to endorse a plant-based diet to tackle climate change, with the mayor signing the plant-based treaty earlier this year.

With Glasgow also ranking as a vegan-centric UK hotspot, for some this increased focus on plant-based produce risks diners missing out on Scotland’s world famous beef, game and seafood.

Hopefully, this assortment of fantastic vegan restaurants should go a long way in dampening those fears, as it proves that vegan food can be equally impressive and even outclass meat-focused cuisine while still celebrating British produce. With all that in mind, here are the best vegan restaurants in Edinburgh.

Lucky Pig @ Paradise Palms 

Paradise Palms is one of Edinburgh’s most inclusive venues, being an LGBTQ+ community space that hosts various events, talks, club nights, and more. Vibrant and fun, the building is full of neon, purple, and pink lighting alongside bright hanging baskets of flowers, creating a neo-futuristic look that matches the quirkiness and forward-thinking mission of the venue.

Home to a record store that focuses on vinyls of disco and dance classics that would have felt at home on the decks of the sadly now-closed Fire Island, as well as local artists signed by Paradise Palms’ very own record label, there’s a creative energy to this place that we just love. 

You’ll be pleased to hear that this energy extends to the food. In Paradise Palms, you’ll find Lucky Pig, the resident kitchen that serves a range of vegan dishes that feel nourishing, both for body and soul. Lucky Pig has grown in reputation and size since its residence at Paradise Palms, with its menu swelling to offer a menu that doesn’t compromise on choice or flavour, giving life’s rich tapestry of dietary tastes the chance to eat well.

Images vial @luckypigscotland

All the food from Lucky Pig is 100% plant-based, but despite that can offer some traditionally ‘dairy’ focused heavy meals, like mac and cheese and dirty fries, instead using soy milk to make their cheese. That said, the main focus here is vegan burgers, with patties made from seitan, a popular plant-based meat substitute that uses a base of wheat gluten and aims to mimic the mouthfeel and flavour of chicken and pork.

Lucky Pig’s South by Southwest burger is their trademark dish. Here, surprisingly juicy seitan patties are topped with vegan BBQ brisket, smoked dairy-free cheese, housemade, egg free dijonnaise, and a super inventive and distinctive BBQ sauce that leans into the restaurant’s Scottish heritage by using Buckfast as its base, bringing a sour plum and cherry tang to proceedings. 

Yep, the Lucky Pig really is the antithesis of the assumption that vegans ought to be satisfied with a stuffed pepper and a side salad. In their place, you’ll find ambitious plates full of verve and flavour. We love it.

Address: 41 Lothian St, Edinburgh, EH1 1HB

Website: theparadisepalms.com

Holy Cow

Established in 2016 as one of Edinburgh’s first fully vegan cafés, Holy Cow has grown from pioneering newcomer to beloved institution. Tucked away just a stone’s throw from both Waverley Train Station and the St James Shopping Centre, this charming café might be easy to miss if you’re not in the know, but its reputation amongst the city’s plant-based community is nothing short of legendary.

The space itself is delightfully cosy, with whitewashed stone walls adorned with local artwork and vintage furniture that makes you feel as though you’re dining in someone’s particularly stylish living room.

What sets Holy Cow apart is their unwavering commitment to organic, seasonal ingredients, with a menu that changes frequently to reflect what’s available from their network of local suppliers. This approach ensures their offerings never become stagnant—whilst you might not always find your favourite dish available, you’re guaranteed something fresh and thoughtfully prepared.

Their burgers have achieved cult status among Edinburgh’s vegan community, and with good reason. Each one comes with a generous helping of hand-cut chips that, as local vegan blogger Emma notes, will leave you satisfyingly full for the rest of the day. The BBQ jackfruit burger is a masterclass in texture and flavour building, with pulled jackfruit slow-cooked in a house-made smoky sauce, topped with crispy onions and a generous dollop of aioli, all housed in a pillowy soft charcoal brioche bun.

Images via @Holycow

The café’s dedication to excellence hasn’t gone unnoticed—they were finalists for The Best Edinburgh Restaurant Award 2019 in the Best Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant category. But perhaps what’s most impressive is their commitment to sweet treats. Their cakes, as warned by those in the know, are worth saving room for, even after one of their generously portioned main courses. The carrot cake, topped with a thick layer of ‘cream cheese’ frosting, has developed such a following that it’s worth calling ahead to reserve a slice.

Opening hours are generous, running from noon until 10pm Monday through Thursday, with an earlier start of 10am on weekends—perfect for both lazy brunches and late dinner cravings.

Address: 34 Elder St, Edinburgh EH1 3DX

Website: holycow.cafe

Seeds For The Soul

Though so many modern vegan restaurants tend to take inspiration from the proliferation of the not-always-all-that-appetising-sounding ‘dirty’ food, Seeds For The Soul is all about the nourishing, health-conscious side of things, with bowls filled to the brim with the vibrancy of vegetables and fruits in season.

Opened in 2017, the venue is compact yet cosy, making the most of pastel flower bouquets and hanging plants to add a gentle boho appeal to the location. Like other vegan restaurants focused on sustainable living, the furniture is crafted from up-cycled wood, giving it a quirky and creative feel that’s enhanced further by the fairy lights hanging over the ceiling. It’s a calm and relaxed place to eat, with seats filled with plump, giving pillows, encouraging you to kick back as you tuck in.

The menu focuses primarily on ‘bowls’ – not the crockery, but rather, an assortment of already-seasoned, texturally complementing, self-saucing treats, all contained within their receptacle. Simply mix and enjoy.

Image via @Seedsforsoul

Perhaps our favourite order here is Seeds’ satay peanut bowl, which sees pan-fried tofu tossed in an oily peanut and curry sauce, all served over thick-cut courgette noodles and a tangle of pickled vegetables.

Other lunch-friendly options here include the chick’n pan plano wrap, which uses a chicken substitute from THIS™ to help build a convincing fajita wrap, given body via a keenly seasoned medley of black beans, peppers, and sweetcorn before being mixed with a gently spicy jalapeno sauce. It’s all housed in a floury, toasted flatbread. It’s good stuff indeed.

If you are looking for more of a treat meal, you can also get your chops around one of their excellent burgers, which use well-renowned Beyond Meat patties that brilliantly mimic your usual minced beef. Go with their Beyond BBQ, which sees those Beyond patties sharing the sheets (or rather, poppyseed buns) with seitan bacon, battered onion rings, and a well-crafted BBQ and garlic sauce blend. 

The chief appeal of Seeds for the Soul, though, is the laid back nature of the place; it’s a low-key venue that offers tasty, accessible vegan food, and oftentimes, that’s all you want, right? 

Address: 167 Bruntsfield Pl, Edinburgh EH10 4DG

Website: seedsforthesoul.co.uk 

Nova Pizza Vegan Kitchen

You never forget your first. For Edinburgh, Nova Pizza emerged as the city’s first-ever vegan Italian restaurant. Since then, it has welcomed many at-first curious and then devoted customers through the years, maintaining its popularity despite the immense growth of vegan-centric cuisine in Edinburgh. 

The restaurant is owned by a family from Rome who are dedicated to creating authentic Italian meals suitable for vegans, ensuring that there’s no sense of sacrifice in the generosity and hospitality of the food here.

If you’re not looking carefully, you may miss the restaurant entirely as you stroll through Edinburgh New Town. The venue is small and unassuming on the outside but is filled with charm once you get in, with walls painted with images of columns and arches, making the narrow interior feel like a tight alleyway of the old town of Rome. Evergreen plants and drapes hang from the ceiling, adding a touch of intimacy and romance to proceedings.

Some of their best dishes are made from locally sourced ingredients, including the Caprese salad starter, which deploys a delightful vegan ricotta made with cashews, served alongside plum cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and a homemade pesto that creates a well-balanced, crisp, and lightly-acidic dish. 

After this, indulge in Nova’s take on a classic spaghetti carbonara, a statement dish that uses simple ingredients like dairy-free cream to replicate that familiar, beloved emulsion of egg yolk and pasta water. Smoked seitan here is used as a stand-in for guanciale, the pasta hand-made from wheat flour, demonstrating how beautiful simplicity can be. Nova Pizza prides itself on not over-complicating their vegan dishes, and the carbonara is a fine example of this ethos. 

Of course, the family-owned restaurant is a pizza place first and foremost, with their Amatriciana having earned something approaching cult status in the city. 

This faux-cheesy pizza is topped with fried seitan, red onions, vegan mozzarella, and parmesan. With so many pizzerias omitting cheese from their vegan pizzas entirely, this dish celebrates the idea that compromises don’t need to occur to serve great vegan food. The results are marvellous, with that stretch and pull from the mozzarella all present and correct.

Being Mediterranean, Nova also offers a great wine list, filled with vegan options to go with their all-vegan menu. If you’re having the aforementioned carbonara, pair it with the Baccolo Bianco, a silky white with a round floral palate fragrance redolent of pear and candied lemon. Speaking of that latter ingredient, Nova’s limoncello di Capri is the ideal way to round off a meal here. Go on, you know you want to…

Read: 5 things to eat in Rome, the Eternal City

Address: 42 Howe St, Edinburgh, EH3 6TH

Website: novapizza.co.uk

Sora Lella

Perched on the historic Broughton Street, Sora Lella brings the warm embrace of Roman cuisine to Edinburgh’s thriving vegan scene. This family-run establishment has quickly established itself as one of the city’s most talked-about plant-based restaurants, offering an authentic Italian dining experience that just happens to be completely vegan. Interestingly, and perhaps undercutting Nova Pizza’s claim above, Sora Lella claims to be the first all vegan Roman restaurant in Edinburgh. Anyway, we don’t care who was first, as long as it’s delicious, and we’re pleased to report that both places are just that.

The intimate space, with its terracotta-coloured walls and vintage Italian posters, transports diners straight to a traditional Roman trattoria. Wooden tables draped with crisp white linens and soft candlelight create an atmosphere that’s both sophisticated and homely—perfect for romantic dinners or gatherings with friends.

What sets Sora Lella apart is their masterful approach to veganising traditional Roman dishes without compromising on authenticity. Their Cacio e Pepe, a notoriously difficult dish to recreate without cheese, is nothing short of revolutionary. Using a house-made cashew-based sauce that’s been carefully cultured to achieve that distinctive sharp and salty flavour, it’s served with fresh tonnarelli pasta and a generous crack of black pepper. The result is remarkably close to the original, maintaining that silky, creamy texture that makes the dish so beloved.

Their Supplì al Telefono deserves special mention—these traditional Roman rice croquettes are typically made with meat ragù and mozzarella, but here they’re crafted with a rich seitan ragù and their signature stretchy plant-based mozzarella. When pulled apart, they create that distinctive ‘telephone wire’ stretch that gives the dish its name, proving that plant-based cuisine can capture even the most specific traditional textures.

The dessert menu is equally impressive, with their Tiramisu standing out as a particular triumph. Made with layers of coffee-soaked sponge and a luxurious mascarpone-style cream crafted from cultured cashews and coconut, it’s finished with a dusting of high-quality cocoa powder. It’s a dessert that demonstrates how vegan alternatives can sometimes surpass their traditional counterparts.

Website: sorelella.co.uk

Address: 13a Brougham St, Edinburgh EH4 9JS

Kalpna

Kalpna is a longstanding Edinburgh institution, serving vegan Indian dishes to hungry locals for more than 40 years, making it a well-established venue that has become part of the history of this great city. 

Being vegan-friendly isn’t the main aim of Kalpna. Instead, it’s a welcome side-effect of their hard work to cook from the traditional canon of the Punjab and Gujarati regions of the country, whose dishes are often vegetarian. As a result of this, it’s grown to become a favourite for the Indian population within Edinburgh and acts as a de facto community hub and meeting point. 

The current managing director of Kalpna is Sheela Bhosale – interviewed here about the opening of her other restaurant Konkana – who works hard to ensure that these aromatic Indian dishes are accessible to all diets while also pledging that they use fresh, locally sourced ingredients. 

Although the venue’s appearance has changed significantly over the years, the menu sticks to its roots by serving dishes it offered when it first opened, blending these all-time favourites with modern and contemporary takes on regional Indian street food. Stand-out bites include Pakora, vegetables that have been deep-fried in a spice-rich batter and served in a tamarind-date sauce. There’s also Dahi Puri on the menu; fried Indian bread served with potatoes, chickpeas and onions and a light yoghurt and green coriander chutney. 

The dishes are colourful and vibrant, which matches the stunning mosaic centrepiece that adorns their walls, and eating at Kalpna is like engaging in the modern history of Edinburgh and its communities.

It’s navigated the decades perfectly, adapting to modern times while staying true to what won over its original clientele all those years ago. No matter when you eat at Kalpna, it will take you back to the first time you tried their superb vegan cooking. Now, is someone cutting onions in the kitchen?

Website: kalpnarestaurant.com

Address: 2-3 St Patrick Sq Edinburgh EH8 9EZ

Where To Eat Italian Food In Bristol: The Best Italian Restaurants In Bristol

Joseph Gann
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Where To Eat Italian Food In Bristol: The Best Italian Restaurants In Bristol
Ideal for a taste of Bel Paese in the south west of England…

To say that Bristol’s dining scene is dominated by the cuisine of Mediterranean Europe would be something of an understatement. Indeed, if you’re craving tapas, gyros, the food of Provence or of Portugal in what is regularly named the UK’s culinary capital, then you’re going to be spoiled for choice. 

But it’s in the city’s Italian food that things truly excel, with River Cafe alumni, Neapolitan nonnas and Bristol food royalty all turning their hand to Italian restaurants here. The results are both varied and spectacular, but just like walking down the supermarket pasta aisle and being overawed by the sheer volume of brands on offer, so the paradox of choice can grip you when seeking the very finest Italian food in Bristol.

We’re here to help with that. We’ve undertaken the unenviable task of eating across the city, all with the noble aim of separating the durum wheat from the chaff, the Tipo from the refined white, and the fior di latte from the imitation stuff, to give you these; the best Italian restaurants in Bristol.

Pasta Ripiena

Ideal for getting stuffed on stuffed pasta…

Bristol is so replete with semi-casual modern Italian eateries serving all manner of tagliatelle, cavatelli, rigatoni and the rest that you can sometimes feel a little 00’d out. So, before we’ve had our fill of pasta, let’s have some filled pasta. At Pasta Ripiena, this is the speciality, the headliner, the be all and end all, and practice has certainly made perfect. 

Here, the filled pasta is dialled up to eleven, the cute as a button tortellini filled with piquant ricotta and mint, and garnished with lamb ragu of all things (as well as a much-needed chimichurri to cut through), is a case in point – all massive, highly seasoned bounce and vigour.

Even bolder and brasher, the hat-shaped, salt cod-filled cappelletti served with clams brings all manner of briny oceanic notes, here gently tempered with fresh clips of sweet datterini tomatoes – delicious.

Part of the Bianchis restaurant group that boasts a second entry on our list (as well as, until recently, the much-loved Pasta Loco), the set lunch menu here is a steal, at just £25 for three courses. With bottles of house wine clocking in at just £22, this has got to be one of the best value meals in the city. Just do your best to ignore a piteous William Sitwell weeping in the corner…

Address: 33 St Stephen’s St, Bristol BS1 1JX

Website: pastaripiena.co.uk

Sonny Stores

Ideal for restless, superlative Britalian food from a River Cafe alumnus…

Sonny Stores, a family-run restaurant in Bristol founded by husband and wife team Pegs Quinn (previously of the River Cafe) and Mary Glynn, was conceived as a lockdown delivery-only pizza service called The Lockdown Pizza Company. And what great pizzas they were…

Fortunately, as the drawbridge was lowered on lockdown across the UK, Quinn and Glynn didn’t stop cooking. Instead, their ambitious gaze widened and Sonny Stores, a ‘Britalian’ restaurant with a restless soul, was born.

Though the building itself may be intimate, it houses a genuinely superlative dining experience, with dishes crafted by a talented team led by Quinn. The clam acqua pazza, a Neopolitan dish of clams swimming in a chilli and white wine heavy broth that translates as ‘crazy water’, is a menu mainstay and for good reason; it’s a salty, spicy delight. Best of all, it arrives already soaking into a slice of toasted sourdough beneath it, all for the ultimate scarpetta.

On a recent visit, from the larger plates, a whole-grilled dover sole arrived with broad beans and artichokes done in the sott’olio style – semi preserved in good quality olive oil but still possessing plenty of bite and vitality. A dressing of anchovies chopped through with rosemary sees everything off in style. From the pastas, pappardelle with a pork in milk sauce is texturally on the money in so many ways.

Circling round to Sonny Store’s origins (because time is a flat one, of course), the restaurant hasn’t totally abandoned the whole pizza thing; and if there’s a signature pizzetta on the menu, you’ll be foolish not to order one. Whilst incredible just as they are, they also make the perfect dredging vehicle for all those olive oil slicked braising juices. Heaven…

The beginning of 2025 brought an exciting announcement from team Sonny Stores; they are bringing back takeaway pizza! The restaurant is ‘officially’ opening what they call their ‘Hatch’, with milk buns, pizza and ice cream all available here. We can’t wait.

Address: 47 Raleigh Rd, Southville, Bristol BS3 1QS

Website: sonnystores.com

Read: Where is the best pizza in Bristol?

Taste Of Napoli

Ideal for humble Neapolitan street food dishes…

From the brassy to the gently bashful, Taste of Napoli is a family-run cafe that sits in prime position in the city centre’s Arcade shopping development directly opposite Primark, ready to refuel shoppers with their excellent focaccia sandwiches, pizza slices and range of Neapolitan deep-fried street food snacks. 

Pull up a seat in the snug surrounds or simply order to-go. Either way, don’t miss out on the selection of authentic range of fritti. The crocchè – mash potato, cubes of ham, and mozzarella, bread crumbed and deep-fried – is a deeply satisfying thing. 

Also excellent are the slabs of Roman-style pizza that adorn the counter. For just a fiver a square, they also represent excellent value. Our favourite? The bufalina with fresh cherry tomatoes and plenty of rocket; a restorative, digestible piece of work that’s excellent as an early lunch accompanied by a stiff, steadying shot of espresso. They also do a range of vegan slices which are darn delicious.

And then, onwards, to brave the queues in Primark in search of a lime green Simpsons sweatshirt. Alternatively, you could take your lunch in nearby Castle Park, which is a lovely spot for a sit down.

Open from 10am to 6pm daily, except on Tuesdays, when Taste of Napoli is closed..

Interestingly, it was announced in October of last year that a sister restaurant to Taste of Napoli was in the works, with a sign in the window of 48 Park Street promising “pizza, arancini, focaccia, coffee, panini, calzoni, lasagne, cannoli, tiramisu, wine and more”, according to the good guys over at Bristol 24/7. We can’t wait for the doors to swing open on this one!

Address: 32 The Horsefair, Broadmead, Bristol BS1 3HZ

Website: tasteofnapoli.co.uk

Bianchis

Ideal for trying to Bristol’s ultimate trattoria experience…

We’re returning next to the warm, floury embrace of the Bianchis Group from several paragraphs previous, and to the Mothership at, you guessed it, Bianchis. 

Sitting in the heart of bohemian Montpelier and named after the patriarch of the family Aldo Bianchi, this is a family affair, make no mistake, with grandsons Joe, Ben and Dom now steering the ship.

It’s a ship forged on Aldo and Nonna Ellen’s family recipes, and that sense of heritage is felt all over the menu, whether you’re getting stuck in to a plate of rigatoni with a sumptuous sauce of chicken alla Romana, sweet with slow-cooked red peppers and rich with the bird’s braising juices, or a dish of grilled parmesan polenta dressed with sun-dried tomato pesto.

It’s felt in the dining room, too, a bright and buzzy space cacophonous with chatter and cheer that’s anchored by dark wood furnishings and a rare modern day appearance from white paper tablecloths. It’s a touch that feels deliberate; bringing that trattoria vibe to the ‘burbs of Bristol succinctly. 

Experience that dining room at its breeziest for Friday or Saturday lunch with a £34, four course set lunch menu, and feel like everything’s alright with the world. 

If a hankering for pizza inexplicably hits after that feast of largely Northern Italian classics, then just a mile down the road Pizza Bianchi is smashing things out of the park, too.

Address: 1-3 York Rd, Montpelier, Bristol BS6 5QB

Website: bianchisrestaurant.co.uk

Little Hollows Pasta

Ideal for daily-rolled fresh pasta in Redland…

If you’re singing from the same hymn book as IDEAL, then can we safely assume that you never get tired of pasta? Join us, then, for another round of the good stuff, over in Redland, at Little Hollows Pasta.

Here, the pasta is made fresh every morning before being hung invitingly in the window to dry, enticing those strolling along Chandos Road to circling back on themselves once those strands and coils are submerged in their boiling, salty-as-the-sea baths.

The menu, much like the restaurant itself, is a tight, compact affair, with pasta across the entirety of the mains. A handful of smaller, largely vegetable-led plates provide the lead-in, with the charred baby broccoli dressed in a caperberry tapenade particularly intoxicating on a previous visit. 

But really, we’re here for the pasta – we’re always here for the pasta – and the freshly made stuff here is arguably the best in Bristol. From the ridiculously reasonable lunch menu (3 courses for just £26), we recently found the classic Roman dish of bucatini Amatriciana as good as we’ve had anywhere, including the Eternal City. High praise indeed, but deserved; the use of Tropea onions in the sauce bringing a suave sweetness that countered the reliably salty-sweet guanciale just beautifully. It’s a plateful that will live long in the memory. At least until we get to the next restaurant on our list, that is…

Address: 26 Chandos Rd, Redland, Bristol BS6 6PF

Website: littlehollowspasta.co.uk

Marmo

Ideal for straightforward but sumptuous Italian wine bar vibes…

Next to Marmo, a restaurant that Observer food critic Jay Rayner called “an absolute corker”. He was right; this vibey, oh-so Bristol modern Italian joint – part wine bar, part osteria – certainly hits the spot.

Behind the stoves and on the floor respectively are husband and wife team Cosmo and Lily Sterck, who met at Bristol University. They have serious stock in this type of paired back, produce-led place, Cosmo having worked at the superlative Brawn and Lily having run front of house at now Michelin-starred London restaurant Luca.

They’ve brought this pedigree to the high-ceilinged, airy but austere dining room of the former Guardian Assurance Building, where biodynamic wine is poured generously by the glass and stark, unvarnished plates of two or three ingredients belie the superb cooking that’s gone on to get them there. 

To nibble on (or wolf down, if you’re us) alongside your house Negroni, the gnoccho fritto with salame rosa is pretty much obligatory. These simultaneously crisp yet pillowy pockets of lard enriched dough are deep fried in more lard before being draped with peppery, fatty slices of cured pork. They are as addictive as they sound and, judging by the tables around us when we dropped by last month, impossible to take off the menu. A plate of Cantabrian anchovies sits alongside those gnoccho just right.

Equally as naughty feeling, a tablet of slow braised and pressed pig’s head that’s been breadcrumbed and deep-fried is paired masterfully with plumb caponata, those sweet and sour notes cutting through the of the porcine chops adeptly. To temper all those fatty notes further, a glass of cloudy, funky Abruzzese skin contact, a blend of Trebbiano and Pergolone, brings an untamed vibe to the table.

Bring yourself back down to earth with Marmo’s deep and brooding chocolate mousse, a few licks of sea salt across its surface an inspired touch, and totter out onto the heaving Baldwin Street feeling satiated and besotted. 

Address: 31 Baldwin St, Bristol BS1 1RG

Website: marmo.restaurant

Read: 6 of the best restaurants close to Brunel’s SS Great Britain, Bristol

Don Giovanni’s

Ideal for old school Italian vibes close to Temple Meads station…

Whilst the majority of our round-up of Bristol’s best Italian restaurants is admittedly skewed to the slicker, more operations in town, there’s still much to be said for the decidedly, deliberately old school kind of Italian restaurants that feel like something of a dying breed in the UK.

At Don Giovanni’s, that sense of the gently dated is embraced full throttle, whether it’s in the candles gently melting wax over their wine bottle holders, the blue and white checked table cloths and neon, cursive signage, or the swoops and swooshes of reduced balsamic vinegar that adorn plenty of the dishes here.

Don Giovanni’s
Don Giovanni’s

The restaurant excels most when it the dishes are at their most rustic, the ‘housewife’s’ canneloni casalina and the Sicilian polpette arguably the highlights here, the latter a family recipe. Complete your meal with a carafe of the eminently drinkable, highly reasonable house red and a tiramisu, and luxuriate in a little Adriano Celentano as you round off your meal. Heaven.

Address: Victoria House, Temple Gate, Redcliffe, Bristol BS1 6PW

Website: dongiovannisbristol.co.uk

Read: The best seafood restaurants in Bristol

Sandy Park Deli

Ideal for simple lunchtime sarnies…

Tucked out of the way in the suburbs of Brislington, Sandy Park Deli is pretty much the dictionary definition of ‘hidden gem’. This family run deli which specialises in Italian imported meats and cheeses sits at the heart of the community, known as well here for supporting other local businesses by stocking their artisan products as it is for the deli’s formidable espresso, with premium coffee shipped in from Sicily on the regular.

The focaccia sandwiches are ace, too, straightforward but perfectly poised as only the Italians can pull off. The salami, taleggio and honey number has become something of a mainstay in the IDEAL office, and long may it continue!

Address: 10 Sandy Park Rd, Brislington, Bristol BS4 3PE

Website: deliatsandypark.co.uk

COR

Ideal for Mediterranean tapas with plenty of Italian flourishes…

Whilst not strictly ‘Italian’ (hey, where is in this little corner of south west England?), we had to mention the COR before we departed in a carb coma. That’s because this lively Mediterranean tapas bar from the team who brought us Spanish seafood joint Gambas is one of our favourite places to eat in Bristol, and there’s often a pasta dish or two on their continent-hopping menu.

Address: 81 North St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1ES

Website: correstaurant.com

But first, a well-earned, much-needed lie down for days…

The Best Cocktail Bars In Brighton

Editorial Team
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The Best Cocktail Bars In Brighton

Whether it’s because there’s something in the water, in the fresh sea air, or simply in the DNA of the city, vibrant cocktails full of fun and frivolity just feel so in step with Brighton’s unique and hedonistic soul.

It should come as no surprise, then, that there are plenty of fantastic places to grab a cocktail in this so-called London-On-Sea, whether you’re looking for something seasonal and sustainable, avant-garde and conceptual, or traditional and perfectly, precisely mixed. 

Or, a mixture of all three, of course…

With all that in mind and in pursuit of the very best, we’ve drunk our way around the city (it’s a hard life), to bring you these; the best cocktail bars in Brighton.

Gung Ho

Ideal for seasonal & experimental cocktails under neon lights… 

Setting ourselves up for a great weekend in town, we start our bar crawl of the best cocktails in Brighton (drinking responsibly with every step, we should add) at Gung Ho, housed on the city’s boisterous Preston Street.

Affectionately dubbed ‘Restaurant Street’ by residents, and on a strip that boasts our favourite pizzeria in Brighton, as well as another addition to this list (Tlaloc) and the acclaimed izakaya joint Bincho Yakitori, Gung Ho still manages to stand out as a wildly inventive, hugely amiable place to enjoy a cocktail or two.

This is largely down to the bar’s proposition. Here, sustainability and seasonality is at the heart of everything the mixologists do, whether you’re choosing from the ‘Revised Disco Drinks’, ‘Seasonal Cocktails’, or ‘Apothecary’ section of the menu. 

Image Via Gung Ho Facebook

The latter, incidentally, is a crisp selection of <1% ABV creations that aims to exploit the nootropic effects of various organic, natural ingredients. Expect to see lion’s mane, ginger, passiflora and more on the menu, alongside Everleaf’s premium, botanical, non-alcoholic spirits. So thoughtful, and so delicious, we’d add.

That said, when we’re taking a stool in Gung Ho’s compact street level space, we can’t resist something a little stronger. Our go-to order is the signature Basil Grande, featuring the French herbal liqueur Chartreuse in foam form, alongside black pepper, two types of Amaro, and the cocktail bar’s ‘hacked lime juice’; basically, locally foraged sea buckthorn, in the name of reducing air miles and imports. 

We just love the ethos and the inventiveness here; no wonder Gung Ho has previously placed 33rd on the annual Top 50 Cocktail Bars in the UK list, Brighton’s highest ever entry. Other awards include South England Prestige Awards Cocktail Bar of the Year and BRAVO Best Cocktails.

Address: 36 Preston St, Brighton BN1 2HP

Website: gunghobar.com

Plotting Parlour 

Ideal for a salubrious and sophisticated cocktail evening… 

We’re heading east next, to the peripheries of hip, happening Kemptown and to The Plotting Parlour, another of Brighton’s very best cocktail bars. 

Just a pebble’s throw away from Brighton Pier, if you’re keen to beat a hasty retreat from the beachfront in search of something all the more salubrious, then this sophisticated cocktail bar may well be just the ticket.

A warm welcome awaits (though booking in advance is highly recommended) in this lowlit and leisurely bar, with the suave table service adding to the impression that you’re somewhere very exclusive indeed. The premium prices reflect this, making the Plotting Parlour ideally suited for an evening spent slowly sipping rather than merrily chugging.

You’ll certainly want to savour the cocktails here, which, whilst perhaps not as quirky as Gung Ho’s, are delivered with precision and a fair amount of signature aplomb, with Mexican and South American ingredients and inflections introducing something of a narrative to the menu.

As certified suckers for anything containing good quality mezcal, we can’t resist the agrestal-tasting Pollen cocktail here, replete with the aforementioned Mexican spirit, alongside wild honey, bee pollen and lavender, which is as alluring as it sounds.

Surviving all of Plotting Parlour’s seasonal menu changes, you may also like the Tumi, their longest serving signature cocktail. Made with mezcal, pisco, orgeat, bitters and a chocolate ganache rim, it’s a firm favourite among regulars.

If you’re up for something a little more assertive, the Ginger and Chilli Margarita from the Parlour’s ‘Classic’ section of the menu is as puckering and poised as you like. Though, after a couple, you certainly won’t be…

Address: 6 Steine St, Kemptown, Brighton BN2 1TE

Website: theplottingparlour-brighton.co.uk

Golden Pineapple  

Ideal for a wide ranging yet thoughtful cocktail menu in an intimate setting…

Next, we’re heading eastwards again, to Brighton’s famous lanes, where the tropical theme continues at Golden Pineapple. 

Here, half the space is reserved for walk-ins; if you struggled to get a table at the Plotting Parlour or the tiny Gung Ho is full to bursting, this fantastic cocktail bar is more than simply a worthwhile substitute.

Images Via Colden Pineapple Facebook

Once again, mezcal and tequila (we see a theme developing here) are a major focus of the menu, with the Golden Pineapple boasting 70 different bottles of the good stuff – the biggest selection of agave spirits in the city. 

If you book ahead, you can even enjoy the bar’s bespoke Agave menu… Don’t have anything planned for afterwards is all we’re saying!

If drinks made from the delicious blue succulent aren’t your thing, fear not; Golden Pineapple offers plenty of creative cocktails harnessing the power of other spirits. We particularly love their Summer Days cocktail, featuring Japanese whiskey, lemongrass, quince and soda, which is so refreshing after a long day spent on the pebbles!

Address: 14 Ship St, Brighton BN1 1AD

Website: goldenpineapple.party

L’Atelier Du Vin Seven Dials

Ideal for a speakeasy vibe… 

A different proposition awaits over at L’Atelier Du Vin in Seven Dials (their second outpost, following one in the North Laines), which models itself on a prohibition bar, with all the dim lights, meandering jazz, and artificially smoky atmosphere that suggests.

That’s not to say that the speakeasy vibe here feels insincere or affected. Instead, the atmosphere is louche yet sophisticated, with the bar’s enormous collection of wines and spirits (800 wines, 350 spirits and 200 champagnes at last count) doing all the talking, making L’Atelier a very serious proposition indeed.

Due to the Francophile leanings of the place, the wines are most heavily stacked in the Burgundy region’s favour, with cocktails from France and Italy taking precedence over the more creative concoctions found at some of the other entries on our list.

There’s also excellent cheese and charcuterie to be grazed on here, making a visit to L’Atelier Du Vin an arguably more grown-up evening, but no less fun for it.

Address: 87 Dyke Rd, Brighton BN1 3JE

Website: latelierduvin.co.uk

Images via L’Atelier Du Vin Seven Dials

Cut Your Wolf Loose

Ideal for trying all the whisk(e)ys… 

Pulling the drinks choices into even sharper focus, if whisky’s your thing then there really is only one bar in the city you should head, and that’s to Cut Your Wolf Loose on Trafalgar Street, a short stroll (or, rather, stumble) from Brighton Station.

Here, a 250 year-old shop has been transformed into something of a pilgrimage for whisky aficionados, with premium, single-cask bottles lining every available wall of this tightly knotted space, and the knowledgeable owner on hand to take palate preferences and offer drams, bottles, and even vials, for you to sample.

Having opened in the midst of COVID, the bar is now firmly finding its feet, and is a wonderfully informative, festive place to spend a couple of hours or more. 

Address: 23 Trafalgar St, Brighton BN1 4EQ

Website: cutyourwolfloose.com

Image Via Cut Your Wolf Loose Facebook

Burnt Orange 

Ideal for dining and imbibing on ‘well made drinks’…

We end our list with a duo of restaurants that more than deserve mention for their fantastic cocktails, the first of which is Burnt Orange.

Open from midday until late every day, the restaurant pitches itself as a ‘’a new grownup hangout for Brighton’’, with people encouraged to drop in as much for a cocktail and a snack throughout the day, or a digestif and a sweet treat late in the evening, as they are a full blown meal. It’s that kinda place, with the drinks a real highlight. 

Order a Pandora’s Box (featuring mezcal, chilli agave, and cranberry) or two, a little wood-fired flatbread and broad bean hummus, and settle in!

Address: 59 Middle St, Brighton BN1 1AL

Website: burnt-orange.co.uk

Read: The best restaurants in The Lanes, Brighton

Fourth & Church 

Ideal for the best martini in town… 

Fire up the Uber for this one, because we’re heading to Hove to end our cocktail crawl of the city, and to Fourth and Church, a relatively new addition to the Brighton restaurant scene, and one that shakes – or stirs, whatever your preference – a mean martini, make no mistake.

Fourth and church brighton

We can see that you’re thirsty, so rather than keep you here, we’ll redirect you to our always humble opinions on the best restaurants in Hove, in which Fourth and Church features. We’ll see you on Church Road for a martini? 

Address: 84 Church Rd, Hove BN3 2EB

Website: fourthandchurch.co.uk

The Best Restaurants Near Oxford Circus

Joseph Gann
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The Best Restaurants Near Oxford Circus
Ideal if you’re wondering where to chow down in Central…

Oxford Street, the brash, bustling heart of London’s shopping scene, attracts tens of millions of visitors each year with its impressive array of over 300 shops (299 of which are American candy purveyors) and a whole host of iconic landmarks to boot.

As Europe’s busiest shopping destination, it boasts a daily footfall of around half a million people, outgunning other popular European streets such as Madrid’s Gran Via and Paris’ Champs-Elysées. 

Served by four tube stops (the busiest of which is Oxford Circus), 270 buses an hour, and that famously high volume of shoppers – some hungry, many hangry, and more still simply needing a place to rest their weary feet a while – it’s no surprise that diners of all tastes and temerities are catered to here. 

And whilst that luxury of options is certainly welcome for many, for others, the paradox of choice can grip as tightly as a parent’s hand as their child steps aimlessly into the path of a big red bus. Fear not, we’re here to guide you, away from the trains and traffic, and into the best restaurants near Oxford Circus, London.

Chishuru, Great Titchfield Street

Ideal for modern West African dining from one of the city’s most celebrated new chefs…

From fish-and-chip cart in Nigeria, to cooking competition winner in Brixton, to a shiny Michelin star in a shiny new establishment just off Oxford Street, it’s been quite the journey for self-taught chef Adejoké Bakare, chef-patron of the modern West African restaurant Chishuru.

The UK’s first black female chef to be awarded a Michelin star, it’s a story of tenacity, sure, but it’s also one of unstoppable, undeniably delicious cooking, a kind of ‘refined’ (for want of a better term) take on West African food that’s anchored in generosity and perfectly judged spicing. You’ll find both in a starter of fermented rice cake, pleasingly spongy and reminiscent of lo bak go, with thick slices of heirloom tomato and a sharp, close-to-fierce chilli and clementine sauce. Gorgeous stuff.

You’ll find it, too, in the crisp yet tender bean fritters, the centre a tacky textural delight. Served with a fermented rhubarb dressing that arrives lurid pink and tastes even more vivid than its colour promises, it’s superb.

Best of all from the current menu, a guinea fowl thigh, its skin blistered and burnished from the grill, is served dusted with smoky yaji spice and an incredible caramelised onion and lemon puree, its layers of heat and pungency coming at you in undulating waves, the sweetness of the onion soothing things just enough to keep you coming back for more.

Right now, that menu (it’s a set, no-choice affair with a vegetarian alternative) will set you back £45 at lunch and, for a longer version, £95 in the evening. An adjacent wine flight is available for £56, and is definitely worth going for, the complexity of Bakare’s cooking deserves thoughtful drinks pairing. 

Only open weekdays, do make sure you book in advance, as Chishuru is quite rightly packed Monday through Friday. Yep, this is, for us, the best place to eat near Oxford Circus. Nab a table while you still can.

Website: chishuru.com

Address: 3 Great Titchfield St., London W1W 8AX

Fonda, Heddon Street

Ideal for refined Mexican ‘home cooking’ with a British accent…

Santiago Lastra, the chef behind Michelin-starred KOL, is becoming an increasingly ubiquitous presence, not only at Michelin awards ceremonies and World’s 50 Best galas, but also on the pages of Vogue and Esquire, his chiselled good looks and easy charm making him something of a crossover star even before he won his at KOL.

So, when it was announced in September 2024 that a London follow-up to KOL was on the horizon, and that it was going to be in Mayfair, assumptions (fears?) of something bank balance-busting and fancy af were only natural.

In actuality, Fonda is a slightly more ‘relaxed’ second act, bringing the warmth and conviviality of Mexico’s family-run mom-and-pop spots found across Mexico to a pink-washed corner of Mayfair. The restaurant takes its name from these humble establishments though admittedly, this interpretation is rather more polished than its inspiration might suggest.

The L-shaped dining room, awash in dusky pinks and terracottas, is gorgeous, sure, but also has the textures of a finger nail scratching across a chalkboard, somehow. That said, the woven chairs, handcrafted Mexican art pieces, and a giant agave-crafted monkey presiding over proceedings, certainly bring character. At its heart sits the comal – a traditional clay griddle that serves as both literal and metaphorical hearth of the operation. It’s where to exceptional house tortillas are on forever rotation.

Lastra’s commitment to British ingredients (there’s still no avocado or lime in sight) carries through from KOL, though here it feels more playful than prescriptive. Take the Sikil Pak, a clever take on guacamole that swaps out avocado for a silky mousse of toasted pumpkin seeds and pine oil. Or the Baja fish taco, where Cornish cod gets an umami boost from a touch of Marmite in the batter before being paired with a bright pistachio and mint sauce that almost makes you forget all about missing citrus. The Costra – a dish of aged ribeye topped with melted Swaledale cheese on a flour tortilla – exemplifies Lastra’s approach: Mexican soul, British ingredients, precise technique.

Perhaps the mission statement goes out the window a bit with the drinks list, leaning heavily into agave spirits, with a dedicated Paloma section that includes clever riffs like a rhubarb and gooseberry version made with Ocho Blanco tequila. There’s also a strong selection of natural wines that pair well with the food’s complex spicing. It’s all very delicious, if not just a touch subdued.

With mains hovering around £25-30 and small plates between £7-14, Fonda is certainly more accessible than its elder sibling KOL, though still firmly in special occasion territory for most. But then again, with cooking this accomplished and surroundings this convivial, special occasions are exactly what Fonda was built for.

Website: fondalondon.com

Address: 12 Heddon St, London W1B 4BZ

The Wigmore, Langham Place

Ideal for elevated pub grub fare in classy, retro-inspired surrounds…

Sitting just a five minute stroll from Oxford Circus and ideal for taking a load off after a long morning’s shopping, The Wigmore is a luxurious gastropub that’s perfect for both perfectly poured pints and plates of poise and precision. Or both; here, the two aren’t mutually exclusive, but can be, if you simply fancy a swift half before moving on to your third UNIQLO of the day…

Billing itself as a modern British Tavern that’s full of surprises, the menu features reimagined pub fare curated by Michel Roux Jr., holder or 2 Michelins stars at Mayfair’s Le Gavroche.

Diners can expect British boozer classics with a little French flair thrown in for good measure, exemplified by the buttered then fried Wigmore Sourdough Toastie, which features three cheeses – Montgomery cheddar, Ogleshield and Raclette – and a lingering pungency from mustard and sliced onion. Arriving blistered and burnished in all the right places, it is, according to Observer food writer Jay Rayner, ‘’the best cheese toastie in town’’. 

Housed in a historic banking hall, The Wigmore is part of the luxury Langham hotel, with a sense of prestige and pedigree palpable in the simple, leather-and-wood clad dining room. That’s not to say it’s forgotten its pub roots; there’s also outdoor seating and a pub quiz held every Monday evening.

Anyway, that sense of pedigree continues onto the plate. Aside from that toastie, there’s a superb cheeseburger, given the French gastronome treatment with a completely unnecessary but totally irresistible slice of pressed, grilled ox tongue.

A scotch-egg which comes spiced with masala and encased in fine vermicelli pasta instead of breadcrumbs (and touching down on the table looking like a porcupine, quite honestly) is another classic pub dish delivered with a Wigmore spin. It’s bloody delicious.

The indulgent takes on snacks continues. Toasted crumpets – here topped with a generous tangle of white crab meat held together with a brown crab mayo – arrive sitting in a pool of positively pelagic butter. Though your GP might not approve, by Christ we do.

Pair it with a pint or two (sorry doc) of the Wigmore’s signature house Saison, and you’re in for a real treat. No wonder the Wigmore and bar manager Andre Ferreira took home the prestigious Cateys Award for Best Pub and Bar last year. 

Just don’t expect to return to the shopping with the same enthusiasm you had before lunch…

Address: 15 Langham Pl, London W1B 3DE, United Kingdom

Website: the-wigmore.co.uk

Sabor, Heddon Street

Ideal for Andalusian-inspired tapas…

It seems like you can’t escape Nieves Barragan, the former head chef of Barrafina, right now, whether it’s because of her appearances as a judge on Masterchef or because Sabor, her Michelin-starred, Andalusian-inspired tapas bar on Heddon Street, is regularly being named as people’s favourite London restaurant on the ‘gram.

Ubiquity has certainly not dampened the quality at Sabor, whichever level you choose to pull up a stool. On the ground floor, you’ll find a horseshoe-shaped counter where regional Spanish classics with a focus on fresh fish are served with finesse. Do not miss the txistorra tortilla, an unctuous, oozing spanish omelet filled and topped with paprika-spiked Basque sausage.

On the first floor, El Asador, things are really taken up a notch, with a selection of larger sharing dishes cooked in a traditional wood-fired oven from Castile. Whilst the brooding seafood rice is certainly a crowdpleaser, the headlining act here is without doubt the Segovian sucking pig, available in quarter, half or whole portions. 

Though the full beast will set you (and hopefully some friends!) back £320, it’s an incredible piece of work, all hyaline skin shattering when you breathe on it and fatty, tender flesh beneath. The wait staff arrive to portion it with a plate, just to emphasise its succulence. It’s a lovely, silly slice of theatre. Do your own cutting through with a dry, citrusy rioja blanco – the Solar de Randez does the job perfectly – and you’ve got yourself one of London’s finest lunches.

Indeed, just a five minute stroll from Oxford Circus, we’d go as far as to say Sabor is our favourite restaurant close to Oxford Street.

Address: 35-37 Heddon St, London W1B 4BR

Website: saborrestaurants.co.uk

BAO, Lexington Street

Ideal for bouncy bao buns and other Taiwanese treats…

As if it needed any introduction except to say you can reach the restaurant from Oxford Street in just five minutes, the Lexington Street outpost of beloved Taiwanese restaurant BAO was founded by Erchen Chang, Shing Tat Chung, and Wai Ting Chung in 2015, a trio whose background in art and design has translated to the instantly recognisable aesthetics here (see the famous ‘Lonely Man’ logo’) and the uber-Instagrammable signature dish.

That’s not to say it’s all style over substance at BAO. Quite the opposite, in fact; the headlining ‘Classic’ bao bun, which features a slice of tender braised pork belly, peanut powder, coriander and fermented mustard greens, is as good as New York chef David Chang’s iconic version at Momofuku Noodle Bar. If not, whisper it, even more satisfying…

The lamb shoulder bao, which can only be found exclusively at this BAO branch, is another one not to be missed. Inside those headlining pillowy buns, slow cooked lamb is perfectly paired with a coriander sauce, garlic mayonnaise and soy pickled chilli. It’s a dreamy combination.

That said, you’d be foolish to remain safely ensconced in the pillowy embrace of the bao bun for the entirety of your meal. As any seasoned BAO aficionado knows, it’s in the Xiao Chi section of the menu that the real kicks are found, whether you’re elbows deep in the hard fried Taiwanese chicken with a truly piquant little hot sauce, or you’re making friends with a slab of peppery pig’s blood cake, topped with a soy-cured egg yolk that envelops and enraptures.

Finish with a fried Horlicks ice cream sandwich, and be on your merry way.

BAO Lexington Street has held a prestigious Bib Gourmand award from the Michelin Guide since 2016. Oh, and if you’re keen to cook some of their classic dishes yourself, then the BAO cookbook was released earlier this year.

Address: 53 Lexington St, Carnaby, London W1F 9AS, United Kingdom

Website: baolondon.com

Read: 6 of the best private dining rooms for large groups in London

Zahter, Foubert’s Place

Ideal for Istanbulite cuisine and terrific Turkish hospitality…

Located just off Carnaby Street, Zahter is a culinary gem led by the talented chef Esra Muslu that aims to reinterpret traditional Turkish cuisine.

With previous at Ottolenghi Spitalfields as well as a spell serving as executive chef at Istanbul’s Soho House, Muslu has made a name for herself in the culinary world for her forward-thinking Turkish cooking that explores hyper-seasonal, homestyle cooking far removed from the kebabs and flatbreads most associated with the country’s cuisine. 

Esra opened Zahter in October 2021 after a successful Carousel residency in March 2018, earning rave reviews from critics and a full dining room ever since. It’s a mezze-focused affair, with hot and cold mezze making up the vast majority of the single page menu, the four protein-focused ‘platters’ feeling like almost an afterthought among the fresh vibrancy of the smaller plates. 

Accordingly, Zahter is one of the best places for vegetarians to dine well in all of Central London, whether they’re getting stuck into Enginar Dolması – a whole artichoke flower presented as if in bloom and accompanied by spiced rice – or the insanely moreish Odun Ateşinde Patates – potatoes that are close to collapsing from the heat of the wood-fired grill, dressed in punchy gremolata.

The restaurant also boasts an impressive cocktail list, with our go-to order the Zahter’s Night, a visually pleasing drink inspired by Istanbul’s sunsets. This unique concoction features butterfly pea tea, gin, elderflower cordial and fresh lemon juice, creating a mesmerising kaleidoscopic effect when mixed. 

In fact, the whole experience is an intoxicating one, particularly if you’re perched at the bar that sweeps elegantly around the wood-fired oven, swivelling in your stool trying to avoid getting too much smoke in your eyes as natural light streams in from all sides, watching the cooks at work. On a bright and breezy day in London, there’s no place we’d rather be…

Address: 30 – 32 Foubert’s Pl, Carnaby, London W1F 7PS, United Kingdom

Website: zahter.co.uk

Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, Kingly Court

Ideal for delightful Damascene dishes that are perfect for sharing…

Next up, we’re ducking into Kingly Court and heading up several flights of stairs to Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, not only one of the best restaurants close to Oxford Circus, but one of our favourite places to eat in London, full stop. 

The story of the restaurant has been well documented; restaurateur Imad Alarnab’s three successful restaurants in Syria’s capital Damascus ended up a victim of the cruel war being fought there, seeing Alarnab flee the country in search of a new life. He found it in London, where his Syrian Kitchen has been thriving, garnering praise from national critics and a coveted Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide.

It’s easy to see why; Imad’s Syrian Kitchen is a hugely likeable place, with the big man working the room with grace and warmth, and the hearty, generous (it’s very easy to over order) flavours of his homeland finding their way onto every plate here.

As Imad told Vice in a 2017 interview; “In Syria, we don’t do plates. We don’t ask, ‘What do you want to eat?’ We just serve lots of food and you can eat whatever you like, whenever you like. It’s like family”. 

So come here with your nearest and dearest and order everything. Tear off a chunk of the restaurant’s house pita, drag it through the roughly-hewn hummus that’s been dusted generously in sumac, get stuck into the complex, no-one-bite-is-the-same fattoush, and prepare to feel very well-looked after, indeed.

Address: 2.14 Top Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby St, London W1B 5PW, United Kingdom

Website: imadssyriankitchen.co.uk

Casa do Frango, Heddon Street

Ideal for authentic Portuguese piri-piri chicken in an elegant setting…

Following the runaway success of their London Bridge original, Casa do Frango’s Piccadilly outpost brings their celebrated Algarvian cooking to the heart of the West End. The bare-brick, light-filled dining room, adorned with traditional Portuguese tiles and verdant greenery, sets the perfect stage for what is, quite simply, some of the finest Portuguese cooking in central London.

While the restaurant’s name translates to ‘house of chicken’, reducing Casa do Frango to just its perfectly charred, subtly spiced piri-piri chicken (half chicken £14) would be doing it a disservice. Yes, that chicken is superb – grilled over wood charcoal and brushed with their secret piri-piri blend – but there’s so much more to discover here.

The menu reads like a love letter to Portuguese cuisine – start with the bacalhau fritters, their crisp exterior giving way to a creamy salt cod filling that’s perfectly complemented by a bright lemon aioli. The African-influenced corn ribs with roasted piri-piri sauce are another must-order, providing a masterclass in texture and heat.

For the lunch crowd, they offer an excellent value weekday special at £14, featuring either their signature piri-piri chicken or a charred cauliflower alternative, both served with hispi slaw and crisp though, admittedly, slightly anaemic fries. It’s one of the better lunch deals in the area, especially given the quality – and at just £2 for their excellent house-made pastel de nata, – those most beloved of Portuguese custard tarts – you’d be mad not to add a dessert. Go on; have a second.

The wine list is a careful curation of Portuguese varieties, starting at just £5.50 a glass for the Terra Franca from Bairrada, ranging through to some serious bottles from the likes of Howard’s Folly (a Vinho Verde which is excellent, as it should be for £49 a bottle). Their cocktail menu puts creative spins on classics – their Piri-Piri Margarita, spiked with chili, is a particular triumph.

For those seeking a more intimate experience, two private dining rooms – Sol and Mar – offer a familial setting for groups, while the hidden Green Room bar downstairs channels vintage Portuguese charm. On warmer days, the street-side terrace provides one of central London’s most pleasant spots for al fresco dining. You know what? A third pastel de nata might be in order…

Address: 31-33 Heddon St, London W1B 4BN

Website: casadofrango.co.uk

Dehesa, Ganton Street

Ideal for Spanish-Italian small plates and exceptional wines in Soho’s beating heart…

Taking its name from the Spanish word for ‘woodland pasture’ (where black-footed Iberian pigs roam free), Dehesa brings together the best of Spanish and Italian aperitivo culture in a warm, convivial setting just off Carnaby Street. Part of the Salt Yard Group – the same talented team behind Opera Tavern in Covent Garden and Ember Yard in Soho – this charcuterie and tapas bar has earned its stripes (and a Michelin Bib Gourmand, which it then inexplicably lost) by doing the simple things exceptionally well.

The jamón ibérico and manchego croquetas (£9) have achieved near-legendary status – crisp shells giving way to an impossibly creamy filling that somehow captures the essence of both cheeseboard and charcuterie plate in a single, umami-laden bite. They’re the kind of thing you’ll find yourself ordering a second round of before you’ve even finished the first (and then regretting that follow-up, as they’re deceptively filling).

Head Chef Marcin Ciesielski’s menu changes with the seasons, but certain dishes have become permanent fixtures due to popular demand. The courgette flower stuffed with goat’s cheese and drizzled with blossom honey (£8.50) is one such creation – a perfect balance of sharp and sweet whose tempura batter exemplifies the kitchen’s lightness of touch. The Puglian burrata with heritage tomato is another standout, while the pil pil tiger prawns with roasted garlic and red chilli oil demonstrate the team’s ability to let superior ingredients shine without unnecessary flourishes. You get the picture here at Dehesa, and they’re painting it beautiful in broad brushstrokes using only the finest paint. Christ that’s a laboured metaphor…

It’s all designed to pair very well with wine, that’s for certain, and the wine list at Dehesa delivers – it’s an oenophile’s playground that spans both Italy and Spain’s finest regions. Start with a crisp Valimnor Albariño (£14.50 by the glass) from Rias Baixas, or dive into their Italian offerings with a robust Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino (£155 a bottle) if you’re feeling flush. The staff, particularly their on-site sommelier, show genuine enthusiasm in helping you navigate the extensive list.

Grab a spot on their heated corner terrace – one of the largest in Soho – and work your way through the small plates, or descend to their bijou wine cellar for a more intimate experience. The latter, which seats up to 14, offers an exceptional setting for private dining and wine tastings.

Website: 25 Ganton St, Carnaby, London W1F 9BP

Address: saltyardgroup.co.uk

Read: The best restaurants near Soho’s Carnaby Street

Sketch, Conduit Street

Ideal for impressing out-of-towners and eating with your eyes…

If you’re visiting from out of town and looking for a unique dining experience close to Oxford Circus, look no further than Sketch. Housed in a Grade II listed townhouse designed by English Architect James Wyatt in 1779, Sketch boasts a rich history that includes serving as the headquarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects and Christian Dior’s London atelier. 

This quirky and eclectic venue is home to multiple dining rooms, each with its own distinct theme, menu, and price points to match. 

The Lecture Room & Library, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, offers an exquisite French-inspired tasting menu curated (though not often actually cooked, we might suspect) by chef Pierre Gagnaire. 

The restaurant’s interior has been transformed over the years through collaborations with leading designers and artists such as India Mahdavi, Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, Martin Creed, David Shrigley, and Yinka Shonibare. Head here, to a dining room rendered in sickly sweet pastel shades, only if your deep pockets haven’t been diminished by a bout of shopping on Oxford Street; the tasting menu-only format starts at £225.

Alternatively, the Glade serves a modern European menu amidst an enchanted forest setting, while the Gallery, with its pink velvet chairs and walls adorned with pop art flourishes, is perfect for afternoon tea or dinner. If that doesn’t sketch your itch, then the Parlour does all-day dining with a frivolous flourish that simply needs to be seen to be believed. 

Admittedly the food at Sketch (even the 3 star joint) isn’t the best you’ll find in London, and it’s arguably more of a style-over-substance kind of place. However, if you’re feeling frivolous and want a memorable meal and some quirky content for your Instagram feed, then it’s here you should head.

Wherever you choose to eat within the iconic building, be sure to also visit the iconic egg-shaped toilet pods for a unforgettable restroom experience!

Address: 9 Conduit St, London W1S 2XG, United Kingdom

Website: sketch.london

Hoppers, St. Christopher’s Place

Ideal for a taste of Sri Lanka and creative cocktails served with a side order of energy…

Hoppers comes from London’s masters of playful, perfectly realised ‘theme’ restaurants, the Sethi family, and their JKS group. The list of places under their stewardship reads like your Instagram Explore highlights reel; there’s Bao, Gymkhana, Lyles, Trishna, Bubbledogs and Kitchen Table, Xu (RIP), Plaza Khao Gaeng, Speedboat Bar, Sabor and, of course, Hoppers. That is some role call; success and good taste is basically guaranteed.

Hoppers St. Christopher’s continues the rich run of form so popular at the inaugural Frith Street restaurant and doesn’t mess with the formula; Sri Lankan curries, dosas, the hopper itself and more – all of intoxicating, heady, just-off-centre spicing and playful delivery. 

Check out our full review of Hoppers St. Christophers here.

Address: 77 Wigmore St, London W1U 1QE, United Kingdom

Website: stchristophersplace.com

Honest Burgers Oxford Circus, Market Place

Ideal for one of the best burgers in the whole of London…

Arguably the only thing that our next entry shares with Sketch is its proximity to Oxford Street, but if you’re looking for a straight-up quality burger served swiftly and with minimal fuss or fanfare, then Honest Burgers is as good now as when it burst on to the scene more than a decade ago.

The secret behind Honest Burgers’ success lies in the commitment of founders Tom Barton and Phillip Eeles (two university graduates who share a passion for high-quality British burgers) to carefully-sourced and house-processed ingredients.

Indeed, the beef here has been butchered in-house and is minced daily to ensure freshness, their signature patties made from chuck and rib cap, which are skimmed off a rib-eye steak in the pursuit of juicier burgers with a ‘good bite.’ 

You can taste those efforts to ensure quality in the signature Oxford Circus Burger, featuring that Honest beef, smoked British mozzarella, honey and British nduja mayo, shoestring fries, rocket, and pickles. It’s banging. To go alongside, the fennel battered onion rings served with a side of bacon gravy for dipping is something we never regret ordering.

The restaurant also offers a selection of craft beers from local breweries personal to each restaurant, staying true to Barton’s childhood growing up in a country pub. It’s that down-to-earth, unswerving dedication to locality that keeps Honest Burgers growing (it now boasts over 40 restaurants across the UK), with even this most central of Central London restaurants offering its own unique identity and flavour. We just love it.

Address: 4 Market Pl, London W1W 8AD, United Kingdom

Website: honestburgers.co.uk

Plaza Khao Gaeng, New Oxford Street

Ideal for spicy and complex Southern Thai food found in the Arcade Food Hall…

We end at Arcade Food Hall, close to Tottenham Court Road Station. Housed in the Centre Point building on New Oxford Street, and just a few second’s stroll from Tottenham Court Road station, Arcade Food Hall offers a veritable feast of global cuisines, with nine restaurant concepts currently operating here, and a fully-fledged Southern Thai joint on the mezzanine above the communal dining area.

That Southern Thai restaurant is Plaza Khao Gaeng, which, despite only being a year old, is already doing some of the most faithfully composed, fiery food from The Kingdom anywhere in the city. It’s one of our favourite Thai restaurants in London, and as good a place as any to bid you farewell.

Address: 103-105 New Oxford St, London WC1A 1DB, United Kingdom

Website: plazakhaogaeng.com

Since you’re in the area, here are the best restaurants near Tottenham Court Road Station. We’ll see you on the strip?

The Rise Of Smart Travel: How Does Lyft Work In The US?

Editorial Team
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The Rise Of Smart Travel: How Does Lyft Work In The US?

Here’s the thing; for British travellers heading to the United States, navigating transport options can feel rather daunting. Whilst iconic yellow taxis still patrol Manhattan’s streets, the pink-mustached vehicles of Lyft have become an equally common sight across American cities. But how exactly does this popular ride-hailing service function for visitors?

The American transport landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade. Where once tourists relied heavily on traditional taxis, car rentals, or complex public transport systems, ride-hailing apps have revolutionised the way people traverse US cities. Among these, Lyft has emerged as a dominant force, particularly appealing to international visitors seeking hassle-free travel solutions.

Founded in 2012, Lyft has grown from a small San Francisco startup to a nationwide phenomenon, serving millions of passengers daily across all 50 states. For British tourists, the service offers a familiar yet distinctly American experience, bridging the gap between traditional taxi services and modern technology-driven transport solutions.

The appeal lies not just in its convenience, but in its ability to provide a consistent experience across vastly different American cities. Whether you’re exploring the sprawling suburbs of Los Angeles or navigating the dense streets of Boston, the same pink-branded app offers a reliable gateway to your destination. This uniformity proves particularly valuable for international visitors who might otherwise struggle with varying local transport customs and regulations.

Setting Up The App

At its core, Lyft operates through a straightforward mobile application available for both iOS and Android devices. Travellers can download the app before departing the UK, though you’ll need to add a payment method that works internationally. Most British credit cards are readily accepted, but it’s worth checking with your bank about foreign transaction fees. Some banks offer specific travel-focused cards that waive these charges, making them particularly suitable for frequent travellers.

Booking Your Ride

Once you’ve landed, booking a Lyft is remarkably straightforward. After opening the app, you’ll see a map of your current location. Simply input your destination, and the app displays various ride options. The standard Lyft service accommodates up to four passengers, whilst Lyft XL offers larger vehicles for groups up to six. For those seeking a touch more luxury, Lyft Lux provides high-end vehicles with professional drivers. The newest addition, Lyft Priority, guarantees faster pickup times for a slight premium – particularly useful during peak hours or in bustling city centres.

Understanding Pricing

Pricing works on a dynamic model, meaning fares fluctuate based on demand and availability. During peak times – think rush hour or after a major event – prices may surge. However, the app always displays the full fare before you confirm your booking, eliminating any unwelcome surprises. Unlike traditional taxis, there’s no need to calculate a tip separately; the app handles this automatically based on your preferences, though you can adjust the amount after your journey.

Safety Features

Safety features are robust and continuously evolving. Each ride is tracked in real-time, and you can share your journey details with friends or family through the app’s integrated sharing system. Drivers undergo comprehensive background checks and must maintain high ratings to continue operating. The app displays your driver’s photo, vehicle details, and licence plate number, ensuring you enter the correct car. A recent addition is the in-app emergency button, providing direct access to emergency services if needed.

Advanced Booking

One particularly useful feature for tourists is the ability to schedule rides in advance. Planning to catch an early flight from LAX? You can book your Lyft up to seven days ahead, providing peace of mind during your travels. The app even monitors flight times and adjusts pickup schedules accordingly – a godsend for international travellers dealing with delays or schedule changes.

Coverage & Accessibility

The service currently operates in virtually every major US city and many smaller towns, though coverage may vary in rural areas. It’s worth noting that some airports have specific pick-up zones for ride-hailing services, usually clearly marked with signs or indicated within the app. These designated areas are typically well-lit and monitored, adding an extra layer of security for late-night arrivals.

The American Experience

For British visitors accustomed to London’s black cabs or local taxi services, the most striking difference might be the casual nature of Lyft rides. Drivers often greet passengers by name and may initiate conversation. Some even offer bottled water or phone charging cables – though this isn’t guaranteed. Many drivers work flexible hours and have fascinating stories to share about their cities, often providing impromptu tourist recommendations.

Lyft Bikes

Beyond traditional car rides, Lyft offers a bicycle-sharing system in select US cities. These distinctive bikes can be unlocked directly through the same Lyft app you use for car journeys, making it simple to switch between transport modes. For tourists seeking to explore cities at their own pace or avoid traffic during peak hours, these bikes offer an eco-friendly and often more economical option. Simply locate a nearby bike using the app’s map, scan the QR code to unlock it, and pay by the minute. When you’re finished, lock the bike at any designated parking spot within the service area. It’s worth noting that whilst helmets aren’t provided, many seasoned travellers recommend bringing a collapsible one for safety.

Rating System

The app’s rating system works both ways – passengers rate drivers, but drivers also rate passengers. This mutual accountability helps maintain a respectful environment for everyone. Maintaining a high passenger rating can mean shorter wait times and a better overall experience, so it’s worth being punctual and courteous.

Safety & Insurance

Whilst Lyft isn’t the only ride-hailing option in the US, it has earned a reputation for reliable service and friendly drivers. The company’s commitment to passenger safety includes a comprehensive insurance policy that covers all rides. However, as with any form of transport, incidents can occur. Many travellers may not realise that you can find a specialised Lyft accident attorney to handle any complications that might arise during their journey, though such services are rarely needed thanks to the company’s strong safety record.

The Bottom Line

For travellers seeking convenient, cashless transport without the hassle of navigating public transport schedules or rental cars, Lyft offers an efficient solution to exploring American cities. The service continues to evolve, regularly adding new features and expanding its coverage area to better serve both domestic and international passengers.

7 Wonderful Ways To Capture Your Child’s Journey (Before They Grow Up Too Fast!)

Editorial Team
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7 Wonderful Ways To Capture Your Child’s Journey (Before They Grow Up Too Fast!)

If there’s one universal truth about parenting, it’s that time flies at an alarmingly swift pace. One moment you’re cradling your newborn, and in what feels like a blink of an eye, they’re heading off to secondary school. Whilst we can’t slow down time (wouldn’t that be lovely?), we can capture these fleeting moments in creative and meaningful ways.

Gone are the days when documenting your child’s life meant simply filling up a dusty photo album that rarely sees the light of day. Today’s parents have a wealth of options at their fingertips to preserve those precious memories. If you’re keen to chronicle your little one’s journey in style, here are seven brilliant ways to capture their childhood years.

Embrace The Magic Of Home Videos

Remember those grainy VHS tapes of your own childhood? Well, modern technology has given home videos quite the glow-up. These days, that sophisticated little device in your pocket — your smartphone — is all you need to capture life’s most magical moments.

Don’t just focus on the milestone moments (though those first steps are certainly worth recording!). Instead, capture the everyday magic: your toddler’s infectious giggle during bathtime, their serious face whilst ‘helping’ you bake, or those precious bedtime stories where they insist on reading to you. 

Once you’ve amassed these precious snippets, transform them into something truly special using the best free video editor from Adobe to create mini-masterpieces that you’ll treasure for years to come.

Chronicle Their Journey Through Photography

Whilst everyone’s a photographer these days (thank you, smartphones!), there’s an art to capturing truly meaningful images of your child’s life. Yes, those perfectly posed holiday snaps are lovely, but don’t forget to document the beautiful chaos of everyday life: the messy face after eating chocolate, the concentration whilst building with blocks, or the pure joy of jumping in muddy puddles.

Get creative with your approach—perhaps take a photo in the same spot every month to create a growth timeline, or capture their hands and feet doing different activities throughout the years. And here’s a top tip: let your little one loose with the camera sometimes. You might be surprised by their unique perspective on the world!

Capture Their Voice In Time

There’s nothing quite like the sound of your child’s voice to transport you back in time. Those adorable mispronunciations, their first attempts at singing their favourite nursery rhymes, or their excited chatter about their day at nursery—these are sounds you’ll want to remember forever.

Make regular audio recordings of everyday moments: their made-up bedtime stories, their explanation of how they think the world works, or simply their contagious laughter during playtime. These audio treasures will become priceless time capsules of their developing personality and imagination.

Create Lasting Impressions With Hand & Footprint Art

There’s something utterly magical about preserving those tiny hands and feet in art form. It’s a tangible reminder of just how small they once were (and how quickly they grow!). But don’t just stick to the traditional paint prints on paper – why not get creative? Create a family tree where each family member’s handprint forms a branch, or start an annual tradition of making seasonal artwork using their prints.

Build An Art Gallery Of Memories

Let’s face it—your little one’s artistic endeavours could probably wallpaper your entire house by now. Whilst you can’t keep everything (unless you fancy moving to a bigger house!), you can create a curated collection of their creative journey.

Choose pieces that mark significant developments in their artistic skills, or ones that tell a particular story about their interests at the time. Date each masterpiece and jot down any funny comments they made about their creation. Consider creating a digital archive too—photograph their 3D creations before they succumb to the inevitable wear and tear of time.

Read: How to properly hang artwork to catch the attention of your guests

Keep A Living Journal

In this digital age, there’s something wonderfully nostalgic about putting pen to paper. Start a journal to document not just the big milestones, but the little moments that make your heart smile: their current favourite words, their unique view of the world, or those philosophical questions that catch you off guard (“Mummy, do fish get thirsty?”).

Make it a collaborative effort as they grow older—let them contribute their own thoughts, drawings, and stories. This living document will become a treasured keepsake that captures not just what they did, but who they were at each stage of their childhood.

baby journal

Create A Time Capsule Together

There’s something rather magical about deliberately preserving a slice of time to rediscover years later. Get your little one involved in creating their own time capsule—let them choose special toys, drawings, photos, and perhaps even a letter to their future self.

The beauty of a time capsule is that it captures not just your child’s possessions, but a snapshot of their personality at that moment in time. Their choices of what to include often reveal as much about them as the items themselves. Set a date to open it together—perhaps on their 18th birthday or when they’re having children of their own.

Remember, documenting your child’s life isn’t about creating a perfect highlight reel—it’s about capturing the essence of who they are at each stage of their journey. These 7 simple methods will help you create a rich tapestry of memories that you’ll both treasure for years to come. After all, whilst we can’t stop time, we can certainly make it last a little longer through our memories.

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