Honest Burger

Honestly good

Honest Burger

Honest Burger is growing and growing fast, not so long ago it was just a humble burger joint in Brixton, now 8 chains strong with more to follow in 2015. Honest Burger is known for its juicy premium burgers and the infamous rosemary chips and I am a massive fan of it, I was lucky to be invited to visit its latest opening at Liverpool Street to try out some of its new items on the menu. The Liverpool Street joint also serves breakfast with some interesting items such as the sausage and sage patty muffin with fried egg and black pudding, sounded like a winner for me. 

Smack Lobster

Lobster joy

Smack Lobster

Smack lobster is the latest offering by the people behind Goodman, in Burger & Lobster, they already had changed the dining scene in London with affordable whole lobster either cooked on the grill or steamed. With Smack Lobster, they had push to the limit with lobster roll going for £9 eat in or £7.50 for take away. Service is fast food format, you order at the till and wait for yours orders from the other side. 

Balvenie Whisky

24x24

Balvenie, a single malt Scotch Whisky owned by the world renown drinks company William Grant is somewhat an interesting malt whisky, while sales volume is no way near as close to its flagship single malt Glenfiddich, Balvenie is loved by whisky lovers and connoisseurs around the world, its playful and innovate ageing technique creates some very unique and bold flavours in its offering.

Balvenie Whisky

Wild Honey

Wild tasting

Wild Honey

Located in Mayfair, Wild Honey is a single Michelin restaurant serving modern European cuisine, I've eaten at it's sister restaurant aka Arbutus a few weeks ago and found the cooking was not able to reach the 1 star Michelin level that I was expecting so I was hoping Wild Honey would provide something better as its positioned itself as a more premium offering compared to the more relaxing Arbutus.

Arbutus

Modern bistro in Soho

Arbutus

Arbutus is a contemporary bistro in Soho, with a Michelin star and perhaps the cheapest Michelin starred restaurant in London. According to its website, it is known for "turning seasonal and inexpensive food items into affordable and interesting dishes". With a 3 course lunch menu costing less than £20, I went for its pre theatre menu wondering if I was getting a real bargain.

Pizza Union

Super fast pizza

Pizza Union

Pizza Union is an all day pizza bar/canteen located in Spitalfields, according to it's press release: "Pizza Union is inspired by the authentic Italian pizza experience, where locals happily queue for high-quality, fresh pizza that is ready in minutes and surprisingly affordable." All in all it sounded like a great concept as I am always in the hunt for good food at great value, so when I was invited down to try out its pizza I went with great enthusiasm.

stone oven

I went for the Carne pizza, a thin 12 inch pizza with chicken, beef and pepperoni, it was a real meaty affair, cooked in a traditional pizza stone oven and ready in under four minutes. It had a lovely crispy edge but not dry at the same time which was a real delight, taste wise the ingredients really stood out and it was light in flavour. The Dolce aka dough ring stuffed with nutella and mascarpone was a surprisingly well executed dessert, not overly oily and still moist inside the dough, served hot with the ever delightful nutella chocolate.

Yelp's Local London Wish List

Yelp present: Local London Wish List

It's time to live in the present!

Explore London and get your shopping done, all at once. We've collected an amazing list of stores (and checked it twice) in four fantastic neighbourhoods. We want all of London to get out of big box stores and online spots and shop local for the next month!

Check-into any of the store below and receive a gift. We've even gotten some great restaurants to give away some joy in case all that shopping makes you hungry! Happy hunting!

BOXPARK
The Brokedown Palace (yelp.co.uk/biz/brokedown…) - Free chocolate
MOO (yelp.co.uk/biz/the-moo-s…) - 10% off
Nordic Poetry (yelp.co.uk/biz/nordic-po…) - 10% off
Pärla (yelp.co.uk/biz/pärla-lon…) - 10% off
PLAYN Eyewear (yelp.co.uk/biz/playn-eye…) - 10% off on Frames (in conjunction with Llenses)

CAMDEN
69 Camden Lock Vintage (yelp.co.uk/biz/69-camden…) - 20% off all designer vintage clothing
Asador Argentine Grill (yelp.co.uk/biz/asador-ar…) - 20% off and free fries
Butterfly Tarot (yelp.co.uk/biz/butterfly…) - 20% off a reading and free stone.
Celtic Dawn Jewellery Arts Crafts and Gifts (yelp.co.uk/biz/celtic-da…) - 15% off
Chaboba Limited (yelp.co.uk/biz/chaboba-b…) - 10% off
Eden Ethiopian Coffee (yelp.co.uk/biz/eden-ethi…) - 20% off order
Hola Paella (yelp.co.uk/biz/hola-pael…) - Free mulled wine with any paella
Ismad London (yelp.co.uk/biz/ismad-lon…) - Free keyring with purchases over £15, free leather card holder with purchases over £50 and free belt with purchases over £100
Lock 17 (yelp.co.uk/biz/lock-17-l…) - 25% off
Lockside (yelp.co.uk/biz/lockside-…) - 15% off your bill
Louisiana Chilli Shack (yelp.co.uk/biz/louisiana…) - 10% off food
Massive International (yelp.co.uk/biz/massive-i…) - Free CD with vinyl purchase
Limena (yelp.co.uk/biz/limena-lo…) - 1 free small chicken with rice
We Make London (yelp.co.uk/biz/we-make-l…) - 1 free copy of "Inspired London" with purchase
Whoops (yelp.co.uk/biz/whoops-lo…) - 10% off

MARYLEBONE
By Suzannah (yelp.co.uk/biz/suzannah-…) - 10% off your first order
China House (yelp.co.uk/biz/china-hou…) - £25 for a four course Christmas menu
Eliska (yelp.co.uk/biz/eliska-lo…) - 10 to 15% percent off
Exceldent (yelp.co.uk/biz/exceldent…) - 25% off whitening and cleaning
Robert Taussig (yelp.co.uk/biz/robert-ta…) - 25% off Bang and Olufsen headphones (or other brands if customer wants)
The Portman (yelp.co.uk/biz/the-portm…) - Free glass of prosecco with main course for groups up to 8, valid until 23rd December
Trunk Clothiers (yelp.co.uk/biz/trunk-lon…) - 1 free Trunk notebook with purchase
V&S STATIONER (yelp.co.uk/biz/v-and-s-s…) - One free Christmas card

PORTOBELLO
Leathermad (yelp.co.uk/biz/leatherma…) - 25% off all AW14 Styles
The Penny Market (yelp.co.uk/biz/the-penny…) - 10% off all products from all traders in the market
Stewarts Cakertree (yelp.co.uk/biz/stewarts-…) - 10% off purchase

Lobster Kitchen

Work in progress

lobster kitchen

Burger and Lobster is one of the most successful restaurant concepts for the past few years, the idea of serving lobsters at affordable prices became a big hit to Londoners and now it has become a mini chain with more openings underway. Almost two years on, finally we have other businesses who would like to take a share of the popular formula. Lobster Kitchen, a new New England inspired lobster joint aims to provide American style lobster with a few innovative twists along the way.

Meat Liquor

Meaty delight

Meat Liquor Brighton

Meat Liquor has gone from strength to strength over the years as a business, with expansions beyond London and acquiring other businesses such as Wishbone in Brixton and re-branded to Chicken Liquor. Meat Liquor is edgy, fun and trendy, plus factoring in the popular premium burger trend, all of these proven to be the formula that is turning the Meat Liquor brand into one of the biggest independent up market burger operations. 

The Ledbury

Best in class

canapes

2014 has been a great year for The Ledbury, rated as one of the top 10 restaurants in the world by the World 50's Best Restaurants Guide and awarded the best restaurant in the UK from the Observer OFM awards. But what makes this place truly special is the desire and determination to progress and take it to the next level, on top of that the service at The Ledbury strikes a perfect balance of professionalism and charm.

Foxlow

Hawksmoor junior

Foxlow

Foxlow on St John Street is a casual steak and grill restaurant from the Hawksmoor team, the Hawksmoor brand is regarded as one of the best steak restaurant groups in London along with Goodman so expectations were high when I headed down there on a Saturday night. Hawksmoor is known for its quality cocktails and the Foxlow retained that standard, my St John cocktail was light with the honey blending in nicely with the botanicals of the gin.