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Taking Tourists to Lunch in London


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My sophisticated cousins and their 11 year old son will be in London next week, and I'll meet them for a lunch. I'm open to any mid-priced (I know, I know) suggestion. Is Belgo Centraal a good candidate? Are there other spots a grown up kid would enjoy? I'm sorry if this is a boring, old topic... I'm new to eGullet so forgive me.

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Belgo wouldn't be my first choice for good food. I was about to suggest Frankie's at the Criterion, because of the superb room and child-friendly menu, but just checked the latest reviews. They's awful!

http://www.london-eating.co.uk/14.htm

How about Giraffe on the South Bank, underneath the Royal Festival Hall? Very kid-friendly, reasonable food, fairly priced, and in an excellent location for tourist-ing along the river.

http://www.giraffe.net/home.html

Or any branch of Zizzi

http://www.zizzi.co.uk/searchresults/zizzicentrallondon.html

Sarah

Sarah

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My sophisticated cousins and their 11 year old son will be in London next week, and I'll meet them for a lunch. I'm open to any mid-priced (I know, I know) suggestion. Is Belgo Centraal a good candidate? Are there other spots a grown up kid would enjoy? I'm sorry if this is a boring, old topic... I'm new to eGullet so forgive me.

Hakkasan: v expensive for dinner but a bargain - for the quality - for lunch. Children love it - the darkness, the glamour, the amazing loos - and the dim sum is the best in London.

clb

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Hakkasan is an excellent suggestion or you could try Yauatcha which is just dim sum.

You could also consider the OXO Tower or the Blue Print Cafe - both have excellent river views which are great for tourists.

I would tend to advise against Belgo - the food is not the best and the basement room can be a bit oppressive.

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How about going really old skool and checking out the restaurants at Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly? They do a nice all day brunchy/lunchy menu with lots of ice-cream sundaes and milkshakes for your younger guest...

Still on the store-restaurant idea, I also recommend the atmospheric Art Bar Cafe at Liberty or their new Tea Room, which is filled with comfy chairs and smells of posh bacon sandwiches....

Hope you're enjoying London as a new expat!

cheers

Elizabeth (an 'old' expat-- coming up to 5 years here :smile: )

Elizabeth, AKA Izabel_blue

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Lunch at either La Pont de la Tour or Butler's Wharf Chop House. Great view of Tower Bridge and a nice walk along the Thames with a possible visit before or after on the London Eye. Hakkasan as stated in this thread is a good choice for lunch. The Cantina at the Wine Wharf is another option and just a short hop from the Borough Market if you go on market day ( a real eye-opener for the children).

Cheers,

Stephen

Vancouver

Edited by SBonner (log)

"who needs a wine list when you can get pissed on dessert" Gordon Ramsey Kitchen Nightmares 2005

MY BLOG

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Surely you want something a bit more definitively British and distinctively London than a flash Chinky or Belgian novelty?

Precisely, Dear Boy....

Make sure they all wear tweed and carry tightly furled brollies at all times

Breakfast at Simpsons in the Strand, a leisurely stroll through the City to Sweetings for luncheon, afternoon tea at the Ritz or Fortnums, lurch to Quaglinos for a brandy Alexander, cab to the American Bar at the Savoy for pre prandial liveners then dinner at Sheekeys.

To deal with the resultant hangovers I shall send over my man with a little preparation of his own devising....

Huzzah!

Tim Hayward

"Anyone who wants to write about food would do well to stay away from

similes and metaphors, because if you're not careful, expressions like

'light as a feather' make their way into your sentences and then where are you?"

Nora Ephron

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Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions. Just my luck... their trip was cancelled at the last minute - long story. But I'll try some of these spots with my partner - many are familiar names and on my long list. Dim sum is a favorite! Many Americans don't realize how wonderful the food has become in London and the UK in general. And Tim... I'll remember your offer of the hangover remedy. :biggrin:

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