Bond Street, London - what to do?

[kutsu]

Well, I’m off to sunny London in a few weeks to celebrate my birthday.

We’ve booked into Locanda Locatelli’s for our Dinner at 8:30pm, and have Claridges booked for lunch at 1pm the day of arrival. We’re due to get into London around 11:30am, so after going to the restaurant, we’re pretty much straight off to lunch.

Our hotel is on bond street, and both restaurant are well within walking distance.

What else can we do in the area? It’s my first time eating in a Michelin starred place, first time at bond street, and I haven’t a clue what to do post lunch or the next day. I know of the standard window shopping, but are there any “foodie” type places I should check out in the area?

No tube travel I’m afraid, girlfriend is claustrophobic ( )

Should I avoid either of the two restaurants? I’m a big Italian fan, but love fine dining in general (or, as fine-r dining as one can have in Stoke on Trent!!)

Any advice Is much appreciated, I appreciate this post is probably a bit all over the place!

K.

[brokentelephone]

Around Bond St. itself there aren't THAT many restaurants, tho i enjoy going to Sothebys Auction house for lunch.. the food is good and it is a very interesting atmosphere.... art dealers and buyers, etc....

In the Picadilly area, just a few blocks east of there, you have a plethora of good restaurants... i really enjoyed Cocoon the few times I've been there, its a really busy place with excellent chinese/asian food. The bar extends through the restaurant so you feel like you're in the middle of the action whilst eating.

On Dover St. there is an American restaurant called Automat which has mac'n'cheese, hamburgers, etc in a slightly upmarket surrounding. i saw Bill Clinton eating there the last time i went... the first few times i went there it was rather inconsistent, but they appear to have gotten a bit more consistent with the food... the mac'n'cheese is quite good, as is the rest of the menu.... tho i dont know if american food is a worthwhile choise if you're just in for the weekend.

[Laibach]

Cecconi's, 5a Burlington Gardens, 020 7434 1500 is nearbyand worth a look

Also, walk up to Marylebone where there are plent of foodie shops including Divertimenti.

[silverbrow]

I second the rec to go to Marylebone High St, good foodie place.

You'll enjoy both of the restaurants you've booked into. If you can squeeze in tea, go to the Wolseley on Piccadilly, at the southern end of New Bond St.

[Nicolai]

Ohhhh, so much to do around Bond Street.

1- Walk down Bond Street and you will hit Fortnum & Mason on Picadilly Street, continue walking down to King Street and you might attend an auction at Christies. Bear right and up to St James Street and you will hit many restaurants and of course the St James club followed by Tea at the Ritz before you are back to Bond street via the Burlington Arcades.

2- Walk up Bond Street to hit Oxford Street and a splash of shopping at Selfridges and a bite or coffee at St Christopher Place.

3- Bear bottom left on Bond Street and you will be at Cecconi for lunch or a drink before bearing left to walk up Jermyn Street and bear right on New Burlington Street for another drink at Sartoria. Now you either go straight across Regent Street to end up in Carnaby Street or Soho or you bear right again in Regent street and right again to hit Heddon Street in the evening with many restaurants and bars e.g. MoMo - Zinc...etc

Or bear to the left and left again to Conduit street at the one and only Sketch restaurant (P. Cagnaire - Mich star).

4- Finally bear right on Bond Street and you if you cannot make it to Hyde Park at least you can hit the Dorchester or Nobu at the Metropolitan Htl or some gambling at Aspinal.

Happy Birthday!

[Charlie O]

Near the Arcades (both the one between Bond Street and Albermarle Street and the one between Picadilly and Jermyn Street) are lots of chocolate shops too.

There's also Browns which has just re-opened. It offers a similar tea 'deal' to the Ritz.

Have a great day.

[naebody]

If your hotel does no breakfast, it's perhaps worth stopping by Hush in Lancashire Court, just between Bond Street and Brook Street. Worth a visit because it's a lovely room hidden in a posh little courtyard. The food's a bit hit-and-miss and the dinner clientelle are a dislikeable shower, but the kitchen can usually manage a passable smoked kipper and boiled egg with soldiers.

Also in Lancashire Court, Rocket is quite a decent bar/cafe outfit that won't knock your culinary socks off, but is okay value for the area otherwise devoid of cheap options.

[Ste]

for food shopping you should definitely check out Marylebone High Str. - if u r in the area on Sunday morning, you can visit the local farmers market. Also the fromagerie is worth

http://www.lafromagerie.co.uk/

there's a coffee shop there and you can also buy specially sourced food products (such as Castelluccio lentils etc) and on the same street, The Ginger Pig (for meat). Another interesting shop + deli is the Apulian place La Masseria, 69 Berkeley Street (check out their basement for pasta of all types, even gluten free, cakes, biscuits and veg dips).

if u r into interior design / kitchenware etc, go and check out the Conran shop, Divertimenti and Selfridges (on Oxford Street, easy walking distance).

Well, I’m off to sunny London in a few weeks to celebrate my birthday.

We’ve booked into Locanda Locatelli’s for our Dinner at 8:30pm, and have Claridges booked for lunch at 1pm the day of arrival. We’re due to get into London around 11:30am, so after going to the restaurant, we’re pretty much straight off to lunch.

Our hotel is on bond street, and both restaurant are well within walking distance.

What else can we do in the area? It’s my first time eating in a Michelin starred place, first time at bond street, and I haven’t a clue what to do post lunch or the next day. I know of the standard window shopping, but are there any “foodie” type places I should check out in the area?

No tube travel I’m afraid, girlfriend is claustrophobic ( )

Should I avoid either of the two restaurants? I’m a big Italian fan, but love fine dining in general (or, as fine-r dining as one can have in Stoke on Trent!!)

Any advice Is much appreciated, I appreciate this post is probably a bit all over the place!

K.

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[LuisMiguel]

Second all the suggestions about Marylebone High Street. Le Fromagerie is a must as has been said, and there are some very good places around there for brunch

I also like the area around St. James Street, you'll see it if you come off Oxford Street walking towards Marylebone. Again, lots of cafes and restaurants there and a real buzzy multi-cultural fee about as well, definitely worth having a look.

I've never been to Claridges but went to Locanda Locatelli a couple of months back and enjoyed it very much, so am sure you will to. Have fun...

[Ste]

uh, forgot to mention the Providores - a restaurant/tapas bar which serves tapas servings on the ground level - ideal for lunch/brunch.

http://www.theprovidores.co.uk/contact.html