Comments on: Dispatches from the North: London- The Third Time’s a Charm!

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:06:49 +0000

I am going to have to disagree with your comment that pretty much every pub has good food. This is by far the most common complaint from my American friends visiting London. London pub food on average is really not up to snuff and although I have had some very good pub food in London, I have had more VERY BAD food in pubs that wasn’t nearly as cheap as McDonald’s. Same goes for Chinese buffets, these are really hit and miss and as a tourist walking off the street it is probably the last place I would suggest.

Fast food is certainly not the best thing out there, but you know what to expect when you go there and that is why I went there. I am sure if I lived there and could ask locals for suggestions on good places to eat I could suss out what places were good, but most tourists aren’t going to have the time or opportunity to do that.

Mrs. UKYankee, I really wanted to try Wagamama that first night because I had heard it was so good, but I wasn’t able to locate one sadly which is why I settled for McDonald’s. That is definitely on my list the next time I go to London, though.

By: Reading Tom

Reading Tom — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:25:33 +0000

Hi Lisa

Glad you enjoyed your trip. As Mr Sukyankee says it’s actually very easy to find cheap places to eat in London avoiding fast food joints – Italian cafes, prety much every pub (the pub next to my work does a better and cheaper burger than the McDonals next door), a vast range of sandwich shops, chinese buffets etc and you’ll also find that many of the more expensive palces do a very reasonable lunch, also try the cafes in the big department stores.

A good starting point for your next trip (now London has converted you !) is Time Out’s Cheap Eats Guide:

http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/features/5617/london-s_best_cheap_eats.html

Tom

By: mrsukyankee

mrsukyankee — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:21:47 +0000

There are actually quite a few ‘inexpensive’ places to eat outside of fast food. Wagamama, Indian, Little Bay are all quite good places/types of food for ‘cheap’. There are even more if you are willing to research them.

By: Megan

Megan — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:16:07 +0000

So glad you had a wonderful stay in London! That hotel was a steal, but I’m sure I would agree with you — I can’t imagine waking up in a windowless room. But I would figure something out!

I laughed at your note about British men having a much better handle on fashion than American men — I totally agree! I loved people-watching in the UK and couldn’t believe how impeccably dressed the guys were. Swoon!

By: Jonathan Thomas

Jonathan Thomas — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:38:58 +0000

Lisa – it was a pleasure showing you around and I’m glad that you now like London a lot more. We had a pretty jam packed day but it was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed seeing all my favorite sites and seeing them through new eyes. We must do it again! Cheers! (and Happy Thanksgiving)

By: Jane Colston

Jane Colston — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:26:05 +0000

Thanks for pointing out that cabs are probably as cheap as tubes if there’s more than 1 of you – I’m still thinking as a student in London in the 1980s when tubes were cheap!
Can thoroughly recommend the Leon chain for amazingly super-food healthy, delicious fast food to eat in or take away http://www.leonrestaurants.co.uk & http://www.twitter.com/Henry_Leon Was introduced to them by my teenagers as they won’t set foot in MacDonalds!!