Every Londoner has their own version of the city. Ahead of The World's 50 Best Hotels 2025 landing in London this October, here's the insider's guide to the capital, from the ultimate Sunday roast to gluggable wine and neighbourhood dining gems.
Matinées at The Prince Charles Cinema, cocktails in Copeland Park, gallery days in Central, strolls and pub lunches in Highgate and Hampstead or late nights in Hackney Wick – London is the city that has it all. As Samuel Johnson once said: "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life...", so here's the ultimate itinerary to exploring the city like one of its residents.
Enjoy a picture-perfect Sunday roast
Head to The Camberwell Arms for a classic roast in a traditional pub setting
Think crisp-skinned, herb-flecked, golden roast chicken, juicy pork with crunchy crackling or blush-pink slices of beef, paired with crunchy roasties, caramelised carrots and olive oil-slathered greens, all enveloped in a glossy onion gravy. For a masterclass in the art of Sunday roasts, head to The Camberwell Arms. North of the Thames, new-kid-on-the-block The Parakeet will equally sate your roast dinner desires.
Indulge with oysters and champagne at J.Sheekey
Order luxurious seafood at London institution J.Sheekey
Come payday, get your bivalves and bubbles fix at J.Sheekey – the pearl of London's seafood scene (with worthy rivals including Wiltons in St James's, Wright Bros. in Borough Market and Southwark's Seabird). You can't miss J.Sheekey's lipstick-red facade, imprinted like a kiss on St Martin's Court in Covent Garden. Sit at the crustacean bar and order six or a dozen mixed oysters with spicy sausage, paired with sherbet-y champagne. For maximum ambience, come for the post-theatre service.
Get stuck into neighbourhood dining in south London
South London is home to many outstanding casual dining spots, including Kolae in Borough market
Bermondsey and Borough basically deserve their own Richard Curtis film; in fact, movie buffs may recognise this popular patch of London from early Bridget Jones flicks. Granted, Maltby Street Market is expensive, but you'll be too busy feasting on the likes of fried-chicken waffles, bao buns, Persian stews and British cheeses to care. But stay around for dinner time and save room for a leisurely meal at 40 Maltby Street, a perennial favourite with a diminutive dining space and adventurous Gergovie Wines. Noteworthy neighbours include Padella, Thai newbie Kolae and Casse-Croûte; for similarly relaxed vibes elsewhere in the city, try Ploussard in Clapham or The Baring in Islington.
Bed down in style at The Connaught
The Connaught has been a bastion of world-class hospitality since 1897
Featured on The World's 50 Best Hotels 2024 list, this heritage London hotel's world-class offerings include the soporific Aman Spa and a clutch of superstar-chef dining magnets, including Hélène Darroze's flagship restaurant. Connaught Bar and its iconic martini trolley service also need little introduction, with the bar ranked No.13 on The World's 50 Best Bars 2024 list. If you prefer the sound of Jazz Age opulence, Italian va-va-voom, English eccentricity and disco fabulousness, newcomer Broadwick Soho is a fitting substitution.
Sip wines worth a toast at Sager & Wilde
Sager & Wilde one of east London's buzziest wine bars
Come for the wine, but stay for the posh snacks at Sager & Wilde on East London's Hackney Road, a cork's throw from Columbia Road Flower Market (another Sunday-morning must-do). Owner Michael Sager scored a homerun with the decor: all natural light, expansive windows and industrial-chic furnishings befitting the urban setting. Naturally, the stars of the show are liquids, including pink, orange, fizzy and chilled-red options. More centrally, newcomer Tiny Wine in Fitzrovia may lack leg room, but with excellent sips and toothsome tapas and crudo, the rewards are huge.
Pick up sweet treats from St. John Bakery
Embrace the inevitable sugar-beard and laugh in the face of jam or custard splodges on clothing with doughnuts from St. John's Bakery Arch (or Borough Corner). Plump, pillowy and brimmed with filling – pistachio, raspberry jam, salted caramel or chocolate – these are ride-or-die morsels. Not a jam-junkie? Over at nose-to-tail eatery St. John, order six or 12 warm madeleines to end your offal-forward meal on a (sugar) high. Also in Soho, Maison Bertaux, has been defying London dentists since 1871, with the ramshackle chintz and charm and always enticing display of pastries to prove it.
Channel Ian Fleming at Dukes
Swing by Dukes Bar for an ice-cold martini served in style
In a city where clever cocktail bars seem to open on the daily, there's something reassuring about sticking with tradition. You're in certified safe hands at Dukes Bar, a den of old-world glamour (and a favoured hangout of James Bond author Ian Fleming) in the heart of well-heeled St James's. Masterful martinis are the order of the day, served in fingertip-tingling frozen glasses, accessorised with zesty Amalfi lemon peel, rustled up by the stylish Alessandro Palazzi (aka 'The Bartender') and his team. Dress to impress.
Savour relaxed Italian cuisine at Brutto
Enjoy classic Florentine dishes at low prices at Brutto
London's crush on hip, low-key Italian cuisine is part of late restaurateur Russell Norman's enduring culinary legacy. In 2009, Norman wooed diners via Polpo's Venetian-inspired cicchetti; Spuntino and Mishkin's came next, followed by Brutto in 2021. Brutto nails Florentine comfort food: hearty pastas, succulent steaks and starters such as the 'cuddles': fried dough with gooey stracchino cheese. Bonus points for the £5 negronis and buzzy Farringdon locale. For a similar Italian vein, head southeast to visit fan-fave Forza Wine in Peckham. Order anything 'fritti' with frozen cucumber margaritas and toast the city heights, followed by a boogie at nearby Jumbi.
Spy on the city from a rooftop bar
Take in the view with a great cocktail in hand at 8 at The Londoner
Avoid paying for the best views of London and head to 8 at The Londoner, which transplants izakaya-style drinking and dining to a lofty Leicester Square perch. Soak up the sparkling West End views from the terrace, or count the stars by night from the Shima Garden, which has a retractable roof that lets the sky do the talking. The drinks menu takes inspiration from eight iconic flavours of Japanese cuisine, including edamame, tempura, robata, A5 Wagyu and mochi, with bougie snacks to match. Prefer Chinese cuisine? Try newcomer Shanghai Me, which boasts an equally impressive vista.
Cheat at fine dining at Gymkhana
Head to London's fine dining spots at lunchtime for a great value set menu
London's best-in-class fine dining doesn't need to massacre your bank balance. Enter the lunch menu. Gymkhana may be inspired by India's unapologetically elite, high society, polo-loving members' clubs, but at £65, its three-course lunch offering is decidedly democratic. Feast on the likes of salmon tikka with tomato chutney, kid-goat keema, and pistachio kulfi falooda; add 'house punch' or wine for an additional £12 or £19.
The list of The World's 50 Best Hotels 2025 will be revealed at a live awards ceremony in London on 30 October.
