Forum

Welcome Guest! You can not login or register.

Notification

Icon
Error

Recommendations for. Cookbook lovers and restaurants in London   Go to last post Go to last unread
#1 Posted : Saturday, April 23, 2022 9:28:05 AM(UTC)
My husband and I will be going to London to celebrate our 25th Anniversary.

We are looking for restaurant recommendations. If you could share your current favorites, great finds, and tips on the best in London in 2022 it would be greatly appreciated. (Seafood, Thai, Indian, Local ingredients etc.)

Does anyone know if Books for Cooks is still in business? Could you share any other book store recommendations including any good used book stores?

I would also be interested in stores that sell great kitchen tools/equipment, particularly things a bit out of the ordinary and stores that specialize in sourcing or creating ingredients that are unusual, special, unique, something one should not miss.

What do you think of Ottolenghi’s restaurants, how do they differ, if you had to choose which one and why

I look forward to hearing from EYB members living in London and others who have traveled there recently.
#2 Posted : Saturday, April 23, 2022 6:09:28 PM(UTC)

Take  a trip out to the Oxford countryside to Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons.. .. not sure when you're going , but my recommendation would be to book well in advance of any restaurants you want to try! Bookings for August for this one open on May 1...


And "Books for Cooks" is still trading in Notting Hill (at least according to their web site!)

#8 Posted : Sunday, April 24, 2022 1:33:59 PM(UTC)

Welcome to London! 
Books for Cooks I understand is still going strong, though I've not been there in a while


https://www.booksforcooks.com/


It would help if you could give us some idea of neighbourhoods, or cuisines you are interested in, London is just too big to list a few "best" places


Some of my favourites haven't survived the pandemic


i often head for the Covent Garden area, where you find Lahpet West End (Burmese) and Darjeeling Express (Indian) and a couple of Indian places that are small chains available round London, Dishoom  and Masala Zone (have a thali tray and the Covent Garden branch is the best)


For more traditional but with a twist I'm a fan of Adam Handling,but haven't been to his current location, Frog, also in Covent Garden


If you want to get away from Covent Garden the Coal Yard at Kings Crossis the boom place for eating, lots of individual restaurants, and south of the river I like Chez Bruce and Trinity in Clapham, both institutions of fairly classic cooking, and in Soho Quo Vadis, and nearer the City St John Bread and Wine


Eater London is a great guide that's up to date


https://london.eater.com/

#3 Posted : Saturday, October 8, 2022 4:41:50 AM(UTC)

debkellie;26266 wrote:
Take  a trip out to the Oxford countryside to Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons.. .. not sure when you're going , but my recommendation would be to book well in advance of any restaurants you want to try! Bookings for August for this one open on May 1...


And "Books for Cooks" is still trading in Notting Hill (at least according to their web site!)


Thanks for the suggestion! I'll be popping near there later this year so will try to book that restaurant :)

#9 Posted : Saturday, October 8, 2022 2:51:49 PM(UTC)

I guess most of this depends on your tastes but I'd personally recommend Quo Vadis & St.Johns.


Yes, Books for Cooks is still open but IMHO you're in for a disappointment. 


Not much in the way of dedicated cookshops these days but David Mellor has a good if expensive selection of higher end brands and their own good quality designer bits & bobs. Have some DM Indian Rosewood knives which we love. Divertimenti is a bit more traditional but tends to be a touch expensive for what you're getting.

#10 Posted : Sunday, September 17, 2023 6:09:32 AM(UTC)

Indio32;27020 wrote:
I guess most of this depends on your tastes but I'd personally recommend Quo Vadis & St.Johns.


Yes, Books for Cooks is still open but IMHO you're in for a disappointment. 


Not much in the way of dedicated cookshops these days but David Mellor has a good if expensive selection of higher end brands and their own good quality designer bits & bobs. Have some DM Indian Rosewood knives which we love. Divertimenti is a bit more traditional but tends to be a touch expensive for what you're getting.


why do say 'Yes, Books for Cooks is still open but IMHO you're in for a disappointment'. I'll be visiting London soon and this place is on my list. 


thanks

#11 Posted : Sunday, September 17, 2023 1:59:39 PM(UTC)

If any EYB members do visit Books for Cooks in London, I'd love it if you mentioned to them how useful EYB is for cookbook lovers. I try every year to get them to contribute to our best books picks from cookbook stores and best selling books of the year. But they never contribute (or even reply). I don't think they are very tech-savvy (their website is woeful - I don't think it's been updated since 2006). If you do happen to meet Eric or Rosie, the owners, try to convince them that publicity on a site whose members all buy A LOT of cookbooks, would be a good idea.

#12 Posted : Tuesday, September 19, 2023 11:04:13 AM(UTC)

Jane, I was in Books for Cooks last week and the shop had far fewer books than pre-covid.  It seemed a shadow of its former self.   I was disappointed.   When I lived in London (1999 - 2000), the shop was overflowing with cookbooks, they ran cookery classes upstairs, produced their own cookbooks with a compilation of their favorite test kitchen recipes, and always had something interesting in the test kitchen.  It isn't the same.  I didn't see the owners in the shop ... just a young person manning the till.  The Waterstones on Piccadilly had a far greater variety of cookbooks.  I'm not sure I will return unless I happen to be in the area.


They evidently do still do lunch in the test kitchen on weekdays, but I was there on a Saturday. There is a recent youtube video here:


https://youtu.be/19Ma5GiGFqc?si=NLSGttwLxUMgSJTG


On the restaurants, one restaurant that I have enjoyed on multiple trips is Honey and Co.  I was just at their new venue in Bloomsbury and it was still great.  Make sure to get the feta cheesecake for dessert.

#13 Posted : Tuesday, September 19, 2023 12:12:57 PM(UTC)

That's a shame. I used to live near there so went regularly and I own several of their compilation books. But it does seem more of a "hobby" shop than a business.

You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.