Eating and Drinking Guide (London Bridge, Bermondsey, Bankside – Southwark)

There are lots of restaurants to choose from in the Southwark area.  I have listed a few of my favorites.

Del’Aziz – Mediterranean Delicatessen and Brasserie, good venue for Cakes and Brunch.

Delfina – well cooked, quality food. Open for breakfast and lunch, occasional evening openings.

José – José Pizarro’s tiny Tapas bar in Bermondsey Street.

Tas (Borough High Street) and Tas Pide (Bankside)

Tapas Brindisa – Close to Borough Market

The Table – Tucked away a couple of streets behind the Tate Modern, it’s ideal for late Breakfasts and Brunch.

The Hide Bar – excellent selection of wines, beers, spirits and cocktails, it also does regular wine tastings.

Village East (171-173 Bermondsey Street) – Good venue for carnivores, a popular place that does excellent steaks.

Vinopolis – There are several restaurants in the “City of Wine”. The Cantina Vinopolis is the best one in my view.

Zucca – Bermondsey’s answer to the River Cafe.

 

 

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The Ritz – putting it on!

A group of us arranged to have lunch at the Ritz.

P101009_13.06They have a very reasonably priced set lunch menu and a comprehensive wine list that includes several “less” expensive bottles of wine (i.e., under £30).

We had the best table in the restaurant, (top right corner) as it afforded a view of the stunning room and the garden area. The restaurant is a “stickler” for the Jacket and Tie rule (they will supply ties if necessary), as is the Rivoli Bar. The bar I was not so impressed with, the decor in particular is very garish.

The restaurant in the Ritz has 2 AA Rosettes, which sounds about right.

Marks out of 10

Food 6.5

Service 8

Ambience (in the restaurant) 8, (in the bar) 4

UPDATE December 2011 – The prices have gone up since this visit and the food has really improved, see post

 

 

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RSJ – loves those Loire valley wines

RSJ delivers good rustic food and an excellent selection of wines from the Loire valley. Spread over three floors, the upstairs room is by far the nicest.

RSJ

We have had a couple of stand out dishes here over the course of a few visits. The Pumpkin soup and the Poached pear with Perkin ice cream for example.

RSJ have 2 AA Rosettes, which sounds about right.

Marks out of 10

Food 5.5

Service 6

Ambience 5

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The Lavender, Vauxhall – appearances can be deceptive

I had been to the rather lively branch of The Lavender restaurant in Battersea, and enjoyed the ambience.  So I expected something similar when I went to the Vauxhall branch. This visit was not recent, but it was one of my most memorable restaurant experiences.

We walked into a near empty bar in the middle of what felt like an industrial estate. It looked like the sort of place you go to by mistake and basically turn around and leave immediately. It looked shabby, one of the windows was boarded up. There were a couple of Bikers drinking in the corner and a girl standing by the bar dressed very much like a lady of the night!.  However we had made a reservation for dinner, and were hungry, so we braved it out.

We were the only diners and our expectations were so low, we were absolutely shocked (jaw-dropingly shocked) when another biker type from the Kitchen delivered our food. Not because there was anything wrong with it, quite the opposite. The real shock was the presentation. It was totally out of keeping with the venue. I have been to top restaurants that can not deliver food that looked as good. It tasted good too.

This was a rare example where the food took precedence over the venue, which was really refreshing, and made us realise that you really should not judge by appearances.

Marks out of 10

Food 6.5

Service 5

Ambience – so odd I am not sure I can give a mark.

 

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Where to indulge in Coffee, Tea and Cakes

Unless you are in an area that specialises in Tea Shops, its often hard to find good venues to relax with a coffee or tea and eat cake. Why go to the big chains like Starbucks, when you have alternatives.

London

If you really want to go up market and have Afternoon Tea somewhere grand, like The Athenaeum or  The Berkeley, then great, but if you are looking for something cheaper, then here are a few options.

Patisserie Valerie

New York

Actually the Starbucks I have been to in New York are a lot better than London. I had an amazing piece of Cognac and Pumpkin cheese cake in one on the Upper East Side, but for something more unique try:-

Paris

Pretty much the home of the pâtisserie, so you are spoilt for choice, however for an inexpensive option, try:-

or for a not so inexpensive option, visit Ladurée.

Off topic, but also worth mentioning is The Chocolate Consultancy – Parisian Chocolatiers Map showing  locations of some really good Chocolatiers in Paris.

 

 

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Quirinale – its got competition!

Quirinale although in a basement is light and quite lovely.  I am sure it turns up on a lot of MPs expense claims, as it is very much a politico hangout.

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The food is off a high standard. They have an excellent wine list and do a really good cheese course, that you select from the menu. It is served with a selection of biscuits, fruit and preserves.

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The Restaurant used to only open during the week, but from September it is opening on Saturday evenings as well. This will be interesting, as this place can not afford to let its standards slip – it used to be unquestionably the best upmarket Italian restaurant in the area, now however it has stiff competition from the nearby Osteria Dell’Angolo.

Marks out of 10

Food 6.8

Service 6.5

Ambience 6.5

 

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