Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
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020 7766 7300 www.royalcollection.org.uk
The Palace opens to visitors every August and September while the royals are off sunning themselves. Visitors are granted limited access and are only allowed in the State Rooms, which are used for formal occasions. As a result, these rooms are sumptuous and as royal as you could hope them to be. As you tour them, look for the secret door concealed in one of the White Drawing Room’s mirrors, through which royals entered the state apartments. Also not to be missed are the Throne Room and the glittering Music Room. The Galleries display master works from the royal collections, and the gardens display birds that are marginally prettier than the birds you’d see outside.
Victoria. Turn right onto Buckingham Palace Rd. and follow it onto Buckingham Gate. Audio guide provided. Wheelchair users should book by calling 020 7766 7324. £17, students and seniors £15.50, under 17 £9.75, under 5 free, family (2 adults and 3 children under 17) £45. Open daily late July-Oct, 9:45am-4pm (last admission 45min. before close) daily.
QUEEN’S GALLERY
At the end of the Mall
GALLERY
020 7766 7300 www.royalcollection.org.uk
The Queen’s Gallery is dedicated to temporary exhibitions of jaw-droppingly valuable items from the Royal Collection. Five rooms, designed to look like the interior of the palace are filled with glorious artifacts that applaud the sovereign. Once purchased, passes can be registered online for 12 months of unlimited access.
Victoria. Turn right onto Buckingham Palace Rd. and follow it onto Buckingham Gate. Entrance to the Mews and Gallery will be on your left. Wheelchair-accessible. Open daily 10am-5:30pm (last admission 1hr. before close), July 27-Oct 1 9:30am-5:30pm (last admission 1hr. before close). Closed Nov 1-Apr 14, 2011.
North London
HAMPSTEAD HEATH
Hampstead
PARK
020 7332 3030
Hampstead Heath was initially much smaller than its present 800 acres. After Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson tried to develop and sell off the Heath in the early 19th century, the public began to fight for the Heath, culminating in an Act of Parliament in 1872 that declared the Heath open to the public forever. Now it sprawls gloriously in the heart of Hampstead. The Hill Gardens are in the southwest corner of the Heath just off North End Avenue. The Hill House was owned by Lord Leverhulme (of Lever Soap), and he modified the surrounding landscapes to create the beautiful, tamer Hill Gardens. A pergola presides over the gardens, its lattice work is entwined with roses, and painters often station themselves around the gardens and pergola. The view through its Georgian columns is best enjoyed around sunset. Parliament Hill is one of the higher points in London, offering those willing to climb its deceptively steep sides a glorious reminder that they aren’t in the middle of rural England, but are, in fact, only four miles from London proper.
Bus #210 will drop you at the north of the Heath, from which you can access Kenwood House and work your way southeast towards Parliament Hill. Alternatively, you can get off at Hampstead and turn right onto Heath St., up North End Way, left onto Inverforth Close and left onto a path will take you to the hill gardens. Bus #214 allows easy access to Parliament Hill. Heath open 24hr. Hill Garden open daily May 24-Aug 1 8:30am-8:30pm; Aug 2-May 23 8:30am-1hr. before sunset.
East London
WHITECHAPEL GALLERY
77-82 Whitechapel High St.
CONTEMPORARY ART
020 7522 7888 www.whitechapelgallery.org
This edgy gallery has been showing important contemporary art since it opened in 1901. Originally an effort of hoity-toity uppity-ups to bring art to the culturally decrepit inhabitants of the East End, the gallery’s mission has changed, though its commitment to excellence hasn’t. Gallery 7 is dedicated to collections that change four times a year. Gallery 2 features year-long commissioned works, and the rest of the gallery deals with contemporary art and occasional mid-career retrospectives. Art films can be seen running on loop in the cinema space.
Aldgate East. Left on Whitechapel High St. Free. Special exhibits normally under £10, with £2 off for students. Open Tu-Su 11am-6pm, 1st Th of every month 11am-9pm.
FOOD
British food doesn’t have a great reputation. Yes, it is bad for you and no, it doesn’t have complex flavors, but it is so intrinsically a part of British life that to forego it would be a grave error for any visitor to England. Fish and chips, bangers and mash, tikka masala (a British invention), and, of course, warm ale are all different names for the same thing: comfort food. Neighborhoods like Bloomsbury and Shoreditch serve up wide varieties of ethnic food (read: Indian), but “pub grub” and British food are inescapable. There’s a reason that old war propaganda line, “Keep Calm and Carry On,” is plastered all over the place; there’s a reason the Queen still rolls down the Mall every June 12th; there’s a reason the Brits always think England will win the Cup; and there’s a reason fair Albion still has the pound; and for that same reason, British food is what it is. Now eat your mushy peas—the cod’s getting cold.
Bayswater
Shocking though it may be, most travelers like to take a break from bubble and squeak and bangers and mash. When you get itchin’ for a little something from an ethnic kitchen, give Bayswater a shot. A wide range of affordable Middle Eastern and Indian restaurants abound in this neighborhood.
LA BOTTEGA DEL GELATO
127 Bayswater Rd.
GELATO
020 7243 2443
Simply put, this gelato, made in-store, is divine. La Bottega Del Gelato fills the hole in the London ice cream scene with a variety of delicious flavors. Enjoy it outside on Bayswater Rd. in their seating area; even in the heart of the city, this gelato will make you feel like you’re on a quiet street in Roma. The Ferrero Rocher is especially good.
Bayswater. Right onto Queensway, follow it until you hit Bayswater Rd. 1 scoop £2, 2 scoops £3.50, 3 scoops £4.50; milkshakes £3.50. Hours change depending on weather, but the store opens daily 10:30am.
APHRODITE TAVERNA
15 Hereford Rd.
GREEK
020 7229 2206 www.aphroditerestaurant.co.uk
Decorated with statues of Aphrodite and a few inexplicable pineapples, Aphrodite Taverna serves up fantastic Greek food at prices that even recession-era Greece can’t beat! Too soon? Let’s hope not. Come and enjoy a meal of chicken kofta with rice (£5.90) or homemade pita (£4.50), and relax as power pop pipes through the store speakers.
Bayswater. Left onto Queensway, left onto Moscow Rd., right onto Hereford toward Westbourne Grove. Entrees £5.50-6.80. M-Su 8am-5pm.
Bloomsbury
Riddled with cheap student eats, Bloomsbury is an exciting and accessible culinary neighborhood. Here are some of the true gems.
NEWMAN ARMS
23 Rathbone St.
BRITISH PIES
020 7636 1127 www.newmanarms.co.uk
Established in 1730, the Newman Arms has been serving succulent British pies about as long as the Queen’s relatives have been on the throne. The menu reads like an ode to comfort food, with pies like beef and Guinness, steak and kidney, and lamb and rosemary. The warm upstairs dining room fills up fast, so be sure to reserve a table one day in advance during the summer and much further in advance during the winter (sometimes even months).
Goodge St. Turn left onto Tottenham Court Rd., left onto Tottenham St., left onto Charlotte St., and right onto Rathbone St. Enter through the corridor next to the entrance to the pub. Pies £10. Puddings £11. Open M-F noon-2:30pm and 6-9:30pm.
NAVARRO’S TAPAS BAR
67 Charlotte St.
TAPAS
020 7637 7713 www.navarros.co.uk
It would make sense if, upon entering this restaurant, you began patting yourself for your passport and looking for the customs agent who won’t take “I’ve nothing to declare” as a personal challenge. Bathed in candlelight and strains of Flamenco music, Navarro’s boasts an excellent selection of regional wines that will convince you you’re on your way
to Spain. Don’t forget your castanets.
Goodge St. Turn left onto Tottenham Court Rd., turn left onto Tottenham St. and left onto Charlotte St. Nicer dress is preferable, as is booking in advance. Mainly vegetarian dishes £4.85-4.95, fish and shellfish £5.75-6.10. Open M-F noon-3pm and 6-10pm, Sa 6-10pm.
Chelsea
BUONA SERA
289a King’s Rd
ITALIAN
020 7352 8827
People haven’t eaten like this since our ancestors moved out of the trees and onto the ground. The small restaurant manages to fit 14 tables into its tight space by stacking the booths one atop the other. It’s sort of like a game of Tetris, except involving delicious and affordable Italian food. Plants on the upper level make the experience feel like it’s taking place in the canopy of a tree, but the food will remind you of the pleasures of civilization.
Sloane Sq. Exit the Tube and go straight down Sloane Sq. The street slanting gently left is King’s Rd. If you don’t want to walk the road (it’s manageable but long), the following buses service the area: #11, 19, 22, 211, 319 Salads £4.50-5.70, lunch entrees £7.90-8.50. Pasta and risotto £8.60-9.80. Meat and fish entrees £14.50-14.80. Pizza £3.80, plus £1.50 per topping set (tuna and onions, ham and mushrooms, etc.). Open M 6pm-midnight, Tu-F noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight, Sa-Su noon-midnight.
The City of London
Many of the culinary offerings in the City of London are geared toward businessmen (expensive) and tourists (expensive, but not very good). Fortunately, there are a few promising options for the budget traveler.
SPIANATA
73a Watling St.
ITALIAN, SANDWICHES, PIZZA
020 7236 3666 www.spianata.com
Enjoy the delicious taste of Italy in every sandwich served on Spianata’s freshly baked bread. The businessmen in the city know that some of the best sandwiches and pizzas in the city are served at this authentically Italian shop, so arrive before the peak lunch hour.
St. Paul’s. Go down Cheapside away from St. Paul’s Cathedral; turn right at Bread St. and left at Watling St. Sandwiches £3.25-4; pizza £1.60 cold, £1.90 hot. M-F 7:30am-3:30pm.
YE OLDE CHESHIRE CHEESE
145 Fleet St., down Wine Office Court
PUB
The current Cheese was built in 1667, but a pub has been in its current location since 1538. Charles Dickens and Samuel Johnson, author of the first dictionary (a copy is upstairs), frequented the pub. Despite its history, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese remains a personable, old-timey watering hole, serving traditional English “fayre” alongside their phenomenally cheap and excellent Samuel Smith brews from Yorkshire. If you explore the downstairs dining room, be wary of the sign that says “mind your head.” They mean it.
St. Paul’s. Take a right on New Change, a right onto Cannon St. which becomes St. Paul’s Churchyard, Ludgate Hill and then Fleet St. Entrees £9.95-11.95; bangers and mash £3.50. Shots £1.89-2.20; 1/2 pint of lager £1.14, pint of lager £2.27; 1/2 pint of ale £1; pint of ale 1.99. M-Sa 11am-11pm, Su 11am-6pm.
Holborn and Clerkenwell
Holborn offers standard fare plus a few high-class restaurants and bistros mixed in with typical take-away sandwich joints. Clerkenwell has a lot more in the vein of hip, light, and interesting restaurants.
THE CLERKENWELL KITCHEN
31 Clerkenwell Close
HEALTHY, BRITISH, SEASONAL
020 7101 9959 www.theclerkenwellkitchen.co.uk
Normally when a restaurant advertises “soft drinks,” they mean cola and root beer. At the Clerkenwell Kitchen, a “soft drink” means a taste-bud-exploding concoction like their elderflower cordial (£2). Cooking with locally grown ingredients and organic, free-range meat, the Clerkenwell Kitchen welcomes guests to the lighter side of British fare.
Farringdon. Right onto Cowcross St., right onto Farringdon, right onto Pear Tree Ct., right onto Clerkenwell Close. Walk straight as if still on Pear Tree Ct. If you see the church, backtrack. Entrees £9-10. Teas and coffees £1.50-1.85. Open M-F 8am-5pm and noon-3pm.
Marylebone and Regent’s Park
THE GOLDEN HIND
73 Marylebone Ln.
FISH AND CHIPS
020 7486 3644
The Golden Hind might just have the best fish and chips in London. With a wide selection of fish and a selection of classic sides, the menu will challenge you in ways you never thought fish and chips could.
Bond St. Left onto Davies St., right onto Oxford St., left onto Marylebone Ln. Fish (fried or steamed) £4.70-5.70. Chips £1.50. Peas £1. Open M-F noon-3pm and 6-10pm, Sa 6-10pm.
PATOGH
8 Crawford Pl
PERSIAN
020 7262 4015
Patogh is the definition of hole-in-the-wall. Small and crowded but nicely decorated and exquisitely scented, Patogh provides traditional Persian food like minced lamb and huge servings of sesame flatbread in a highly atmospheric setting.
Edgward Rd. Right onto Chapel St., left onto Edgware Rd., left onto Crawford Pl. Entrees £8-9. Open daily noon-11pm.
The West End
MÔ CAFÉ
23-25 Heddon St.
CAFE, TEA, NORTH AFRICAN
020 7434 4040 www.momoresto.com
When juxtaposed with the absurd decadence of nearby Absolut Icebar (yes, that is a bar...made of ice), the Mo Cafe’s own absurd conceit feels a little less ridiculous. With waiters wearing bright red shirts and black pants, chandeliers that are draped in tassels and strings and bronze table tops surrounded by low chairs, the Mo Cafe looks like it’s trying too hard. However, try the hummus or the mint tea (made with tea imported from Morocco, obviously), and you’ll feel your skull tingle where your fez once was.
Piccadilly Circus. Turn left onto Regent St. and left onto Heddon St. Cold mezze £4.50-4. 75. Hot mezze £5.50-5.80. M-Sa noon-1am, Su noon-11pm.
KOYA
49 Frith St.
JAPANESE
020 7434 4463 www.koya.co.uk
Unlike many Japanese restaurants, where Chinese or British cooks pretend to make authentic Japanese dishes, Koya is the real deal. Through the cloth that guards the front door lies a dining room where only the most authentic and delicious hiya-atsu and atsu-atsu (cold and hot udon) is served. This place is good, and Soho knows it, so try and come sometime other than 6:30pm, as they don’t take reservations.
Tottenham Court Rd. Turn down Oxford St. with your back to Tottenham Court Rd and then left onto Soho St. Go around Soho Sq to the left and turn left onto Frith. Udon is around £8.50-9. Open M-Sa noon-3pm and 5:30pm-10:30pm.
North London
LA CRÊPERIE DE HAMPSTEAD
Around 77 Hampstead High St.
CRÊPES, STREET STAND
www.hampsteadcreperie.com
Walking down Hampstead High St. from the underground station, a traveler may notice several people lining the bus stop benches, ravenously eating crêpes out of small conical cups. Walk a bit further down, and you’ll see La Crêperie de Hampstead. Serving the community since 1929, the crêperie is not the average street vendor’s booth. The crêpes are expertly crafted—a perfect balance of light and doughy—and the ingredients, sweet or savory, are well-blended to create crêpes that burst with flavor.
Hampstead. Left onto Hampstead Heath St. No seating available, but check the nearby benches. Savories £4.30-4.65. Sweets £3.40-3.90. Open M-Th 11:45am-11pm, F-Su 11:45am-11:30pm.
MANGO ROOM
10-12 Kentish Town Rd.
CARIBBEAN
020 7482 5065 www.mangoroom.co.uk
Located near bustling Camden Town, the Mango Room is the perfect place to escape the excitement. The cool room decorated with bright paintings that nicely complement the food is perfect for anyone who regrets choosing rainy London over the sunny Caribbean for a vacation. Serving Caribbean dishes like ackee and saltfish with scallions and sweet peppers (£11), the Mango Room is about as escapist and pleasant as the name suggests.
Camden High St. Left onto Camden High St., left o
nto Camden Rd., Left onto Kentish Town Rd. Minimum £10. Dinner entrees £10.50-11. Lunch entrees £7-8.50. Mixed drinks £4 during happy hour. Open daily noon-11pm. Bar open F-Sa until 1am. Happy hour 6-8pm.
East London
Most of East London’s culinary offerings are packed into the unbeatable Brick Lane. If you’re looking for curry, you’d have to be blind and smell-challenged not to find it. However, if you want to partake in the Shoreditch scene but can’t handle the pressure of choosing just one curry restaurant, here are a few good alternatives.
NUDE ESPRESSO
26 Hanbury St.
CAFE
078 0422 3590 www.nudeespresso.com
Most good cafes pride themselves on buying exotic coffee beans, but Nude Espresso takes their gimmick a step further, actually roasting the coffee beans themselves. Serving up some of the best coffee in London, the hip Nude Espresso is a welcome break from the myriad curry restaurants hawking their wares on Brick Ln. With its aluminum cups and stylish interior, Nude Espresso gets the aesthetic right while never forgetting what its clients came for: damn good coffee.