Trixie Navarre

England is not all about fish and chips or English fry-ups, although those are a couple of my favorite British meals. Over the last decade that I have traveled to the United Kingdom, I noticed the food scene changing, and it has excited me. I am not only a fan of their changing food scene, but I have an admiration for this country. Great Britain has been my most visited place on earth, and I have not finished exploring it.

For those who are looking to visit London and wanting ideas of where and what to eat, I have compiled several food journals of ‘What I ate in London’. All along with links to my other food blogs and reviews. Happy reading and happing eating!

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Carrot Cake at The Wallace Collection

There are many things that I like doing in London, and two of them are eating carrot cake and visiting a museum. If I can do both at once, I feel like I got two birds with one stone. In Europe and the United Kingdom, the cafes inside a museum will typically offer wonderful coffee drinks, baked goods, or small meals.

While visiting the Wallace Collection Museum, I stopped into their splendid cafe for a cappuccino and their delicious carrot cake. Layers of carrot cake and cream cheese frosting was a perfect break from viewing priceless artworks.

For Museum information, please visit – The Wallace Collection

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Poppies Fish & Chips

Poppies is a great chippy in London, and has three locations. On my last visit to London, my cousin and I ate at the Camden location, which was lively and buzzing with hungry customers. The atmosphere had a retro vibe to it, which made it an eclectic and fun place to eat.

Besides the tasty plate of crispy fish and chips, I ordered a side of mushy peas. I know that it may not be on everyone’s delicious list, but it is on mine especially with fish and chips. Then at the end, we were handed some retro candy- ‘Fruit Salad’ and ‘Black Jack’. Poppies is a great place if you are looking for a fun atmosphere and music with your fish and chips.

For locations and information, please visit – Poppies Fish and Chips

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Ice Cream at Hyde Park

A visit to London is not complete without a walk through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. If you fancy, you can purchase a tasty vanilla soft serve with a Cadbury flake chocolate on top. Then take a walk around the duck lake with your ice cream in hand, to make that day a bit more memorable.

Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens in London is one of the city’s best features. Hyde is the largest of four Royal Parks that connect with each other from Kensington Palace, through Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park and onto Green Park. This grand park has a deep history and was established by Henry VIII in 1536 as hunting grounds. Today it is a magnificent public park with a lovely lake for all of London to enjoy.

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Sausage Rolls

I do like British sausage rolls, especially when they are made with care. This is a classic take-away food in the United Kingdom, although I did have my share throughout other European countries. Sausage rolls are a cleaner and tighter version of an American hot dog or bratwurst in an open bun.

I had purchased these two delicious sausage rolls at Camden Bakery, which was down the street from our flat. They were very tasty, and I thought the outer pastry just made the roll. You can get them cheaper from a convenience store, but that would be the same as getting a gas station hot dog. To each their own but if you want to try a more appetizing sausage roll, purchase one from a proper bakery.

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The Bonobo Grilled Cheese

Bonobo created one of the better grilled cheese sandwiches that I have tied, and I have tried many. They use aged English cheddar that you can taste in every cheesy and buttery bite. I decided on their Classic Grilled Cheese sandwich, which had their signature cheese blend and mixed onion. All grilled and buttered under a cast iron press. It was as delicious as it sounded!

I had my Bonobo Grilled Cheese at the Portobello Road Market in London. The market is one of the cities oldest and most famous for vintage clothes and antiques, as well as a variety of enticing food stalls.

Find out more 👩🏻‍💻➡ London’s Portobello Road Market | Beyond Bedknobs and Broomsticks

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Starbucks in London

This halloumi cheese and avocado muffin did not look like the most appetizing sandwich ever made, but it was not that bad. I really had no other choice as we were about to get on a bus out of London. I wanted something other than a convenience store sandwich, so I chose this. 🤷🏻‍♀️

If you have ever walked into a Starbucks in other countries, you would have noticed the different sandwiches and pastries which differ from country to country. In the Philippines I have seen Spam sandwiches, and in Spain I have tried a turkey and cheese on blueberry bread. I saw halloumi cheese and got curious. Sometimes my curiosity gets the best of me, and I end up with this, and yes, I did eat it.

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Pakistani Cuisine at Salt n Pepper

This is a shout out to the now defunct Salt n Pepper restaurant where I first tried Pakistani food back in 2015. There are many Indian restaurants in London, so it was nice to try a few Pakistani dishes. The flavors are a close cousin to the flavors of Indian food, just take note that Indian food does use more of a spice flavor palate. Both cuisines are delicious though, and I enjoy them equally.

We had tried several dishes that were flavorful and well-prepared: chicken tikka, daal, rice and garlic naan. Then for dessert we were offered a plate of Pakistani sweets topped with pistachio, which was also delightful. If you are looking to try something similar to Indian food, I suggest that you try Pakistani cuisine. There are several others in London, but be sure to check star ratings and reviews before going in.

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Carrot Cake at The Natural History Museum

In my first entry of this food journal, I mentioned how much I enjoyed carrot cake and museums while in London. I was not kidding! Here is another delicious slice of carrot cake but within The Natural History Museum. It was a great pick me up while visiting this popular London museum.

For museum information and hours, please visit – Natural History Museum

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Full Breakfast at Balthazar

If you are familiar with this New York French brasserie staple, then you would love a visit to their London location. I was “extra” enough to eat at both locations on this trip, as we flew to New York for a few days on our return to the States. Balthazar offers exquisite French dishes, fine wines, and divine desserts. It is a must try restaurant.

During my visit to the London location, I went for one thing and that was to try their Full English fry-up. I had mentioned that I enjoyed their traditional breakfasts, so I decided on trying a leveled up version of this filling meal. Talk about a breakfast of champions, it was delicious, and I enjoyed it in the classy space of Balthazar.

For information on their Covent Garden location – Balthazar London

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Wetherspoons

If you are looking for pub style food at a fair price, Wetherspoons is a good place to try. I have gone to several over the years from London to Inverness, Scotland. It is a great place to try if you are on a budget or traveling with children/ teenagers.

On this day, I was with my daughter at one of their London locations. She loved the fact that she could get a pint by herself at 18 years old, which I believe should also happen in the States.

For location information, please visit – JD Wetherspoons

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Afternoon Tea at the Palm Court – The Ritz Hotel

When they say, Tea at The Ritz is an institution within itself, they are more than correct. It raises the bar to absolute perfection. I have partaken in afternoon tea in many places such as Maurice’s in Paris, the Old Cataract Hotel in Egypt, Laduree’s of London, and many more. I have written many blogs about my afternoon tea adventures, and as of the day I write this, Tea at The Ritz has been the absolute best.

My daughter and I had a glorious afternoon tea at The Ritz, while we were on a summer month long trip to Europe. This was a very special occasion with a very special person. The attention to detail was impeccable- from the delicate china, the silver flatware and tea pot, the fresh flowers, tuxedo wearing servers, and the pianist. They have been doing afternoon tea forever, and they definitely set the bar.

As for the food offered, it was the classic set of scones, finger tea sandwiches, and a variety of divine pastries. The loose leaf tea was marvelous, especially when each cup was poured by our server from ornate silver pots.

For my complete five star Yelp review – Read Trixie N.‘s review of The Ritz London on Yelp

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Nando’s Peri Peri Chicken

I have been to Nando’s a few times while on my visits to England. It is a fast casual Portuguese chicken chain that I found impressive. I am not a fan of American chain restaurants, but I found this British one good enough for return visits.

On this visit, I ordered the 1/4 chicken with macho peas, and Portuguese rice. The chicken was fresh, grilled, hot, and very flavorful. I used the Peri Peri Sauce to give it a bit of extra kick. The Macho peas and Portuguese rice were delicious and freshly made, unlike many of the frozen sides at American chains.

For my Yelp review, Read Trixie N.‘s review of Nando’s on Yelp

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Yo! Sushi

Conveyer Belt Sushi, anyone? This was not our first time eating at a conveyer belt sushi restaurant, and although fun to try, the quality is not always the best. Yo! Sushi was not the best I ever had, but it was a good sushi fix while on our trip.

My daughter and I love nigiri, sashimi, hand rolls, sesame salad, and many other Japanese dishes. We were also very hungry, and that is one good thing about conveyer belt sushi, you can have instant lunch as soon as you are seated. If you need a fix, have not tried conveyer belt sushi or are not overly picky, then you should give Yo! Sushi a try.

For location information, please visit – Yo! Sushi

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Heathrow’s Plaza Premium Lounge Breakfast

 I arrived in the morning to the Premium Lounge, and that meant the complimentary buffet had fixings for an English Breakfast. It was a nice way to end a trip to England. There were other food items as well that are common in airport lounges, such as pastries, breads, cheeses, fruit, etc. I had that as well, but I loved the English breakfast option.

Within the busyness of Heathrow Airport there is Plaza Premium Lounge. As you know, I am an airport lounge fiend, and live in them prior to plane departure. This lounge is a nice one as it is cozy, feeds you well, and is perfect before a long flight. There are different places to sit in this lounge, and I scored a comfortable little nook in a separate room. It was a great space for me to get myself in the right mindset for my flight out of London.

For my Yelp review, Read Trixie N.‘s review of Plaza Premium Lounge on Yelp

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What I ate in London – A Food Journal – Parts One and Two

If you are looking for more food ideas while in London, feel free to read my other food blogs. I have several London food articles from food journals to restaurant reviews.

👩🏻‍💻➡ What I ate in London – Part 1 – A Food Journal

👩🏻‍💻➡ What I ate in London – Part 2 – A Food Journal

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📸 All photos are taken by me and are my intellectual property – Trixie Navarre