24 Hours In London

I love London… Every single time I go down as a tourist I discover something new and i just cannot get enough of it!

My cousin Seema and I set a date when we could visit some of the places we I had been talking about. I am a foodie, so you can guess what most of the trip included.

I arrived in London at midday and had 24 hours. Here is how it went:

• Feya

The famous cafe on Oxford Street is the one-stop destination for that beautiful brunch or a scrumptious sweet treat.

Decorated in inspiring interior, it has a contemporary and relaxed feel to it.

Chef Zahra Khan, brings together her lifelong passion for baking and her love for art.

The menu offers a selection of superfood smoothies, warming teas and coffees, salads, sandwiches, cakes and pastries.

Luckily the cafe was not full when we arrived. We managed to get a table at the counter. Gorgeous perfectly decorated cakes and pastries were on show. In addition to this they served a good brunch/lunch menu. I was eyeing everyone’s plates and trying to work out what they had.

We settled for the Happiness Pancake (Whipped cream flowers, peanut butter, maple syrup drizzle, blueberries and banana coins) and Pistachio Doughnut (Layers of soft mousse combined with passion fruit and chocolate). I have never had a Doughnut like this before and the Pancake was just perfecto!

I went for Baby Beetroot latte and Seema had the Cardamom Chai. Both drinks were the correct consistency and went down well.

• Matalan

To fit in more of our meals later in the day, we had to go shopping and burn off some calories. In recent Marie Claire magazines,  I have seen a lot of Matalan clothing and wanted to have a look for myself. I was a bit disappointed because there were no small sizes and apparently most of their range starts at a size 8/10 which isn’t good for me. I did manage to get a kid’s off the shoulder top for £9 so not a wasted trip.

Our next stop was Shoreditch. From Oxford Street this wasn’t the closest place to go however we were in no rush so sitting and talking on a Tube for over half an hour was fine.

• The Smoking Goat

We had late lunch booked at The Smoking Goat, a laid-back restaurant with quirky dishes & drinks inspired by Bangkok’s late-night canteens.

There was a good vibe in the restaurant, casual and welcoming.

Between us we shared Smoked Aubergine, Egg & Chilli Roti, Laab Spiced Mackerel, Chilli Fish Sauce Wings & Jasmine Rice.

My favourite was the Roti and I would recommend this dish. It was just so soft and had lots of flavours. The Mackerel was cooked well and did not have the strong taste you normally get. Chicken wings were less enjoyable however the staff did say they were a popular dish at the restaurant.

It was the perfect late lunch to get our energy levels up for Ballie Ballerson but first we needed a drink.

• Bull in a China Shop

It was 4pm and most bars did not open until after 5pm which was a bit disappointing for early doors; surely on Friday everyone should finish early?

We found one on the World Wide Web- unsure of whether it was a cafe or bar (both our phones showed different descriptions) we decided to walk to Bull in a China Shop.

Whiskey lovers if you haven’t been here you are missing out. As well as an array of Japanese Whiskey (some at eye watering prices but I guess when you know you know) along with some beautifully created cocktails I am glad we gave them a try. The restaurant side offers whiskey pairing which I think is heaven for whiskey fans.

We sat at the bar and got a first-class personal service. Every aspect of the service had attention to detail ( Did you notice the way the cucumber was in the water bottle on the photo?) Don’t you just love it when bar tenders have so much passion and are willing to go that extra mile for you?

Some cocktails that were enjoyed were Chamomile and Charcoal Old Fashioned (Nikka from the barrel, homemade chamomile syrup, bitters, coconut charcoal, finished with an orange twist) and Pear and cardamom highball (Amrut peated whisky, cardamom pods, Merlet poire, fresh pear, topped with soda).

They were all fancy and perfectly put together. We also got complimentary Onigiri to have with our drinks.

• Ballie Ballerson

It was 5pm before we knew it and time to have some fun in ball pits. The atmosphere was lively, and everyone was buzzing to get in and jump around like big kids.

I couple of people warned me to keep my belongings secure because once it falls into the ball pits it will probably never find its way back up. They have lockers on site.

It’s not as easy as it looks to manoeuvre around the ball bit. Once you sink in, coming up is a task but that is what makes it fun.

Boomerangs had to be taken of course and I think by the end I got the hang of it.

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It’s something I would recommend trying out, but you only need to go once to experience it. It costs £5 per person and you need to pre book your slot.

A bit worn out after an hour’s worth of jumping and photos (my idea of a good workout) we left to head back toward Rayners Lane. On route we stopped to look at the pop shops at Box Park and enjoy a Charcoal Ice-cream by Soft Serve. I heard Charcoal is supposed to good for you, so this must be?!

• Fat Crab 

Dinner was booked for 8 at The Fat Crab. We were ready for it! Tasty crabs and great company was how we ended the night. You can read about my experience here.

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A day of eating, drinking, shopping, good company and MORE eating is always one well spent. Do we agree?

The next morning it was a big breakfast followed by the train back home.

My list of places to eat and have fancy cocktails just keeps growing however if you have any brilliant recommendations that you think should be priority let me know.

Neha x