COVENT GARDEN

Covent Garden is a district of central London and in the centre of this district is the Covent Garden Piazza with it’s shopping arcades and markets.  The piazza at Covent Garden is usually full of tourists, I recommend wander through the side streets Short’s Garden, Floral Street and Neal Street in particular, pedestrian street that ends at the same Covent Garden market stalls, full of handmade clothing, crafts and home furnishings, among others.  Underground Station:  Covent Garden or Leicester Square.

Une petite pause gourmande à Covent Garden  Image Francois & Marie

WALKING AND SHOPPING

ST MARTINS COURTYARD   This beautiful new open air shopping destination offers unique boutiques and small restaurants. You can find the most cutting edge fashion stores, such as Hoss Intropia, Sienna Miller and her sister, Twenty8Twelve, Banana Republic, Jaeger London. You should stop for a coffee or quick-lunch at Bill’s, open for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

SEVEN DIALS   Seven Dials is the junction of several streets (Monmouth Street, Earlham Street and Mercer Street).  Wander along these narrow roads, especially the small alley named Neal’s Yard. A great place for lunch is the Brasserie Max, 10 Monmouth Street, at the Covent Garden Hotel.  A relaxed and casual bar and restaurant, excellent and expensive.

COVENT GARDEN MARKET SQUARE   The market lies at the heart of the Covent Garden piazza.  Is a large glass covered building which comprises several boutiques, pubs and restaurants.

Neal’s Yard  Image Okinawa Steve

EAT

NEAL’S YARD DIARY  17 Shorts Garden.  A traditional artisan cheese store, with produce from all around the British Isles.  The cheddars are worth trying.

RULES   35 Maiden Lane.  One of London’s oldest restaurants.

DISHOOM  12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane.  Bombay café style , good Indian snacks.

GREAT QUEEN STREET  32 Great Queen Street.  Reasonably priced trendy gastropub.  Splendid meals and nice atmosphere.

MARGOT  45 Great Queen Street Best Italian restaurant in Covent Garden 

CAMDEN TOWN

It is a good alternative to spend a day but is not a recommended place to hang out at night.  The area comprises three large concentrated markets, where you will find from fun and funky clothes to vintage clothing, antiques, toys, souvenirs to brilliant global-food stalls and a live  music scene in between. It has the extra attraction of the waterways running through the neighborhood and bridges over the canals.  The service of the London Waterbus Company along Regent’s Canal links Little Venice, Regent’s Park, London Zoo and Camden Lock. Warwick Ave is the closest tube if you are catching the boat from Little Venice. Nearby are Regent’s Park, with its rose gardens, a lake with ducks, and games for children, and the London Zoo. There are also many bars and restaurants. Tube Station: Camden Town or Chalk Farm

Camden Town   Image Misterzee Wikipedia

SEE

ST PANCRAS TRAIN STATION  The station is known as the cathedral of the railway stations and includes two of the most impressive examples of the Victorian Gothic architecture.

CAMDEN MARKET   Walk the Camden High Street and Chalk Farm Road and discover the many shops, pubs and restaurants on the way.  Crossing the bridge is the Camden Lock, the most popular open air market in London. Open from 10am to 6.pm

PRIMROSE HILL   Chalk Farm Underground. You may easily reach the hill by taking a 12 minute walk  from the Roundhouse in Camden (which is a place for arts and entertainment), up the Regents Park Road. Just two streets further you already see the change for the rich & famous style, houses with lovely gardens, paparazzi, convertibles parked in the doorway and tiny boutiques. Regents Park Road in Primrose Hill houses several shops and restaurants, a very cool one is The Queens, open from 11am all day.

 

Fitzroy’s  Primrose Hill   Image unchainedguide

Related articles

• I know this great little place in Covent Garden…Dalla Terra (winesleuth.wordpress.com)
• Top chefs taking Covent Garden into fine dining league (thisislondon.co.uk)