Absolutely delicious Keralan food served in a delightful way. This branch specialises in vegetarian and seafood and we had the feasts in both and both were fab. By 7pm they were turning people away so best to book or get there early.

5 Charlotte Street, London, W1P 1HD. www.rasaresaurants.co.uk tube - Tottenham Court Rd or Goodge St

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This is a lovely vegan restaurant in a red double decker bus. Food is brilliant and the staff are very friendly!

Elys Yard, just off Brick Lane

www.root-master.co.uk

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Great alternative theatrical dining experience. It's had sell-out performances across South Africa over the past two years. The show combines performances from contortionists, comedians and circus actors with a four-course meal and it would be a great Christmas experience.

Battersea Power Station - a 5 minute walk from Vauxhall tube station

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We went to El Torero Loco for a quick after work drink - we ended up staying there all night! It really is a tapas place with a difference - stylish with a glamorous sofa area at the back. Great happy hour 5-7pm, with amazing cocktails. The tapas were divine - try the chorizo stew and gambas.

351 Fulham road, London (Chelsea)
www.eltoreroloco.co.uk
Gloucester road or Fulham Broadway

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This is a truly new way to eat out, if you want to take a break from exploring the city. I stumbled upon this place while out and about in Soho with some friends. The food is Eastern-Asian and tastes fantastic, but instead of ordering all of your drinks and food from a waiter, you use Inamo’s special gizmo. It projects a virtual menu onto your table and by using your fingers you can navigate through the food and drinks and it will even show you a picture of what it is that you are eating!

You don’t need a waiter at all (but they are still around to help), you can take your time ordering and eating, and you can even play battleships and order a cab home. It’s something that I’ve not seen anywhere else before and definitely worth a look!

134-136 Wardour Street, Soho, London, W1F 8ZP

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Lurking in the hinterland that is Hack-Hack-Hackney, this little bit of east has most definitely missed out on the regeneration, but it's also missed out on the outlaw years of estates, grime and crime. It's a beautiful spot offering tranquillity amongst the sprawl, where you can stroll along the river, watch the wildlife scuttle by, catch a real odd (but truly unique) pint at the Hope and Anchor, or pick up a fry-up at the cafe opposite Lea Valley Marina. Beautiful, chilled and totally hidden.

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Great area especially on a Thursday and Friday when they have a food market that attracts the local workers. Also has some great restaurants: Moro, Medcalf and The Ambassador.

Exmouth Market, just off Farringdon Road. 10 minutes' walk from Farringdon and Angel tube stations

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A club in Shoreditch where you can enjoy very good food, a games lounge, ten pin bowling, spa treatments, a rooftop swim with magnificent city views.

Ebor Street, London E1
Closest tube Liverpool Street

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It's a delightful surprise behind the hustle and bustle of The Strand with a beautiful courtyard for fountains or movies, a museum of Russian artifacts from St Petersburg (The Hermitage Rooms) and a wonderful collection of paintings and other pieces of artwork at the Courtauld Gallery. There is a basement cafe at the Gallery, or a terrace restaurant overlooking the Thames, or The Admiralty for finer dining.

Somerset House
The Strand
London
W1

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Bistro restaurants - excellent value for money, for example two-course lunch for £6.90; dinner for £7.90; three-course lunch for £9.90 and dinner for £10.90. Delicious Mediterranean food and good, quick, informal service.

www.bistro1.co.uk/
3 branches: 1 on Southampton Street, 1 on Beak Street and 1 on Frith Street.

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At a time when so many hotels no longer include breakfast, St. Martins in the Fields is truly a bargain. This church is slap bang in the centre right beside Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery. The cafe hidden in the crypt does a full English breakfast with tea/coffee for a mere £6.50. A bargain!

www2.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/page/cafe/crypt/crypt.html

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Right in the middle of Chelsea is a wonderful secret garden. Founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, it continues to research the properties, origins and conservation of more than 5000 plant species. But the nicest thing is just to sit there with a book on a sunny day. The cafe also sells some gorgeous food, especially the salads and the cakes.

Note that it isn’t open every day, and it does cost to get in. Details on the website.

You can quite often get two-for-one entry offers from rail companies, e.g. www.southeasterndaysout.co.uk/Attractions.aspx?County=London&TOCID=8

www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/

You can quite often get two-for-one entry offers from rail companies, e.g. www.southeasterndaysout.co.uk/Attractions.aspx?County=London&TOCID=8

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If you travel on a budget, like I do, finding a place to eat in London can be a nightmare. That's why I recommend you take the tube to the nearest Ikea and dine in its restaurant.

Meals start at an amazing price of 1 pound and the prices almost never rise above 5 pounds! Breakfast starts at 95p (Sausage, bacon, scrambled egg, hash brown, beans, and tomato). Swedish meat balls start at 3.25 pounds, you can refill your drinks and coffee for free, they have special meals for kids etc.

One might forget about an option like this but Ikea restaurants are always a good place to eat when travelling on a budget.

www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/IkeaNearYouView?storeId=7&catalogId=11001&langId=-20&StoreName=localfood

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If you like your meals healthy and are on a tight budget, Greens and Beans is the place for you. This small but friendly place offers fresh organic vegetarian meals at great prices!

www.druworldwide.com/cafe/greens_and_beans

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Churchills has got to be the best value Thai kitchen in London, delicious menu at £6 a main, in a great traditional pub that is regularly voted the Capital's best.

Walk it off down nearby Portobello market then head to the funkiest, friendliest little space at NHAC - groovy Brasilian beats (after-carnival was great) in a really creative environment - top Saturday in Notting Hill!

Tube to Notting Hill Gate, NHAC directly opposite (go early) and Churchills on Kensington Church St, adjacent.

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This is a great Mediterranean restaurant that is right beside Finchley Central tube. It does a great two-course deal for lunch (£7) and just £2 more for dinner. Great value with options for fish (tuna steak, salmon, seafood pasta), meat (eg lamb shank, spicy minced lamb) and veg (eg moussaka). It's run by Turkish people but there is more variety than your normal one. Wine isn't fantastic but beer is Efes.

There isn't a huge number of options in this area of Ballards Lane but this is definitely the best value (and actually the best food) around there.

Battasy, 26 Ballards Lane, London N3 2BJ, England

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I'm definitely more of an urban type and enjoy a regular matinee screening at the Barbican cinema followed by noodles in Smithfield.

Sometimes though, I enjoy a trip to Harrow-on-the-Hill, especially in the autumn.

My partner, who lives there, gave me a guided tour one weekend. We strolled upwards about 10 minutes from the tube (Metropolitan Line), past the famous Harrow school, to St Mary's Church on Church Hill. The atmospheric churchyard is where Lord Byron sought inspiration. We cut down a dark passage through the trees leading from the gravestones into an open area which had amazing views across London.

Another short walk back to the church and down the High Street and we were at The Castle Inn pub. We had lunch on the lovely garden terrace, where some windfall apples had fallen on the ground around our feet.

Castle Inn pub on 30 West Street (020 8422 3155)

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This is a great gastropub for a number of reasons. Decor-wise it's like any other gastropub with wooden tables and chairs and a general unpretentious feel to it, yet it offers imaginative food at a decent price. Starters range from seared chicken livers, roast onion and black pudding (£5) to oysters (£6) and mains are also varied, my favourite being the salt marsh lamb with curly kale, minted chick pea and cauliflower puree (£15.95).

The kitchen is at one end of the room creating a warm and engaging atmosphere, and the service is unobtrusive. By far the best on the menu is the death by chocolate pudding - perhaps shared between two to avoid the death bit. Highly recommended, especially if you happen to be in the Ealing/Chiswick area.

222 South Ealing Road, W5 4RL
www.ealingparktavern.com
020 8758 1879
Nearest tube South Ealing

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Stay in this wonderful three-storey home of a Huguenot weaver in a quiet street between Brick Lane and Spitalfields market. Furnished in a comfortable, practical way the true character of the home is retained... wonkey staircase, oak panelling and solid ancient floors. The absence of a TV inspires sketches and great tips in best handwriting on the vellum pages of the green linen bound logbook. Learn about who lived there over the years and sit out under the raspberry pink camellia in the garden with a glass of wine and a plate of cheese from the nearby deli.

After a quiet night's rest in heavenly beds stroll through the Sunday market for a feast of food from stallholders across the world. Cross over to Spitalfields market for the up-and-coming designers or find a sweet vintage brooch or bag. Five minutes to the Caledonian flower market for an armful of fragrant blooms.
Brick Lane is great for a cheap curry... have a takeaway in the garden!

Come at Christmas and watch the neighbours peel back their shutters to outdo each other in Christmas decorations. Better than a hotel any day!

Princelet St Spitalfields
www.landmarktrust.co.uk

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A great backstreet pub, with fantastic food and lovely staff. Has a brilliant circular bar to sit around, drink, eat and chat. Just around the corner from The Hoxton Urban Lodge too.

28 Paul Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 4LB

www.thefoxpublichouse.co.uk/contact_us.php

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