I am meeting an old friend in London tonight. Last time I saw her was about 10 years ago in Cambridge where she was doing a doctorate in psychology . She now resides in Houston Tx.
We are old school friends, both happily married. Enough background info.

Any recommendations where one could go for some drinks and food? She is a bit arty and cultured, but in a good way, not pretentious .
We are meeting Camden Town, Gouwer Street, will travel from there .
I was thinking somewhere on the Southbank near the theatres .

Anyone?

toptable

How about Brindisa?

http://www.brindisa.com/restaurants/tapas-brindisa-soho/

Tapas and drinks and near enough bars.

Tough that, classy bird in Lonjon and all that..

We eat/drink at Plateau in Canary Wharf (£70ph)but thats too far from you (great view of the Towers though)
Sooo… hmmm…. Princi is a rustic (but reasonably snooty) hip pizza joint in Wardour St, funky enough to go dressed up in,(£35ph) then head to HIX for cocktails perhaps (on Brewer St)(£’000’sph…hic)
Or.. theres a great veggie restaurant in Soho on the way to Goulden Sq, well nice, v relaxed but snooty enough (I’m asking MrsB for the name of it as it escapes me… 😳 ) Ahh Mildreds I think, anyways it’s got a pale blue exterior and there will be a queue out to get in, worth the wait though.(£60ph)
You could go to the Nat Portrait Gallery restaurant (above the galleries, entrance at the rear) thats nice, great view over TrafSq, French’ish food, wines good, loadsa posh folks in there (£80ph)

Don’t eat out on the Southbank sorry..

Edit, Mildreds on Lexington St, Soho W1F9AN

Cheers CB , that is a very helpful website.

Don’t eat out on the Southbank sorry..

Nor I.

However, try Mon Plaisir in Seven Dials, just up from Covent Garden. Lovely, very genuine French Bistro.

Thanks Andy and Bboy, liking some of those ideas

if you were thinking of hitting the southbank then cocktails up the Shard? Great views and not too expensive (£10-15 each)… also no booking required. Then you could mooch down to Bermondsey street to Casse Croute (v good french Bistro, or Jose’s or Pizarro’s for spanish fare. Also a few decent pubs around there

I would second Mon Plaisir.

Hix would work if you are fancy cocktails with some decent food at the bar.

If you’re set on going to the southbank I forgot about Skylon at the Royal Festival Hall which also does food but I’ve never eaten there. Cocktails are excellent. There are loads of high street chain type restaurants in the area.

OK I’ll say it… OXO Tower…. but really, there is a restaurant up there and the views are really rather good.. bit expensive for what it is and the food is upper Ave French’ish in quality, drinks are expensive but on the whole you pay for the view..
You may need to book as it gets busy.

Thanks Flashy, she likes French food , got a table booked at Mon Plaidir.

I was going to suggest the V+A, which closes at 10pm on Fridays, if she’s ‘arty and cultured’. The cafe, whilst not amazing, is pretty good and fairly reasonable, and is a lovely place to sit and eat/chat. Maybe not really a ‘going out for a nice evening meal’ type venue, but I often meet friends there for a bit of kulcha and a cup of tea/slice of cake. Worth thinking about for a future daytime activity, as it’s a truly incredible place.

We eat/drink at Plateau in Canary Wharf

Was McDonalds full? 😉

Come to think of it, if anyone does know of any nice eateries and a decent pub near South Ken, I’d be grateful. A couple of nice little daytime cafes, but the restaurants seem very touristy, and the area seems strangely bereft of pubs, bar a couple of average boozers. Any hidden gems in that area?

South Ken is terrible for pubs. I tend to wander down to the Admiral Codrington.
http://www.theadmiralcodrington.co.uk/

Going back up towards Knightsbridge The Tea Clipper is OKish
http://teaclipperknightsbridge.com/

A little further away (jump on a boris bike)
http://www.thequeensarmskensington.co.uk/

If you have to stay in spitting distance of South Ken tube then there’s a couple of cheese / wine places or the bar at Brindisa

The Cod? Ahhhh, happy days! 🙂

I’d recommend St John (Smithfield) great food nice atmosphere

Meat liquer, patty and bun, meat market or honest burger. No finer food will you find in the big smoke.

Thanks Andy B, they look great. I don’t know that area that well, only ever visited the museums and the RAH, and have ended up wandering aimlessly a few times, then giving up and going elsewhere. Will try to remember those.

Loads of folks here in t’office go to “Meat Mayhem” in Shoreditch, ‘parrently it gets rammed full like and is most excellent..

*looks over shoulder at Bankers, “whassat? don’t tell everyone?”

Ooopp’s.

😀

My big recommendation? Travel as little as possible. Find somewhere close to where you are meeting her. Off the top of my head in Camden there is Gilgamesh for high end food and HI Sushi for something more relaxed (and cheaper!). Drinks: The Lock Tavern, the Hawley Arms and the Lockside Lounge are all good and all within easy walking distance. You don’t hate yourself or your friend, so do yourself a massive favour and stay off the tube 😉

Mon Plaisir is nice – they do a set pre theatre menu for 15-20 gbp.

Best coffee is at Monmouth almost next door but they close at 6.

Within 10 mins walk of Mon Plaisir is Princess Louise pub in Holborn, proper booths inside & v reasonable prices for beer.

Enjoy!

Hawksmoor, Shoreditch. Best steak in London, non pretentious and loads of “fun” snotty clubs open at 11pm – take her to Callooh Callay’s back room through the “wardrobe” for some higher society tequila slammers later. Remember these classy birds love a bit of rough as long as there’s champers on offer.

So I’ve heard.

Just back in from a great night out. Mon Plaisir was a very nice experience.
Had a couple of single malts across the road (literally)at a very sophisticated French place.
Tonight I Got a taste for enjoying the things London has to offer. It’s only thirty minutes on the train to get there .
Will take the missus there once a month from now on .
You only live once and all that 🙂