Voyaging Vitally

Note: I am not suggesting that I would roll up in jeans and a t-shirt to these locations. By casual, I simply mean restaurants I would not personally save for a special evening/celebration.

All photos included in this post are my own.

I am reviving my blog with a post about London, as I will be there later this month.

London is one of my favorite cities in the world, and the food scene is most definitely a contributing factor. There is no shortage of phenomenal restaurants that hit all the marks – excellent food, fantastic service, a fun atmosphere, and the aesthetic to match. While living there I made it my mission to try new restaurants whenever possible, and my return trips now still somewhat center around food. Consider all of these a top contender for your next girls’ night, personally recommended by me. A curated list of places teeming with delectable flavors, opportunities for cute pictures, an atmosphere that almost guarantees a pleasant evening all around.

This is (part of) my list of more casual restaurants that I wouldn’t specifically choose for a special evening/celebration (although you absolutely could). Unless otherwise noted, I would recommend making reservations for all of the restaurants on this list. Please note that most of the menus on this list will change with the seasons, so check the links for the most recent menu.

• Canteen (Notting Hill) – Italian
  • I have literally 0 pictures from this restaurant because I devoured everything immediately. The interior is industrial in design, but the busy atmosphere, delicious food, and attentive staff provide plenty of warmth to the space. I highly recommend the duck ragu gnocchi and the chocolate mousse with olive oil and sea salt (one of my favorite bites in London).
  • NOTE: the menu changes daily and is posted on their Instagram. They also do not take reservations, so it’s best to go early.
  • Ratings:
    • Food: 10/10
    • Service: 9.5/10
    • Aesthetic: 8.5/10
  • Website, Instagram
• Ria’s (Notting Hill & Soho) – Pizza
  • A lowkey Detroit style pizza joint with a decent wine selection. This is a very intimate setting that feels more akin to stepping into your friend’s living room than a popular restaurant. The perfect combo of a bit of grease and wine/cocktails to catch up with your friends over. My personal order is the pepperoni pizza with hot honey sauce & a spicy marg!
  • Ratings:
    • Food: 8/10
    • Service: 9/10
    • Aesthetic: 8/10
  • Reservations (Notting Hill), Menu, Website

• The Pelican (Notting Hill) – British
  • Potentially the second most famous pub in all of London these days (after the Churchill Arms of course). A quaint gastropub where the tables are perpetually booked and the chance of a crowd outside during the evening is high. I particularly love this pub on a fall/winter evening when the wood burning fireplaces are going. Favorites here include the seabass and bone-in-sirloin. If you’re going to eat at one pub in London, make it this one.
    • Ratings:
      • Food: 9.5/10
      • Service: 9.5/10
      • Aesthetic: 10/10
    • Reservations, Menu / Website

• Caia (Notting Hill) – Modern European
  • Lesser known than most of the other restaurants on this list (unless you frequent Notting Hill perhaps), but still worth a visit on a longer trip or if you live in the city. Specifically, I would try to go in the latter half of the week to stay for the late night music in the basement. Check their website for upcoming DJ lists/dates. Favorites here include the Iberico ribs (a must try) and the sea bass meuniere.
  • Ratings:
    • Food: 8.5/10
    • Service: 8/10
    • Aesthetic: 9/10
  • Reservations, Menu, Website

• Sessions Art Club (Farringdon) – Modern European
  • Perhaps one of the most photographed restaurants (for good reason) in London. Unfortunately, the aesthetic seriously supersedes the quality of the food. A cute spot for girls night, but maybe stick to wine/cocktails and a few small plates/desserts. The staircase is a fantastic backdrop for pictures by the way.
  • Ratings:
    • Food: 7/10
    • Service: 8.5/10
    • Aesthetic: 10/10
  • Reservations, Website

• Quality Chophouse/Quality Wines (Clerkenwell/Exmouth Market) – Steakhouse/Mediterranean
  • Let me start of by clarifying that these are technically two separate restaurants in terms of booking, but they are connected. Quality Wines would be my recommendation for a lighter dinner/lunch if you’re more in the mood for an aperitivo, and Quality Chophouse for a proper meal.
  • Ratings:
    • Food: QW = 8.75/10, QC = 10/10
    • Service: 10/10
    • Aesthetic: 8.5/10
  • QC Reservations, QC Menus, QC Website
  • QW Reservations, QW Menus, QW Website
  • Photos below are of the Quality Wines space

• Morchella (Clerkenwell/Exmouth Market) – Mediterranean
  • Another restaurant located in the lively Exmouth market area that serves up delicious Mediterranean food. Located in an old bank hall, but the interior has been renovated with warm materials that mix mid-century modern and countryside chic. The open kitchen is also a fun addition.
  • Ratings:
    • Food: 9/10
    • Service: 9.5/10
    • Aesthetic: 9/10
  • Reservations, Menu, Website

• Cafe Deco (Bloomsbury) – European
  • A quaint restaurant/wine bar tucked in on an unassuming street in bustling Bloomsbury. The minimalistic but classic design suits the understated location and relatively small menu. It feels like everything has been carefully curated in both regards.
  • Ratings:
    • Food: 9/10
    • Service: 9/10
    • Aesthetic: 9/10
  • Reservations , Menu , Website

• Carlotta (Marylebone) – Italian
  • A relatively new addition to the Big Mamma Group restaurants in London. Perhaps the most lavish setting (alongside Jacuzzi) of any of their restaurants in London. The basement floor is defined by chrome, mirrors, and red. The main level of the restaurant features plush velvets and silks in red, cream, and muted greens. This restaurant is not the most popular Big Mamma location for tourists in London, but I would argue it should be. The food is excellent (as is standard across the brand), the aesthetic is extravagant, and the location is on an excellent high street (complete with red telephone booths just outside the restaurant) – so really this is a tourist’s dream.
  • Ratings:
    • Food: 9/10
    • Service: 8.5/10
    • Aesthetic: 10/10
  • Reservations / Menu / Website

• Grasso (Soho) – Italian-American
  • Another well-known Italian restaurant that exploded in popularity due to its aesthetic setting and their proper chicken Caesar salad (before it was all the craze in London). Portion sizes are generous all-around, but especially with the signature chicken Caesar salad dish (see below). I would highly recommend that signature dish, the penne alla vodka, and mom’s spaghetti.
  • Ratings:
    • Food: 8.5/10
    • Service: 10/10
    • Aesthetic: 9/10
  • Reservations , Menu , Website

• Nina (Marylebone) – Italian
  • Skip the Caesar salad here. Definitely get the focaccia with parmesan butter, the chicken Milanese, and quite literally any of the pastas. Another perfect girls night spot!
  • Ratings:
    • Food: 9.5/10
    • Service: 9/10
    • Aesthetic: 9.5/10
  • Reservations , Menu , Website

• Crisp W1 (Mayfair) – Pizza
  • Another restaurant I have no pictures of. This location is located in the basement of a pub, and is both very cute and very intimate. As in, you may have to scoot over your table to get into the booth seat kind of intimate. This is the kind of place where the table next to you (and potentially their neighbor as well) can hear everything you say. I would say it was still a very pleasant atmosphere, but I wouldn’t recommend if the closeness might bother you. What I would recommend is the vecna pie.
  • Ratings:
    • Food: 8/10
    • Service: 8.5/10
    • Aesthetic: 8/10
  • Reservations , Menu , Website