Experiences
London for American Visitors: The Essential Guide
How the money and the manners actually work, plus the experiences that show you the real London.
In short: our top picks are The Churchill Arms, Borough Market and Fortnum & Mason. 7 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
London rewards visitors who know a few of its unwritten rules. Americans tend to arrive expecting one thing and find another. The portions are smaller and the bills lighter than in New York, the service is warm but not performative, and nobody is going to check on your table every five minutes. Tipping is gentler here, pubs work on a system where you order at the bar rather than wait to be served, and the whole city runs on tapping a contactless card, on the Tube, the bus and in the corner shop alike. None of it is hard once you know it. This is the orientation we give friends flying in for the first time: how the money and the manners work, and the handful of experiences that show you the real London rather than the postcard version. Get those two things right and the city opens up quickly.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Churchill Arms | Kensington | ££ |
| Borough Market | Borough | ££ |
| Fortnum & Mason | Piccadilly | £££ |
| Sky Garden | The City | £££ |
| Blacklock Soho | Soho | ££ |
| Ronnie Scott's | Soho | £££ |
| The Wolseley | Piccadilly | £££ |
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Editor’s choice
The Churchill Arms
Why we pick itOne of London's prettiest pubs, buried under thousands of flowers outside and Churchill memorabilia within, with a genuinely good Thai kitchen out the back. It is the pub experience most Americans picture, done properly, and a fine first stop.
Worth knowingThe Thai conservatory takes no bookings and tables are cramped and often shared with strangers, and the famous flowers come down over winter.
Flower-clad pub with a Thai kitchen
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Borough Market
Why we pick itLondon's great food market, trading in some form for around a thousand years and still the best place to graze through British and global produce. Come hungry and mid-morning, on a weekday if your dates allow.
Historic food market
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Fortnum & Mason
Why we pick itAfternoon tea is the one piece of London theatre worth booking, and Fortnum's does the grandest version, all tiered stands and bottomless pots in the Diamond Jubilee Salon. Dress up a little and go in the afternoon.
The classic afternoon tea
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Sky Garden
Why we pick itThe best free view in London, a public garden on top of the Walkie Talkie tower looking out over the whole city. Book a free slot ahead, or come for a drink at the bar and walk straight in.
Free rooftop garden with skyline views
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Blacklock Soho
Why we pick itSunday lunch is a British ritual, and Blacklock does one of the best in town: a towering roast with beef dripping potatoes, at a price that will surprise anyone used to Manhattan. Book ahead for the weekend.
Sunday roast institution
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Ronnie Scott's
Why we pick itThe most famous jazz club in the country, running since 1959, and a proper late London night out. Book the early show for a seat, then let the room fill for the looser second set.
Legendary jazz club
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The Wolseley
Why we pick itA grand Viennese-style cafe in a former car showroom, and the best place to feel like a Londoner for an hour, whether for breakfast, a light lunch or a coffee under the vaulted ceiling. Walk-ins are welcome at the counter.
Worth knowingDependable rather than surprising. It sells atmosphere and consistency, and for some diners the food is the least interesting part of the visit.
Grand all-day cafe
Before you book
A few things worth knowing before you land. Tipping: most sit-down restaurants add a discretionary service charge of around 12.5 percent, so check the bill before you add anything, and you do not tip in a pub or round up much more than the fare in a black cab. Money: contactless is king, so tap your card or phone straight on the Tube and buses, and you no longer need a paper Oyster card. Timing: kitchens often stop earlier than in the States and many pubs call last orders around 11pm, so eat a little earlier than you might at home. And look right, not left, before you step off the kerb.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
The Churchill Arms is our editor's choice: One of London's prettiest pubs, buried under thousands of flowers outside and Churchill memorabilia within, with a genuinely good Thai kitchen out the back. It is the pub experience most Americans picture, done properly, and a fine first stop. The Churchill Arms, Borough Market and Fortnum & Mason lead the guide, with 7 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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