Charles Edwards

This is one of our favorite grown-up hotels in London. It is decorated beautifully in subdued tones and offers pretty wonderful services, many of which are geared toward families (on-call babysitters, goody bags, video games). On sunny days, the rooftop pool is the best spot to take in everything on offer: hula hoop classes, alfresco lunch, and twice-daily kids' swim hours. Beyond than the now-famous breakfast spread, there's no lack of dining and boozing options thanks to the Blue Bar, the Berkeley Café, and the luxe terrace bar.

It's a great place to stay, and it's also a wonderful spot to duck into for an afternoon tea. Live piano and violin (sometimes even a double bass) accompany the much-acclaimed menus here. You'll find a variety of small-batch Tregothnan English Estate blends, which are the perfect companion to the finger sandwiches, warm scones, and clotted cream. Their famous Marco Polo jelly is not to be missed, neither is a walk through the Art Deco lobby to check out the stunning sweeping staircase.

The Connaught was revamped in 2008, and the interiors are full of subtle and modern surprises while maintaining the institution's old-world charm. The decor is elegant, the service is top notch, and the Connaught Bar and Jean-Georges (the burger is insane) are tasteful additions. The top floor of the hotel is occupied by an exquisite apartment decorated by the late David Collins in his signature shades of blue and grey. It's available to guests for a luxurious stay, and at the very least worth exploring on the website.

Nestled in the heart of Belgravia on the absurdly charming Motcomb street, Amaya is one of our favorite spots for Indian food. Most of the dishes are grilled and bite-sized, which is the perfect excuse to order an abundance of their tasty sides. Favorite menu items: the grilled fish, the duck, and the grilled aubergine.

Regional Italian dishes that include a memorably great Osso Bucco are served up at Murano’s more laid-back sister restaurant, where chef Sam Williams has taken the helm. It’s relaxed in an upscale, Mayfair sort of way: Seats at the long marble bar are first-come-first-serve, and the booths are the perfect spot to spend the better part of an afternoon drinking aperitivi with friends. Must order: The truffle arancini. There's also an outpost in Covent Garden.

Like stepping back into old-world Eastern elegance, this beautiful dining room serves exquisitely-executed, upscale Cantonese classics, like their whole suckling pig, which requires 24-hour notice and £150 pounds. It's a splurge but makes for a memorable meal, particularly if it's served in one of the three adjacent private rooms that seat up to 26—Ping, Pang, and Pong—or combined to seat 80. The dim sum, which is less of an investment, is also great, the seafood and veggie sides are as fresh as they come, and they've totally nailed cha siu. A meal here is best enjoyed with an expense account, but you can always hit the swanky bar for one very delicious cocktail.

Even though it's a total gem, you won't find Chisou in any London guidebooks. It's traditional Japanese, and the experience is rounded out with hand towels and a serious sake menu. Make sure you try GP's pick, the spinach salad with spicy shrimp (GP loves it so much she orders two). If you're short on time or budget, try Chisou To Go, where you can pick up sushi, salad, and noodles for the road.

Not only is the Thai food delicious here but it's served at awesome prices—all amid myriad green, overgrown hanging plants in the back dining room. The bar area in front is traditional English style and gets crowded.

This spot comes from the same team behind the iconic Wolseley, and while it's a bit more low-key, it has the same "grand café" theme. The low-lit, low-ceilinged rooms are pretty great, and the all-day menu mimics the same feel with old-style Germanic standouts like wiener schnitzel, in addition to other European classics.

In a city heaving with pubs, The Engineer—in pastel-pretty Primrose Hill—is top of the list. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, their traditional Sunday roast is a force to be reckoned with—perfect plates stacked high with roasted meat, buttery vegetables, towering Yorkshire puds, and port reduction jus. The space itself—named for famed English engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, builder of the Great Western Railway—is more stylish gastro-pub than dark watering-hole, with wood-paneled walls, mahogany tables, and cozy leather booths to sink into. Through the long London winter, the roaring fire, well-curated wine list, and comfy seating make lingering into the evening over drinks with friends all too easy. In the summer months, the outdoor patio is the spot to snag a table for an al-fresco afternoon of elevated British grub, booze, and pudding, walked off with a post-lunch amble through nearby, leafy Regent's Park.

If you’re visiting London, it’s sort of a requirement to visit a pub, and the Grenadier is our long-time favorite. It’s tucked away in a cobblestone mews and features a cozy fireplace for rainy days. Once you’ve settled in, take the time to sample the fantastic beer menu and indulge in some classic pub food.

J. Sheekey is known for its super fresh oysters and its quiet, old-school British vibe, which makes sense, because it's been around forever and the quality is always the same. You'll get consistently fresh fish, great service, and a seamless experience any day of the week.

This is pretty much the perfect pub. And in a city famous for its wateringholes, that’s some truly high praise. Long, wooden tables fill a huge, bright dining room, which is packed with locals (and their dogs) on evenings and weekends. The impeccable thin-crust pizza, made with quality ingredients like Parma ham and taleggio, is another huge draw.

La Petite Maison is another restaurant by Arjun Waney (the investor behind Zuma), and it's based on the restaurant of the same name in Nice, meaning the food has a distinctly southern French soul. Plates come small and to share, so you can theoretically sample it all. The salads and fish carpaccios from the starter menu shouldn't be missed, and for the main course, the fish is always perfect and the macaroni with truffles is to die for. The real star of the show is the black leg roasted chicken, though: Order it right when you sit down. It takes about an hour and twenty minutes, but it justifies the wait.

Chef Giorgio Locatelli is a real innovator in the food space, but we're also fans of his persistence and strength—he had to close and re-open the restaurant after a traumatizing gas explosion blew through his recently renovated space. It's since re-opened, and is as quiet and comfortable as ever, guaranteeing a perfect grown up night out. Get ready for light, imaginative and seasonal Italian that won't disappoint.

This noisy, crowded spot in Chelsea makes fresh pizza in wood-burning ovens. The crust has that Neopolitan just-chewy-enough consistency that makes it impossible to put down, even after you're a few slices in.

Operating since 1798, Rules has the distinction of being the oldest restaurant in London (as they point out, their existence has spanned the rule of eight monarchs). The straightforward menu is all about classic British cuisine, with an emphasis on game that the proprietors raise themselves on an Essex estate.

If you happen to be wandering through Spitalfields Market, make sure you stop into this innovative and lively restaurant. The menu constantly changes with seasonally available ingredients. As the name suggests, the baked goods and wine list are the superstars, but they're almost out-shined by the nose-to-tail style meat dishes.

The kaiseki here is traditional in its form but often modern in its offerings, with a set menu of eight exciting, meticulous, and ingredient-focused dishes and an impressive wine and sake list. With a choice between a regular or a sushi kaiseki, the offerings vary on what's in season, and you can really tell that whatever arrives before you was plucked from a stand that very day. They also have à la carte sushi options, but if you can, go with the set menu, as it's worth it for the experience.

Perhaps it's because Wilton's has been operating in London since 1742 that it just feels so...British. It's definitely an upscale experience (with the clientele to match), but you get what you pay for because the service is warm, discreet, and impeccably precise. You'll want to do the sensible thing and order the classics: oysters from the Essex coast and a buttery Dover sole.

A walk down New and Old Bond Street yields eponymous boutiques from some of the world's best designers in clothing and jewelry. Solange-Azagury Partridge (her store is a must-see), Cartier, Miu Miu, Boucheron, and Yves Saint Laurent are all here.

Credited with breaking designers like Alexander McQueen and Christopher Kane, Browns is one of the biggest fashion megaships in London—and it has been since 1970, when it opened on a single floor of a townhouse.

There's often something interesting going on at the top of the road in Berkeley Square, but you'll also find flagships for Stella McCartney, Diane von Furstenberg, and Maison Martin Margiela.

It's becoming more and more difficult to find classic arcades like this in central London, where you'll find independent stores and extraordinary service. Savor the feel of Mayfair's good old days as you wander between the madness of Bond Street and Piccadilly. And don't miss the golden egg that is Ladurée's London outpost for a macaroon.

The finds here are beautifully restored and the owners, brothers Marc and Kevin Weaver, take special care with the display of each object. It’s not about period, it’s more about how well things go together in a space—and their displays, almost like vignettes, are both inspiring and stunning. Every few months, Guinevere changes its windows and those alone are worth the visit.

Sure, it's the city's most legendary, over-the-top shopping destination and it stocks all the upscale brands you'd expect (the markdowns at sale time are ridiculously good), but it's the food hall and ice cream shop that keep us coming back, particularly because littles go wild for the tastes-better-than it sounds spaghetti ice cream. The variety, presentation, and quality really are unsurpassed, though the price tags mean that it's only an occasional indulgence. It’s also just a beautiful and majestic space.

Savile Row is pretty much synonymous with bespoke tailoring. The street has been home to the world's finest tailors for centuries, and the primarily family-owned outfitters on the street have been honing the craft for generations. Nearby Jermyn Street also boasts some serious boutiques and tailors with a reputation for excellent shirting. Case in point: Nobody really does it better than Turnbull & Asser (in business for more than 100 years).

Simply put, this is one of the best department stores in the world. While the layout is refreshingly easy to navigate, no two visits are the same as there's always something new in the works, be it a pop-up shop or temporary exhibit. The Food Hall alone is worth a visit...same goes for the legendary Shoe Galleries.

While there are outposts all over the city, the flagship Marylebone location is an original Edwardian bookshop, with an emphasis on incredible travel titles. All locations also offer a great selection of poetry to fiction, biography and more, all organized by relevant country. Fun.

Hatchards has been open since 1797, welcoming guests like Rudyard Kipling and Lord Byron. Hatchards retains a wonderful old bookshop feel, a beautiful interior, and a knowledgeable staff.

Here, you'll find around 25,000 books piled on every imaginable surface, from tabletops to the staircase. The shop has a literary slant but stocks all sorts of titles, from architecture tomes to cookbooks to thrillers.

With an incredible range of maps, atlases, travel guides, accessories, globes and more, this long-standing classic is one of the biggest travel bookshops in the world. The store is old, but the philosophy is contemporary, as the guides and focus shift with the trends. Don't miss the map of the solar system above as you're walking up the stairs.

In 1870, this bookshop purchased the library of Charles Dickens and H.C. Folger, the great American collector of Shakespeare (who sourced most of his originals from here as well). Quality books of all kinds and friendly staff make this a stand-out London shop with a museum-like feel.