Guide to London for visitors

First topic message reminder :

Edit - KRD - made this one a global in the lead up to the Olympics
With the Olympics nearly upon us, I thought it'd be nice to compose a guide for those visiting London written by 606 members in London. If everyone joining this thread from the big Smoke could give examples of the following, we'll get a great guide very quickly:

1) your favourite London Landmark
2) your secret bargain eatery
3) your favourite drinking spot
4) your favourite leisurely London activity
5) the best nearby place/activity outside of London
6) your tip for where tonwatch sport (live or on tv) in London
7) your favourite local dish
8) your favourite London musician/venue/ club/ music-y thing
9) your favourite beverage and where to get it (if different to 3)
10) anything I've missed

I'll add mine later today but let's help visitors to the biggest sporting stage!

Best steak i ever had was in the USA- but its more about how they cut and cook it.- they have the best grills in there restaurants - its all about it being black and blue for me! We get steak from all over shipped on planes these days. However one of the best steaks i have had in this country was a 40 day aged castlecreak(usa steak) rib eye. Best in america the classic new york strip(but it was a jersy(UK) cut!!!)- about 4 times as thcik as your average sirloin but cooked to perfection.

I dont personally rate argentinian steak at all.

There is nothing overrated about food- you either like it or you dont!


I like lobster- you dont as much. its simples

I just think it tastes like less interesting, chewier crab. I'd take a snow crab any day if the week

anyone else here been to Boxpark yet in Shoreditch?

chewier crab- lol- it tastes so different to that.Not sure what lobsters you have been eating! king crab is tasty tho- but kinda rare!!!

Cheap American lobsters in Florida

Ahh , welll then. gotta be cooked right..

worst places to eat in florida. any taco bell, ponderousas or red lobsters. i also dont like ihops either.

best place wild jacks!!

I like Firehouse Subs there too..........

You've never been to Yoder's restaurant so. Lovely Amish restaurant in Sarasota, not a chain but damn good eats.


Golden Coral is an alright spot, buffet, good value and the food is pretty nice.

Thomond wrote:You've never been to Yoder's restaurant so. Lovely Amish restaurant in Sarasota, not a chain but damn good eats.


Golden Coral is an alright spot, buffet, good value and the food is pretty nice.

No way!! Swear I've been there! Only once, with the family, but I know it was an Amish restaurant and am sure it was in Sarasota as my cousin worked at a vets by there. Sold some great fudge from the (gift?) shop

I had Wild Jack's. Good babyback ribs

11) what are your top 3 tips for places/things to avoid as a tourist in London?

London Dungeon - absolute rubbish
Tubes in the centre - everywhere is walkable
single tickets - if you do use public transport get a day/week pass
beggars - don't fall for pitiful stories or expressions, just a pack of smackheads &/or professional leaches
groups of loitering youths late at night
mcdonalds
rush hour
night buses unless you're in a group
god-botherers
Oxford Street
eye-contact on the tubes
anyone above the age of 11 who wears a football strip
men with beer guts, pony-tails & tattoos
women with beer guts, pony-tails & tattoos
Cricklewood

re "anyone above the age of 11 who wears a football strip" - I'm not suggesting you should approach anyone 11 or under who wears a football strip

Do you mean a jersey know or the full kit? I don't see a problem with wearing a jersey to a match or playign a game of ball after that it can be a bit weird

I take you have the liverpool shirt then Thomond and you wear it with pride?

I did mean just the jersey - fair enough if you wear it to a game but when it's worn to a restaurant/shopping mall/film etc with the family it's a bit creepy
anyone who wears the full kit should be avoided with weapons

Liverpool? Wouldn't wipe my arse with one of them. If you're 20 or older and are not wearing a jersey to a match or the weekend of a match if you're at an away game it's a bit odd.


I'm a Cork City fan Oakey, local football is wear it's at can't be doing with the bandwagoners and barstoolers. Still kinda support Leeds but hardly a fanatic, if you asked me who they signed other than Paul Green (worst signing ever) I wouldn't have a clue.

Arr yes leeds it is.. Me palace fan - will never buy a shirt though. sorry palace but i am not a true fan. England is my team- I have a shirt but i dont ever wear it

Advice....as a teenager who lives in South London......try to avoid us...especially ones with chains or bandanas and at night.

Galted wrote:11) what are your top 3 tips for places/things to avoid as a tourist in London?

London Dungeon - absolute rubbish
Tubes in the centre - everywhere is walkable
single tickets - if you do use public transport get a day/week pass
beggars - don't fall for pitiful stories or expressions, just a pack of smackheads &/or professional leaches
groups of loitering youths late at night
mcdonalds
rush hour
night buses unless you're in a group
god-botherers
Oxford Street
eye-contact on the tubes
anyone above the age of 11 who wears a football strip
men with beer guts, pony-tails & tattoos
women with beer guts, pony-tails & tattoos
Cricklewood

Good list
I'll add
-chuggers (aka streetside charity "muggers" after your bank account details for a good cause). Tottenham Court Rd is bad for both Scientologists and chuggers (note, unless you're buying electronics or furniture the only part of TCR that's of much interest is the tube station, and the Dominion Theatre opposite (hosting the We Will Rock You musical)
-entrance-ways to tube platforms (only tourists mill around blocking access to the rest of the platform)
the left-hand side of tube escalators, unless you're running late for something (stand on the right, walk up/down the left). I saw someone get knocked out last Friday night in Marble Arch station (after Soundgarden at Hard Rock Calling) after he objected to the group in front of him blocking the escalator "fast-lane".
-gaggles of French school children on field-trips (generally around Oxford St/Picadilly/Trafalgar Sq/the Strand/Victoria Embankment Gardens)

Kiwireddevil -"gaggles of French school children on field-trips (generally around Oxford St/Picadilly/Trafalgar Sq/the Strand/Victoria Embankment Gardens)"
lol - they also clog up London Bridge while they take photos of Tower Bridge which is pretty annoying when you're trying to get to the station - unfortunately they tend to be too short to shoulder barge out the way

InTheFastLane wrote:Advise....as a teenager who lives in South London......try to avoid us...especially ones with chains or bandanas and at night.

*Advice, maybe south London teenagers should concentrate a little better in school.

1 more:

MOVE DOWN IN THE CARRIAGES!!

If you are going to use the tubes, nothing will make a local/regular commuter more furious than tourists piling in around the doorways and not moving down to fill the space along the carriages.

TopHat24/7 wrote:1 more:

MOVE DOWN IN THE CARRIAGES!!

If you are going to use the tubes, nothing will make a local/regular commuter more furious than tourists piling in around the doorways and not moving down to fill the space along the carriages.

And always let people get off before you get on. People get furiously angry on the train, I've seen people literally barge others off the train to get off. They may not ask politely if you could excuse them.

sodhat wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:1 more:

MOVE DOWN IN THE CARRIAGES!!

If you are going to use the tubes, nothing will make a local/regular commuter more furious than tourists piling in around the doorways and not moving down to fill the space along the carriages.

And always let people get off before you get on. People get furiously angry on the train, I've seen people literally barge others off the train to get off. They may not ask politely if you could excuse them.

Yep, that's another bug-bear. I'm gonna be honest, I'm 6'3" and 20st, if people don't stand away from the doors when I want to get off I play skittles. Barge clean through and send people flying, take no prisoners. If you try barge past me to get on before I've even got off then god help you. I actually dragged one c*** back off by his back-pack once.

I used to wait at the back and just launch through the middle

just give them all a big s**t-eating grin & say "hello" when the doors open, that'll have them backing off in no time.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

sodhat wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:1 more:

MOVE DOWN IN THE CARRIAGES!!

If you are going to use the tubes, nothing will make a local/regular commuter more furious than tourists piling in around the doorways and not moving down to fill the space along the carriages.

And always let people get off before you get on. People get furiously angry on the train, I've seen people literally barge others off the train to get off. They may not ask politely if you could excuse them.

Yep, that's another bug-bear. I'm gonna be honest, I'm 6'3" and 20st, if people don't stand away from the doors when I want to get off I play skittles. Barge clean through and send people flying, take no prisoners. If you try barge past me to get on before I've even got off then god help you. I actually dragged one c*** back off by his back-pack once.

I'm not quite that extreme. But if people are getting on before I've gotten off I do tend to square the shoulders (I'm 6'1" and 20st), so that if the "gap" isn't big enough the person getting on will "know" I've had to push past them. I consider it "educating the ignorant/ill-mannered"

Kiwireddevil wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

sodhat wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:1 more:

MOVE DOWN IN THE CARRIAGES!!

If you are going to use the tubes, nothing will make a local/regular commuter more furious than tourists piling in around the doorways and not moving down to fill the space along the carriages.

And always let people get off before you get on. People get furiously angry on the train, I've seen people literally barge others off the train to get off. They may not ask politely if you could excuse them.

Yep, that's another bug-bear. I'm gonna be honest, I'm 6'3" and 20st, if people don't stand away from the doors when I want to get off I play skittles. Barge clean through and send people flying, take no prisoners. If you try barge past me to get on before I've even got off then god help you. I actually dragged one c*** back off by his back-pack once.

I'm not quite that extreme. But if people are getting on before I've gotten off I do tend to square the shoulders (I'm 6'1" and 20st), so that if the "gap" isn't big enough the person getting on will "know" I've had to push past them. I consider it "educating the ignorant/ill-mannered"

It's like a community service, Pete?

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

Kiwireddevil wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

sodhat wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:1 more:

MOVE DOWN IN THE CARRIAGES!!

If you are going to use the tubes, nothing will make a local/regular commuter more furious than tourists piling in around the doorways and not moving down to fill the space along the carriages.

And always let people get off before you get on. People get furiously angry on the train, I've seen people literally barge others off the train to get off. They may not ask politely if you could excuse them.

Yep, that's another bug-bear. I'm gonna be honest, I'm 6'3" and 20st, if people don't stand away from the doors when I want to get off I play skittles. Barge clean through and send people flying, take no prisoners. If you try barge past me to get on before I've even got off then god help you. I actually dragged one c*** back off by his back-pack once.

I'm not quite that extreme. But if people are getting on before I've gotten off I do tend to square the shoulders (I'm 6'1" and 20st), so that if the "gap" isn't big enough the person getting on will "know" I've had to push past them. I consider it "educating the ignorant/ill-mannered"

It's like a community service, Pete?

It's an attempt to better the lives of most of my fellow tube-travellers at least. Not all of them admittedly

Another great "English" thing to do is High Tea, if there's a small group of you, it's lovely. But DON'T go to the Ritz, it's overpriced far too much. You get as good an experience for neat half the price at other places such as Montague on the Gardens.

I fecking love London

Kiwireddevil wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

sodhat wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:1 more:

MOVE DOWN IN THE CARRIAGES!!

If you are going to use the tubes, nothing will make a local/regular commuter more furious than tourists piling in around the doorways and not moving down to fill the space along the carriages.

And always let people get off before you get on. People get furiously angry on the train, I've seen people literally barge others off the train to get off. They may not ask politely if you could excuse them.

Yep, that's another bug-bear. I'm gonna be honest, I'm 6'3" and 20st, if people don't stand away from the doors when I want to get off I play skittles. Barge clean through and send people flying, take no prisoners. If you try barge past me to get on before I've even got off then god help you. I actually dragged one c*** back off by his back-pack once.

I'm not quite that extreme. But if people are getting on before I've gotten off I do tend to square the shoulders (I'm 6'1" and 20st), so that if the "gap" isn't big enough the person getting on will "know" I've had to push past them. I consider it "educating the ignorant/ill-mannered"

you could just never ever stop me mate. I am like a rat on that tube network. I overtake 1000's of people in rush hour.

and i know all the short cuts as well.

Oh no... this thread has degenerated into one of the two Londoner preoccupations... it'll be house prices next!

reckoner wrote:Oh no... this thread has degenerated into one of the two Londoner preoccupations... it'll be house prices next!

You forgot about the 3rd preoccupation, the weather (admittedly more UK-wide than London-specific)

Yes indeed, Kiwireddevil.

Here's a challenge - the next time someone wants to discuss the weather ask them about their sex life!

The weather is beautifull in london today...........................

Whoever was looking for Japanese earlier, one of my mates went to Tsunami in Clapham with his family and says it was excellent

As for my Vietnamese, it's called Song Que

mystiroakey wrote:The weather is beautifull in london today...........................

How's your sex life, Oakey?

pretty mundane mate

Obviously, OBVIOUSLY the weather thing only applies to hot girls.

ChequeredJersey wrote:Another great "English" thing to do is High Tea, if there's a small group of you, it's lovely. But DON'T go to the Ritz, it's overpriced far too much. You get as good an experience for neat half the price at other places such as Montague on the Gardens.

I fecking love London

Second that and also advise doing your research. Plenty of really nice places (better on all levels than the Ritz), even heard of one at a Burlesque club....!

if you're trying to impress a girl or group of girls with drunken bravado it's worth remembering that the metropolitan police are fairly tolerant & will put up with a bit of lip & give a fair few warnings before they arrest you

Except if their name is Simon Harwood...

...and you're drunk off your face and refuse to follow the orders of geared up riot police.

Some of the best Thai curries I've ever had were at the Fiddlers Irish pub in Hornsey near Turnpike Lane, odd. Sadly don't think they do Thai there anymore.

Whatever ye do... Mind De Gap. And wear yer wellies.

And get pished in Hyde Park on a warm summers day, which happen every now and then.

This one's worth a read. http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/how-be-london-local-10-tips-faking-it-970492

#7 is one reason I've maintained my Kiwi accent "Sorry, I'm a tourist, no UK bank account"

I am completly immune to chuggers or beggers etc anyway.

If someone suggests going for a drink after work, they mean drink and nothing else. Booze will be bought in quantity and at no time will the issue of dinner raise its ugly head.

It is acceptable to order prepackaged bar snacks such as crisps (potato chips) or peanuts to soak up some of the alcohol. Alternatively, try ordering drinks that offer a sliver of nutritional value, like a pint of London Pride beer or a cocktail with an olive.

In some bars you may see something called “Pork Scratchings” for sale. These are not for you.