My Favourite Places…

I have lived in Chelsea and Fulham since the late 1980s:  the standard of restaurants and choice for eating out seems to improve year after year and is certainly one of the main advantages of living here! I have always loved the Chelsea Farmers’ Market located just off the fashionable King’s Road. I remember many happy times here at ‘El Gaucho’ which serves great Argentinian steak and where we recently paid a visit. It is still great, but not so cheap! For a relaxed brunch celebrating 60 years this year, ‘Le Troubadour’ on Old Brompton Road, is one of the last remaining restaurants with music from the 1950s . This  is  one of my favourite places from teenage times! Nowadays our favourite cafe ‘Local Hero’, at 640 Fulham Road, has fantastic custard tarts, freshly prepared juice and imaginative salads.

For delicious Spanish cuisine I recommend ‘Cambio de Tercio’ in Old Brompton Road, South Kensington; 

Nepalese food

their Ham & Sherry Bar,  ‘Capote y Toros’,  and a Gin & Tonic bar, ‘C Tonic’,  are owned by the same group;   ‘Tendido Cuatro’ on New Kings Road is wonderful for tapas and my nearest! ‘Casa Brindisa’ at South Kensington
has tapas galore... great for a girls night out!
Our family favourite – the Chinese  restaurant ‘Jla’ in South Kensington - has the most delicious dim sum I have tasted:   it is good value even if the service can be a bit frosty! Near home we have ‘Monty’s’, a Nepalese restaurant serving great food and at wonderful value. This is no trendy restaurant and it is very popular for take-away food; many of the new Fulham residents go elsewhere to smarter venues, however, I think they are missing something!

'The Hotel Bar at the Dorchester'

Some favourite cocktail venues include the Hotel Bar at ‘The Dorchester’, Park Lane, with an opulent interior and curved bar with cocktails galore. In the garden of the ‘Phene Arms’ in Chelsea, there is nothing nicer than sipping a gorgeous cocktail in the summer! I actually took my daughter there  for our first evening outing as a newborn!  I also recommend ‘Eight over Eight‘ which in addition to inventive Pan Asian Food has delicious cocktails.

My best food experience is at ‘ The Savoy Hotel ‘, the River Restaurant where my husband proposed to me in true British style (now the Hotel is celebrating 125 years!).  Sadly the River Restaurant has gone and the premier Savoy restaurant is now the Savoy Grill, which is part of the Gordon Ramsay empire;   in my view it is not quite the same experience as the

The 'Phene Arms'

River Restaurant...

One of the best French restaurants for a special event is ‘Le Gavroche’ where bookings need to be made three months in advance! For respite from shopping, ‘Le Relais de Venise’ in Marylebone High Street  serves French steak, a walnut salad to start and an always reliably good house wine. On a higher level, Helene Darroze at ‘The Connaught Hotel’ has two Michelin stars for true gourmets;   the hotel also serves traditional English afternoon tea.

Where to buy international food in London: 
Selfridges Food hall, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods Food hall for something special & unusual Borough Market in Southwark Street, London SE1: for exceptional British and international products.


*Top tip*:
Look at www.opentable.co.uk for great value deals at top restaurants & www.timeout.com keeping you up to date with the latest events and evenings out in London!

Written by Gemma Darlington FGA, Gemmologist & Jewellery Specialist, owner of www.gemsfinejewels.co.uk

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