This thick, square tome is a veritable guide to all things delicious in the capital. We are truly spoilt for choice so it’s handy to have some pointers. Yes, it’s all a matter of taste but authors David Hampshire and Graeme Chesters have presented a comprehensive cross-section of suggestions. There are chapters devoted to restaurants and others to various genres of food purveyors. Its style is chatty and inclusive and the text doesn’t ramble.
London for Foodies, Gourmets and Gluttons isn’t a book just for those with cash to splash. There is a section devoted to Street Food which offers vibrant options that won’t demand a second mortgage. Borough Market has become a magnet for food-lovers from around the world. Plenty to see and taste and those foods are just as diverse as the people trying them. This market does double duty as a fresh food market and a Street Food arcade.
For a look at a colourful and thoroughly authentic market then head for Leather Lane which has held markets for 400 years or so. It’s not polished but it’s real London, with everything from fresh veg to big knickers, along with those eclectic plates. This is absolutely Street Food!
If you would actually like to sit while you sip then this book has a wealth of tea and coffee houses. I am guessing that you are a food lover and likely passionate about recipe books, and London for Foodies, Gourmets and Gluttons presents Books for Cooks. It’s a celebrated bookshop with food books of every kind. There is a café at the back which doubles as a demonstration area for some of those cookbook authors.
Persepolis is one of my personal favourite food shops in London, and probably anywhere. The food is exotic and delicious and mostly Persian. The owner, Sally Butcher, is almost always serving and entertaining with her own brand of warm and hilarious humour. She is not only Mrs Shopkeeper but she is the writer of some very engaging cookbooks. This shop is a must-visit!
As I’ve said, it’s just a matter of taste, but the two authors have coincidently chosen so many of my favourite haunts. It’s a pleasure to leaf through the pages while making plans for the next market visit, or to dine at that restaurant with the unique curry. This is gift quality and should indeed be a gift for any lover of London and its food. Gone are the days when we had such a (deservedly) bad reputation for food. London for Foodies, Gourmets and Gluttons illustrates how far we have come – and it’s only scratched the surface.
London for Foodies, Gourmets and Gluttons
Authors: David Hampshire and Graeme Chesters
Published by: Survival Books
Price: £11.95
ISBN-13: 978-1909282766
Travel guidebook review by Chrissie Walker © 2018