Splurge in London

11 places for Splurge in London, picked by creators — with what they said.

• Borough Market — More Best Ever Food Review Show, 육식맨 YOOXICMAN, Suitcase Monkey
  British food comes in incredible variety, and aside from the calamari, everything was tastier than expected, with the market itself being a lot of fun to explore.
  Heads up: Prices are very high and many stalls have long lines (though they said the queues move fairly quickly).
• The Wolseley Piccadilly — 육식맨 YOOXICMAN, 큰손 노희영
  Praised for black pudding and baked beans that are noticeably tastier here, pancakes that aren't overly sweet, and the whole experience — British businessmen reading newspapers amid upscale decor — deemed 'well worth it as a cultural experience.'
  Heads up: Went with a reservation; by 8:30-9pm the place fills up with tourists, and the dress code is smart enough that T-shirts or sweatshirts feel out of place, with prices reflecting the ambience and experience as much as the food.
• Brown's Hotel, a Rocco Forte hotel — Doobydobap
  Called the scones "amazing scones" for being buttery and crumbly rather than bread-like, and loved the live piano and the historic hotel atmosphere.
  Heads up: Strongly recommends booking well ahead of your trip.
• The Connaught Bar — TOPJAW
  Praised as "legendary"—smooth and elegant—for its martini made with 75ml of their house Connaught gin blended with three dry vermouths, finished with a choice of five bitters selected tableside.
  Heads up: It's a bar inside a 5-star hotel ranked among the world's top 5 bars, so expect formal prices and atmosphere.
• Ikoyi Restaurant — 셰프 안성재 Chef Sung Anh
  He praised how the chef, not originally trained as a cook, creates incredibly free-spirited food, and with a partner from Africa, uses plenty of African spices to make dishes with absolutely no boundaries.
  Heads up: He felt that since it's a Michelin-starred restaurant, dressing formally (in a suit) is the respectful way to go.
• Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High — Harrison Webb
  The chef personally serves and explains each course, and the lobster ravioli, John Dory, and duck dishes were all 'perfect' — even the honey-glazed bread and cheese course earned full marks.
  Heads up: It's pricey, around £250 per person, and small dishes arrive while you're still waiting after being seated, so arriving early is recommended; on a cloudy day, the view can be completely obscured by clouds.
• The Parlour at sketch — Harrison Webb
  The music is at just the right volume for conversation, the decor — ballet shoes, disco ball — is fun, and the stacked burger with its distinctive house ketchup exceeded expectations.
  Heads up: The menu with mains is only available at lunch, from noon to 3:30pm; in the evening it's mostly takeaway and sandwiches. A 15% service charge applies, but joining the membership app gets you 20% off (£70 down to £58).
• Pavyllon London — TOPJAW
  The signature cheese soufflé topped with foie gras and the beef tenderloin are praised as "impeccably French."
  Heads up: As a hotel fine-dining restaurant, the atmosphere is formal enough that the guest remarked, "I think my outfit was a bit too casual."
• Shellseekers Market Kitchen — More Best Ever Food Review Show
  The scallops are sweet and perfectly cooked, tender, and pair well with the crispiness of the bacon, they said.
  Heads up: At £21 for 6 scallops, it's expensive for the portion size, and the wine sauce is a bit tangy.
• Bar Antoine — TOPJAW
  The mezcal, vodka, shiso leaf, and pineapple reduction cocktail is described as tasting like "an elevated whiskey apple," so good it disappeared faster than it could be sipped.
• Fish Kitchen — More Best Ever Food Review Show
  The fried halibut was 'on another level,' better than cod, with a beer-batter aroma that really came through, plus a nice greasy, flaky texture.
  Heads up: The calamari was disappointing, barely edible without mayonnaise, and they pointed out that the tartar sauce is recommended but charged extra, while all you actually get is plain mayonnaise.

All places in London