Tipped

Lovely pub but always way too busy

May 01, 2008

Serves a good pint and the food is really yummy, but its always full of way too many media-types (Google office just around the corner) who think they're too cool for school. Annoyingly you also can't book tables for dinner downstairs only in the resto upstairs...

No frills, but plenty of dresses!

May 01, 2008

If you dream of going wedding dress shopping and being waited on hand and foot, plied with Tattinger and sat in a beautiful thone...then don't come here! THis is a very basic shop, but it has the biggest choice of dresses I've ever seen. If you don't have a clue what style you want (and I didn't) you can try on everything - from huge meringues to etheral floaty dresses to miniskirts! You'll probably have to share a room with a few other half naked and crying brides to be :) but the ladies who run it are v nice and its just worth going there to see all the mad kinds of dresses you can get!

Friendly local cafe

May 01, 2008

I've visited this place twice now - once when I chose my wedding dress and then when I had my fitting... and I can tell you then when I go back for my final fitting I'll probably visit again!! Ok, so it is right opposite a huge wedding dress store and yes, sydenham isn't exactly a gourmet's playground, but even if this place was in Clapham I'd still really rate it. The food is simple, warming and good. The staff are super friendly and never hurry you along. If you're out wedding dress shopping in Sydenham, then go here!

Fishy Italian delights

May 01, 2008

This is a lovely little fish restaurant tucked away in Belgravia. There are two sister restaurants nearby (Olivo and Olivetto) and this is definitely the swankier of the three with oh-so-cool decor and some v posh diners (think Russin Mafia and kids called Sebastian and Trixiebell). The food was really tasty - I had crab and chilli linguine to start and the swordfish with courgette for main... mm it's making me feel hungry all over again now! And for pudding homemade tiramisu. The service was very good, the atmosphere could do with an improvement though - it was a little too stiff for my liking and what's with hiding the toilet door so you can barely find it? pretentious shite in my eyes! Prob helps them to justify the prices too! But the food is really really good...

Yummy Itaian bits!

April 22, 2008

If you're based in Clapham, then chances are you've been here. Situated on one corner of Northcote Road, this cute deli sells delicious home-made Italian treats (fresh pasta, sauces, meats and cheeses) plus tinned/bottled/dried goods of lovely things that you normally only see on holiday in the supermercado (stuffed anchovies, specialist pasta, aubergine pate, sunblush tomatoes). Their prices aren't cheap, but the quality is great and its lovely to see that this small family run business has survived the cull that has happened to many other businesses locally.

Neighbourhood organic shop

April 22, 2008

I love this place and wish I'd discovered it earlier as its right on my doorstep. Its one of the few non-chain places on Northcote Road that has managed to cling on to its lease and I hope it stays that way. The shop sells all sorts of healthy items (vitamins, supplements etc) but also some really yummy organic/healthfoods. Its stocks everything from milk to veg to pasta to bread. Their homemade lunch items are also really really tasty (the hummous and salad especially). The manager is super-friendly and the prices are low for this area.

Scruffy but friendly and local

April 22, 2008

Ok, so the place could do with a good facelift (the stuffing on the chairs is falling out, the faux brick wall at the back looks straight out of a dodgy Neighbours set), but all in all I really like this place. The guy/s who run it are v nice and will always stick the footie on for my o/h - EVEN when its derby county! The food is pretty simple but good, you can always get a seat and a good selection of papers to mooch thru on a Sunday.

OMG best roast beef ever

April 22, 2008

Nuff said really...get thee down there on a Sunday (well actually book in advance first) and have the finest roast beef in SW London. The rest of the menu looks fab too, but I never seem to make it past the roast! Friendly service and lovely little garden too

Good stalwart pub in Old St

April 22, 2008

Nice to find a fairly regular pub in the Old street area - some places can be rather "banky" otherwise. Still full of students though which made me feel about 90. Nice cider on tap though :)

Pig out in style

April 22, 2008

There's been quite a few good restos on this spot, but they never seem to last long, i guess mainly cos its slighty off the beaten track (well not really, but queenstown road isn't exactly known for its michelin stars!). I went on a Tuesday and was pleased to see that the place was completely full, so hopefully Tom Ilic will fare better than its predecessors... and I really hope it does! The chef is Portuguese, the cuisine is french but they do specialise in porcine/pig products, think lots of chorizo, pork belly, pig cheeks that sort of thing....but there's plenty of non-pig choices too (steak, fish, guinea fowl etc). And the desserts (which I'm glad to say aren't pork related) and to die for - chocolate fondant and white choc cheesecake were our two choices. It was especially nice that the chef came out and went round every table to see how their meal had gone. Its definitely worth the trip out to see the Battersea version of St John. Highly recommend