London and Paris

Mike Russell

Favourite places to eat and explore around London and Paris

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London

Hotel Riu Plaza London Victoria

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Transportation (London)

Welcome Pickups Ltd.

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Euston Square

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Saint Pancras Station

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Watford Junction Railway Station

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Tour Guides (London)

Walks London Tours

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Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

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Attractions (London)

Apollo Victoria Theatre

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The British Museum

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Duchess Theatre

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The Play That Goes Wrong was playing here… small theatre where there is not a bad seat in the house. Centre is better to see one of the actors playing a tech. Bar located in basement. The play itself is a must-see… everyone was laughing the entire time.

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lastminute.com London Eye

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Anytime access pass purchased online was the way to go. The lines can get quite long but we bypassed it all. The cars are air conditioned. You have the option of a Champagne car. Overall it was worth it as it gave us a great orientation of London on our first day.

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Natural History Museum

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Science Museum

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Tower Bridge

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Tower of London

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Trafalgar Square

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Victoria and Albert Museum

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Westminster Abbey

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Fast Food (London)

Bleecker Burger Victoria

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It was … OK. Was not as good as Shake Shack across the street. Service wasn’t fast, but it was better than Shake Shack. 2 1/2-3 star.

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Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream (Chinatown London)

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The Bilog was awesome… essentially Purple ice cream that is pressed between 2 light pancakes. Not too sweet. Really really good. Located down a side street.

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McDonald's - Victoria Station

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Kids wanted it multiple times… it is a counter inside the train station. It looked gross. It is not at the same level as in Canada or the US. Felt like the place was grimy.

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Pret A Manger - Victoria Starion

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We used the Pret at Victoria station to pick up a few snack items as well as sandwiches for after the Theatre (many restaurants closed about the time the shows let out… so if you have a fridge in your room you can pick up a bunch of things to eat later… as well as Beer and Wine.

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Shake Shack Victoria Nova

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Ate here once… one of our kids ate here hall the time because the MCD’s was too dirty for him and he didn’t want to join us elsewhere. It was OK… You had to wait forever to get your order, so long so that I wouldn’t count it as Fast Food. Not anything like Shake Shack in US.

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Restaurants (London)

The Admiral Codrington

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Rockstar-level Sunday Roast. Takes a long time for food, but worth it. It was that good… Servers were friendly and helpful. Had multiple things on menu and everyone was happy.

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The Churchill Arms, Kensington

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Really cool on the Pub side. Need to order at the bar. Not a lot of seats. Serve good Thai from the restaurant side, but you need a reservation as it was really busy. Really cool place for a pint.

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Dishoom Covent Garden

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Best meal we had in London. Server recommendations were bang on. Atmosphere was great. Need a reservation otherwise you have a couple of hour wait.

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Flight Club Victoria

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Cool idea… pub w darts - you reserve a lane to drink and play. Need reservations in advance as they are booked solid.

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Harrods Food Halls

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I didn’t think a food hall would be good…. There are so many choices and it is all good. They also have a sit-down style restaurant that was busy. Great place to pick up a few things and eat elsewhere. Food quality is very high. Worth going. Located in the basement.

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Madera at Treehouse London

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More of a Lounge than a restaurant in my opinion. East side is lounge, west side is restaurant. Apps were really good, cocktails were well mixed. Service was good. You pay for the view as it is on top of a hotel in Cemtral London. Mains were just ok… like eating at the CN Tower.

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The New York Bar

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If you are looking for the iconic typical British Lounge… this is it. Service is white glove although there is a mixed attire for guests. Drinks are well done, menu is very traditional. They charge you for the ambiance but the service almost justifies the price. Res velvet everywhere. The front of the lounge is perfect for afternoon tea.

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The Soak

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The drinks were all “signature”…. All had showy presentations which made it fun. Ambience was just ok… more hotel vibe than lounge. You will have sticker shock when you get the bill. It is a fun place to get a drink and then move on because of the presentation of the drink.

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The Victoria Taps

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This was our go-to pub near our hotel. The food was surprisingly good… their monster burger was really really impressive. Multiple dishes were also really good. They have a number of local breweries on tap. Recommend Wingman. They have a lot of TVs and the bartenders are helpful and friendly. Order at the bar.

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Greenwich

Cutty Sark

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Royal Observatory Greenwich

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Goddards at Greenwich

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This was recommended and well-advertised place online that I was looking forward to. It disappointed. Was a little gross, actually… and I like pub pies.

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Jack The Chipper

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Little local shop at a busy corner run by a couple of local guys. Really good greasy fish and chips. They have other deep-fried options as well. Portion size is so large that 2 can eat 1 serving. The guys were great.

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Paris

Hotel Residence des Arts

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Transportation (Paris)

Paris Airport Taxi - Welcome Pickups

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Gare du Nord

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Tour Guides (London)

Badass Tours Paris

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Fat Tire Tours Paris

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My Private Paris

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Attractions (Paris)

Arc de Triomphe

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Eiffel Tower

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Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

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Le Louvre

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Fast Food (Paris)

A. Lacroix Pâtissier

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One of Colleen's favorites, just across the river from Notre Dame Cathedral. Everything here looks like art, but their famous Apple Patisserie is amazing. (Try their Ham & Cheese Croissant too.)

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Amorino Saint Louis

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Technically a gelato, these frozen treats are both delicious and beautiful. You'll find them all around Paris, served like sculpted roses in a waffle cone. They have been a favorite of our kids for a long, long time.

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Culture Crêpes

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This is a small restaurant for either eat-in or take-out. Colleen tried the Coco Chanel Crêpe with Jambon Serrano, goat cheese, honey & figues and she loved it.

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La Grande Crèmerie

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Probably the best place for Charcuterie and appetizers in Paris. We tried the mixed charcuterie board, foie gras & cheeses and loved it. And the Tiramisu is absolutely amazing.

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Le Camion Qui Fume Odéon Paris

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Best Parisian Burger according to Anthony Bourdain. And Antoine agrees. The Tartiflette Burger is out of this world.

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Restaurant Chez le Libanais

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Very small street food vendor, just a couple of blocks from Place St Michel in the Latin Quarter. Known for Lebanese wraps, meze & pastries to go.

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Restaurants (Paris)

Aux Cerises

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This is a small neighborhood bistro that serves Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner. This is a fairly small place with indoor & outdoor seating areas. We had their lunch formula (Appetizer + Main or Main + Dessert) and it was delicious. Our waitress spoke perfect English and was really fun. We recommend that you make a reservation here.

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Chez René

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Chez Rene is a classic French bistro and a favorite for locals. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. Everything here is delicious, but their Beef Bourguignon and Oeuf Mayonaise are exceptional. Be sure to ask for Daniel as your waiter!

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I GRAPPOLI

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Recommended by David at Il Bartolo

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Le Bistrot de Paris

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Le Bistro de Paris is a lively place where you could easily hide out or run into a celebrity or politician. We suggest starting your meal with a glass of champagne and the classic French raddishes with salt, butter and a crispy baguette. Their bone marrow is out of this world. The Jouet de Beouf is tender a flavorful. And, the profiteroles are just the way to wrap up the meal.

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Le Bonaparte

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Cafe Bonaparte is a great place to have a ham and cheese omlet or a cup of coffe and a chocolate mousse, and do some people watching. It is an unpretentious spot next to Les Deux Magot and across from the 11th century church Eglise St Germain.

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Le Calife

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Le Petit Vendôme

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Pomelo Bistrot - Restaurant à Paris 2e

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Restaurant Chez Bartolo

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If you're in the mood for Italian, don't skip this restaurant. We ate Pizza and Pasta and it was really good. They offer both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals that will knock your socks off.

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Normandy (Juno Beach & Bayeux)

Bayeux train station

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Bayeux Train Station was a larger and modern station where (like Chessy) there were places to pick up something quick to eat. Easy access in and out. Traffic. Out front was a little crazy.

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Attractions (Juno Beach & Bayeux)

Juno Beach Centre

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Juno Beach Memorial

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Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux

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Restaurants (Juno Beach & Bayeux)

Hôtel - Restaurant : Au P'tit Mousse

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Fantastic local restaurant serving fresh seafood. Moules Frites w Camembert sauce was sooo good. Service was very friendly and easygoing but speak French.

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