The best breakfast in town?

I set off to review the Riding House Café on what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the summer. I was feeling a little bit grumpy about the fact that I wasn't going to be able to sit outside, until I arrived (sweltering at 10.30 in the morning!) to be greeted by a sunny smile, as cheerful as anything outside, and blissful air-conditioning!

After being shown to our gorgeously squishy banquette seat by the window (nearly outside!) my first port of call was the loo. Girls always like to know what the loos are like, and the answer here is very cool. We're talking exposed brickwork, a simple copper pipe for a tap, and a matching metal clad Dyson hand dryer. Best of all? The basin and dryer are in the cubicle so no boring queuing up with wet hands.

Anyway, back upstairs and the quirky design details continue. Stuffed squirrel wall lights, a long communal table made form reclaimed timber and using scaffolding as legs, oversized hanging lampshades… it should feel gimmicky but it doesn't. There's just enough kitsch detail combined with seriously good design that it really works. As an interior designer by training I was impressed by all the little touches (the blue water glasses, enamel water jugs and smoothies served in milk bottles) and I also loved the fabulous New York style bar lined with comfy blue leather stools. I would happily come here on my own and sit at the bar, but clearly some cocktails with a glamorous date would be even better! There'd definitely be a great, buzzy vibe in the evenings.

So, on to the food. We came for brunch, which is what the Riding House Café is famed for. It works so well as a date because of it's informal nature and the fact that it can lead on to a whole day spent together… We both started with delicious smoothies served in half-pint milk bottles. I followed this with the legendary buttermilk pancakes. They were amazing and definitely the best I've had this side of the U.S. I tried to be good by not eating the clotted cream that came with them but let's be honest; brunch here is not the place to be good! 

Despite not needing it I then had (perfectly cooked) poached eggs with a chorizo hash brown and baby spinach on the side. My idea of heaven. My date went for the brilliantly named "Full and Proper English Breakfast" with a huge slice of black pudding. The black pudding wasn't on the menu but he asked for it and got it - great service.

In fact, the service in general was excellent with lots of friendly staff milling around, adding to the great atmosphere. This place gets a huge thumbs up from me and I'll be back again for a brunch and definitely some post Oxford Street shopping cocktails with the girls!

My top tip?  Breakfast ends at 11:30 so make sure you get there in time!

The Jugged Hare

We sent the lovely Charlotte off to review The Jugged Hare with her date... it made me laugh when she submitted her review and emailed me to say the following:

"This place really is a man’s pub (fully of city boys) – I was one of the only women eating, and the veggie option on the menu said “Vegetarian - £12” with no explanation. Quite funny. 

At the same time I’d really recommend it. Just not if you’re a girly girl or a veggie! 

There are pigs heads in a glass cabinet as you go to the loo and stags heads on the walls. Right up my street but not for all! "

Intrigued? Click here to read of her full review and see what she made of it. But it's safe to say, she'll be back!

Champagne + Fromage

Serving two of France's greatest exports (aside from Tintin and Breton tops), Champagne + Fromage is un peitit bijou!

So, the other night I took my newly acquired husband to Champagne + Fromage for more than drinks but less than dinner... Located a stones throw from Covent Garden, in the heart of theatre land, this tiny French bistro is the perfect place for a pre-theatre dinner or a quick post-show glass of fizz. We met in  Covent Garden (always nice to start the evening with a trip to Zara!) and then wove our way through the piazza, dodging street entertainers before arriving at Champagne + Fromage. Don't be put off by the busy road, just head straight inside. It's a charmingly rustic shop cum bistro where you'll be greeted with a wonderfully haphazard interior full of mismatched furniture, displays of champagne, cheese and charcuterie and an overriding feeling of Gallic authenticity.

We arrived half an hour early but this wasn't a problem for our charming (and seriously well informed) French waitress. Having talked us through the food and drink on offer (in such a strong French accent we couldn't totally understand everything, but obviously pretended we did!) our waitress served us a cheese board, followed by a charcuterie board and finally a tartine of our choice, all paired with a delicious champagne of course.

                     

These boards of food are perfect for a date as they necessitate a very sociable way of eating. Not good if you are greedy/unaccustomed to sharing! Having to share my Savoyarde tartine was probably the first serious test of our marriage. The portions of the charcuterie in particular are very generous so perhaps order one board at a time and see if you need more? That's the beauty of this place, you can have as much or as little as you want and it is all incredibly relaxed. 

Make sure you ask about what you're eating and drinking as the staff are very friendly and unbelievably well informed. You'll discover that the grower champagnes come from small vineyards, some of no more than 5 hectares, and that the finished product is a real labour of love all the way from the grape to the bottle. The delicious cheeses are of the same quality, all sourced from tiny suppliers across the channel.

To sum up… we had a brilliant evening at Champagne + Fromage. The clientele were mixed which added to the atmosphere and definitely gave us something to talk about!  In one corner we saw a couple indulging in a passionate embrace - so very French - while at another table two older couples were obviously enjoying a pre-theatre glass of fizz before heading off to catch a show. It's also worth remembering that you get tipsy pretty quickly on champagne (or at least I do!) which makes it great for an early days date as the conversation should start flowing fairly swiftly…

Miss Mary's top tip: Dress warmly as the place has to be kept cold for the cheese. No joke, I had to wrap my scarf around me legs - not a great look for a first date!

Queen of Hoxton

We sent the lovely beauty blogger, B Byrom off on a date to Queen of Hoxton to review it for The Great Date Guide... here's what she made of it!

To start your date, meet on Shoreditch High Street and pop into The Foxcroft and Ginger (which is left out of Shoreditch station above the end of the new row of shops on the high street) where you can sit under umbrellas and look down on the world below whilst enjoying a pre dinner drink. It’s then just a short walk across the high street and down a few back streets to Queen of Hoxton. 

On arrival you are presented with quite a dark room, lit by exposed light bulbs intertwined with ivy.  The walls are covered with graffiti with what looks like images of 80s or 90s computer games, which is appropriate as there are various games strewn around; a pin ball machine, foosball table and real computer games too.   These childhood games are a perfect icebreaker at the start of the date whilst sipping on one of the deliciously grownup cocktails on offer.

After your cocktail head up to the roof garden to get some more drinks, and order your food. Several flights of stairs later the roof opens out onto patches of fake lawn covered in a variety of styles of picnic benches and tables! Flowers, bunting and fairy lights are hung all around making the place look absolutely magical. There is a really buzzy atmosphere up on the roof, plenty of people come here even on a weeknight, so it’s a good idea to arrive early and get a good spot. There is also the option of queuing for a set of wireless headphones to watch a film on the large projector screen, details of what is showing can be found on their website. 

At the far end of the garden is a BBQ and bar where food and drinks can be ordered. The menu is small but well chosen for the time of year, as well as being easy to eat should you find yourself perching on a bench! The burgers are a bit mean, but the halloumi salad is highly recommended. The staff are very helpful and friendly and no one seems to wait long for food despite the fact it’s always quite busy.

At the start of the film tables are quickly and efficiently put to one side and rows of chairs set up, if you aren’t staying for the film you will be asked to leave the roof which was a shame but this could be an opportunity to check out what is happening on in the basement - a wide variety of DJ's and events are on offer depending on the night.

Don't let the fact that it is open air put you off should you be planning a trip later on in the year, they erect a huge wigwam in the winter and the food is changed accordingly, there is even marshmallow toasting and hot chocolate, great for cosying up with your date!

This place is ideal for a fun, informal, early date. There is plenty to entertain you if you’re stuck for conversation and the location is great, even if you don't live east, as it is so close to the station.

P.s. Click here to read the official review on our website...

Top 10 London Date Venues

Thanks to a well timed tweet we discovered this fab list of great date venues from Looking for Love in London and had to share it with you! 

"Despite having had more than my fair share of shoddy date venues over the years (Cattle Grid was just one of many!), I have also been taken to some lovely places too. My most recent fave was Four O Nine which I’ve already talked about on the blog, so here are 10 other places which I recommend (in no particular order)…" 

1. The Breakfast Club, Spitalfields

This may not look a very exciting choice at first glance, but this has to be one of the most memorable date venues I’ve been taken to – there are a few Breakfast Club’s around London, but I’m specifically talking about the one at Spitalfields. I went here on a first date about a year ago and was slightly confused when the guy picked a place more suited to a breakfast/brunch date as his venue of choice for after work drinks. Once we got there and he went up to a waitress and told her “We’re here to see The Mayor” I thought he was definitely off his rocker!! But this was, in fact, the code that meant she then opened up a ‘Smeg fridge’ in the café and lead us through it(!) and downstairs to a funky hidden away cocktail bar called The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town. (They ask you to leave through a different door so as to not spoil the Smeg fridge secret.) I think it’s a really fun gimmick for a first date and definitely helps break the ice…and now you know the code, go and try it out!

2. Callooh Callay

Talking of gimmicks, the entrance to the lounge bar at Callooh Callay is in a similar vein to the Smeg fridge door. This is a fun, quirky bar in Shoreditch which I went to a couple of years ago now (on another first date!). To get from the main bar to the lounge bar you go through a huge old-school Narnia-esque wardrobe. All the furniture/décor is retro too so again it makes for a first date venue which is a bit different to the norm.

3. Aqua

From one extreme to another, Aqua is just off Regent Street and is much sleeker and more modern. It has two restaurants – a Japanese one (Aqua Kyoto) and a Spanish/tapas one (Aqua Nueva) but I’ve only ever been there for drinks at Aqua Spirit. There is an ok indoor bar area (nothing too special), but what I liked about it was the outside rooftop terrace, which is perfect as we’re heading towards Summer and (hopefully) some sunshine! The drinks are pretty pricey but it’s nice for a pre-dinner drink/yummy cocktail. My first experience of it was slightly tainted by the fact I was with Mr Baileys (and yes, he drank Baileys on a sunny rooftop!), but the fact that I still loved it means it must have been good!

4. Gordon’s Wine Bar

I’ve been taken to Gordon’s Wine Bar by FOUR different guys, meaning it’s clearly not the most original recommendation to make. It's just by Embankment, and with a cosy atmosphere and copious amounts of wine, I see it as a pretty fail-safe date venue (as clearly so do a lot of guys!) It's also the oldest wine bar in London, don't you know! Although there is a small outdoor area, I think it’s much more of a Winter place, especially as it has an ‘underground’ feel to it and lots of candles, which makes it feel uber snug when it’s freezing/raining outside.

5. Vertigo 42

As Vertigo 42 is a champagne bar at the top of Tower 42 in the City, the main draw to this place is the view! I got taken here by a bit of a knob if I’m honest (a guy with a serious case of short man syndrome – maybe that’s why he picked a venue at such a great height!!) but I can’t deny that the views were pretty awesome. If you’re feeling extra flashy there is also Gary Rhodes’ restaurant, Rhodes 24, in the same building which you could then go on to for some food…I’ve been there for dinner with a friend though and we weren’t massively impressed!

6. Bluebird

I’ll admit I didn’t really know much about Bluebird until it appeared in pretty much every other episode of Made in Chelsea. When I then started dating a guy who lived just off the King’s Road, he said he would take me there as he was also a big fan of the show (a bit weird, I know)! We went for dinner and it was actually really lovely and much less pretentious than I imagined – the food and cocktails were both yummy, and I’ve been back again since just for drinks. There is a bar, restaurant AND café, so whatever time of day your date is, this is the perfect venue…and there’s also the added bonus that Hugo and Spencer might be sat at the table next to you (although other people might not be as excited by this prospect as me!)

7. Nopi

This was another place chosen by Mr Baileys – what he lacked in choice of drinks, he made up for in choice of date venue! Nopi is tucked away off Regent Street so I would never have known about this place. The food was ‘tapas style’ in that you order a bunch of small dishes to share, which did traumatise me slightly as he insisted on ordering (and forcing me to try) rabbit – I had a pet rabbit when I was a kid, so it just felt wrong!! However, I see from the website that rabbit now appears to be off the menu :) The food and ambience was really nice but as we’ve now discovered, I like a gimmick and this has a fab one…just look at the toilets!! Best not to tell your date and then leave it as a surprise for them to discover (and try to find their way back out of)!

8. The OXO Tower

This one is a bit of a cheat as I’ve actually only been to the OXO Tower for lunch with my parents, but I remember thinking that it would be a fab date place. We went in the Summer and were sat on the outside terrace with great views along the river of all the London landmarks that the Southbank has to offer. It is split into the more pricey ‘Restaurant’ and the more reasonable ‘Brasserie’ – we went to the Brasserie and the food was gorgeous and beautifully presented so I would say save your pennies and go there!

9. All Star Lanes

Some people might scoff at the idea of going bowling on a date when you are approaching the age of 30 but I think it can be great fun, especially if you get to the point where you think there may be issues of awkward conversation pauses if you go for dinner again on the next date. Also, I must point out that I’m not suggesting you go and hang out with the teenagers at Hollywood Bowl but instead that you do ‘grown-up bowling’ (as I call it!) at All Star Lanes. There are a few around London and they’re cute and retro themed…and have proper bars (alcohol is always a plus)!

10. The Avalon/The Windmill

I think a great fourth/fifth date idea is a good old Sunday pub lunch – I say fourth/fifth date as you have to be at the point where you feel comfortable enough with the guy to (a) not need vast quantities of alcohol to be involved, and (b) be able to scoff a full-on Sunday roast in front of him! Obviously there are tons of good places around London for this but a couple which I love in my neck of the woods are The Avalon and The Windmill on the Common. 

Sorry, that turned into a bit of an essay…but do go and try them out if you’ve not already been! :) 

Thanks so much Looking for Love in London, keep up the good work!

Dating Olympics

So, as we come towards the end of these wonderful Olympics, we thought it was time to do the noble thing and assist the good Lord Coe in his quest to ‘inspire a generation’. It's possible, of course, that finding unique and entertaining dating activities wasn't exactly what he had in mind for the legacy of London 2012, but all the same, every little helps... right?

The Rowing Date

A real favourite of The Great Date Guide and surprisingly easy to achieve even within central London. For the dating version we’d suggest a bit more of a paddle than the exploits you’ve been watching on Dorney Lake, and in this case, adding a glass or two of Rosé and a few nibbles tends to get the best results. Try the Serpentine boating lake in London’s Hyde Park, or hire a boat in Richmond for a gloriously scenic trip to Ham House.

The Cycle Classic

One of Team GB’s most successful disciplines, so why not give it a go yourself with a bicycle themed date. Perhaps the Velodrome is not the most romantic of locations, so try a Boris Bike cycle ride around central London’s most iconic spots, or perhaps a sunny cycle in the slice of the countryside that is Richmond Park, complete with champagne and a luxury picnic? Lycra, of course, is optional…

                                                                                             Ⓒ Transport For London

A Spot of Gymnastics

Don’t worry, we're not suggesting you attempt a floor routine to win your date’s respect  (although a spot of trampolining could work?) Instead, head out of central London and test your acrobatic skills with a trial of Sphering. Rolling down a hill at 30mph strapped into a giant ball has just got to count as sport hasn’t it?

Wet and Wonderful

Show off your strokes with a watery date on top of London’s swanky The Berkeley Hotel. With a roof top pool and spa to tempt even the most water-shy daters amongst you, this makes a truly exclusive and glamorous date if you’re prepared to splash out a bit (....ahem...).

Enjoy!

Miss Mary x

London Wonderground: A great place for a date

One of our intrepid daters dropped us an email today to say that they'd discovered the London Wonderground earlier in the week and reckoned it made a pretty great date! This is what they had to say...

We stumbled upon this amazing site when strolling down the Southbank on a glorious Wednesday afternoon. The excitement built as we could see the fairground ride towering above the Thames, just below the London Eye. Our inner child couldn’t resist the thought of swinging around a pole at stratospheric heights over the gorgeous city of London!

The temporary Wonderground has two fairground rides, including this carousel at dizzying heights, and a slightly tamer roller-coaster. On approaching the rides, we soon realised that there is loads more to this festival than just two fab rides. At the centre of London Wonderground is a seating area that looks like John Wayne could appear at any moment, surrounded by charming wooden stalls hosted by the likes of Pimms and Magners. Delicious. Could this festival have been made for us?!? There are wonderful nooks and crannies to hide in and talk the evening away and soak up the atmosphere of London’s Southbank.

Following our refreshment of Pimms in a secluded, wooded corner of the festival, we explored the area to find that there was so much more to drink in: cabaret, comedy and music. We didn’t have time to indulge further but we will certainly be back, armed with a plan. This time we had an appointment to make at Wahaca which was the perfect way to end our exhilarating day at the fair: a vibrant, distracting and delicious venue to complement our adventures down the road!



The London Wonderground can be found at Jubilee Gardens, off Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX