When I was in London in November 2011 I was a bit taken aback by the supposedly discretionary 12.5% service charge added to the bill at the As Greek As It Gets restaurant in Earl’s Court. Now I do usually leave a tip of around 10% in a restaurant but I just didn’t like the [...]

I had a chat with someone yesterday who said that tourists coming to London have a bad experience when it comes to service. I thought about this (we were in fact talking about the Barbican Lounge, where I’d had the worst service of my life) and it occurred to me that sometimes I’ve had absolutely [...]

Finding an excellent new restaurant when you’re on holiday is so much fun. That little bistro tucked down a side street, the place on the corner that does the great coffee, the ice cream in the little shop. For most people travelling, food plays a huge part in a trip and discovering somewhere new. So [...]

Vienna has to be one of Europe’s best walking cities – and thank goodness for that, since it allows visitors to work up an appetite before sampling the city’s mouth-watering specialities. For me, no visit to Vienna is complete without eating Wienerschnitzl – breaded veal cutlet-  at Figlmüller. Figlmüller has been serving up Wienerschnitzel in [...]

I’m about to tell you of my favourite secret restaurant in London. Le Mercury isn’t the easiest place to get to, right at the back end of Upper Street in Islington but if you do come here, it’s so very worth the walk. It’s also worth getting a bus. But once you do arrive, you’re [...]

When visiting Seville, eating out can be a chew up a large part of your travel budget.  Whether you eat tapas or enjoy a nice restaurant, the cost of food can add up quickly. Here are my tips for cheap eats in Seville, so you’ll have more money to spend on Seville attractions such as [...]

Eating at restaurants in Sweden can be expensive.  Very expensive.  Too many times I have looked at the bill only to start converting in my head to find I paid two or three times what I would have in the US.  It’s a horrible habit and one that I have to break.  At the same [...]

When I go on holiday, I like a bit of a mix. I love going off the usual track. I adore exploring new places and I will choose somewhere that isn’t ‘the norm’. But I also love being a tourist. And I hate the snobbery around it. Things become touristy because they’re good. They’re interesting. [...]

Tapas in London is good. Very good. If you avoid the La Tasca chain, anyway. But there are London tapas places that do it better than everyone else. Some that even rival the Spanish food in Spain. Here are my top Europe travel tips for finding the tastiest tapas in London. And of course, the [...]

London isn’t short of a steakhouse. Unfortunately, if Shaftesbury Avenue is anything to go by, it’s all Aberdeen Angus Steakhouses. No! There are tastier London restaurant options for steak lovers! Here are my tips for the best steakhouses in the city. Flickr image from Basheertome‘s photostream. Hawksmoor. My personal favourite. Hawksmoor know their meat. They [...]