March 10th, 2010 by Penny Golightly
Berwick Street runs through the heart of Soho, and is a convenient spot for a little light bargain hunting if you’re passing through on your way to a West End restaurant or London’s theatreland.
There’s a street market here that dates back to 1778, and currently sells mainly fruit and vegetables at down-to-earth prices. Other stalls sell gourmet cakes and bread, cheese, fresh fish and household goods, with opening hours of 8am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday. You might even want to try your hand at haggling with the stallholders if you aren’t shy.
Fashionistas can visit the Bang Bang Clothing Exchange at number 9 to trawl through the hand picked selection of vintage, designer and high street pieces. It’s well worth putting up with the trendier-than-thou shop assistants for the chance of picking up a special garment or two.
Berwick Street’s also famous for its record exchanges and shops. Collectors can while away many a happy hour browsing through vinyl, CDs and memorabilia at places like Sister Ray http://www.sisterray.co.uk/ at number 34-35 and Vinyl Junkies http://www.vinyl-junkies.com at number 94.
Craft fans and anyone who can handle a sewing machine will find plenty to inspire them in the many small fabric and accessories emporiums that run alongside the market. Shop around to find the best prices, and pop into The Berwick Street Cloth Shop at number 14, Borovick Fabrics at number 16, or Cloth House at number 47.
The street’s lined with cafes and shops too. Grab a serious caffeine fix in the tiny Flat White coffee bar at number 17, or try the much loved veggie Beatroot Cafe at number 92 for a healthy hot snack or salad.
Berwick Street, W1, London. The nearest tube stations are Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus.
This article by Penny Golightly originally appeared on lastminute.com.
Tags: Bang Bang Clothing Exchange, Beatroot vegetarian cafe, Berwick Street, Berwick Street bargains, Berwick Street Market, Berwick Street review, fabric shops on Beriwck street, Flat White coffee shop, London record shops, Penny Golightly for Lastminute.com, second hand clothing, second hand records
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February 24th, 2010 by Penny Golightly
If payday’s a long way off but you still want to eat out somewhere with a touch of glamour, how about afternoon tea?
When I want to eat beautiful food in sophisticated surroundings, but the finances don’t quite stretch to a fancy lunch or dinner, I head for a deluxe tearoom. The Wolseley cafe-restaurant on Piccadilly is a particular favourite of mine and is ideal for meeting friends, treating relatives, spotting celebrities or impressing a date.
The building was originally designed as a luxury car showroom in the 1920s, and has been beautifully converted into a European-style grand cafe with most of the original Art Deco features still intact, including the marble floors, huge windows and high ceilings. It’s light years away from your local greasy spoon, and serves breakfasts, lunches, and evening meals as well as gorgeous afternoon teas.
The place is very popular, so it’s advisable to book ahead unless you don’t mind waiting for a while in the busy bar by the door. The staff are efficient and friendly rather than stuffy, and they will seat you as soon as they can.
The menu covers bistro fare, Eastern European comfort foods, seafood, and, best of all, high teas and Viennoiserie. Given the quality and ambience it’s reasonably priced. On my last visit the waiter allowed me to split one afternoon tea between two people, which meant that we had a plate of finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, a choice of teas, and a small selection of pastries to share. It was more than enough for both of us, and our taste of the good life came in at below £10 per person. Worth every penny.
Tea at the Wolseley is held daily 3.30pm – 6.30pm, apart from Saturdays (3.30pm – 5.30pm).
The Wolseley, 160 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EB. Telephone: 020 7499 6996
This article by Penny Golightly originally appeared on the lastminute.com blog.
Tags: afternoon tea, art deco, cream tea, eating out for less, English tea, fine foods, Penny Golightly for Lastminute.com, Piccadilly, tea room, The Wolseley
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