Even with all of the upheaval this year, I am still enjoying many lovely meals out in London. The restaurant industry has been hit hard by COVID-19, and I believe it is important to support local restaurants, as the government guidelines allow.
If you’re new to The SavvyBostonian Blog, I keep a massive London Guide which links to all of my recommended places in London. From restaurants to excellent cocktails, things to do, and more, I’ve got you covered. For my latest additions to my London Guide, I’m adding:
- The Elgin – A lovely local pub in Maida Vale
- BananaTree – A Pan-Asian chain with delicious food
- Il Trillo – A chic Italian restaurant with outstanding food
- Azteca – A Mexican restaurant with dangerously good cocktails
- Bluebird – A trendy Chelsea spot made famous by reality TV
Read on – but be warned, the food photos will make you hungry!
The Elgin: A Cozy Local Pub In Maida Vale
Located half a block from Maida Vale station, The Elgin is a local favorite and after a visit there, I can see why. The pub is charmingly rustic with mismatched tables and chairs. It’s got atmospheric lighting in the evenings, but is also somewhere you can park up at during the day and work from, as the wifi is good! The staff are friendly and helpful, plus the food is divine!
I’ve been for Sunday roast, brunch, and dinner. For Sunday roast, I’ve had the chicken and it is outstanding!
For brunch, I love the smoked aubergine baked eggs with labneh, rose harissa, and flatbread.
For dinner, the menu has changed recently and it has been paired down a lot due to COVID-19. However, I have heard great reviews on the burger and the courgette fritters. On my last visit, I opted for the lamb and almond kofte with mint yoghurt and pomegranate. The portion is small, so I recommend pairing it with a salad and chips.
I got the heirloom tomato, capers, cucumber, oregano, ricotta salad, which was nice but lacked flavor with the ricotta. I wish the Elgin team would use feta instead in the salad!
The Elgin is located at 255 Elgin Avenue, W9 1NJ in Maida Vale. For more information, you can visit their website here.
BananaTree: A Pan-Asian Chain With Delicious Food
With nine locations in the UK, many of which are in central London, I am surprised to have only just discovered BananaTree! The menu is Pan-Asian, featuring a mix of Malaysian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Singaporean, and Thai cuisines. After one visit to the Bayswater location, I am now hooked!
I opted to try two small plates, the Singapore Laksa Soup and the Steamed Chicken Dumplings. Both were delicious. The soup was comforting with a kick of spice, while the steamed chicken dumplings were flavorful, with a thick soy sauce on the bottom.
My friend opted for the larger Singapore Laksa with tofu and also loved it!
BananaTree has nine locations in the UK. For more information, visit their website.
Il Trillo: A Chic Italian Restaurant With Outstanding Food
Il Trillo wins the award for my new favorite restaurant! Located on Hollywood Road in Chelsea, it has almost all of the elements that I love in a restaurant. The interior is casual yet elegant. It’s all white, with a lovely conservatory, candlelight, and beautifully textured light fixtures.
The simple yet chic interior allows the food to shine. The family behind Il Trillo has been running a restaurant in Tuscany for over thirty years and the menu is inspired by the region.
I started my meal with baby artichokes wrapped in prosciutto and fried. Sinfully good.
For my main, I had to try a large portion of the egg tortellini filled with pears, pecorino di Pienza and saffron sauce. I had never seen a dish like this on the menu at an Italian restaurant and it did not disappoint. It was the perfect mix of sweet and savory from the pears and the saffron. Let’s say I was very happy with my choice.
For dessert, we split a nougat cake. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was as though nougat and ice cream came together and it was amazing! I loved the crunch and flavor from the nougat. It was the perfect end to an outstanding meal.
Il Trillo Restaurant & Garden is located at 4 Hollywood Rd Chelsea, London, UK. For more information, please visit their website.
Azteca: A Lively Mexican Restaurant With Dangerously Good Cocktails
It’s not easy to find good Mexican food and cocktails in London, which is why I was delighted to discover Azteca. Azteca is located on the King’s Road in Chelsea. The restaurant is a bit deceiving from the outside, as it looks very small. The ground floor is a cozy yet lively bar, while the downstairs has many more tables for larger groups.
I love to sit in the ground floor area because there’s a wonderful buzz to it and you get to interact with the bartenders. We came here for apps and drinks before our dinner, but left wishing we could stay longer!
I asked for an off-menu spicy cucumber margarita and the bartender happily obliged. It was made exactly how I like it with a generous chunk of cucumber and just the right amount of chile.
For food, we tried two tacos, chicken tacos and shrimp tacos. Both were good and made me want to try more of the menu!
Azteca is located at 329 King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 5ES, UK. For more information, visit their website.
Bluebird: A Trendy Chelsea Spot Made Famous By Reality-TV
Spoiler alert: I’ve covered Bluebird on my London guide before, albeit many months back. As they have a number of new menu items, I thought it would be good to cover it again!
Bluebird is a fun spot for a night out – especially a girl’s night out. They have a bar area upstairs, a restaurant, and an outdoor terrace. The interior is beautiful, like a secret garden. The crowd is fun for people watching – lots of stylish 20- and 30-somethings, as this restaurant was made famous from the reality show “Made In Chelsea,” which is like The Hills in the US, but for wealthy UK 20-somethings. Given that vibe, the crowd can be a bit hit or miss, depending on if that’s your thing. I’m not sure it’s my thing to be honest, but it does make for a fun night out. I would call the food and drinks here solid but not exceptional.
On our most recent visit, we ordered a bunch of new menu items, including:
The salt & pepper squid with chili mayo was so good!
We ordered a large of the crispy duck salad which was also fantastic.
The baked beetroot with blackberries, cream cheese, tardivo, hazelnuts sounded like dessert to us but is actually a savory appetizer – one we really enjoyed.
The beef tartare was not my favorite of the bunch, but my friends enjoyed it.
I was so excited to get the mac ‘n’ cheese, but it also was not my favorite. The truffle chips, on the other hand, were divine – I highly recommend them!
Bluebird is located at 350 King’s Road, London SW3 5UU. For more information, visit their website.
For my full London Guide, visit: https://thesavvybostonian.com/london-guide/