London Bridge is one of my favourite areas to explore, with its views over the Thames, charming historical buildings and incredible food scene. I recently spent a glorious day out there and challenged myself to visit places that I haven’t been before, rather than relying on old favourites. It’s not difficult when there are so many new restaurants, cafes and hotels in London Bridge.
Roasting Plant Coffee
My first stop of the morning was Roasting Plant Coffee for an ‘on the go’ breakfast of a creamy, warming Chai latte and a home-made Blueberry muffin. This new London Bridge coffee shop comes via New York’s Lower East Side and its innovative Javabot offers an immersive roastery store experience where you can choose any just-roasted bean and they’ll grind and make your coffee to order.
Kat Maconie
I then strolled over to the Kat Maconie concept store for a spot of pampering. The British shoe designer launched her debut boutique and beauty salon at the beginning of the year and it’s quickly become part of the neighbourhood.
I enjoyed a 40-minute Ready for the Floor manicure while sipping Bermondsey tea and admiring the colourful, beautifully-crafted shoes gracing the wall. I was so tempted to leave with a new pair!
Padella Pasta
With freshly-painted nails, I walked over to meet Steven for lunch at Padella. This petite pasta bar by the duo behind Highbury’s Trullo always has a queue around the building and it’s easy to see why. Luckily we only had to wait 20 minutes in the sun before we were seated at the marble counter and tucking into the most fabulous Burrata with Fiorano 2018 olive oil and sourdough bread.
The fresh pasta is hand-rolled every morning and accompanied with delicious sauces inspired by the owners’ travels through Italy. We ordered two contrasting dishes to share and it was impossible to pick a favourite. Pici with marjoram and golden garlic was creamy and well-seasoned while Tagliarini with slow-cooked tomato sauce with Fiorano 2018 olive oil had a rich, sunkissed flavour.
Borough Market
We finished our day in London Bridge with a tour around the iconic Borough Market. I’ve visited countless times, but decided to pick up some provisions that I hadn’t tried before. At Neal’s Yard Dairy, we did a tasting of artisan cheeses with one of their friendly, knowledgable cheesemongers and settled on a small wedge of Gubbeen, a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese from Cork, Ireland.
To go with the cheese, we picked up some aromatic, juicy porchetta, sliced to order, at authentic Italian deli Gastronomica. Finally, we joined another queue at Bread Ahead Bakery for a freshly-baked ciabatta and two of their famous doughnuts, filled to bursting point with velvety pistachio and praline custard.
London Bridge is the perfect destination for foodies and there are always plenty of new places to discover. Where are your favourite spots in London Bridge?
The spending money was gifted by Hotels.com, but all views are my own.
All photos by Chérie City
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