Where I Return To Eat In London Over and Over Again

There are countless places to eat in central London. Though, despite my curiosity to try new flavours and experiences, I find myself returning to familiar faces and dishes. When I venture into the big city, there are a few places that have become trustworthy favourites where I am guaranteed good food and a good time.

Fuwa fuwa

Serving the fluffiest Japanese soufflé pancakes, Fuwa Fuwa was where my friend and I first met - and it is where we go each time we are in need of a debrief and laugh. My friend has tried every topping combination available on her pancakes, whereas I stick with what I know and love - Nutella, strawberries and cream. To wash down each bite of lightweight dough and small chunks of hazelnut, I drink an iced latte with broken honeycomb sprinkled on top. Unfortunately, I have become extremely sensitive to caffeine and it makes my anxiety skyrocket. Being a lover of coffee, this revelation has proven disheartening for me. However, there are certain coffees that I will risk the additional heartbeats for - Fuwa Fuwa’s iced latte is one of these coffees.

Address: 57A Dean St, London W1D 6AJ

Pho

Vietnamese food may be one of my favourite cuisines. It has simple, yet bold, flavours that make you feel good. My sister and I first visited Pho in Soho during our regular Tottenham Court Road shopping trips. Our huge bags of clothes and accessories would bombard the timid and dimly lit restaurant. Now, we do not go shopping as much - but we do go to Pho. Our new regular spot is the Angel branch where we eat at after my sister gets another tattoo. I love pho, it is clean and tasty and soul-warming. Though, I also adore their Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk. This is another caffeine fuelled beverage that is too delicious to decline - even if I am dining deep into the night. However, sipping on the iced coffee and slurping the generous bowl of pho, I am usually left feeling uncomfortably full of liquid. So, my recent visits have consisted of a table full of fried starters and a cold glass of coffee. Seafood is not my go-to order on any menu, but the seafood spring rolls at Pho are next level. My sister and I refuse to share and must always order a portion of our own.

Address: 163-165 Wardour St, London W1F 8WN

Canopy Market

I have been visiting and eating at the Canopy Market for years now. It is one of my uncle and I’s regular spots when we catch up with each other. There is a lot of food to enjoy at that market - you cannot go wrong with a pad Thai for a light lunch, the jerk chicken (mainly the sauce that is poured on top of it) is bold and warming and the coffee is pretty good, too. However, there is one stall that I have not diverted from since my first time trying its food - Pasta Lab. The truffle carbonara is always cooked perfectly - despite the thick, creamy sauce, the spaghetti still has a bite to it. I notice after my third or fourth bowl of this pasta that the chefs had introduced a drizzle of truffle oil to finish the dish. Although it was great to begin with, this addition perfumed the pasta with a truffle essence that really tied the whole thing together.

Address: West Handyside Canopy, 2 Granary Square, London N1C 4BH

Eataly

Located right next to Liverpool Street station, Eatlaly is hard to miss and impossible to ignore. My sister and I began eating at the Eataly Foodhall during a time we would dance into the morning every week. Even though we wanted to look as slim as possible in our tight-fitted dresses, we could not resist sharing a huge slice of pizza with truffle sausage, Parmesan and rocket - as well as a hearty bowl of rigatoni swimming in a rich black pepper and pecorino sauce. Sometimes if we just want something light before a drink or two at a bar, we head to the food hall for a slice of margarita pizza and a coffee.

Address: 135 Bishopsgate, City of London, London EC2M 3YD

Sometimes I will eat a meal in London and feel like I have wasted my money and wasted calories. All too often, restaurants can serve a below-average meal for an unreasonable price - simply because you are in London. However, I have never visited any of the locations on this list without leaving with a full belly and a smile on my face.