The West Cornwall Pasty Co is a chain of pie stores in the UK and you can get a tasty hot pie or a fold over pastry pocket thing (what we call a ‘pasty’ over here) for around 2 squids. I’m not sure about the fish and chips near the Tower, but a ‘poundy’ seems a little on the low side.

As for picnic items from Tesco (or Sainsbury’s), the sky is the limit in terms of choice. It seems like there is a Tesco Metro or Tesco Express on just about every street corner in London these days, particularly around Hyde Park, so you shouldn’t have to worry about lugging around a picnic basket unles you really want the effect. Just remember though that buying anything from a UK supermarket chain mean lots of plastic wrap. The big 4 retailers seem to have all the addiction of the Japanese for over packaging, but none of the knack.

London is one big cheap drink fridge. The same supermarkets that will sell you your picnicking supplies will also sell you a 660ml can of beer for about £1.50 and a bottle of wine for £3. Of course, it won’t be good wine, but it will do the job. Check out Oddbins, Threshers or Nicolas if you want some more choice. They have price lists on line to give you an idea of how much you’ll have to spend to get completely and totally shellacked…but in a classy way!

Hopefully that will get you started. I’m sure Pete will be able to come up with a few more suggestions on the cheap drinks front and also which bars and clubs in London are OK with guys dancing on their tables.

Love

~M

Could you put some prices on the meals you list? Only #2 gives us a sense of the budget you’re looking at. I’m especially wondering about the price p.p. for roasting.

On my last trip, I noticed a huge crowd gobbling up fish or chicken and chips for 1 quid next to the Tower of London. Noambit highlights a place that serves pasties fairly cheap near Covent Garden. And what about the ever-popular Tesco picnic?

Got any advice for cheap drinks?

Mere is quite correct in asserting that London is undergoing a renaissance of good food at the moment. While The Chapel remains unchallenged at the top of the Sunday Roast pile, honourable mentions must also go to The Skiddaw at 46 Chippenham Road, Maida Vale, W9 2AF (nearest tube Maida Vale or Warwick Avenue). The Skids offers a wide selection of beers and great food in the afternoons or evenings. If you fancy a sunday roast with all the trimmings – and are organised enough to nail down your numbers by Wednesday – you can call ahead and book a table. The pub will then roast a whole leg of lamb or strip of beef or whatever you want (within reason) and serve it to you ready to carve on a big wooden platter.

In the same area, the Prince Alfred on the corner of Formosa Street and Castellain Road, Maida Vale, W9 1EE (Nearest tube: Warwick Ave), is also great for a pint and a meal. The main pub offers very high ceilings and impressive Victorian carved wood panelling with small ‘snugs’ for clustering in on cold winter days. During the summer, it’s not uncommon for traffic to be delayed in the narrow streets as people spill out and enjoy the community flavour of Little Venice. Attached to the pub is a fully fledged restaurant called The Formosa Dining Room. Although the prices get a little ‘toppy’ (£8/£15) there’s still enough on the menu for the budget conscious. As the pub is quite close to the Radio 1 studios, the ‘tosser’ factor can get a little high, which is the only draw back to this great local boozer.

It sometimes seems that London is just one big pub. It’s easy to get confused by the choice and even easier to stumble into a place that will wreck your memories as fast as a slightly dodgey prawn cocktail. When you’ve lived in London for a while, you can usually spot a likely prospect fairly quickly though. Here’s a quick guide of what to look for:

1. Stay away from anywhere with blinking, noisey ‘fruit machines’ (think Vegas slot machine without the class).

2. Stay away from – actually sprint away from – any pub that advertises the fact that it has 50 million sports channels and the that ‘All Premier League Games’ are shown. Generally 1 & 2 go together like e.coli and a trip to the hospital. These establishments are the hoe of the over cooked meat pie, the bargain basement packet of ‘crisps’ and the warm pint of beer.

3. However, if the pub advertises that it is showing ‘6 Nations Rugby’ take a peek inside and at least look at the menu. The Rugby crowd is generally a little more civilised than the football crowd and they do enjoy a decent feed.

4. If you find a pub you like, try to arrive a little early for the service or to call ahead and see if you can book a table. The quality pubs are always jammed with people and it never hurts to ensure you don’t have to fight some burly northern gent for a place to rest your weary feet.

5. If you’re waiting for a larger group to arrive, don’t be afraid to defend your table with your life. A favourite tactic of the London Pub Cuckoo is to approach you smiling and ask if they can just ‘sit in the seats until your friends arrive’. Before you know it, they have 10 of their mates clustered around you and they refuse to move when your friends arrive. Don’t let them sit down in the first place and if they do, don’t be scared to mete out some justice with a baseball bat and a bicycle chain!

See you all soon.

~M