The London Mummy, Author at The London Mummy

Events

11 Ideas To Prepare You For Advent

As I am nearly half way through my Gift Guides, most of my Christmas posts will be wrapped up before December. So bear with me if you are slightly over my Christmas recommendations – this advent won’t last forever and I have some good fashion & activity round ups in the pipe line.

So for those that are as excited as a 6 year old boy on Christmas eve, I would like to introduce two charming young men who have set up From Tree To You.

They have just left uni and whilst looking for a job (contact them if you have any start ups that need a helping hand!), they have set up a Christmas Tree delivery service across London.

They aren’t any old Christmas trees, they are Fir Nordrum Trees which are bushy, green and non drop.

They will deliver, unload and position the finest tree for you on the following 3 dates –

1st December

4th December

11th December

See prices below…

THEY WILL ALSO BE DRESSED UP AS FATHER CHRISTMAS AND RUDOLPH SO MAKE SURE THE KIDS ARE AT HOME!!

If you aren’t happy with the tree (you will be – I am delighted by mine that is currently propped against the fence in the garden) they will happily replace it.

Trees ordered by 25th November will get a 5% discount. BTW They also sell stands…

Please order your tree from this start up and spread the festive love –

Contact them through Facebook / ftty2016@gmail.com / 07843 645 006

Whilst I am on the subject of preparing for Christmas, fellow Mummy Blogger, Laura Rutherhood has painted some beautiful wreath paintings. They are only £18 and you can also get them personalised in the middle of the wreath!

Not one for a cheesy Christmas jumper, I thought this company was worth a mention as they are actually pretty lovely, especially if you want to give a little nod to Santa.

Pearl & Earl have a range of sweaters with fun logo’s on. This is my favourite and at £35 I might just get it!

I am also loving the new advent of unique calendars that have sprung up this year. Gone are the days of a simple chocolate one, let lone a biblical picture one (although I still think they should have one as the pictures are good prompts to tell the Christmas story – we mustn’t forget what Christmas is actually about!) Anyway, I diversify.

Now, Elf On The Shelf. Are you one of those families? I haven’t been but I think I might be this year. Anything to keep them on the straight and narrow!

Elf For Christmas £24.99

Elf For Christmas is definitely the sweetest elf on the shelf. Elf For Christmas, it also includes certificates, reward charts, stickers, arrival letter and a letter to Santa. The kids will love it!

I walked into Indian Summer Shop yesterday and was blown away by the gorgeous & subtle Christmas smell. It was this…

True Grace Fig Room Spray £20

Much safer than a candle and more effective than the diffusers for a short sharp burst.

Wow Toys Advent Calender £25 – Good For Little Ones

I have had a sneak preview of this and it is super cute.

Craft Beer Calendar £85

Beer. So obvious who this one is for, I actually thought about removing it.

Bunting Advent Calendar (with all the sweets!) £25

If they didn’t get enough fillings from Halloween, give them a helping hand with this. Wouldn’t you be psyched if you’re a kid and this was your advent calendar?

Benefit Advent Calender £35

Gret for au pair, teenager or… tween! (Joke)

And for yourself, seeing as it is doubtful someone will actually fill one for you – what about this?

Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar £150

A steal… hmm but wow. I love her products so a lucky dip each day in December would be pretty nice!

If your Christmas stocking needs upgrading, check out the lovely stocking at Anthropologie.

This tassled one is gorgeous and only £20!

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Fashion Little Spotlight

We Are All : Australian Childrenswear Brand

More often than not, when I find a really inspiring or original Instagram feed, it is often an account from Down Under. In my personal experience, I think they are one step ahead with their campaigns, designs and they are excellent at social media!! So I wasn’t surprised to stumble across a new player, the gorgeous brand We Are All who are launching across the UK.

Chantel and Rebecca are friends who bonded over being mothers and the trials and tribulations that come with it. They also had success in their professional careers and were looking for something they could work on together that played to both of those parts of our lives.

Given their complimentary backgrounds (Chantel is in Buying and Merchandise, Rebecca in Marketing and Management) starting a clothing line seemed like a logical use of their skills. So after a buying trip to Paris about 12 months ago, they finalized their intentions and got to work on We Are All!

The brand is aimed at parents who are looking for clothes that are stylish, well made, and that are appropriate for the way kids move. For them, the quality of the fabric is important.

Children are so active so we wanted to create clothes that lasted rather than disposal fashion that you wear a handful of times and are forced to throw out because it shrinks or goes out of shape.

In terms of style, they looked at what was happening with fashion globally then applied it in a way that is appropriate for children.

We custom design all of our prints so we are creating unique pieces that won’t be seen anywhere else.

As you can see from the photos of their London launch at the Spring Restaurant, Somerset House, they are doing exactly that.

The bright vivid display at Somerset House.

A close up of the stylish We Are All bags.

A wide range of cool Boys T Shirts.

The dress I have my on… I love this Alexis Dress.

Their Favourites

Shop : We love Colette in Paris. They have a great mix of cool and high end brands. I don’t think we’ve ever left there empty-handed!

Website : Apart from the We Are All website (!!!), a lot of online shopping is done from the sofa without the crowds. Net-a-Porter and Matches Fashion get a good run in our houses.

Restaurant : Caviar Kaspia in Paris is always great for the food, the service and the people watching. The carafes of Vodka always help too.

Hotel : For the launch of We Are All, Rebecca is staying at The Edition in London this trip and it is certainly full of atmosphere. There’s a cool, buzzy element to the place that is intoxicating!

Holiday destination : Byron Bay in Australia is amazing. It has beautiful beaches, weather, food and so many great things to do as a family. Otherwise the Amalfi Coast in Italy.

Parenting tip :

I think as mums we are always responsible for keeping everyone organized, on time, fed and clean and often forget to just slow down and be present with our children. It’s definitely something that we’re conscious of – to just hang out and connect with our children in a relaxed, fun way. Those moments are so precious to us both as
mums as well as our gorgeous children.

Free Shipping To The UK Throughout November!

weareall.com.au

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Gift Guides

20 Gift Ideas for Granny

Whether you are buying for your own mother, mother in law or for Granny on behalf of the kids – my hope is you will find something suitable (and maybe for yourself too!)

There are also a couple of small things that you could post to easily further afield.

BTW if you are enjoying TLM, please sign up here to receive emails straight into your inbox.

The Wyld Cookery School – Wandsworth

A lovely gift for a Granny who has a few spare hours (unless that will take her away from a bit of extra childcare!) Also a lovely thing to do together. This cookery school is top notch.

Hand Block Printed Table Cloth – Torna Lucia £65

Can’t think of a prettier back drop than this Torna Lucia pink table cloth to display your culinary work.

Portable Phone Charger £15

Ease her in gently to the technology of the modern era with this simple portable phone charger. A must for all – not just Granny!

Personalised Dachshund Phone Case – Willow of London £39

If you have a zany Granny to buy for, this personalised phone case will give her something fun to chat to her friends about!

Gold Dog Bone Necklace – BellaJoo £27

What Happens At Grandma’s Stays at Grandma’s – Etsy £12.99

This would be a fun little present to send along with your children (if you are lucky enough to ever have Grandparents babysit!)

Zara Pearls – Suzie Pringle £59

Suzie Pringle pearls are as varied as they are beautiful. I bought my mother some for her birthday and they went down a treat. Lovely easy to clip clasps too. (She also does lovely cashmere…)

Lancome Hypnose Mascara Gift Set £23

Old School but still one of the best and this lovely gift box makes an every day item a bit more special.

Grey Cashmere Poncho – John Lewis £120

Hard to include clothes in a ‘guide’ as everyone has such different tastes but I thought this grey polo neck would float a lot of boats.

Amazon Echo Dot £49.50

My mother has been raving about this since she had it installed. She talks and the Dot acts!

Guinea Fowl Cushion in Dove Grey – Bella Wilmot £40

An old friend has started making these lovely cushions which would make a great addition in a drawing room. Check her out – they are lovely and subtle.

Breakfast Tray – Flossie & Bumble £45

Nothing says mine quite like a personalised item. If there is someone to serve her breakfast in bed, this would be a lovely way to present it and if not, it will look lovely with Granny’s home made cakes on when you go round for tea!

a5 Red Leather Bound Notebook – Rollo London £24.95

If she is getting a bit scatty as the years go on, this leather bound notebook is a perfect size for a handbag and extremely smart too. Comes in lots of colours!

Silhouette – Darling & Darling from £130

What about a silhouette of the Grandchildren?

Playing Cards Napkins – Sarahk Designs £8

If they are a bridge player, these napkins will go down a treat!

The Goodwill Hamper – Daylesford £125

This would be a lovely present to take down just before Christmas. Granny would REALLY appreciate such a plentiful and stylish hamper.

Luxury Towelling Robe – John Lewis £55

Once you have a robe, you don’t buy another one, even if it is does need replacing. That’s why it is so nice if you get given one!

Simple White Wooden Photo Frames – John Lewis from £12

Who doesn’t need picture frames (you can’t replace photos! you just need more!) and if they are filled, even better.

Anti Ageing Set – Caudalie £141

This is lovely set. Cleaning water, face & eye cream to keep Granny looking as fresh as a daisy.

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Gift Guides

29 Gift Ideas For Girls

Oh I am having such fun putting these gift guides together! Thank you for your positive feedback from my 3 previous ones, Daddy, Grandpa and Au Pair. Now for girls.

(Those of you who have been following will notice that I have removed the ‘Nanny’ bit from the latter!)

If you would like to receive my last few gift guides and The London Mummy subsequent posts that are emailed straight into your inbox – I don’t bombard btw and you can always unsubscribe – please click here.

Anyway, enough. I personally think children are the easiest to buy for and girls especially. Included are some main presents, most for little girls, a few for bigger girls (not teenage!) some stocking fillers, some classics but hopefully none just for Christmas.

Liberty Print Hoop Decorations – Coco & Wolf £36

These are lovely wall hangings and are a change from a picture.

Assorted Dresses – Coco-Belle Clothing from £30

This is my huge secret that I am sharing with you. If you like trad, contact Sophie, give your size and she will send you what she has in stock. Bingo.

Pipity Activity Case £24.99

We have had this in the glove compartment of our car for a while. It is a dream and our first port of call when the children need distracting (before sweets, then Ipad but often it doesn’t get to it when they have their hands on a Pipity Activity Case!)

Alpaca Rabbit Hoodie – Oeuf NYC £116.12

So indulgent, but oh so sweet. Would also make a good hand me down to a different gender!

Bebelux ‘Big Pink’ Pushchair – Bebes Boutique £240

These are the doll pushchairs and prams to end all doll push chairs and prams. Hand made in Spain, they are exquisitely made with no details forgotten.

Our daughter is a ‘doll’ girl, as in some are ‘animals’ some are dolls and some are etc (I can’t think at the moment but you get my gist) so we are going for this super duper one that should last the distance. This is one present that won’t be going to the charity shop!

Mini A Ture Skirt in Rose Dust – Four Fairies & A Princess £38.50

If your little one I lucky enough to be stormingNY with you, this is the skirt to do it in.

Princess Carriage – Wow Toys £20

As you can see this list has a large range of age and price and this is on the lower end of both spectrums, but if you have a Cinderella fan, you can’t beat WOW toys for quality and longevity.

Cashmere Winter White Poncho – Mamma & Me £75

They actually do this in adult sizes but my ‘mum’ list is overflowing, I thought I would share this beautiful item in ‘girls’. Not suitable of ra messy one, but if they are susceptible to spilling their spaghetti they also come in black, grey and navy.

Magical Fairy Garden £16

This is something I would have loved when I was little (other than the illusive Mr Frost…) What do you think? Cute?

Twister Dancing Game £31

Burn off some hyperactivity with the Twister Dance game. Will also teach them a bit of rhythm (if it can be taught!)

White Rabbit Tights – Braveling £15

Super cute selection of character tights from Braveling. I love these White Rabbit ones.

Glitter Heart Snap Hair Clips – Glammrags £5

Glammrags has hot the little girl accessory market by storm and I can see why. These clips are original and stay in. Check out their glitter hair bands too.

Home Education Bead Game – Hape £12

If you have a Hama fan, they should like these but with an educational angle thrown in.

V Tech Camera £42.59

Stop them pinching your iPhone and give them a camera instead.

Raffia Toy Storage Basket – Little Knickerbockers £44

What to do with all the stocking fillers in Christmas day? I love this raffia box that would suit hair ties, sunglasses and all the plastic jewellery they somehow accumulate.

Kids Navy/Biscuit Cashmere Sweater – Little Leggies £78

These contrast cashmere sweaters are insane. I love them. They also do adults (in slightly different and bolder colours) if you want to give a nod to the mini me trend this Christmas.

Boots – Monsoon £30

As you can see I have a penchant for sparkle and Monsoon are feeding it this season. Sparkly boots, metallic trainers – if you want to buy some eye catching footwear for your little one – head over to Monsoon.

Cut Green Grass, Bloomsbury Coat – Great British Baby Company £240

The range of traditional coats from the Great British Baby Company is extensive and they are all as beautiful as the next, If you are on the hunt for one to go to that Christmas Day Service , this is the place to go.

Elephant Lunch Box – Kidly £15

Kidly was recommended to me by a friend and I am so grateful The items are so cool and original and I defy you not find anything on their for your bambino’s!

Double Pom Pom Hat – The Bobble Hat £15

Last year it was all about the single pom pom, now it’s all about the double!

Horse Tassel Bracelet – Millie Pink £7.50

If you have a horse lover, this bracelet is a perfect stocking filler.

Baby Annabell Interactive Doll £36.99

Even before I had a daughter I had heard of Baby Annabel. It is the quintessential first doll of most young girlish the UK and they have just launched an interactive one. Feed it, take it to the loo (well not that you take it to the loo but you get my drift) this is the doll of all dolls.

Louise Misha Angora Scarf – £32

I want this for myself. Enough said.

My Dream Puppy – Little Live Pets £49

This does everything you would expect a puppy to do (apart from need a walk, make a mess and poop) and it has such a sweet little face.

What You Talking About Game £20

We love a game in our family and this looks like it would create a few laughs (and maybe keep them quiet?)

Interactive Unicorn – Baby Born £29

I went to my friends house who has 2 girls for a bit of inspo on this post and she showed me this light up unicorn that has consistently been a hit with them in her house. If it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for me!

Hamleys Sticker Scratcherz £20

This was also on her hit list. If they like sticker, this is a bit more than just whacking them in a sticker book.

Foam Factory – Tomy £19

Might look slightly babyish but I bet your older children would also play with this foam machine in the bath too. Be generous with the bubbles and you will get some seriously good ‘ice cream’ in the bath.

Liberty Print Dolls Blanket – Coco & The Wolf £18

If the acrylic dolls blanket give you goose bumps, buy this one. Beautiful quality and a lovely print.

What are you getting your daughter/ God daughter/ niece for Christmas? Would love to hear your ideas.

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Gift Guides

14 Gift Ideas For Grandpa

What do you buy the man that – that really has everything or can buy anything for himself… Here are a few ideas!

Splash Maps from £25

If he is a rambler/skier or just likes to get look at a map, these coated maps are fantastic. You can choose from ordinance survey maps to skiing maps.

Hand Painted Bins – Sas Rowan Designs From £30

These hand painted bins are stunning. Everyone needs a new bin once in a while. Sas also does letter racks too in lots of different colours and designs so why not support a small business and buy one for Grandpa!

Whisky Wedge Tumbler – Oliver Bonas £18

This is pretty aesthetically pleasing don’t you think and great for a lazy Grandpa who can never fills the ice tray up!

Personalised Leather Box – Not On The High Street £74

We actually received this for one of the boys Christening presents and I just love its timelessness so much – why not get one for Gramps.

Hang About Outdoor Hanging Chair £99

Ok, maybe not strictly for him to chill in but a great thing if the Grandparents have more outdoor space than a postage stamp.

The Week Magazine 13 Issues for £27

Who doesn’t love The Week?

Lambswool Jumper – Cordings £79

This wine colour jumper from Cordings is a classic and will go nicely next to the open fire.

Black & Brass Companion Set – Firesideshop.co.uk £40.50

If he has lost a few prongs along the way, give him a new companion set – just keep it away from the kids as they double up as excellent weapons!

Mud Kitchen £265

Was;t sure whether to put this on a kids guide or to leave it here where I initially put it. I think this would be a fab thing to have at Grandpa’s house. Would mean the children would never come inside!

Sports Golf Balls £12

A little novel stocking filler.

The Ultimate Porta Puzzle £34.99

Is he into puzzles but get frustrated with people cleaning around it. This portable puzzle case will solve that problem.

Your Special Day Newspaper £46.99

The ultimate what to buy someone who has everything – a newspaper edition from the day he was born. Boom.

Gentlemens Relish – Fortnum& Mason £3.95

This is an annual favourite in our house. To be accompanied with another present though…

Three Legged Stool With Strap £39.99

A three legged stool is great for walks, shooting or encouraging Grandpa to sit on the sidelines on sports day.

Want to see the other Gift Guides? Click here

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Interiors Products Spotlight

Nicky Jack : Architectural Artist

Nicky Jack is a freelance artist and illustrator living and working in London. From Tower Hill to Hammersmith Bridge, whether famous landmarks, Notting Hill mansions or more modest Victorian terrace houses, Nicky has won acclaim for her distinct style. Her style is right up my strata!

Having left Bath Art school with a Fellowship, she has drawn her inspiration from a wide range of sources.

A quirky cheery style permits throughout her work, likely the reason she was spotted by Cath Kidston. Nicky was the inspiration behind the brands famous London print.

Whilst cheery, her work also shows deep technical ability as she is renowned for picking out the detail in architecture and captures the movement and atmosphere of a scene with a quirky Lowry-like style.

With a degree and fellowship in printed textiles from Bath School of Art, Nicky Jack came to London and progressed her design interests, working part time in a design studio whilst selling work to boutiques and galleries in the UK and further afield. She taught art for a number of years at The House Schools group and The Hall Hampstead which she adored. Having always loved painting pictures for friends and family she made the exciting decision to leave teaching and give her art career a good go whilst pregnant with child number two.

Her main objective was to try out being a working at home Mummy doing what she loved most.

Her work slowly graduated from the kitchen table to a modest garden shed where she can close the door and work efficiently without too much distraction. She has created illustrations for a number of brands, including Cath Kidston, Fortnum and Mason, The Birley Group and has worked of a number of Private commissions which have led to illustrating for everyone from the Royal Family to St Paul’s Cathedral.

Wedding vignettes Chelsea London Patrick and Jules copy 2

Nicky has turned her hand to taking commissons of people’s homes and they are sensational!

Whether it be an intricately detailed house portrait with a difference or a busy little favourite scene, I love to producing something unique and tailored. I am equally happy to work from a detailed brief or to help provide the inspiration.

I love her paintings of terraced houses… what a great record to have for years and years.

Nicky’s Favourites

Hotel : Malmaison, Charterhouse Square

Restaurant : The River Cafe, Fulham, London

Website : BBC news

Shop : Any that sells Nicorette and Cass Art, High Street Kensington

Holiday destination : Tiree, West Coast Scotland

Parenting Tip : ‘Don’t argue with your man about who is more tired. It rarely ends in agreement!’

nickyjackart.com

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Gift Guides

14 Gift Ideas for Dad

Ok. Let’s hope this Gift Guide goes down better than the one I kicked off with – Nannies & Au Pairs! (‘If I as given a wallet with a London skyline on it, I would throw it in the bin’ was my favourite!)

There are plenty of great ideas from practical to funny to experiential. This is the one time I don’t want hubby to read my latest post (he is getting better at doing it off his own back now!)

Check out my other Gift Guides too and if you would like to be on Th eLondon Mummy List, subscribe here

Headphones – Kavsons £49

Noisy children? These would go down a treat and you can always use them when you have had enough too!

Golfclub Cufflinks – Deakin & Francis £250

Cufflinks are always a good idea. I love these but if they are on the penny side, check out Deakin & Francis other gift ideas. They are fun of them.

Wordsmithery – John Lewis £20

Test his linguistic skills with the new Wordsmithery. Compact, easy and fun to play, and perfect for family get-togethers (no arguing now!) Wordsmithery puts your knowledge of words and their meaning to the test.

Gin Palace Extravaganza Tour – Sipsmith, Chiswick £75

For any gin lover, this tour sounds fantastic. You end up at the local pub too!

Matching Father & Son Pyjamas – PJ Pan from £89 & 38

There isn’t much (to my knowledge) father & son matchy match out there, but if you are game, these matching pjs are a good way to kick off. They are also pretty festive and could be quite sweet seeing the boys in your life open their presents in matching pjs?

Superman Smartbox – Buyagift £49

Over 1380 experiences for 1 or 2 people. Either send him or go together. Cars? Boats? Climbing? Have a look at the tremendous selection. A great present for the man you don’t know what to buy for!

Boot & Shoe Driers – Drysure £30

Drysure extreme boot dryers offer a simple and sure way to dry any type of boot, free from the fuss of having to find power points or batteries. Married to a runner or a skier? Ski boots will dry overnight and Drysure’s other product Drysure Active can dry running shoes in under 6 hours. Nice, no more wet (and smelly) feet in your life.

Children’s Art Collage – Barney & Wilf from £39

This gorgeous print makes a statement in any room, using up to 88 pieces of artwork so you can display boxes full of beautiful art in one space. Choose from our most popular sizes below, or get in touch to request something in any size that fits. Choose a print only or have it framed in a custom made white wooden frame, professionally sealed to protect from damage.

A Chubby – The Great Present £40

A Chubby is an acrylic box that houses 300 sheets of recycled paper which have been personalised for your own message. There is a choice of four boxes, with two types of font in four colours. Simply decide what you would like in the Main Header and what you would like printed in the Border Surround.

A stunningly stylish luxurious hardworking piece of stationery that looks really fabulous and at home where ever you choose to put it. A great personalised present!

Giraffe Loo Roll Holder – Qwerkity £29

Oh we do like novelty and you can’t get more novelty than a giraffe loo roll holder! Hopefully this will stop my toddler putting the loo roll in the loo… hmmm

Tuk Tuk Swimming Trunks L’etale £75

15% DISCOUNT FOR TLM READER. Use TLM2016 at checkout.

Handmade in Dorset, these trunks are eye catching and fabulous. If you are heading to Winter sun (please don’t tell me) these will turn heads.

Personalised Wash Bag – Will Bees Bespoke £59

Guys just don’t have the cosmetic bag choice that we do, do they. Even if they did, it is probably the last thing they would buy. Surely stuffing there deodorant and the like in your cosmetic bag is acceptable. Well, no it isn’t. Especially as it is now housing about 10 toothbrushes and a frozen hairbrush to boot. Time to give him his own, and a nice one. I love this Will Bees one, and it can also be personalised so no confusing whose it is!

Grey Linen Shirt with Colour Print Collar& Cuff – Tobias Clothing £80

I am about to publish a Spotlight on Tobias Clothing’s I love the shirts and the whole ethos of the company. Here is a taster. (And a percentage of each shirt goes to charity so all in all it is a great choice).

I really hope this has helped. Let me know if you have any other ideas! If you don’t subscribe to my blog and have just stumbled upon this post but would like to read more from The London Mummy, put your email HERE and hey presto, they will come straight to your in box! xx

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Food

Date Night : Island Grill Restaurant

Based in the heart of Bayswater on the edge of Hyde Park, Island Grill Restaurant is attached to the Lancaster London Hotel.

It is a cosmopolitan restaurant perfectly suited to those who are looking for good hearty London cuisine with a varied menu suited to both men and women.

With its mahogany interiors and low lighting, it is a great restaurant to escape the hustle and bustle of the tourist mecca of central London and if you get a window table a fun place to people watch.

It is famous for its cheese board and the steak was top notch. The winter salad also hit the spot.

There is a good kids menu too, so if you have them in tow it is family friendly that welcomes little ones.

Ratings

Ambience : 3 The low lighting and candles on the table make this a good evening venue. During the day it is down to personal preference, but I have never been too keen on mahogany tables and brown chairs, but if that’s your thing…

Service : 4 The waiters were so nice and attentive.

Value : 4 Considering it is a central London location, with the generous portions all reasonably priced, it is good value for money.

Taste : 4 Perfect for those on the Atkins Diet – the Grill menu is superb, our steak was tender and tasty. Lots of varied cuts to choose from.

Overall : 4 Despite no particular ‘novelty factor’ which we usually go for, it is a great central London restaurant, perfect as a pit stop before or after the theatre in particular.

Island Grill Restaurant

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