Hg2 Recommends...

Breakfast spots
Start your day off with a delicious breakfast before you enjoy a day at the Fair. With hundreds of specialist luxury travel experts to meet and incredible trip ideas to discover you'll need plenty of energy!

Tom’s Kitchen, Chelsea
www.tomskitchen.co.uk
Many consider the weekend brunch at Tom’s Kitchen to be the best in the city, but pick any day of the week and you’re sure to kick start your day the best possible way. The menu is a beautiful and a mighty thing; it’s almost a world food tour. From the continental to the American inspired, breakfast or brunch here can see you snacking on anything and everything from blueberry buttermilk pancakes, Rhug estate sausages or smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels. Or, of course, there’s the homemade granola for the earnest and healthy breakfasters.

Raoul’s, Notting Hill
www.raoulsgourmet.com
With a branch in both Notting Hill and Hammersmith, whether you want to explore west or east, Raoul’s will make sure you don’t go hungry. Brunch here is not a rushed affair; it’s served all day, so it’s the perfect place to amble to after a late night or as a prelude to a lazy day. Popular with locals and tourists alike, re-charge and rediscover the art of taking it easy at this gourmet eatery. The perfectly golden yellow Italian eggs are a decadent favourite.

Dinner Destinations
Nothing quite compares to the prospect of dinner out with friends and loved ones at the end of the day. Whether you crave mouthfuls and morsels of fine cuisine or something fun and light hearted, you’ll soon find your culinary desires sated in good ol’London town.

Kitchen W8, Kensington
www.kitchenw8.com
Awarded a star in the 2011 Michelin Guide, Kitchen W8 has rightfully received credit where credit is due. Established by Philip Howard and Rebecca Mascarenhas, of the Square and Sonny’s fame respectively, this restaurant set out to be a home away from home, somewhere which would be beloved by the neighbourhood and sought after by those from further afield. The menu changes with the seasons and combines the best of British gastronomy with the inspiration of French cuisine, with a variety of light, fragrant dishes, as well as more hearty fare. And for a Michelin-starred restaurant, their popular set menus are proof positive that pretension and pomposity are nowhere to be found.

Pizza East Portobello, Portobello Road
www.pizzaeastportobello.com
Don’t let the too-cool-to-care décor and funky stylings of Pizza East Portobello dissuade you, this is one restaurant that’s completely serious about its pizza, right down to the homemade tomato sauce and slow-proved dough. The younger sibling of the original Pizza East in Shoreditch, the Portobello outpost has won over the hearts and stomachs of all residents within sprinting distance. And beyond – it’s that good. Offering pizza to take-away, a deli and a swanky restaurant, no matter your mood or your movements, you won’t be able to stop yourself from being drawn in to its delicious, Italian embrace.

Where to stay:
Nestled in and around gorgeous parks, busy shopping streets, historic monuments and delectable dining destinations, some of London’s best hotels await.

Baglioni Hotel, Kensington
www.baglionihotels.com
The Baglioni promises luxury with an Italian touch. And that is exactly what it provides. In the 67 rooms of the hotel, 49 of which are suites, silk finished walls, Illy espresso machines and plasma screens are simply taken as standard. The butler will, of course, demonstrate how the little Italian espresso marvel works. In addition to the assistance of a butler, there is the option to retain the services of a chauffeur, a wonderfully indulgent spa and Brunello, the ground floor concept restaurant, complete with delicious Mediterranean fare and Murano glass chandeliers. But from the flawless furnishings to the warm and professional staff, the sumptuousness of this hotel is natural rather than ostentatious and leaves you with the undeniable feeling that this is what life is supposed to be like.

The Rockwell, Kensington
www.therockwell.com
The Rockwell is, in a word, charming. This Cromwell Road bolthole has 40 rooms, each decorated with the same delightfully eccentric English sense of style. Despite being on a busy road, this hotel exudes a calm quietness. The landscaped garden is a particular draw. This is a hotel of understated elegance with Egyptian cotton sheets and Merino wool blankets, where the scent of Vanilla Diptyque candles, the olfactory equivalent of a hug, greets you upon arrival and White Company products grace the countertops of the beautiful bathrooms. Contemporary and chic, The Rockwell is a Kensington treasure.

This list was compiled by the experts at Hg2 l A Hedonists guide to... a luxury city guide series coveted by travellers who value both style and substance when it comes to soaking up a city.