15 October 2012

My Marylebone Favourites

This has been my final weekend as a Marylebone resident, after four fun years in the quartier. I'm moving somewhere a little edgier and a little less salubrious--namely Bermondsey--next week, so I thought I'd put together a list of my local favourites. Most of these recommendations are for places that are SoMaRo (south of the Marylebone Road, but I tried to include a few NoMaRo selections too, as that is where I currently live.

Food and drink
  • Favourite burger: Meat Liquour (74 Welbeck Street), although Tommi's Burger Joint (58 Marylebone Lane) definitely wins on price, take-away facilities, lack of queue and laid-back but hip attitude.
  • Favourite other restaurant: Le Relais de Venise (120 Marylebone Lane) if I'm in the mood for an immaculate steak-frites (and a queue); Becci (32 Paddington Street) for a lovely, intimate, family-run Italian.
  • Favourite greasy spoon: Gino's (18 Great Central Street), just opposite Marylebone Station, has been providing me with a bacon sandwich on days when only a bacon sarnie will do. Gino and his family are lovely and friendly, and they always do my bacon extra-crispy, just how I like it.
  • Favourite independent coffee shop: The Borough Barista (60A Seymour Street) is my closest indie coffee bar. The coffee is good and it's a nice place to hang out, but Workshop Coffee (75 Wigmore Street) does a far superior macchiato.
  • Favourite pub: The Duke of Wellington (94A Crawford Street). The drinks list is great, the atmosphere is great and their food is top notch. If they're full, I usually try The Temperance (74-76 York Street), which is one block north.
  • Favourite bar: Purl (50-54 Blandford Street). I believe this is Marylebone's only hip, prohibition-style cocktail bar. The menu is exotic and the drinks are expertly blended.
  • Favourite wine shop: Spirited Wines (35 Melcombe Street). This used to be a Nicolas, but has since been taken over by another chain. The staff are the same, though, and they're friendly and helpful.
L: The Borough Barista. R: Mr Hyde's No 2 at Purl (top); Meat Liquor (bottom)

Shopping and lifestyle

  • Favourite bookshop: Daunt Books (83 Marylebone High Street). They have a particularly good travel section, where you can find fiction relevant to the place to which you are travelling. Their selection of non-travel books is great too, though, and it's a lovely place to browse.
  • Favourite other shop: KJ's Laundry (74 Marylebone Lane). Admittedly, I don't buy much from here because it's quite pricey, but their perfectly curated selection of chic clothes and accessories is often worth a browse, especially when there is a sale on. Gwyneth and Keira both love it, apparently, although that may not be a selling point.
  • Favourite cinema: Admittedly, it doesn't take a lot to be a better cinema than the Marble Arch Odeon, but the Everyman Baker Street (96-98 Baker Street) wins this category. I like the witty remarks they put on the sign, the seats are comfy, the snacks are good and it's just an all-round pleasant place to watch a movie.
  • Favourite nail bar: California Nail Bar (20 Melcombe Street). The Nail Station (82 York Street) is more luxurious, but you can't beat the California Nail Bar for its US-nail-bar-style efficiency. Although the prices have crept up over the years, £13 for a manicure in Marylebone is a steal.
  • Favourite interesting street: Marylebone High Street is the obvious answer, but I really like the southernmost block of Seymour Place. As well as the Borough Barista, you can find a branch of Vinoteca (no 15), Donostia (no 10; a new Basque restaurant), and Buy My Wardrobe (no 17; a consignment store where you can buy from a well-curated selection of high-end clothes and accessories). It's also home to Homemade London (no 21), where you can partake in some very stylish crafting.
  • Favourite park: Hyde Park for running (if I'm allowed to count it as Marylebone); Regent's Park for chilling.
  • Favourite florist: Titania's Garden (25b Crawford Street). This is on my way home from the city centre and their beautfiul plant and flower displays always tempt me as I walk past.
  • Favourite dry cleaner: Chic Dry Cleaners (33 Melcombe Street). I'm too lazy and cheap to buy many clothes that require dry cleaning but this is Papa's dry cleaner of choice, hence I've spent a lot of time here. The staff are friendly and the service is efficient and reliable.
Top: Titania's Garden; the Everyman Baker Street. Bottom: The bottom of Seymour Place; a limited edition Daunt tote

2 comments:

  1. What a great list!!!
    I live SoMaRo and familiar with all the places you mentioned - they are all great!

    I would recommend you to try RoMo coffee cart near the entrance to Marylebone church (literally near the entrance door).

    Can't wait to hear about your new experiences in Bermondsey:-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, I'm glad you like it! I've never tried the RoMo cart, but it's on my way to work (for the next few days, anyway), so I'll check it out.

    ReplyDelete