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