Topic Wiki

Trip Reports
A Week in London for 2 TR by Davidmal
100,000 Steps by Yuguy
6 Hours in London by Something Fishy
London + Scotland Trip Report by jshelton
London TR by Yehoshua
Mrs. Hvaces42's Surprise London Birthday Adventure by hvaces42
A Trip to See the Queen's Place: dpk4588 Takes on London by dpk4588


Suggested 1 Day Itineraries
1 Day In London by Davidmal
12 Hour Layover by Aaaron
11 Hour Layover by Mootkim

Drivers
Yitzchok: +44 (0) 20 7101 3535 - 8 Seater New VW Transporter (spacious).
Heathrow Drop-off 75GBP Pick up: 85GBP (plus 25GBP and he brings 8 Danishes to the airport too)
Hourly 65GBP
Daily 475GBP
Very Reliable, very nice and funny guy. Frum, professional and has taken very good care of my client - RCARentals (FlightBlitz).
Emmes Car Service (Stamford Hill) +44 20 8809 4444
Darkei Noam Car Share +44 20 8800 5566
Hotels
General Hotels
NameAreaWebsite          Review
Andaz Liverpool StreetCity               Link
Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill              West EndLinkmguy
Marriott - Grosvenor SquareWest End               Link
Marriott Marble ArchWest End               Link5 minute walk to Western Marble Arch Synagogue

Hotels in Jewish Areas
NameAreaWebsite          Review     Notes
Croft Court Hotel                                   Golders Green          Link
Holiday Inn Brent Cross                                  Golders Green          Link
Holiday Inn Express                                   Golders Green          LinkKosher breakfast, Shabbos meals. Contact hotel for more info.
King Solomon Hotel          Golders GreenLink
Nox HotelGolders GreenLinklocated near Shuls/kosher restaurants/underground station
KipAccomGolders GreenLinkrun by a frum guy. Individual rooms for rent.
Park Avenue HotelStamford HillLinkFormerly Kadimah
The Pillar HotelHendonLink

Restaurants
NameLocationTypeHechsher     Notes
86 BistroHendonMeatLBDCLOSED
AsadoStamford HillMeatKED'Mediterranean bistro'
AvivEdgwareMeatKF
Ayelets Catering and DelicatessenHendonDeli/Takeout/ShabbosLBDMoroccan Style
Balady AlaeshGolders Green+High BarnetFalafel/ShawarmaSKA
BalaganBorehamwoodMeatLBDMiddle Eastern
Bagel BarHendonCafèLBD
Bagel Bar GrillHendonMeatLBD
Beit CafeGolders GreenDairyLBDNEW
BooyaGolders GreenIce CreamNEW
Bread BakeryGolders GreenBakery/CaféLBDGreat salad selection!
Burger BarGolders GreenMeatLBD
Cafe AromeEdgwareDairyRESCLOSED
Dagim - Fish&ChipsStamford HillFresh fried fishKEDTake away only - No seating
DarnaGolders GreenMeatKFIsraeli inspired. Formerly Soyo Diner.
DelicatessenHampsteadMeatKFMediterranean & regular options
Deli98Stamford HillDeli/Takeout/ShabbosKEDGreat pulled beef sandwich
FlipsideGolders GreenCLOSED
Eli’s Pizza Borehamwood+EdgwarePizzaLBD
Habiba’s DeliGolders Green+HampsteadMeatLBD
Head RoomGolders GreenCaféKFsocial enterprise café by mental health charity Jami
Hot CutGolders GreenMeatKFMeat Sandwiches etc
Hummus BarGolders Green+HendonMeatLBDHighly reccomended - reserve well in advance.
Isola BellaGolders GreenDairy/Fish/ThaiLBDCLOSED
KaifengHendonChineseLBD
KanteenGolders Green/HendonDairy/FishKFInside Brent Cross Shopping Center
La FiestaGolders GreenMeatLBDArgentinian steakhouse.
MaximGolders GreenDairyKED
MazalCamden TownMiddle Eastern MeatKF NEW
Met-Su-YanGolders Green+EdgwareAsianKF
Mr BakerHendonCafé/BakeryLBDSame location as Mr Falafel and Mr Neapolitan
Mr FalafelHendonLBDNextdoor Mr Baker - uses their seating
Mr NeapolitanHendonPizza/PastaLBDInside Mr Baker. Best artisanal pizza in town!
NovellinoGolders GreenDairyLBD
Novellino BistroGolders GreenMeatLBD
One AshbourneGolders GreenMeatKF50% off steaks on Sundays & Tuesdays
PitaGolders GreenMiddle Eastern MeatKFShawarma/Falafel/Schnitzel etc
PizazaGolders GreenPizzaKFCool on screen ordering at table. Delicious foodSee inside the shop!
PizazaHendonPizzaKFNo screens, and smaller than GG.
PizazaEdgwarePizzaKFHas a playroom for kids
Pizza ShaiHendonPizzaSKA
PortoberryHendonHealth Food/DairyLBDAcai bowls, Poke bowls, Bubble tea, Frozen yogurt etcNEW
Reich'sGolders GreenDeli/Takeout/ShabbosKED
Reuben'sWest EndMeatSKADeli upstairs-Restaurant downstairs
SababaBorehamwoodDairyLBD
SliceGolders GreenPizzaLBDNew York style pizza
SoYoGolders Green+EdgwareDairy/FishKFGood breakfast selection
Sami'sGolders GreenSchwarmaLBDThere are Hendon & Edgware locations as well.
Satmar DeliStamford HillDeli/Takeout/ShabbosKED
Shefa MehadrinGolders GreenDeli/Takeout/ShabbosVarious
Sushi HavenGolders GreenSushiLBDAlso have counter inside Kosher Kingdom
TaboonGolders GreenFalafelLBD
The KitchenEdgwareMeatKFCLOSED
TishBelsize ParkMeatLBDOpen for Shabbos meals
Tony PageWesminsterMeatLBDFine Dining - near  Hyde Park
Tuk TukGolders GreenPan-AsianLBD
White FishHendonFishLBD CLOSED
White House ExpressHendonMeatLBD

London food instagram account for pictures of the food click here!



CLICK HERE for many more bakeries, groceries etc.

Hechsherim Key - As always, AYLOR.

KF - Federation of Synagogues

KED - Kedassia - Local "Heimish" Hechsher

LBD - London Beth Din

SKA - Sephardi Kashrut Authority

RES - Rabbi Eliezer Schneebalg - Machzikei Hadas Edgware





Landmarks & Attractions
You can get 2 for 1 entrance on many of the top attractions by using a railway ticket for travel. (Or just by buying a cheap railway ticket and not traveling). See all the details here: http://www.toptiplondon.com/places-to-visit/2-for-1-offers
AttractionURLNotes
Abbey RoadLink     Famous Abbey Road crossing for Beatles fans.
British LibraryLinkBritain's national library, which houses some fascinating collections including these.
Buckingham PalaceLinkPalace tours only in Aug-Sep. Details for Changing of the Guard here. This tour walks along with the guards from the beginning of their march to the palace and then will get you a nice view of the actual ceremony. 10% off code: FUNGUARD10PC
City CruisesLinkSightseeing cruise on the River Thames.
Harrods of KnightsbridgeLinkLargest department store in Europe, with some really cool (expensive!) stuff on display.
HMS BelfastLinkMuseum on a former battleship.
Horse Guards ParadeLink
Imperial War MuseumLinkHighlights: Holocaust Exhibition, Trench Experience
London EyeLink
Old BaileyLinkWatch criminal trials taking place.
Shakespeare TheatreLink
The ShardLinkView London from the viewing gallery or have drinks at the bar on the 52nd floor. Best time to go is twilight/evening. Possibly a better alternative to the London Eye.
StonehengeLinkPrehistoric monument.
Thames RibLinkHigh-speed RIB boat tour.
Tower of London                             Link     Historic fortress where the Crown Jewels can be viewed.
WB Harry Potter Studio Tour      LinkSee Hogwarts, Diagon Alley etc. See here for a tip on finding last-minute availability
Windsor CastleLinkHistorical castle, and the Queen's weekend home.



General Information

Emergency Numbers
Police/Fire/Amb - 999
Hatzolah NW - 0300 999 4 999 (Golders Green/Hendon)
Shomrim - 0300-999-0123

-If you plan on using public transportation, get an Oyster card. They are much cheaper and easier to use than conventional travel cards, and never expire. They can be bought in many stores in London, or online. These days one can use contactless credit cards instead of Oyster.(Check here to see if your foreign contactless card will work.)

-Here is a handy planner for the public transport system.

-DD's Kosher Sandwiches can be bought in most major airports and stations and at some supermarkets around London.  Check here for a list of locations.

-Kosher in the West End/City -
Selfridges food hall has a variety of kosher groceries and prepackaged ready food by 1701.
Hermolis  also have a deli counter there.  The range includes schnitzels, spring rolls, kebabs, breaded lamb chops, chicken wings, fish products and salads. Traditional Shabbat dishes will be on sale on Thursdays and Fridays. Supervision is provided by the Kashrut Division London Beth Din
In the City Munch'n'Crunch have a stand in Hatton Garden with kosher meals, sandwiches, sushi and coffee. It is located at 32 Hatton Garden, on the lower-ground floor of Jewellery Emporium. There is also Mincha there at 1:30.

-Kosher food at non-kosher hotels, restaurants etc. can be ordered from the following kosher caterers in London. They provide double-wrapped meals to any location and could also match the menu of your location.
Hermolis (KED/LBD)
Royal Cuisine (KED/LBD)
1701/Adafina (LBD)

Zmanim - MyZmanim London

Minyanim - There are many shuls all over London, however there are a couple of places that have more constant Minyanim throughout the day.

Golders Green
General Golders Green Mincha/Maariv times
Hagers (Beth Yisochor Dov Beth Hamedrash)
R' Chuna's (Beth Shmuel Synagogue)

Stamford Hill
Satmar 26 (Clapton Common)
Pinters
Biala Shul (47 Moundfield Rd, London N16 6DT, UK)
Here is a list of addresses and zmanim for the above, and other places.

-Minyan in the West End could be found at the Marble Arch Synagogue. Shacharis during the week is followed by breakfast, and a kiddush on Shabbos.

-Most food products in general stores do not have a hechsher on them. This does not necessarily mean they are not kosher. For example, Coca-Cola does not have a hechsher, but it is kosher. Here is an online kosher product search that could help. Link to Android app.

« Last edited by yitzy93 on December 27, 2023, 09:02:39 PM »

Author Topic: London Master Thread  (Read 747584 times)

Offline ChAiM'l

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1300 on: March 02, 2016, 02:22:20 PM »
Uber was very affordable. Especially with 20% off from Capital One quicksilver.
Yes, but I assume he would have to get an UberXL which would be more.

Offline ariIs

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1301 on: March 02, 2016, 04:30:09 PM »
Hi all,
I'm planning a week-long vacation in UK in July - any advice on where to stay if we have 3 kids (under 10)?
Rent a place on airbnb close to GG for food proximity?
I've got some SPG points - any good SPG options in London or UK that's good for a family?

Also, where else in the UK other than London would you recommend seeing with kids?

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1302 on: March 02, 2016, 04:49:14 PM »
Hi all,
I'm planning a week-long vacation in UK in July - any advice on where to stay if we have 3 kids (under 10)?
Rent a place on airbnb close to GG for food proximity?
I've got some SPG points - any good SPG options in London or UK that's good for a family?

Also, where else in the UK other than London would you recommend seeing with kids?
I don't think you can hope to get an answer to your questions. You're basically asking for someone to plan your whole trip. Why not do some research into places you may want to visit, lodging options, and ask more detailed questions in hopes of getting better answers?

Offline ariIs

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1303 on: March 02, 2016, 04:56:24 PM »
I don't think you can hope to get an answer to your questions. You're basically asking for someone to plan your whole trip. Why not do some research into places you may want to visit, lodging options, and ask more detailed questions in hopes of getting better answers?

Not exactly. I'd like to see if anyone has done something similar and has tips.
Most of the TRs I see for London are either couples, or with a baby. Traveling with kids is different - I can't just take a random hotel room, and the places to visit are different, so I was wondering if anyone has done this already - which is the point of this forum.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1304 on: March 02, 2016, 04:59:14 PM »
Not exactly. I'd like to see if anyone has done something similar and has tips.
Most of the TRs I see for London are either couples, or with a baby. Traveling with kids is different - I can't just take a random hotel room, and the places to visit are different, so I was wondering if anyone has done this already - which is the point of this forum.
My point is asking too many questions in one post means more are likely to go unanswered. For example, how would anyone besides you and your SO know where else in the UK you'd like to go? I haven't heard of anyplace (in the UK) that's kid unfriendly. It's a large place: Belfast, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Surrey, etc all offer different sights and activities for people of all ages, including kids.

Offline hvaces42

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1305 on: March 02, 2016, 05:05:33 PM »
Start with the places in the Wiki.
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Offline Zevi16

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1306 on: March 03, 2016, 07:43:41 PM »
Aloft worth 10000 spg points?

Offline hvaces42

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1307 on: March 03, 2016, 07:45:23 PM »
Aloft worth 10000 spg points?
Doubt it
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Offline Zevi16

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1308 on: March 03, 2016, 07:57:24 PM »
Doubt it
Lowest I found with spg is by Heathrow and this is second lowest.
I'm checking on the spg site, maybe I'm doing something wrong

Offline Menachem613

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1309 on: March 03, 2016, 07:58:56 PM »
If you're going to be staying downtown, you'll be spending a lot of time travelling to GG for food. London IMO is an activity city where you live off (the surprisingly yummy) DD Sandwiches that are everywhere. It's not so k'dai to go back and forth to GG twice a day.

Do people actually eat 3 meals of DD sandwiches? Just wondering how realistic it is for me and my family.

Offline Zevi16

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1310 on: March 03, 2016, 08:03:42 PM »
Do people actually eat 3 meals of DD sandwiches? Just wondering how realistic it is for me and my family.
Just warning you. Traveling with kids after a long day of touring back to your hotel by underground can be ultra tiring. Very strenuous

Offline hvaces42

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1311 on: March 03, 2016, 08:21:03 PM »
Do people actually eat 3 meals of DD sandwiches? Just wondering how realistic it is for me and my family.
Not realistic at all. Those sandwiches are literally for lunch or emergency use only. Not to substitute regular meals. Have you figured out where you are staying? We ate dinner at restaurants. You can buy rolls, cakes, danishes and other breakfast staples in GG or other neighborhoods and use DD for lunch.

Just warning you. Traveling with kids after a long day of touring back to your hotel by underground can be ultra tiring. Very strenuous
Underground at times can be very strenuous. We did it without kids and it was ok. But its not NYC subways if thats what youre expecting. It is faster paced organized chaos.
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Offline hvaces42

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1312 on: March 03, 2016, 08:22:24 PM »
Lowest I found with spg is by Heathrow and this is second lowest.
I'm checking on the spg site, maybe I'm doing something wrong
Do you have any other currencies? How Long are you staying? Heathrow is obviously not central to any tourist sites. It is close to Windsor Castle though.
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Offline Menachem613

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1313 on: March 03, 2016, 10:20:21 PM »
Not realistic at all. Those sandwiches are literally for lunch or emergency use only. Not to substitute regular meals. Have you figured out where you are staying? We ate dinner at restaurants. You can buy rolls, cakes, danishes and other breakfast staples in GG or other neighborhoods and use DD for lunch.
Underground at times can be very strenuous. We did it without kids and it was ok. But its not NYC subways if thats what youre expecting. It is faster paced organized chaos.

Thank you.  I am considering staying at the Holiday Inn in GG because of food, particularly the day after Pesach, when the stores that normally carry DD may not have restocked yet.  I understand that visiting the Mekoimois Hakdoshim  :P may not work out being that my flight leaves at 3:15PM to LHR. I would have to travel back to my hotel in GG and then leave ample time for traveling and navigating LHR.

Offline hvaces42

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1314 on: March 03, 2016, 10:25:54 PM »
DD didnt restock over Christmas week when we were there. I wouldnt count on them restocking after pesach. And anything you find may be חמץ שעבר עליו הפסח etc.
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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1315 on: March 03, 2016, 11:12:17 PM »
DD didnt restock over Christmas week when we were there. I wouldnt count on them restocking after pesach. And anything you find may be חמץ שעבר עליו הפסח etc.
I wouldn't count on it either the day after Pesach. But within a week they should be back to normal I'd assume.

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1316 on: March 04, 2016, 02:10:05 AM »
Do you have any other currencies? How Long are you staying? Heathrow is obviously not central to any tourist sites. It is close to Windsor Castle though.
My parents live in London.  I am looking to get away from GG with DW for a night or 2 over pesach bein haz

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1317 on: March 04, 2016, 02:17:26 AM »



Underground at times can be very strenuous. We did it without kids and it was ok. But its not NYC subways if thats what youre expecting. It is faster paced organized chaos.

I find it to be much more strenuous than the subway. Way more people and much narrower platforms. That is during rush hour. Also,  I think they go much lower in the ground (if I'm not mistaken, at some station on the northern line, it is 1 mile deep) so the air is so much thicker.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1318 on: March 04, 2016, 09:09:22 AM »
Do people actually eat 3 meals of DD sandwiches? Just wondering how realistic it is for me and my family.
I went with just DW as newlyweds. We stayed in town, and didn't like the overpriced Rueben's, so we had no problem with fruit (and cereal IIRC) for breakfast and then a dairy DD for lunch and a meat DD for dinner. Might be different with a family, although I would imagine kids would be even more chill with sandwiches rather than going out to a restaurant.

Offline Menachem613

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Re: London Master Thread
« Reply #1319 on: March 04, 2016, 10:46:54 AM »
I went with just DW as newlyweds. We stayed in town, and didn't like the overpriced Rueben's, so we had no problem with fruit (and cereal IIRC) for breakfast and then a dairy DD for lunch and a meat DD for dinner. Might be different with a family, although I would imagine kids would be even more chill with sandwiches rather than going out to a restaurant.

True, but the fact that I will be in London the day after Pesach makes it unlikely (from what I read) that there were will be availability of DD sandwiches.