Our time in London up to this point had been fairly structured with a strict itinerary, but a Saturday in London seemed like the perfect time to relax and explore with our only major stops being Covent Garden and the National Gallery.
We did, however, make reservations ahead of time for lunch and dinner.
*NOTE: Reservations in London are a must, especially if you want to eat in some of the more popular, highly rated spots. Today’s lunch is at the Lamb & Flag pub near Covent Garden.
The Lamb & Flag, established around 1623, is one of the oldest we’ve visited—second only to The Ship Tavern. A cheerful crowd of Londoners mingle outside the pub in the bright breezy air, soaking up the good spring weather on this Saturday.
We work our way around the crowd out front, but the bar inside is just as packed. Spotting a steep, curved staircase, we climb to the top, where we wait and hear the bartender turn away a couple without a reservation. Thankfully, we have one and are seated right away at a tiny table.
I order an “extra cold” Guinness (apparently that’s a thing now), and Kenny goes with his usual Cornish cider. I opt for the classic fish and chips, adding the curry sauce as suggested by the waitress.
It’s tasty, but way too spicy for me. The fish, though, is easily the best we’ve had in London—light, flaky, and perfectly battered. The tartar sauce is spot on. Kenny orders the burger, but we both agree, the fish and chips are the winner.
Sidenote: Kenny will continue to order burgers throughout this trip to London and Scotland. None of them will be great.
Covent Garden and the National Gallery
After our hearty lunch, we turn the corner and step into the pulsing heart of Covent Garden. It’s wide open and vibrant with flower displays and street performers bringing the energy. I can’t help but think of Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.
We browse the Apple Market, which, confusingly, has no apples—just beautiful perfume shops and a flower-draped restaurant showing off a chilled display of Campari, Aperol, Limoncello, and Prosecco.
A Charlie Chaplin busker entertains a small crowd, and the whole atmosphere feels both bustling and relaxed.
Our favorite stop is Whittard, a tea and coffee shop offering free samples. We start upstairs and then head down to sample some truly delicious hot chocolate.
Covent Garden is chock-full of chocolate shops, and each window showcases enormous Easter eggs and bunnies, but we manage to resist buying the three-foot-tall one.
Our day continues with a walk to Trafalgar Square. Along the way, we pass a few charming pubs—Mr. Fogg’s Gin Parlour, The White Swan—and then make an impromptu detour to the Hippodrome Casino.
I hadn’t realized London even had casinos, but this is their biggest one, set in a historic theatre. We show our passports and get in, though I have to remove my hat (no hats allowed on the first floor). While I pop into the restroom to unflatten my hat hair, Kenny is already on the casino floor, trying a slot machine. He loses, but hey, now he can say he’s played the London casino.
In Trafalgar Square, we join the line for the National Gallery, where, after a brief wait, we manage to get into the museum without a reservation.
We start with the Impressionists: Monet, Van Gogh, and more. Kenny is thrilled to spot some of his favorite paintings from history books, especially a dramatic one of Lady Jane Grey’s execution and a portrait of Cardinal Richelieu.
Eventually, I started to feel woozy. Crowded museums do that to me—the slow-moving clusters of people, the eye strain from reading the placards—it takes a toll. I’m grateful for the benches in each gallery where I can sit and take in the room without the vertigo.
Having toured the museum to our satisfaction, we turn our weary feet toward Piccadilly Square and duck into The Imperial pub to rest and refresh with a drink. Though the pub is crowded, we snag a corner table in the back to enjoy our Aperol Spritz and Bulmers Apple Cider. Glancing around, we notice two men in bedazzled suits.
People keep greeting them enthusiastically, and I overhear someone say, “Pearly.” A quick Google search tells me they’re part of a Cockney tradition: the Pearly Kings and Queens, known for fundraising and parades.
Revived, we make our way down Shaftesbury Avenue to Piccadilly Circus. It’s absolutely packed. Lines wrap around the block for the Lindt store—something we quickly agree not to join. We weave through the crowd, loop around the circus, and head toward St. James’s Palace, admiring its Hampton Court-like architecture.
From there, we stroll along The Mall toward our final destination for the night: dinner at The Horse & Guardsman.
Though we arrive early, the restaurant is happy to seat us. Like all the pubs, the dining room is tucked upstairs with no signage, just a red velvet rope blocking the way. We step past it and head up, where a hostess greets us warmly.
The dining room is large yet cozy, with photos of horses and guardsmen lining the walls. I order a Campari Spritz—still on a spritz kick—and Kenny sticks with cider. We spot a Welsh Rarebit appetizer and can’t resist giving it a try to compare it to the others we’ve tried. It came served on a crumpet, giving it a completely different texture. It was good, but the very first one we tried at The Ship Tavern still holds the crown.
Dinner, however, is a knockout. I had high hopes for the potato, leek, and cheddar pie, and it was exceptional.
Kenny orders the Steak & Ale pie, and it was also delicious. The savory pies are served with a smattering of chips that I happily douse in malt vinegar. Clean plate club, both of us.
For dessert, we have to try the sticky toffee pudding. It arrives piping hot, steam rising off the plate, topped with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream.
It’s good, though not quite as incredible as the one at The Ship Tavern. Still, The Horse and Guardsman was a delicious choice, and I would happily return.
On our walk back, we take the quieter side of Westminster Bridge, away from the crowds, and enjoy one last peaceful view of the Thames.
Tomorrow, we say goodbye to London and board the train to Edinburgh.
