Eating Out in London
London Restaurants Overview
London restaurants have some of the most varied cuisine, based in one city, anywhere in the world. Diners who are sufficiently open-minded to explore what London restaurants have to offer, and are in for a few pleasant surprises!
Fine Dining in London Restaurants
There is a lot more to fine dining in London than meets the eye.
London is the gastronomic capital of modern global cuisine
For sheer diversity, quality and imaginative culinary input, London with its restaurants is arguably the gastronomic capital of modern, global cuisine. Such high acclaim has, in turn, proved self-perpetuating, attracting a bevy of talented chefs and restaurateurs to the heart of the metropolis.
Entertainment in Restaurants in London
Today, the restaurants in London are a pure paradise for lovers of great food and fine wine. There are over 6000 restaurants to choose from and cuisines from over 60 different countries. With the competition hotter than ever, many restaurants provide entertainment to keep their businesses booming. Diners in London are spoilt for choice, treated to a breathtaking selection of restaurants offering a diverse range of distractions; from exotic belly dancers, formidable pianists, contemporary DJs to soulful blues and opera singers. There is something to suit all tastes.
Restaurant Tipping
In the UK it is entirely discretionary to tip, even when it has been added to a bill. That said there are some fairly well established practices and in London’s restaurants a gratuity or tip of around 10% to 15% is regarded as standard. Some restaurants will include a service charge (sometimes listed as discretionary) on their bill, but this should be stated very clearly on their menus and on the bill. It is also possible that a restaurant when adding a service charge onto the bill, may try to mislead you by leaving the credit card slip open to get you to leave a further gratuity – beware of this, and if in any doubt always ask for clarification.
How to leave a Tip
This is normally done discreetly by leaving an amount of cash behind after paying the bill. Some restaurants have a plate for tips by the cash till. Many credit card receipts have a space for Gratuity. You can use this to add on a tip.
Dress Codes
Most High Street Restaurants do not have formal dress codes, but some restaurants do not like jeans or trainers. It is, however, advisable for men to bring a jacket and tie for dining out at exclusive restaurants where more formal dress may be required .For example The Ritz, London does have formal dress code in its public areas like The Ritz Restaurant, it would be greatly appreciated if gentlemen would wear a jacket and tie and jeans are not acceptable. |
