Built to commemorate the Great Fire of 1666, the height of the Monument is the same as its distance from the bakery on Pudding Lane where the fire started.
Hampstead Heath was a favourite outing for Karl Marx and his family, and held a popular fair in the 19th century. Like the Guy Fawkes night bonfires held here, it oftern turned drunken and violent.
In 1894 a French anarchist named Martial Bourdin was carrying a bomb through the park to the Observatory when it exploded and killed him. No one knows why he had decided to target the Observatory.
Guests will be able to rent for a night between January and December of 2012. But you’ll have to wait until September before you can get your name on the reservations book. Read more.
A hard space gallery rented directly to the likes of photographers and artists looking to put on their own agent-independent shows, this space used to be a former hat factory. Read more.
Speedie’s stocks retro furniture, wallpaper and collectables. Not an establishment for clutter-phobes, its deceptively small shop-front leads into a deep space crammed with finds... Read more.
Fuelling the need for eccentricity in the home, the shop is charmingly stacked with goods such as French chandeliers, statues and bohemian glass lamps. Read more.
This place is dead posh, and is where James Bond’s Vesper Martini was invented (…a little conversation starter). If you’re not Bond-like it may not be for you, but man do those martini’s f*ck you up… Read more.
"Jean George's astronomic prices have made their way across the pond, but the great food has turned to mush..." Read more.
"A place that continues the long tradition of the British steakhouse, though with a big difference – unlike its predecessors, Hawksmoor does it well.." Read more.
"What with all the books, magazines, TV, charity work etc, it's easy to forget that Jamie Oliver is first and foremost a cook. So is his latest venture, a US-style barbecue joint, another winner?..." Read more.
This sister-venue to Lost Society does good barbecues, weather permitting, from around 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, perhaps 3pm Sundays (they’re pretty relaxed about it, so do phone ahead to check). Read more.
Old World England meets New World Americana at this new all-day diner in a gabled Victorian pub building. Tables, like the portions, are large – designed to be shared. Read more.
Breakfasts on weekdays and weekend brunches at Tom Aikens’s original Chelsea brasserie remain deservedly popular. Read more.
The Antipodean breakfast culture continues its influence across town by way of this chilled-out venue at the base of Exmouth Market. Read more.
This is ‘The Breakfast Club Part Four’ – the all-day diner chain has expanded east with a Spitalfields branch, two years after the third opened up the road in Hoxton. Read more.
Anna Hansen’s Clerkenwell restaurant is a popular destination for those who like a breakfast with wow factor. Nearly all the essentially classic dishes are jazzed-up with unusual ingredients. Read more.
Railroad is not your typical Hackney caff. It’s quirky, homely and very lo-fi, but the breakfast is a lot more ambitious than you might expect. Read more.
Perched on the top of the Trafalgar Hotel in Trafalgar Square, this smartened up bar has impressive views. The drinks are tailored for tourists and expense accounts, with cocktails more than a tenner. Read more.
Planted as part of the Festival of Britain, with guidance from the Eden Project, and volunteers from St Mungo’s Charity, this rooftop has incredible views across the river. Read more.
Visiting this terrace bar feels like walking into a set for a music video with a London skyline. The two ritzy roof terraces serve up exotic cocktails to a well-groomed clientele. Read more.
The hoi polloi are now welcome in some areas of this members-only club. A tiny bar serves a short menu of cocktails, including a mean mojito; there's also bottled beer, tapas and cigars. Read more.
The view from the 12th floor roof terrace of this freshly-minted hotel takes in both the ancient majesty of the Tower of London and the Shard, the newest structure to pierce the motley London skyline. Read more.
The Lyric Hammersmith has put a lot of effort into its roof garden. The large terrace overlooking hectic King Street is a haven of planters, foliage and comfy seating. Read more.
Walk up to the expansive rooftop to find deckchairs, wrought-iron furniture and and benches filled with a sun-seeking crowd from the Shoreditch brigade. Read more.
This gallery, bar and club is the epitome of Camden style. Its large roof terrace is ideal for supping cocktails and observing both the art and the art crowd. Read more.
"The best place to go bird-watching in the capital, from wetland birds and wildfowl to migrating ospreys. Free guided tours at 11am and 2pm, and you can join the wardens for feeding time at 3pm..." Read more.
"Built in 1937, and restored to its former glory in 2007, this this grade II art deco gem now has a great poolside cafe-cum-bar-cum-restaurant next to its Olympic-sized pool..." Read more.
"Regular gigs are held from May to October in around 20 bandstands across the city, but most frequently in scruffy Northampton Square, Islington, the home of City University..." Read more.
Gin lovers rejoice! This is a wonderfully modern spot with a good scene and home to the Frozen Negroni.
‘Soho’ is thought to come from the hunting and battle cry of the Duke of Monmouth, a local landlord. He used it at the Battle of Sedgemoor where he was defeated in 1685, and later executed.
Book a table well in advance – the best place is on the stools surrounding the piano. Read more.
You may or may not like jellified lumps in flavoured tea... but it's a very creative atmosphere in here nonetheless. We like the test tubes in the window.
For C.S. Lewis fans, the Alice In Wonderland Mad Hatter's afternoon tea is a must. Have quaintly decorated treats including "Eat Me" cake and a "Drink Me" smoothie. Kristin Knox, The Clothes Whisperer
lovely place for tea, coffee, cakes and wonderful chocolates - gorgeous decor with painted murals and vintage Ercol chairs
take afternoon tea on the terrace, overlooking the beautiful gardens in the summer - pimms and strawberries and cream - what could be nicer?
Try the Madagascan Vanilla tea at the Winter Garden. It comes with lots of tasty delicious treats :)
