Visiting London? Three Neighbourhoods Worth ExploringAnd Where to Eat Along the Way
Planning a trip to London and wondering where to eat between the sightseeing?
London is a city best explored neighbourhood by neighbourhood. One minute you're wandering through a market beneath railway arches, the next you're walking along the Thames, browsing vintage shops in East London or discovering a quiet side street just minutes from Oxford Street.
And while London's landmarks might decide where you spend your day, finding a brilliant breakfast, brunch or lunch in London can be just as important.
You'll find Lantana in three of our favourite London neighbourhoods: London Bridge, Shoreditch and Fitzrovia. We're Australian-inspired, big on proper coffee, colourful food and relaxed hospitality, and our restaurants are dog friendly too!
So whether you're visiting London for the first time, back for another weekend or exploring the city with your dog, here's how we'd spend three very different days in London.
1. London Bridge: Borough Market, the Thames and a Proper Lunch
Best for: First-time visitors, Borough Market, Tower Bridge, Tate Modern, riverside walks and some of London's most recognisable sights.
If you've only got a few days in London, London Bridge and the South Bank deserve a place on your itinerary.
Start around Borough Market, where you can explore the stalls and surrounding streets before making your way towards the Thames.
From here, you're perfectly placed for some serious sightseeing.
Walk west along the river towards Shakespeare's Globe and Tate Modern, or head east past HMS Belfast towards Tower Bridge.
You can easily spend most of a day exploring this part of London without needing to get back on the Tube.
A simple London Bridge itinerary
Morning: Explore Borough Market and the surrounding streets
Late morning: Walk along the Thames
Lunch: Lantana London Bridge
Afternoon: Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe or head towards Tower Bridge
Later: One more riverside wander. Possibly one more cocktail.
Where to eat near Borough Market and London Bridge
When you're ready to escape the crowds and put your feet up, you'll find Lantana London Bridge tucked away on Southwark Street, just a short walk from Borough Market and London Bridge Station.
And come hungry. If you're starting your London day early, try our Pulled Beef Brisket Hash, slow-cooked beef brisket, sweet onions and crispy potatoes with jalapeño aji verde, coriander and a fried egg.
More of a sweet breakfast person?
The Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast comes piled with whipped cheesecake mousse, strawberry sauce, pecan, almond and sesame crumble and fresh strawberries.
For a colourful summer lunch, try the Crispy Skinned Sea Bream with Asian slaw, crunchy fried noodles, toasted almonds, mint, coriander and peanut sesame goma dare dressing.
Or keep things casual with our Pulled Beef Tacos, served with charred pineapple and corn salsa, jalapeño aji verde and pickled red onion.
Sightseeing officially finished for the day? That's what the Pisco Sour is for.
Bringing your dog?
They're very welcome.
If you're looking for a dog-friendly restaurant near London Bridge or Borough Market, make Lantana part of your route. Take a walk along the Thames, explore the neighbourhood together and stop with us for breakfast, brunch or lunch.
Good to know
📍 44–46 Southwark Street, London SE1 1UN
🚶 Short walk from Borough Market and London Bridge Station
🐾 Dog friendly
🍳 Breakfast & brunch
🥗 Lunch & all-day dining
🍸 Cocktails
🌙 Dinner Tuesday–Friday
📅 Book ahead or try us as a walk-in
BOOK A TABLE AT LANTANA LONDON BRIDGE
2. Shoreditch: Markets, Street Art, Vintage Finds and After Dark
Best for: Brick Lane, Spitalfields, street art, vintage shopping, independent shops and experiencing a different side of London.
Want to see a slightly different London? Head east.
Shoreditch is one of those neighbourhoods where wandering without too much of a plan is part of the fun.
Start at Old Spitalfields Market, make your way towards Brick Lane and explore the vintage stores, independent shops and street art that have become synonymous with the area.
Visiting on a Sunday? Add Columbia Road Flower Market to your plans.
Turn down the interesting-looking street. Go into the shop you hadn't planned on visiting. Stop for coffee. That's Shoreditch.
A simple Shoreditch itinerary
Morning: Spitalfields Market
Late morning: Brick Lane, street art and vintage shopping
Lunch: Lantana Shoreditch
Afternoon: Keep exploring East London
Evening: Cocktails and dinner After Dark
Where to eat in Shoreditch
When you're ready for a proper sit-down, head to Lantana Shoreditch at Oliver's Yard on City Road.
Start early with proper coffee and brunch.
Our new Ultimate Sausage Bap isn't shy: pork and caramelised onion sausage, melted cheese, a fried egg, chorizo jam and aioli, all in a brioche bun.
For lunch, try the Grilled Pork Loin with a Persian chopped salad of heirloom tomatoes and cucumber, chorizo jam and crispy chickpeas.
Vegetarian? Go for the Hot Honey Halloumi, served with Asian slaw, crunchy fried noodles, toasted almonds, mint, coriander and peanut sesame goma dare dressing.
And don't assume we're just a brunch place. Tuesday to Thursday, Lantana Shoreditch goes After Dark.
So if your day of exploring has turned into an evening out, stay for dinner: two courses for £27 or three courses for £32, with cocktails and wine alongside. A Hugo Spritz or Pisco Sour feels like a pretty good way to finish a day in East London.
Looking for somewhere dog friendly in Shoreditch?
Bring them.
Lantana Shoreditch is a dog-friendly Shoreditch restaurant, so four-legged companions are welcome whether you're stopping for coffee, brunch, lunch or dinner.
Perfect after a morning exploring East London on foot.
Good to know
📍 Oliver's Yard, 55 City Road, London EC1Y 1HQ
🚶 Easy reach of Shoreditch, Old Street, Spitalfields and Brick Lane
🐾 Dog friendly
☕ Coffee from early morning
🍳 Breakfast & brunch
🥗 Lunch & all-day dining
🌙 After Dark Tuesday–Thursday
🍸 Cocktails & wine
📅 Book ahead or walk in
BOOK A TABLE AT LANTANA SHOREDITCH
3. Fitzrovia: The British Museum, Soho and a Central London Escape
Best for: The British Museum, Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Soho, shopping and the West End.
Central London can be a lot. When you've navigated Oxford Street, ticked something off the sightseeing list and clocked up several thousand steps, it's good to know where to escape the crowds for an hour.
That's where Fitzrovia comes in. Sitting between some of London's busiest neighbourhoods, its smaller streets feel surprisingly removed from the rush.
Spend the morning at the British Museum, wander through Fitzrovia and Charlotte Street, head towards Soho or make your way down to the shops around Oxford Street and Regent Street.
And when you're wondering where to eat near the British Museum or Tottenham Court Road, slip down Charlotte Place.
A simple Fitzrovia itinerary
Morning: Breakfast at Lantana Fitzrovia
Late morning: British Museum
Afternoon: Soho, Covent Garden or Oxford Street
Evening: Head into the West End
Or do it the other way around.
Spend the morning sightseeing and come to us when you're ready to stop.
Where to eat near the British Museum
Our original restaurant, Lantana Fitzrovia, is tucked away on Charlotte Place, moments from Goodge Street and a short walk from Tottenham Court Road.
It's somewhere to sit down, order a proper coffee, eat something great and work out where London is taking you next.
Start your day with the Pulled Beef Brisket Hash or make breakfast an event with our Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast.
At lunch, try the Wild Mushroom Tacos with charred pineapple and corn salsa, jalapeño aji verde, pickled red onion and coriander.
Or there's the Hot Honey Halloumi with Asian slaw and peanut sesame goma dare dressing.
London unexpectedly hot? Order the new Strawberry Matcha and stay a little longer.
Exploring central London with your dog?
They're welcome too.
Lantana Fitzrovia is dog friendly, making it an easy breakfast, brunch or lunch stop if you're exploring central London together.
Good to know
📍 13 Charlotte Place, London W1T 1SN
🚶 Moments from Goodge Street and close to Tottenham Court Road
🐾 Dog friendly
☕ Proper coffee
🍳 Breakfast & brunch
🥗 Lunch & all-day dining
📅 Book ahead or walk in
BOOK A TABLE AT LANTANA FITZROVIA
Visiting London? A Few Things Worth Knowing About Lantana
You don't need to know what an Australian café is
Think proper coffee, generous breakfasts, colourful lunches, fresh flavours and a relaxed place to settle in for a while.
Lantana started with Australian café culture, but our restaurants are made for London – from the first flat white of the morning to long lunches, cocktails and dinner.
You don't have to plan your whole day around a restaurant booking
Know where you'll be?
Book your Lantana table online before you set off.
Having one of those London days where the plan keeps changing? That's fine too. We keep tables available for walk-ins, so come and see us.
Dogs are welcome
London is brilliant on foot, including when you're exploring it on four paws.
All three Lantana restaurants are dog friendly, so you don't need to choose between sightseeing and finding somewhere good to eat.
We're not just a brunch place
We love brunch. London seems to love our brunch too. But there's much more to Lantana.
Come for breakfast and coffee, meet us for a colourful lunch or settle in for cocktails and dinner at London Bridge or Shoreditch.
Our menus are designed around the way people actually spend their day.
Vegetarian? We've got you
There are plenty of vegetarian and plant-forward choices across the menu, including our Wild Mushroom Tacos and Hot Honey Halloumi.
And yes, you can just come for a drink
Holiday rules. Our summer drinks include the Hugo Spritz with St-Germain, Prosecco, mint and soda and a Pisco Sour with lime and Angostura bitters.
At London Bridge and Shoreditch you'll also find our Spiced Rum Piña Colada.
Good Food That Does a Little More
What we put on the plate matters to us, and so does what sits behind it.
Lantana is a certified B Corp, and we're always looking at ways to make better choices without compromising on the thing that matters when you're sitting down to eat: flavour.
We use My Emissions to understand the carbon impact of the dishes we create and sell, helping us make more informed decisions as our menus evolve.
And every time you order our filtered still or sparkling water, you're helping support clean water and sanitation projects in isolated and rural coffee-growing communities through Project Waterfall.
Good food. Good coffee. And hopefully a slightly better footprint along the way.
Which Lantana Should I Visit?
Not sure which one fits your London plans?
Visiting Borough Market, The Shard, Tate Modern or Tower Bridge?
Choose Lantana London Bridge.
Perfect for a breakfast near London Bridge, lunch near Borough Market, dinner after sightseeing or a dog-friendly pit stop close to the Thames.
Exploring Shoreditch, Spitalfields or Brick Lane?
Choose Lantana Shoreditch.
Come for brunch in Shoreditch, stop for lunch, bring the dog – or stay into the evening for cocktails and After Dark.
Heading to the British Museum, Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Street or Soho?
Choose Lantana Fitzrovia.
Our little central London escape for breakfast near the British Museum, brunch, coffee and colourful lunches.
Three London neighbourhoods. Three Lantanas. One very good reason to add us to your London itinerary.