Burger & Lobster

Ahh, what a place. A place where the only choice you need to make is between burger and lobster. Indecisive, frantic, panic stricken menu readers like myself thrive in this environment, completely at ease, and smug with a sub 5 minute decision. 

I'll admit, there was a wave of food envy when the burger appeared, only to be heightened by the thought of missing out on a lobster roll too. But then, out comes an impressive grilled lobster - all for me. 

I was out with my team at work - but this was no place for workplace niceties. There was cracking, sucking, and all round messiness (note the bibs...).

The lobster was delicious, and accompanied with a rich boat of garlic butter, which I am ashamed (but also a little bit proud) to say that I completely polished off. The lobster portions aren't huge though- so if you're hungry I would opt for a burger.

Burger and Lobster is a classic London joint - somewhere I had been looking forward to visiting before I had even left New Zealand, and somewhere I will definitely be visiting again!

Cream Cafe + The Photographers Gallery

I'm working my way through a long list of cafes I want to visit in London, and slowly - very slowly ticking them off. This is another one in Shoreditch; a cool, light space hidden behind a huge corrugated door. 

We visited Cream Cafe at around 9.30am, which in Shoreditch is almost inhumanely early, and were first in the door.

The menu is short and simple, but executed with pride. I chose the feta, chilli, and tomato toast, while Alice had bircher muesli, and Allie chose the omelet.

The coffees were good, though not quite hot enough (an eternal London struggle), and the food on the counter looked delicious. Just look at that cake!

The cool thing about Cream is that there are often exhibitions in the neighbouring room, so you can pop your nose in and add a drop of culture to your breakfast. But, we had set our sights higher and jumped on a tube to the nightmare that is Oxford Street on a Saturday. No no, we weren't there for shopping (well, maybe a bit) - we were there to visit The Photographers Gallery.

London is full of amazing, free of charge, galleries and museums, which are the perfect way to spend a weekend. Even if you're walking around slightly clueless there is something soothing about an art gallery.

Albion Cafe

Breakfasts are a glorious thing. A time to sit and drink cup after cup of coffee, eat far too much food, and plan your adventures for the day. 

I was lucky enough to have James visit for a month, and we were out for breakfasts, lunches and dinnners for what felt like every meal. This one in particular was a lazy Sunday morning where we wandered through the sun dappled streets around the back of Shoreditch to Albion cafe on Redchurch Street.

We had a pot of coffee to share, and both devoured beans on toast. And when I say beans I mean the best baked beans I've ever had. I've got to give it to them, the English know good breakfasts.

Albion is a great, classic cafe that will definitely hit the spot when you're on the lookout for a good brekkie. They also have a whole lot of artisan food and freshly baked bread to buy and take home, basically combining my two great loves of food shopping and food eating in one fell swoop.