Latest reviews for Food & Drink in Leicester Square, London, United Kingdom

Oriental Delight - Fantastic variety of snacks and grocery by MartinBlue

MartinBlue — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:46:09 +0000

Review by MartinBlue

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7439 1183

Website: http://www.wpatisserie.co.uk

Tags: chinese, rare finds, delicatessen

Found some delicious spicy sauces and biscuits in there. My little girl back home absolutely loves those Hello Kitty's snacks.

They do offer special offers for a range of products with some of them are on buy-1-get-1-free bargain, though those are about mostly 3-6 months from expiry. Tried a few and they are reasonably nice.

Service is unbeatable, in terms of a chinese grocery store. Amazingly, they have an English-speaking manager running the place!

Surely will be back there (and also the chinese restaurants around) when I'm on my next business trip.Found some delicious spicy sauces and biscuits in there. My little girl back home absolutely loves those Hello Kitty's snacks.

They do offer special offers for a range of products with some of them are on buy-1-get-1-free bargain, though those are about mostly 3-6 months from expiry. Tried a few and they are reasonably nice.

Service is unbeatable, in terms of a chinese grocery store. Amazingly, they have an English-speaking manager running the place!

Surely will be back there (and also the chinese restaurants around) when I'm on my next business trip.

The Tea House - turn over a new leaf! by Navajo_Pete

Navajo_Pete — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:26:16 +0000

Review by Navajo_Pete

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7240 7539

Tags: rare finds, covent garden, asian

A modest looking and unassuming frontage in between the shoe and fashion shops of Covent Gardenâ¬"s Neal Street, the Tea House is easily missed and overlooked.

Once inside, the shop oozes â¬Üqualityâ¬" wherever you look. Many of the tea pots and gorgeous looking crockery come at a price, but if you are a tea pot collector you can eat your heart out.

Much more affordable are the many different blends of tea and the huge selection of flavoured teas, many if attractive tins or boxes (these make useful gifts â¬ who doesnâ¬"t drink tea?).

This shop is also famous for its many specialist teas, including many different green teas and fine Indian teas. Although expensive when compared with the cheap & cheerful blends, these are some of the worldâ¬"s finest teas and who can place a value on that? Worth every penny!
A modest looking and unassuming frontage in between the shoe and fashion shops of Covent Gardenâ¬"s Neal Street, the Tea House is easily missed and overlooked.

Once inside, the shop oozes â¬Üqualityâ¬" wherever you look. Many of the tea pots and gorgeous looking crockery come at a price, but if you are a tea pot collector you can eat your heart out.

Much more affordable are the many different blends of tea and the huge selection of flavoured teas, many if attractive tins or boxes (these make useful gifts â¬ who doesnâ¬"t drink tea?).

This shop is also famous for its many specialist teas, including many different green teas and fine Indian teas. Although expensive when compared with the cheap & cheerful blends, these are some of the worldâ¬"s finest teas and who can place a value on that? Worth every penny!

Oddbins - nice Burgundies by Alsation

Alsation — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:17:42 +0000

Review by Alsation

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7836 6331

Website: http://www.oddbins.co.uk

Tags: delivery, mail order, cigarettes & tobacco

This small off-licence used to be located right on the Seven Dials, but moved a few years ago. Its range is not as wide and deep as the larger Oddbins stores such as Farringdon, but it still has an amazing selection of (mostly) decent wines, with some real stunners hidden among the plonk.
The Oz and Sth American range is good, but some of the best value for money wines Iâ¬"ve bought here have been French, mainly Rhones. A good selection of Rhone and white Burgundy is complemented by interesting Sth African wines. Some good mid-price Clarets too.
To make life even more interesting, they have some excellent special offers on bottles and cans of beer. There is also a reasonable selection of spirits and even some cigars and accessories.
Last time I checked they also offered free glass hire.
Many of the staff seem to move on very fast, and recommendations by staff vary, with not everyone being terribly familiar with what they stock. Trust your own nose and palate and do some research at home before you set off.This small off-licence used to be located right on the Seven Dials, but moved a few years ago. Its range is not as wide and deep as the larger Oddbins stores such as Farringdon, but it still has an amazing selection of (mostly) decent wines, with some real stunners hidden among the plonk.
The Oz and Sth American range is good, but some of the best value for money wines Iâ¬"ve bought here have been French, mainly Rhones. A good selection of Rhone and white Burgundy is complemented by interesting Sth African wines. Some good mid-price Clarets too.
To make life even more interesting, they have some excellent special offers on bottles and cans of beer. There is also a reasonable selection of spirits and even some cigars and accessories.
Last time I checked they also offered free glass hire.
Many of the staff seem to move on very fast, and recommendations by staff vary, with not everyone being terribly familiar with what they stock. Trust your own nose and palate and do some research at home before you set off.

Monmouth Coffee Company - best Arabicas in London by Alsation

Alsation — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:16:33 +0000

Review by Alsation

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7645 3560

Website: http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/

Tags: amazing brew, cosy, rare finds

The Monmouth Coffee House is another specialist retailer that has made this part of Covent Garden its home for more than 30 years.
If youâ¬"re into coffee, it is almost impossible to resist their freshly roasted and freshly ground coffee, especially when freshly brewed in front of you. The brilliant selection of estate coffees has some regulars, like the Kenya AA, which is always in stock. Others are rare and appear from time to time, depending on season or world harvests.
Another one of my favourites here is the Papua New Guinea estate that produces some of the most aromatic coffees I have ever tasted.
As well as sell you raw beans, roasted beans or ground coffee over the counter, they also offer a useful mail-order service, with very keen prices on the large quantities. Many customers prefer to buy raw beans and roast them at home in small quantities.
The shop doubles up as a coffee house, with a small timber-panelled seating area at the rear of the little shop. The coffee is roasted in huge drums on the premises and the smell of the roasting beans is pumped out into the Covent Garden air. Thatâ¬"s an advertisement that doesnâ¬"t cost a bean!
The Monmouth Coffee House is another specialist retailer that has made this part of Covent Garden its home for more than 30 years.
If youâ¬"re into coffee, it is almost impossible to resist their freshly roasted and freshly ground coffee, especially when freshly brewed in front of you. The brilliant selection of estate coffees has some regulars, like the Kenya AA, which is always in stock. Others are rare and appear from time to time, depending on season or world harvests.
Another one of my favourites here is the Papua New Guinea estate that produces some of the most aromatic coffees I have ever tasted.
As well as sell you raw beans, roasted beans or ground coffee over the counter, they also offer a useful mail-order service, with very keen prices on the large quantities. Many customers prefer to buy raw beans and roast them at home in small quantities.
The shop doubles up as a coffee house, with a small timber-panelled seating area at the rear of the little shop. The coffee is roasted in huge drums on the premises and the smell of the roasting beans is pumped out into the Covent Garden air. Thatâ¬"s an advertisement that doesnâ¬"t cost a bean!

Neal's Yard Dairy - best and smelliest by Alsation

Alsation — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:11:39 +0000

Review by Alsation

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7240 5700

Tags: delicatessen, helpful staff, rare finds

By far the best and most inspiring cheese retailer in the UK.
Started by Raldolph and his band of merry troubadours back in the late 70s, this is still the only shop to have a HUGE queue during the last week before Christmas.
They specialise in British cheeses, and now stock Irish ones too.
Many of the Cheddars are ripened in the cellar below the shop. Staff are brilliant, very enthusiastic and generally knowledgeable.
Always ask to taste a cheese you like the looks of - you never know....
They now also stock a great range of breads, sauces, pickles and condiments, with even some imported delicacies.
For cheese accessories and gift you could look elesewhere, although there is a limited (and seasonal?) range available in the shop.
One of my favourite shops in the whole of London!By far the best and most inspiring cheese retailer in the UK.
Started by Raldolph and his band of merry troubadours back in the late 70s, this is still the only shop to have a HUGE queue during the last week before Christmas.
They specialise in British cheeses, and now stock Irish ones too.
Many of the Cheddars are ripened in the cellar below the shop. Staff are brilliant, very enthusiastic and generally knowledgeable.
Always ask to taste a cheese you like the looks of - you never know....
They now also stock a great range of breads, sauces, pickles and condiments, with even some imported delicacies.
For cheese accessories and gift you could look elesewhere, although there is a limited (and seasonal?) range available in the shop.
One of my favourite shops in the whole of London!

Haagen Dazs - by Reshma

Reshma — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:13:46 +0000

Review by Reshma

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7287 9577

Website: http://www.haagen-dazs.co.uk

The ice cream and hot chocolate at this place is brilliant. The price however is extortionate. I guess haagan daaz can get away with these sort of prices as it is located smack bang in leicester square. There is frequently large queues outside which often stretch out far in the middle of the night, often there is a 30 min wait!! Once seated the waitors seem to take a long time to come to take your order, especialy if there is a large group, often I find that they try to rush you out of the place to let other poeple in. I suggest if one wnats some quality ice cream they should visit roundevous cafe which is across the road from this place.The ice cream and hot chocolate at this place is brilliant. The price however is extortionate. I guess haagan daaz can get away with these sort of prices as it is located smack bang in leicester square. There is frequently large queues outside which often stretch out far in the middle of the night, often there is a 30 min wait!! Once seated the waitors seem to take a long time to come to take your order, especialy if there is a large group, often I find that they try to rush you out of the place to let other poeple in. I suggest if one wnats some quality ice cream they should visit roundevous cafe which is across the road from this place.

Gaby's Deli - Best falafel I've had in ages by coldclimate

coldclimate — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:47:11 +0000

Review by coldclimate

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7836 4233

Tags: mediterranean, turkish, delicatessen

I stopped in for falafel this evening, and it was excellent. For the centre of London it is cheap as chips. OK, so a can of coke is about 1.50, but a pitta stuff to bursting with falafel, tahini, crunchy salad and a bowl of good chilli sause was about a fiver.

The falafel themsleves were wonderfully crunky on the outside, and nicely chunky on the inside, not the lump of deep fried hummus or Mc Chickpea Nuggets that you sometimes get. The take out baklava to finish was also excellent.I stopped in for falafel this evening, and it was excellent. For the centre of London it is cheap as chips. OK, so a can of coke is about 1.50, but a pitta stuff to bursting with falafel, tahini, crunchy salad and a bowl of good chilli sause was about a fiver.

The falafel themsleves were wonderfully crunky on the outside, and nicely chunky on the inside, not the lump of deep fried hummus or Mc Chickpea Nuggets that you sometimes get. The take out baklava to finish was also excellent.