What's New

London is the liveliest and most ever-changing city in Europe -- "the scene" is constantly shifting. Here are some of the latest developments.

Getting to Know London

The big news is the opening of St. Pancras International, the new transportation hub for passengers arriving from the Continent on Eurostar. The finest architectural icon from the Age of Steam, with its gargoyles and Gothic Revival towers, has been beautifully restored to receive passengers.

Where to Stay

In hotel developments, Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel, 40 Liverpool St., EC2 (tel. 020/796-1234), has opened as part of a new division of Hyatt. Located between Shoreditch and Hoxton, this hotel was originally designed by Charles Barry, architect of the Houses of Parliament.

London's burgeoning array of boutique hotels added another charmer to the list, The Sumner, 54 Upper Berkeley St., W1, Marble arch (tel. 020/7723-2244). Part of an 1820s Georgian Terrace, it is one of the finest small hotels in London, designer decorator and luxuriously appointed.

The biggest development for the luxury market, and generating the most media coverage, is Haymarket Hotel, 1 Suffolk Place, SW1 (tel. 020/7470-4000), next to the fabled Haymarket Theatre. Of all the hotels of London, this one makes the boldest statement in daring colors -- even acid green. Although daringly avant-garde, it still retains many of its original 19th-century John Nash architectural features.

With the Eurostar arriving at nearby St. Pancras, the rail terminus at Kings Cross is gaining importance. Those arriving from the Continent might want to seek out a restored B&B, Jesmond Dene Hotel at 27 Argyle St., WC1 (tel. 020/7837-4654). All the tastefully furnished and comfortable bedrooms have recently been refurbished.

There are many seedy hotels around Earl's Court, but not 20 Nevern Square, 20 Nevern Square, SW5 (tel. 020/7565-9555), which is a stately red-brick Victorian house that has been restored and furnished in part with Indonesian furniture and artifacts. From the porcelain vases in the lounge to the ornate bird cages, this is a hotel of character with excellent bedrooms.

Budding detectives may want to check into Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes Hotel, 108 Baker St., W1 (tel. 020/7486-6161), a converted boutique hotel that was once the London YWCA. Artifacts of the famous detective are displayed, and bedrooms come in a wide range of sizes and styles, including some loft suites.

Where to Dine

Among restaurants, Scott's, 20 Mount St., W1 (tel. 020/7495-7309), has reopened in a new location in Mayfair. It's been selling "cockles and mussels," along with elegant Dover sole, to Londoners in one place or another since 1851. It is now better than ever. For those who don't like fish, there is always an offering of braised pork cheeks.

It's called Automat, 33 Dover St., W1 (tel. 020/7499-3033), and this Mayfair eatery serves homesick Yankees and some of the discerning foodies of London. It's Mayfair's slice of the Big Apple.

Kitschy but chic, Annex 3, 16 Little Portland St., W1 (tel. 020/7631-0700), is one of the best French restaurants in London in spite of its Christmas tree decor. Exceptional products are used in this first-rate cuisine served on the fringe of Soho.

Down in Chelsea, Tom's Kitchen, 27 Cale St., SW3 (tel. 020/7349-0202), is a hot new place to dine. This former pub has been stylishly converted into a chic restaurant serving well-crafted British cuisine in a bustling brasserie atmosphere with an open kitchen.

In Notting Hill Gate, an Aussie, Brett Graham, lures serious foodies to the Ledbury, 127 Ledbury Rd., W11 (tel. 020/7792-9090), to sample his pan-European cuisine, with influences from the kitchens of Asia. He makes better roasted scallops with licorice than dear old Mom.

Out in Pimlico, Roussillon, 16 St. Barnabas St., SW1 (tel. 020/7730-5550), has quickly become known for its "vegecentric" cuisine, serving one of the best seven-course tasting menus in the city. Inspired by France but using essentially British produce, chef Alexis Gauthier serves an ever-changing array of inventive, market-fresh dishes.

The favorite of many a visiting celebrity is Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, Park Lane, W1 (tel. 020/7629-8866), the London showcase for the world's most acclaimed chef. French cuisine in London rarely gets better. The cuisine is superbly precise, attractively served, inventive, and combines the flavor of France with market-fresh English ingredients.

London's most celebrated chef, Gordon Ramsay, has opened his own gastropub, The Narrow, 44 Narrow St., E14 (tel. 020/7592-7950), standing at a bend of the Thames in the Limehouse district. The menu is a modernized version of a nostalgic English kitchen.

After Dark

London's nightlife continues to heat up, as clubs open and close. A current favorite grunge night spot is The Fridge, Townhall Parade, SW2 in Brixton (tel. 020/7326-5100). The Evening Standard called the club "London's ultimate melting pot." Pretty young things in Chelsea are flocking to a club, 151, 151 Kings Rd., SW3 (tel. 020/7351-6826), which is known for its variety of theme nights. There's a bustling bar and an even busier dance floor.

Near Oxford Circus, Studio Valbonne, 62 Kingly St., W1 (tel. 020/7434-0888), hopes to return London to its superclub elegance back in the days when Boy George and Madonna were young and hot. There's an underlit dance floor to work off calories put on by those three-course Mediterranean dinners.

Las Vegas style gambling has come to London with the opening of the Casino at the Empire, Leicester Square, WC2 (tel. 020/3014-1000), in the very heart of London. You expect Frank Sinatra and fellow Rat Packers in tuxedos to show up any minute. For food, drinking, and dancing with Lady Luck, London offers no better casino than this.

Side Trips from London

Cambridge -- Cotto, 183 East Rd. (tel. 01223/302010), has become a serious address for dining on a blend of British and Continental dishes. Lying above a small deli-bakery, the "no-frill no-choice" three-course fixed price dinners are hailed as the best in town -- and just wait until you sample their sourdough bread.

Stratford-Upon-Avon -- Long a gastronomic wasteland, the food in the Bard's hometown has been vastly improved recently, especially with the opening of Callands, 13-14 Meer St. (tel. 01789/269304), with its take on international cookery, especially British and Mediterranean dishes. An even better choice is the British/French cuisine served at Malbec, 6 Union St. (tel. 01789/269106), where chef Simon Malin is known for his market-fresh cuisine served in unpretentious surroundings. On the lower level is a cellar with vaulted ceilings and flagstone floors. He doesn't shy away from such hearty fare as lamb's kidneys, free-range pork belly, or fresh squid.

On a cultural note, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Waterside (tel. 07189/403444), will spend 2008 and beyond undergoing a major restoration, with a gala reopening scheduled for 2010. In the meantime, catch a Royal Shakespeare Company production in the nearby Courtyard Theatre.