When I was with Grace in London last week, I must have told her a hundred times how much I love it there. Whenever she pressed me to explain exactly what I love so much, I could only say, “Everything.” Because I truly do love it all.
After so many trips, I feel like I’ve finally crossed over from being a tourist to being a visitor. And I think that’s partly because I’ve made the more residential neighborhood of Belgravia my home base whenever I’m there.
When Grace first moved to London and we had gotten her apartment mostly settled, I dragged her onto one of those red double-decker bus tours with me. It was a terrible tour. It was raining, we could barely hear a word our wannabe-actor tour guide was saying, and I’m not sure either of us learned very much.
But one magical phrase managed to sink in: “Belgravia is the Palm Beach of London.” That was all I needed to hear. I knew that whenever I returned to visit Grace, Belgravia was where I wanted to stay.
Located just southwest of Buckingham Palace, Belgravia is an elegant, mostly residential neighborhood filled with beautiful white-stucco townhouses, garden squares, charming cafés, and some of the prettiest streets in London. It sits between two major Tube stations—Victoria and Sloane Square—making the rest of the city wonderfully easy to reach. And now, as luck would have it, Grace has moved to within minutes of my favorite London hotel.
So whether you’re planning your first trip to London or simply looking for a quieter, more residential place to stay, I’m sharing my favorite places to sleep, eat, shop, and wander in this very special corner of the city.
Where I Stay: The Lime Tree Hotel
My husband recently asked how I ever found the Lime Tree Hotel. It’s an unassuming, 26-room boutique hotel that would be easy to miss if you weren’t specifically looking for it. But I was determined to stay in Belgravia without spending a fortune—and somehow, the algorithm delivered.
The Lime Tree Hotel sits at the corner of Ebury and Elizabeth Streets—two of my favorites in all of London—and directly across from the Instagram-famous pink Peggy Porschen bakery. The location couldn’t be more charming.
Housed in a pair of nearly 200-year-old Georgian townhouses, the Lime Tree offers stylish en suite rooms, a casual restaurant called The Buttery, and the loveliest private walled garden. Over the past year, the hotel has added air conditioning, electronic key cards, Dyson hair dryers, and clothing steamers to every room. That’s in addition to the tea and coffee makers, Bramley bath and body products, and high-speed Wi-Fi it already provided. Truly, what more do you need? The only thing they don’t have is an elevator, but I have a hunch that might come down the road. I know they’ve actively been surveying their guests and improvements are being made. We’ll see. Until then, the warm staff is extremely helpful if you have to lug your bags to an upper floor.
One warning: When the Lime Tree Hotel describes something as “cosy,” that means “very small.” They have plenty of great-sized rooms, but a cosy room lives up to its name.
Where to Eat
Belgravia has a number of fantastic restaurants–you really don’t have to ever leave the neighborhood if you don’t want to. Here are some of my favorites.
Coffee/Breakfast/Brunch
The Buttery: This was the 10-table restaurant attached to our hotel and this may have been my favorite restaurant this trip! I had their homemade granola bowl and Grace and I shared their pancakes and we are still talking about them. Highly recommend making a reservation early in your trip if you’d like to dine there because seating is limited.
Chestnut Bakery: Another little treasure of a bakery! This one had a number of twice baked croissants on their menu and of course Grace and I had to sample a couple. We chose a raspberry and pistachio as a sweet and a parmesan truffle one as our savory. So darn good! I love this place so much that I’ve taken to purchasing a croissant to bring home and have on my first morning back to make me a little less sad about being home.
Morena: Another darling place and we were able to just walk in and have a delicious breakfast. I’m in my granola yogurt bowl era and the one at Morena was fab!
Peggy Porschen: The most instagrammable bakery in London! This was right across the street from our hotel. Before we headed to Windsor on the train, we stopped in and picked up a slice of their orange carrot loaf and their chocolate marble loaf. This little gem of a bakery is a must visit if you happen to be in Belgravia.
Tom Tom Coffee House: Typically my room at the Lime Tree looks over the outdoor seating at Tom Tom. Their food, coffee, everything is amazing. Another great choice when you’re staying in Belgravia.
Workshop Coffee: This coffee shop is darling, the coffee and pastry are delish, and the space is wonderful inside and out to sit and enjoy! In the afternoon, they offer cocktails and appertivo. Workshop is a perfect place to start and end your day.
Dinner
Chucs: A wonderful Italian place for dinner (that also serves breakfast/brunch/lunch). On our last visit, Grace and I shared a truffle pizza and a house salad and it was one of the best dinners we had.
Cleo: Another terrific place for a special meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner) serving up a little bit of everything from pasta to burgers. Cleo has a fab vibe whether you’re eating indoors or out on their patio.
The Thomas Cubitt: An English pub at it’s best, awesome for pre-dinner drinks, dinner itself, and a Sunday roast.
Wild by Tart: An amazing place with an incredible bar, small plates for sharing, and the warmest atmosphere. We loved it!
Where to Shop
Belgravia is home to some of the most special boutiques. Here are a few of our favorites:
Bayley & Sage: Probably the most beautiful grocery store I’ve ever been in.
Me + Em: I would wear everything in this store–classic, tailored pieces.
Jo Loves: Jo Malone’s newest venture Jo Loves has its only store on Elizabeth Street. I never go to London without visiting this shop.
Joanna Wood: For the most stylish items to update your home.
Wiggy Kit: Incredible luxury fashion in its newest location. Inspirational, aspirational–perfection!
And last but not least…the Walden Chemist. It’s this little drug store that has the Marvis Smokers Whitening Toothpaste I discovered when I was in Paris last year. Even though I don’t smoke, it’s the best whitening toothpaste I’ve ever used. You can find it in some random places at random times in the U.S., but it was a fun find in my favorite place.
Theater
Just a 10-minute walk from the Lime Tree Hotel is the Apollo Theater Victoria. Grace and I saw Wicked when I was there last month and it was unbelievable! I had never seen this show before and only had a faint idea of the story line. I literally can’t stop thinking about it. Going to a show is one of my favorite things to do in London because it’s so easy to get to the theater. You can just walk!
Clearly, Belgravia has my heart! I would love to know if you’re going!
Happy traveling!
xo,
