Do you live in London? (Or have you in the past? Or spent a lot of time there?)

also, if you're looking for lodging, though I haven't stayed there, the founder has impeccable taste and it's a great location: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/03/travel/the-laslett-hotel-notting-hill-london.html.

Visit Liberty. Beautiful Arts & Crafts era half-timbered building. Exquisite designs, scarves, leather and clothes. ($$$, but it doesn't cost anything to look). It's a landmark of turn-of-the-20th century design, and a classic for their signature scarves and fabrics (upstairs).

Take tea at Harrod's! No, really.

Not food related, but don't miss Greenwich! If you have a historical bent or love naval history (or read the best-selling Longitude), you must see Harrison's brilliant clocks and hear the story behind them: country cabinetmaker turned brilliant engineer and inventor who solved the problem of navigation. (also, the grounds are beautiful there, there are great shops with handmade and handwoven local items, and it's just a short ride away by public transportation). You can also see Admiral Nelson's uniform from the Battle of Trafalgar. Truly the highlight of our last visit.

One more question for you all! What do you think are the best things to bring back from a trip to London?

Gymkhana
Veeraswamy
Dishoom
Jamavar Mayfair
Trishna London
Rasoi Vineet Bhatia
Amaya
Cinnamon Kitchen/Club
Zaika of Kensington
Chutney Mary

Here's a few recommendations from the East side....Broadway Market on Saturdays and the adjoining Netil House and School Yard market for up and coming artisan purveyors and fabulous food. Special mentions to stalls: Newton & Pott preserves, LemLem Kitchen (Eretrean street stall) & Raw Cheese Power. Finn & Flounder are a great local fishmongers to have on Broadway Market. Around London Fields you've got Lardo, RawDuck and the up and coming LaPhet (Burmese), the arches of London Fields are home to loads of great new food startups. Over in Shoreditch...SomSaa on Commercial Street has fantastic Thai food, the relatively new Blanchette East on BrickLane is a great wine and french bistro. Around Bethnal Green/Columbia Road: Morito; The Marksman (the brown butter & honey tart is to die for); Sager & Wilde Wine Bar; The Well and Bucket (for oysters); Brawn (of GreenMan French Horn fame); Long White Cloud for great flat whites and chilli scrambled eggs; and don't forget Swedish bakery Fabrique for their cardamon buns and neighbours Beagle for modern british on the patio. Shoreditch is also home to a great Dishoom with lovely patio area and Lila's cafe for local and organic fare. Around Old Street there’s a beautiful branch of Ceviche, their sista Andina is next to the Shoreditch Dishoom; lots of great cocktail bars including NightJar. IIn Stoke/Newington Green area you've got Lizzy's on the Green (best Bacon/lettuce/avo/tomato on brioche) and nearby Lizzy's at the Coal House (great breakfasts on the patio overlooking the reservoirs). Not to mention Primeur for fabulous daily small plates and Sweet Thursdays for the best local pizza. Over on Highbury the newly opened Farang has amazing Thai street food. Trullo at HIghbury/Islighton corner has great Italian. Heading slightly North up to Green Lanes you’ve a host of turkish (and polish restaurants), but my favourite is still Gokyuzu for their unbeatable house salad and lamb chops.
It's a start...not even scratched the surface.
Check out the many local breweries and gin distilleries around the arches (London Fields, Tower Bridge, Maltby Street) and Hackney Wick.

I have travelled to London only once, but we were lucky to be hosted by an old friend of my husband's who is a local Londoner. I agree with Dishoom. Also recommend 10 Greek Street, a small restaurant with a rotating menu in Soho for dinner. For a pub that feels local in the heart of Covent Garden, go to The Chandos for pints of hard cider. We also did an abbreviated pub crawl one afternoon after a long St. James Park walk and enjoyed The Guinea Grill, The Grenadier, and The King's Head. Sunday Roast at The Salisbury is also quite good. For something that may be touristy, but was absolutely charming, go to the pelican feeding at the Duck Island in St. James Park, every day between 2:30 - 3pm. Another great park, more to the north, is Regent's. The Borough Market on the East bank of the Thames is a must for food lovers - ginger sausage rolls at the Ginger Pig and caramel custard honeycomb donuts, anyone? It is also a great spot to start a walk along the Thames and hit the usual sites like the Tower Bridge and St. Paul's. If art is your pleasure, we particularly liked the National Portrait Gallery off of Trafalgar Square, and the bar on the top floor (called Portrait, sensibly) offers a great rooftop view of the surrounding area. For a Michelin starred experience, the Ledbury in Notting Hill is tops, though will set your wallet back accordingly - we chose to do lunch there to fit more in our budget. Hope you enjoy the city, it is a real gem!

Pitt Cue Co. in Devonshire Square
and (non-food, as one might surmise), the Churchill War Rooms tour. Before going, read Jon Meacham's "Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship." Then, at some point, plan a trip to Hyde Park, NY to visit Roosevelt's home.

If you are looking for nonfood experiences, I highly recommend the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Maida Vale. You can reach by using the Underground and then a 10 minute walk, near Little Venice. http://iyi.org.uk/iyengar-yoga-london-the-institute/

Any visitor must make a pilgrimage to the any of the Ottolenghi shops for cake or pastries. My favorite branch is the one on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill since the area is so charming. Just a block away from there is Granger and Co. which has a lovely ambiance and an amazing breakfast of ricotta hotcakes and amazing scrambled eggs.

The Harwood Arms is fantastic for amazing quality, elegant British food--perfect roasts, amazing lamb, chips and even scotch eggs! A bit of a trek from the city center in Fulham but absolutely worth it--it is the only Michelin starred gastropub.

Again, Ottolenghi has three branches which serve a proper dinner (Islingston, Spitafields and the restaurant Nopi) and those are worth a go!

On a nice day, Gordon's wine bar is perfect. Historic building, right near Enbankment and a great selection of wine--I love their Austrian Riesling.

Barrafina in Soho is excellent. Wonderful Spanish tapas that are very elegant and a great ambiance. It gets extremely busy so arriving on the early side is best to avoid a very long queue!

For a reasonably priced and simple but delicious meal, Abu Zaad in Shepherd's Bush is a hidden gem. The best hummus I've ever tried with some excellent dishes like sliced chicken(farrouj Abu Zaad) and also a pita chip, eggplant and yogurt dip which is so unique and delicious.

Poilane near Sloane Square has a lovely ambiance and is a great place to stop for a coffee or a snack (their apple tart is amazing).

Borough Market is the best place to visit for anyone interested in food--so many stalls of increíble food (it has to be good to be able to afford the rent!). The Neal's Dairy Yard cheese shop is always a nice stop. The chori-pan (chorizo and arugula in a roll) is quite popular.

For a chain, I think Gail's Bakery is an excellent choice (better than Paul). They had wonderful almond croissants, bran muffins, carrot cake and more. I particularly like their location on Portobello which has a cooked menu as well. It's also conveniently close to the amazing book shop: Books for Cooks.

London is an amazing city for food!

Also just thought - La Fromagerie (for produce AND fabulous food. Their cheese room has to be experienced) & The Ginger Pig (thinking of the Moon St branch, amazing meat & their lunch sandwiches are legendary!) I should correct my previous answer too...the branch of 28-50 we favour is in Maddox Street (I got carried away!)

So many. Here goes...(deep breath!) The Providores, Fischers (we eat there most weeks!), Typing Room, The Clove Club, Ducksoup, Hoppers, Honey & Co, Honey & Smoke, any Ottolenghi branch, Nopi, any Wright Brothers branch (we love Spitalfields) Clarkes, Quo Vadis, Ember Yard, 28-50 - any branch but we especially like Moxon Street) Dean St Townhouse, Nopi, Polpo, Spuntino, Lyles, Randall & Aubin, any Nordic Bakery for peace, calm and cinnamon buns...these are just off the top of my head...but will think of many more!

Dishoom - a quirky restaurant serving street style Indian food, its as much a place to visit for the food as it is for the unique signboards & old 50's style Bombay memorabilia decor.