Days in London

Travel
Written By Paula Bitel

The alternative title, how I panic-booked a €6 ticket to see Cardinals in a different country.

“If there’s one thing I know about this life
It’s that it’s strange”
— Get It by Cardinals

Breakfast, lunch, dinner

One fact you quickly learn about London: there’s never enough time in a day. Even though it wasn’t my first time in the city, there was still so, so much to explore—new streets, new districts, new venues, and new food spots. I’ve been thinking about what I really want to say and write about my experiences in London: it’s a place that makes you tired and keeps you rushing around, but you can forgive it all because of how beautiful and full of adventure your days can be.

Dishoom, Shoreditch

According to their own description, Dishoom pays homage to the food of Bombay, offering quite a few vegan options that you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or later in the day. I went early in the morning and ordered the Vegan Akuri—akuri, a spicy scrambled egg dish popular in the Parsi cuisine of India. It was lovely: soft homemade buns (very tasty, if I may say), grilled tomato, and spicy scrambled tofu.

Neat Burger, Soho

I keep coming back every time I’m in London—plant-based burgers with a mix of classic and unique flavors to choose from. This time, I went for a vegan cheeseburger with (oh-so-crispy) fries, cilantro-chipotle sauce, and a Diet Coke on the side. Overall, it’s a great spot if you want to relax somewhere casual, enjoy a nice playlist in the background, and watch the busy street life through the window.

Mildreds, Soho

Mildreds, fully vegan restaurants in London. One of my key points for this trip, to get sticky toffee pudding, and I found it there! Their take on this lovely dessert combines dates, salted caramel, and gingerbread—amazing. If you’ve never had sticky toffee pudding, I highly recommend it; it’s caramel-rich, festive, and perfect for those autumn treat-yourself moments.

Snacks!!!

Tell me your favorite grocery store, and I’ll tell you who you are. Whenever I’m in England, I go to Marks & Spencer or Waitrose—and, well, I just become Posh Spice for those few minutes, I can’t help it, I’m sorry! The M&S Simply Food vegan selection is impressive—perfect if you’re looking for some quick snacks for any time of day. In my basket: cold brew oat latte, honeycomb & caramel chocolate bar, chocolate cookie, and peach gummies. I think the cold brew oat latte and chocolate cookie were my favorites!

Greenwich

Going from Shepherd’s Bush—where I stayed—to Greenwich is a bit of a time-consuming idea. This started with me wanting to see a pretty street-hill view of the city skyscrapers, but it turned out that Greenwich has a lot more to offer. After spending an hour on the Underground and finally leaving the DLR (a great route, by the way), you suddenly find yourself far away from the biggest traffic jams and crowds.

One of my favorite pictures I took lately. Point Hill, London

When in that area, you should also visit Greenwich Park—a home to the Royal Observatory, Queen’s House, and other exciting offerings.

If you’re a tourist seeking a more local experience, East London—areas like Greenwich—offers a unique charm. It’s a bit more off the beaten path compared to popular West London spots like Notting Hill, but it has its own vibe and treasures waiting to be discovered.

Cardinals

Cardinals at The Blue Basement in Third Man Records - the greatest joy, really. To book rather a tiny gig (sixty-person capacity) and be able to feel the intimacy of such small events - for a music fan, that’s so cool. The setlist was awesome, featuring songs like Twist & Turn, Get It, If I Could Make You Care.

At The Blue Basement, you’re close enough to see every detail, every expression, and to share some sort of an unspoken connection with the band and the crowd around you.

In terms of music, I’ve really enjoyed this year. I discovered a lot of new music that I truly adore and, frankly, got a bit lost in the world of young bands just getting started with small or large concerts. It’s a breath of fresh air that I apparently needed.

How I booked a €6 ticket to see Cardinals When I saw that the band had only a few tickets left, after considering a few different options for my last concerts in 2024 - this included, I panicked and bought one in under five minutes—only to realize afterward that I had absolutely no plan for actually getting there. Well… no harm?

Paula Bitel
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