London Bites

Fortunately for Starbucks lovers, Starbucks isn’t a rarity in London. It might not be as intensely distributed as it is in NYC, but it’s common to pass by at least 2 Starbucks within a 10 minute walk. So is there a difference between Starbucks in America and Starbucks in London? Absolutely.

I was so disappointed at the menu. Besides the cost factor (basically a little bit less than twice as much as in the US), they offered half of the items that I’m used to. They actually don’t offer freshly brewed coffee! I thought the point of Starbucks was to serve coffee… Anyway, if you want coffee, your best bet is to get an Americano which was around 2.70 pounds. I found that adding a good amount of whole milk and a ton of sugar on an Iced Americano made a great latte-like drink. They also don’t have the Green Tea Frap nor the Strawberries and Cream Frap. And worst of all, they don’t have their iced tea or iced tea lemonade. 

The Rocket was the favorite hangout of American study-abroad students. During the first few Thursday-Saturday nights, the place was literally crammed with Americans. It’s not exactly the best to go if you plan on meeting a British chap, but the prices are very accommodating for a student. 

This is one of the best places to go for a cheap pint. They do serve food, but you have to order before 10pm. After 3pm, they have a “special” where they give you a burger with chips and a pint of whatever you want for only 3.50 pounds! Their prices are very fair even without the special. The burger was just your average burger, so don’t expect to get blown away. They also give you a smaller portion of chips than you’d receive in the States.

One of my favorite events that I attended when I studied in London was attend the Real Food Festival at the Earl Court Exhibition Center. The festival is an annual 4 day affair dedicated to recognizing smaller producers and helping them create sustainability. It’s also their opportunity to market their products (the producers are subsidized for their samples). In order to enter the festival as a producer, you must prove yourself as “good, clean, and fair.” Everyone from those who sold olive oil, to jam, to chocolate were there showcasing their products. Tickets for the general public were 15 pounds, but with some clever Googling, we found a discount and got them for only $10!