Hotspot: Museum of London, EC2Y

Hotspot: Museum of London
5 April 2012
Museum of London
London Wall, EC2Y 5HN

Find out what to do in the surrounding area below

EAT

Bankside EC2 - book online
30 Throgmorton St, EC2N
This restaurant is located in the heart of the City but that isn't reflected in the prices and most main courses are priced under £10. There is an open-plan dining room as well as intimate booths and the menu features popular British food such as sausage and mash, fisherman's pie and bubble and squeak.

Searcy's, Barbican centre - book online
Level 2, The Barbican Centre, EC2Y
Light, modern and airy, and overlooking the Barbican courtyard and fountains, Searcy's is packed with City workers at lunch and with show-goers and performers in the evening, so you might spot a famous face if they're appearing downstairs. The lamb dishes are popular and there is a speedy service to accommodate curtains.

Aurora - book online
Great Eastern Hotel, EC2M
Aurora is a feast both for your eyes and your taste buds and features a beautiful mosaic floor, stately pillars and a spectacular stained-glassed ceiling dome. The food is equally polished and elegant. Expect diners in waistcoats, plenty of linen, cigars, and a knowledgeable sommelier with a giant book.

Paternoster Chop House - book online
Warwick Court, EC4M
Terence Conran's restaurant makes no bones about targeting City folk: there's real ale on offer, simple fish dishes, roast meats and plenty of shellfish and seafood, while the prices are pretty much what you would expect. Ingredients are carefully sourced from the length and breadth of Britain and the menu changes seasonally.

Smiths of Smithfield - book online
69 - 77 Charterhouse Street, EC1M
It is located opposite Smithfields meat market so there are no prizes for guessing what features heavily on the menu. The ground floor offers soup and sandwiches and the dining room features a modern British menu but it's the top floor restaurant that really makes the most of its neighbour's produce. When you select your beef you'll not only find out where it comes from but also the breed, the name of the farmer and how long it has been hung.

DRINK

Viaduct Tavern
126 Newgate Street, EC1A
This pub was built in 1869 and is named after the Holborn Viaduct. Most of its original decoration has survived, from the mirrors and decorated glass to the three paintings of wistful maidens. It is built on the site of Newgate Prison and its cellars are the former cells.

Bed bar
57-59 Charterhouse Street, EC1M
Said to be a favourite of Kylie, this stylish bar is designed around a Moroccan theme and has three levels; a balcony for people-watching, a spacious ground floor with booths and a dark basement dotted with Moroccan lamps and leather poufs where DJs play until 3am.

Corney & Barrow
19 Broadgate Circle, EC2M
Located in the Broadgate Circle behind Liverpool Street, this bar is popular with City workers and features a central bar with two further bars, the Grandstand and Enclosure bars, on either side. Its open air seating areas offers the perfect place to watch the activities in the circle below, which include concerts in the summer and an ice rink in the winter.

The Well
180 St John Street, EC1V
Scrubbed tables and old church chairs give a fresh, accessible feel to this corner venue, which is open as a bar throughout the day and as a restaurant during kitchen hours. The wine list scoots from a respectable house red or white to Dom Pérignon - for the Clerkenwell-heeled – and the downstairs bar can be hired for private parties.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
145 Fleet Street, EC4A
It's a little bit further afield but Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is worth the walk. One of the most historic pubs in the capital, it dates back to 1667 when it was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London. When you navigate its charming warren of narrow corridors you will be following in the footsteps of Dr Samuel Johnson, Voltaire, Thackeray and Charles Dickens.

EXPLORE

The Barbican
Silk Street, EC2Y
Currently celebrating its 25th birthday, the Barbican has a new look following a £35 million refurbishment. One of the world's top art centres, it hosts a range of impressive theatre, dance, art, film and music events under one roof. www.barbican.org.uk

Smithfield market
Charterhouse Street, EC1A
Meat has been bought and sold at Smithfield for over 800 years, making it one of the oldest markets in London. Approximately 120,000 tons of produce pass through the market each year. As well as meat and poultry, there are pies, cheese and other delicatessen goods on sale

St Paul's Cathedral
Main entrance, St Paul's Churchyard, EC4M
Sir Christopher Wren's world-famous building dominates the London skyline. A £40 million restoration programme is nearing completion, and the interior and exterior have been cleaned for the first time in 300 years, so you'll be able to see the 18th century paintings and nineteenth century mosaics that decorate the Dome in all their glory. www.stpauls.co.uk

The Old Bailey
Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, EC4M
The Old Bailey is England's Central Criminal Court and celebrated its 100th birthday this year with a reception attended by the Queen. The dome above the court features the famous statue of justice – a woman holding a sword in her right hand, and a pair of scales in the other – and all criminal trials held inside are open to the public.

Where is your top London hotspot? Do you know any interesting places to eat, drink or explore near our top 10 venues? Add your comments and suggestions below...

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