Best Coffee Shops and Cafes in The White Cross

"The ferns, fig trees and purple African lilies that clamber up the final three storeys of the 'Walkie Talkie' skyscraper are mere wallflowers at this 155m-high rooftop garden – it's the rather extraordinary 360-degree views of London (the best in the City) that make this vast, airport-terminal-like space so popular (advance booking recommended). Located on the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch St, the Sky Garden has front-row seats for the Shard and vistas that gallop for miles east and west."

"Sky Garden pairs epic views with tasty cocktails and an indoors garden, how can you not love that?. Sky Garden has a 360° view all around London and a number of different bars and restaurants inside it. Access to Sky Garden is free but you have to book in advance if you want to skip the queues, don’t worry if you forget about booking, you can still access Sky Garden but you will have to wait a little longer before taking your perfect Instagram shots."

"Chin Chin Ice Cream was lauded as Europe's first liquid nitrogen ice cream parlour when it opened up in 2010 and it hasn’t taken long for that style to get a foothold in the favour of the general populace. Chin Chin now boasts multiple outlets across London where the clever clogs behind the counter are hand-churning enticing ice cream flavours like tonka bean and burnt butter caramel with liquid nitrogen. Adding liquid nitrogen means that the fat and water particles in the ice cream remain small and tightly knitted together during the freezing operation, resulting in intensely creamy ice cream."

"For truly breathtaking ice-cream creations, head on down to Chin Chin. This little dessert spot is famous for its extravagant flavors (you can find things like meringue pie and tonka bean on the menu!), and you can even grab a signature hot chocolate if you want something to enjoy on the go. Such a great option if you’re looking for the best desserts in London."

"This North London bakery describes itself as ‘a bit health conscious’: cakes contain low fat and sugar, but enough to ensure they taste delicious. Cutter & Squidge cakes make the perfect centrepiece for a big celebration too: the Macron Drip Cake, for instance, is a layered creation decorated with macarons, topped with chocolate shards and finished with 24 carat gold. Vegan cakes are also available, and everything can be personalised."

"Fun shop, fun website, inventive creations – two sisters established this Soho mecca and are always a step ahead of foodie trends. The sisters explain, “We are a bit health conscious and are not fans of overly fatty or sugar laden foods, so we always keep our fat and sugar content to “just as much as needed to make something delicious”."

"Vanilla sponge with apple jam, cinnamon buttercream – custardy, sweet, perfectly spiced – crispy white chocolate pearls, biscuit crumbs and an apple crisp to finish. It has all the flavours of a traditional apple pie, but it’s lighter and wonderfully soft. 20 Brewer St, London W1F 0SJ. Currently online only."

"Channel your inner Jack Johnson and pretend like it's the weekend with The Detox Kitchen's delicious banana pancake pop-up, serving up fluffy pancakes right in the office. There's so many tasty toppings to choose from!. Try almond butter and berry compote, pomegranate and coconut yogurt or keep it classic with maple syrup."

"With an impressive selection of breakfast and brunch dishes, The Breakfast Club is a top choice if you're looking for delicious American food near London Bridge. You can even take a trip to the secret bar if good cocktails are your thing."

"This big, swanky restaurant in the City of London is worth a visit for the décor alone. The ornate cornicing is the ideal accompaniment to the upmarket Italian cuisine and polished service. An import from Russia (the restaurant’s founder is Sicily-born Remo Mazzucato), Piazza Italiana has brought with it a Muscovite enthusiasm for caviar, which is served with pancakes, quail eggs, crème fraiche and butter."

"This is the first London opening for a restaurant group that started out in Moscow. They'll have high end Italian food in a very impressive location."

"A short walk from Paddington tube station, Smith's Bar & Grill is one of the best outdoor restaurants in West London. Join them on the terrace for a slick Christmas offering, complete with roast turkey and pudding with brandy custard."

"If you’ve never been to Xi’an Impression next to the Emirates Stadium, you either have terrible taste or simply couldn’t get in. The founders have now understood that delicious, handmade noodles and Shaanxi province cuisine deserves a bigger surface area and opened a second outlet in Whitechapel last year (a third, Master Wei, can now be found in Bloomsbury). In this far more capacious eatery, all the same classics are available with far more room to breathe."

"‘Come hungry, leave wobbly’ is the slogan of this restaurant and bar. Starting out as a humble food truck selling burgers in South London, Meat Liquor have grown into a full chain with restaurants across London, selling not just their famous burgers, but a range of exciting cocktails, chilli dogs, buffalo wings and other American favourites. Sticking close to their roots, their King’s Cross branch is based in a repurposed tram shed, slinging burgers out of a life size replica train."

"Restaurants Burgers Marylebone. Meat and liquor (duh) are the speciality here, with graffiti on the walls and a burger menu that helped kickstart London’s dude food scene. Home of the iconic Dead Hippie burger (two french mustard fried patties smothered in trade-marked sauce), the big surprise is that it’s the buffalo chicken burger that will change your life."

"Burgers , Diner"

"39 James St, Marylebone, London W1U 1DL Why should you care?. Curry and rice are primarily the order of the day at the latest London outpost of this huge Japanese curry chain."

"Looking for some eclectic offering of fashion while you catch your favorite movie and sip a hot coffee?. Brunswick Shopping mall offers all this and more. Set in the most culturally exciting area of London, in Bloomsbury, Brunswick lets you indulge in some serious retail therapy."