GREAT BRITAIN - Best of Europe 2014 - page 873

Elsewhere in London
Between St. Paul's and the Tower: The Counting House, formerly an elegant old bank,
offers great £7-11 meals, nice homemade £10-11 meat pies, fish, and fresh vegetables. The
fun “nibbles menu,” with £3-6 snacks, is available starting in the early evening until 22:00
(oruntil 21:00 onMon; open Mon-Fri 11:00-23:00, gets really busywith the buttoned-down
9-to-5 crowd after 12:15 especially Thu-Fri, closed Sat-Sun, near Mansion House in The
City, 50 Cornhill, tel. [phone]).
Near St. Paul's: De Gustibus Sandwiches is where an artisan bakery meets the public,
offeringfresh,you-design-itsandwiches,salads,andsoups.Communicationcanbedifficult,
but it's worth the effort. Just one block below St. Paul's, it has simple seating or take-out
picnic sacks for lugging to one of the great nearby parks (£4-8 sandwiches, £6 hot dishes,
Mon-Fri 7:00-17:00, closed Sat-Sun, from church steps follow signs to youth hostel a block
downhill, 53-55 Carter Lane, tel. [phone]; another outlet is inside the Borough Mar-
ket in Southwark).
Near the British Library: Drummond Street (running just west of Euston Station—see
map on here ) is famous for cheap and good Indian vegetarian food (£5-10 dishes, £7
lunch buffets). Consider Chutneys (124 Drummond, tel. [phone]) and Ravi Shank-
ar (133-135 Drummond, tel. [phone]) for a good thali (both open long hours daily).
Near the Tower of London: In The Medieval Banquet 's underground, brick-arched
room, costumed wenches bring you a tasty four-course medieval-themed meal (includes ale
and red wine) while minstrels, knights, jesters, and contortionists perform. If you enjoy one
oftheacts,poundonthetable.Reserveinadvanceonlineorbyphone(adult-£50,child-£30,
family deal for 2 adults and 2 kids-£110—Sun-Thu only, ask about discount for Rick Steves
readers,Mon-Sataround20:00,Sunaround18:00,veggieoptionpossible,rentablemedieval
garb, The Medieval Banquet Ivory House, St. Katharine Docks, enter docks off East Smith-
field Street, Tube: Tower Hill, tel. [phone], www.medievalbanquet.com ).
London Connections
By Plane
A number of discount airlines fly into and out of London's smaller airports, making London
a great jumping-off point for other destinations.
Heathrow Airport
HeathrowAirportisoneoftheworld'sbusiestairports.Thinkaboutit:68millionpassengers
a year on 470,000 flights from 180 destinations riding 90 airlines, like some kind of global
maypoledance.ForHeathrow'sairport,flight,andtransferinformation,calltheswitchboard