*VISA RULES ARE CHANGING IN THE UK AND EU IN 2025* Please see the 'Travel and Accommodation' section for information on how to apply for ETA waivers for the United Kingdom and ETIAS waivers (if planning additional travel to the European Union).
Sarah and Huw
*VISA RULES ARE CHANGING IN THE UK AND EU IN 2025* Please see the 'Travel and Accommodation' section for information on how to apply for ETA waivers for the United Kingdom and ETIAS waivers (if planning additional travel to the European Union).
Sarah and Huw
Our favourite places
To Eat and Drink
Brunch
An indoor/outdoor plant store and cafe located in the Palace Gardener. Brunch and gardening? The 30 year old's dream.
A West Kensington classic right down the road from Sarah and Huw's old West Ken flat. Known for it's award winning chocolate chip banana bread, this cute and cosy cafe is still where you can find Sarah on many Saturday mornings.
The Elder Press Cafe is a perfect stop when walking along the Thames Path. Right off the river, the Elder Press Cafe is a popular gathering place and community meeting spot. Exceptionally good coffee and lots of good cakes live here!
Forget your fancy and overpriced brunches. If cheap and cheerful is more your speed, the Half Moon is the place for you. Huw's favourite brunch spot for more than half a decade, the Half Moon really does provide value for money. The food is amazing, the price is low and the staff are guaranteed to call you 'love' and 'darling.' If you're looking for an authentic 'fry up' look no further.
Restaurant
Dishoom cafés are located all over the UK and pay homage to the food of Bombay. Open all day, from breakfast to dinner and later. Enjoy Bombay comfort food and first-class drinks. Sarah first visited Dishoom with her friend Emily (pictured below) on her first visit to London in 2012 and has celebrated the majority of her birthdays there in the years since. A favourite spot to take visitors and local friends. A must go, in Sarah's opinion!
Sarah and Huw's pick for best curry in London! Incredibly well priced and absolutely delicious. Located right down the road from Sarah and Huw's flat, it is a neighbourhood favourite.
Maggie Jones’s has been a favourite haunt among Kensington locals for over 40 years. Cosy, rustic, informal and incurably romantic, the restaurant is tucked away in a little cul-de-sac between Kensington High Street and Kensington Church Street.
Maggie’s is warm, friendly and traditional, with a generous menu full of classic dishes, beautifully cooked.
Currently closed for repairs following a fire, but set to re-open in 2025, so we are keeping it on the list. Hands down the best place in London for traditional British food. Our go-to place to take all visitors and a family favourite!
Pubs and Bars
Grab a drink where Sarah and Huw met! It gets very busy here so make sure to book ahead.
A classic West London night out. A restaurant and music venue that is the the life of West Brompton. Huw spends a lot of time here!
The Troubadour was founded in 1954 by Michael and Sheila van Bloemen as part of the second wave of coffee houses and is now one of London's oldest independent music venues. It quickly became a vibrant cultural hub, with artists, actors, writers and musicians from all over the world.
It established itself as a cornerstone venue in the British folk revival, hosting iconic names such as Bob Dylan, Davey Graham, Martin Carthy, Judy Collins, Paul Simon and many more.
The 1960s brought about great change in the London political and social scene. As Chelsea's King's Road was leading in pop culture and the Mod movement, British Jazz was also rising in popularity once again. The Troubadour became a regular gig and hangout for London's finest Jazz musicians; the most notable of players being Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones, who played in 1961 - where he was "found" by Alexis Koerner and was quickly recruited to join Blues Incorporated.
It's no wonder that Huw, our beloved jazz musician, can often be found here.
The local! Steps away from the flat, this is Sarah and Huw's local pub.
The Pear Tree is a quintessential Victorian Pub, Independently owned, family run and one of the last Free houses in West London.
Dating back to the 1800’s, The Pear Tree, is one of the oldest buildings in the Hammersmith/Fulham/Baron Court area. It boasts traditional pub decor and wood fires inside and out.
Sarah and Huw's pick for best Sunday roast and is conveniently located locally in Hammersmith.
Sitting next to the fire, or out on The Dove's riverside terrace, you are not just sitting in any old local – you are a part of London’s rich history.
A public house has stood on this site since the seventeenth century. Throughout these years our sturdy bar has propped up some of the finest figures of English history. The poet James Thomson composed the familiar strains of ‘Rule Britannia’ here. Charles II romanced and dined his mistress Nell Gwynne here. And in the famous novel ‘The Water Gypsies’, author A P Herbert features it under a cheeky pseudonym; ‘The Pigeons’.
It’s not just the clientele, but the building itself that has some amazing claims to fame. The small space to the right of the bar, reached through an extra entrance only the eagle-eyed will spot, went into the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest bar room in the world. Step inside it and you’ll see the brass plaque that marks the height the waters reached in the great flood of 1928.
But The Dove isn’t a monument to history – it’s a thriving and much-loved London pub catering for locals and visitors alike. Owned by Fullers since 1796, the current regulars come back for exactly the same reason as Charles II did – the outstanding real ales, fine wines and delicious food.
To See and Visit
Kew Gardens date back to the early 18th century, once a royal palace it is now a globally renowned scientific institution for plant and fungal research.
Discover the world of science behind the botanical collections, with over 50,000 living plants to be found across the UNESCO World Heritage site.
FREE ENTRY for wedding guests on the day of the wedding (30 April 2025)
Tour of the Houses of Parliament (Westminster Palace)
This tour is the best tour Sarah and Huw have been on in the UK.
Venture into the heart of the Palace of Westminster accompanied by an expert guide and discover the history, heritage and work of UK Parliament.
This 90-minute tour is available in English. Some of the tour highlights include Westminster Hall, Central Lobby, The House of Commons Chamber and The House of Lords Chamber.
Please be advised the UK Parliament is a working building and tours may be cancelled at short notice due to parliamentary business and access restrictions.
The Victoria and Albert Museum
The history of the V&A is a story like no other. From its early beginnings as a Museum of Manufactures in 1852, to the foundation stone laid by Queen Victoria in 1899, to today's state-of-the-art galleries, the museum has constantly evolved in its collecting and public interpretation of art and design.
Its collections span 5,000 years of human creativity in virtually every medium, housed in one of the finest groups of Victorian and modern buildings in Britain.
The Embassy of the Republic of Texas
Huw used to take Sarah around London when she visited him here in the early days of their relationship. One of Sarah's favourite stops on one of the tours was the Embassy of the Republic of Texas.
Built in 1730, the distinguished property at 4 St James’s
is steeped in history and peculiar secrets. Under the shop floor lies two whole acres of wine cellars and caves which run underneath St. James’s Street. The Georgian rooms had once held a brothel and a notorious gambling den, and the courtyard at the back was also home to bear-baiting, cock-fighting and London’s last ever public duel. Napoleon III even lived here in exile whilst plotting his return to France.
But between 1836 and 1845 it was home to perhaps one its most unusual tenants; for the space above the wine shop was briefly home to the Embassy of the Republic of Texas. At the time of its founding, Texas was an independent sovereign country with its borders under threat from both the United States and Mexico. Then-President-of-Texas Sam Houston sent Dr. Ashbel Smith, the Secretary of State, to be the Texan diplomatic representative in England in an effort to build international sentiment for their country. A second Embassy was also established in France, located in what is now the Hôtel de Vendôme.
Texas finally joined the Union in 1845, despite the Crown’s support of its independence, and the Embassy in London was closed. Taking full advantage of their desirable location above one of London’s best wine shops, the Texan delegation departed the capital leaving a £160 rent bill outstanding.
Today, the historic wine shop is still thriving, but the peculiar chapter of their Texan tenants is long forgotten. Next door is a tiny alleyway called Pickering Place; where a small plaque marks the entrance to the Embassy’s rooms. Still proudly bearing the name of “The Republic Of Texas” it reads,
“Texas Legation in this building was the legation for the ministers from the Republic of Texas to the Court of St. James 1842 - 1845.”
The onetime Republic of Texas, although consigned to history, still lives on in the hearts of Texans; in 1986 to mark the Texas sesquicentennial, 26 members of the Anglo-Texan society visited the wine shop, dressed in full buckskins, to settle the outstanding rent debt still owed by the Republic of Texas.
The plaque is in the entrance to the alleyway marked 'No 3', in the center of Berry Bros and Rudd wine merchants.
Nature
The wedding is taking path in villages right along the Thames. The Thames Path is a long distance walking trail, following England’s best known river for 185.2miles (298 km) as it meanders from its source in the Cotswolds through several rural counties and on into the heart of London. On its way the Trail passes peaceful water meadows rich in wildlife, historic towns and cities and many lovely villages, through central London, finishing in Woolwich just a few miles from the sea.
The wedding is taking place in the small villages of Kew and Putney along the River Thames. You can walk from one village to another along portions of the Thames Path.
Sarah often runs this 9.5-km point-to-point trail from Kew to Putney, so you might see her there if you venture out! This is an easy route and takes on average 2 h 3 min to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking, running, and walking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime.
Near to Kew Gardens is Richmond Park. Its ancient woods, rolling hills and wide-open grasslands are bursting with life – from historic herds of deer to birds, invertebrates, fungi and wildflowers. It’s no wonder that the park is London’s largest Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve – there’s nowhere better to experience the great outdoors so close to the capital.
Explore the spectacular Isabella Plantation with its extravaganza of bright azaleas, venture up King Henry’s Mound to admire distant views to St Paul’s Cathedral or hire a bike to enjoy a leisurely cycle as you take in the sights.
Around the perimeter of the park, you’ll find the Tamsin Trail – a scenic route of just over 7 miles, popular with joggers and hikers. For a more leisurely visit, head to pretty Pembroke Lodge. This historic Georgian mansion boasts elegant tea rooms and picturesque gardens with sweeping views over the Thames Valley.
Spend the day in the company of kestrels, fallow and red deer, and meadow butterflies. Richmond Park is a National Nature Reserve, a haven for rare or endangered species such as stag beetles, bats, and moths. The park is home to a variety of natural habitats, including ancient anthills that date back 150 years and an oak tree estimated to be 750 years old. The 600-strong herds of red and fallow deer have roamed the park since 1637, providing a unique connection to the park’s past.
If you’re into history, there’s plenty of it here. The park can trace its origins back to 1625, when Charles I brought his court to nearby Richmond Palace to escape the plague sweeping through London. He turned this landscape into a hunting park, filled with red and fallow deer. Amazingly, some of the trees that Charles would have ridden past still stand today.
7 Sisters walk from Seaford to Eastbourne
Are you looking for a beautiful day trip to the seaside?
The Seven Sisters are a series of chalk cliffs stretching from Cuckmere Haven to Birling Gap in East Sussex, England.
These white cliffs along the English Channel are one of Southern England’s most striking landscapes. Topped with a carpet of green grass, the brilliant white cliffs plunge dramatically into the cerulean sea.
The cliffs of Dover might be England’s most famous cliffs, but the Seven Sisters are more beautiful. The best way to experience the Seven Sisters Cliffs is by walking the coastal trail from Seaford to Eastbourne.
The 21.2 km (13.2 miles) Seven Sisters walk is easy technically, though moderate due to the distance and the rolling ascents and descents over the Cliffs.
Night Out
European vanguard for jazz and blues from world's top musicians, in basement club with late bar.
Some of the best in the world, including our very own Huw James, have played here.
Community bar for pints and Caribbean food with weekly open-mic nights and jazz funk jam sessions.
Huw and Sarah went here on their first date.
A famous London venue that hosts sets by established and emerging talent, with midnight shows on Fridays and Saturdays. Huw and Sarah have shared a few laughs here over the years!
New theatre productions, cabaret and stand-up comedy from established and emerging talent.
The Old Vic is a 1,000-seat nonprofit producing theatre. It was established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, and renamed in 1833 the Royal Victoria Theatre. In 1871 it was rebuilt and reopened as the Royal Victoria Palace. In 1880 it was formally named the Royal Victoria Hall, although by that time it was already known as the "Old Vic".
If you see a production here, stop by the Young Vic first for dinner or a drink! Sarah did this many times when she was in London studying her master's.
Located in a trendy area along the river, the Southbank Centre is the largest arts centre in the UK. It has been a hub of London’s cultural life since 1951.
Where do Sarah and Huw go when they are looking for a local night out? Probably Riverside Studios.
Today’s Riverside Studios stand on the former site of a Victorian iron works, which was converted into a film studio in 1933. Many classic films were made here, such as The Seventh Veil (1945) with James Mason, The Happiest Days of Your Life with Margaret Rutherford (1950) and Father Brown (1954) with Alec Guinness. In 1954, the studios were taken over by BBC Television and became home to many of their most iconic programmes, including Hancock’s Half Hour (1957-60), Quatermass and the Pit (1958-59) and Doctor Who (1964-68).
Following the BBC’s departure in 1974, the building became an arts centre in 1976, launching with a vibrant community festival. Under the artistic directorship of playwright and director Peter Gill, Riverside Studios quickly acquired a reputation for excellence and innovation with landmark productions of The Cherry Orchard with Judy Parfitt and The Changeling with Brian Cox (both 1978).
A mixed programme of international theatre, dance, visual art, television, comedy and music was established early on and has succeeded in bringing the world to west London. The variety of our collaborators over the years – including Amy Winehouse, Benjamin Zephaniah, Yoko Ono, Samuel Beckett, Michael Clark, David Hockney, Lenny Henry, Graeae, David Bowie and Black Theatre Cooperative – reflects Riverside’s purpose as an intersection for the arts.
