A Design-Lover’s Guide to London: Hidden Corners, Quiet Plates, and Everyday Art
London may be vast and electric, but the version we love moves a little slower. It’s a city of tucked-away cafés, layered design, vegetable-forward meals, and cultural moments that feel personal rather than performative. From Marylebone to the Tate, here’s where to go when you want to eat well, see intentionally, and feel like the city is showing up in a way that feels it was curated for you.
Spaces to Enjoy
Coffee. White Mulberries
Breakfast. Ottolenghi’s Cafe, Soho
Bistro. Lita
Lunch. Nopi
Dinner. St. Bart
Shopping. Chiltern Street
Haircut. Billie Currie
Art. Tate Modern
Design. Vitsoe
White Mulberries: A Garden Cafe for Design Seekers
Tucked into a quiet corner of Marylebone, White Mulberries feels like a secret. At first glance, it’s a simple coffee shop. Step through the back hallway and you’ll find a serene courtyard shaded by olive trees. It’s a sanctuary for early risers, remote workers, and quiet conversations. Their oat flat white (with Minor Figures oat milk) and almond croissant are our go-to order.
Design Notes: natural wood, neutral tones, olive trees, restrained but warm.
Lita
St. Barts: Quiet Luxury Near Smithfield
A bit beyond Marylebone, St. Barts is worth the journey. With a Michelin Star and Green Star, the restaurant blends sustainability with seasonal precision. Choose counter seating for a glimpse into the kitchen’s quiet choreography or a lounge table to let the evening unfold slowly.
What to Expect: soda bread, pea soup, artichoke mains, madeleines, and calm.
Ottolenghi
Tate Modern: Art and Space in Harmony
Cross the Thames and find the Tate Modern, an industrial cathedral of contemporary art. It’s not just about the exhibits (which always push and provoke); it’s about the feeling of being inside a space that lets art breathe. Highlights often include works by Agnes Martin, Rothko, and unexpected installations that stay with you long after.
Design Moment: the Turbine Hall. Vast, reverent, and reimagined with each exhibit.
Less, But Better: A Visit to Vitsoe and the World of Dieter Rams in London
Tucked away just off Oxford Street, the Vitsoe showroom is a quiet homage to considered living and to the enduring philosophy of Dieter Rams. Entering the space feels more like visiting a thoughtfully curated apartment than a retail store. The signature 606 Universal Shelving System lines the walls, housing books, ceramics, and everyday objects with a kind of reverence. It’s a space that invites you to reflect on what you bring into your home and why. Rams' ethos of “less, but better” comes to life here, not as minimalism for its own sake, but as a design language rooted in usefulness, longevity, and care.
White Mulberries
Lita: A Neighborhood Bistro That’s Always Just Right
Summer evenings call for crisp wine, shared plates, and a warm, inviting table. Lita delivers all three. While meat and fish appear on the menu, their vegetarian offerings are standout—beet salad, grilled asparagus with romesco, and pasta so well-executed it requires little else.
Order: whipped butter, beet salad, truffle pasta, chocolate sorbet with olive oil.
St. Bart
Ottolenghi’s All-Day Magic
Whether near NOPI or one of the Ottolenghi cafés, it’s a joy to eat his food from breakfast through late afternoon. Start with za’atar eggs or a citrus granola bowl. Lunch is a medley of salad plates and warm dishes rooted in vegetables and bold flavor. Every bite is intentional.
Design Notes: whitewashed walls, curated ceramics, food presented like still life.
Tate Modern
Chiltern Street and Beyond: A Walk Worth Taking
Marylebone is a shopper’s dream, but not in the obvious way. Around Chiltern Street, discover fragrance houses, slow fashion labels, and bookstores with perfect window displays. Then head to Soho near Vitsoe a modernist’s haven and you’ll find independent design shops and intimate restaurants that reward curiosity.
Quiet Beauty at Billie Currie
Tucked on Chiltern Street, Billie Currie offers more than a haircut it offers a moment. The salon is softly lit and minimally styled, giving you space to reset. Whether you're after a shape-up or a bigger change, the experience is calm and grounding.
