My Top Food Recommendations in London

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Cassandra Elena Casas

<i>Home Institution</i>: Alverno College <i>Expected Graduation Year</i>: 2025 <i>Academic Major / Minor</i>: Global Studies & International Relations / Elective Studies on Public Health <i>Destination</i>: London, UK <i>"Hello" in your host country's language</i>: Hello <i>Program Provider</i>: CAPA <i>Demographics</i>: Hispanic/Latinx, First-Generation American, First-Generation College Student <i>Future Career Goals</i>: I would hope to one day obtain my masters in Global Health Equity and potentially work for an international non-profit assisting communities that are most in need of healthcare necessities, and educational information. <i>Top Three Study Abroad Goals</i>: Complete my internship placement, because it would allow me to work in a social setting different from Milwaukee. In addition, this internship would provide me the opportunity to begin the global adaptation that I seek to obtain to further my academic aspirations; Hopefully learn more about myself any my environment adaptation skills. I have never been too far away from my family, so this is something that I know will be a challenge to overcome; Make new friends, experience their culture as well as the UK's culture and customs, and overall learn more about people who are outside of the same living space that I am in.

As my program comes to an end, I can look back and reflect on my time here. This blog post will be dedicated to students who are traveling abroad, more specifically to London, who might happen to struggle to adjust to the food here ( as I did). Top recommendations on restaurants are as follows; (in no particular order) You must go to Wagamamas. Itโ€™s an Asian fusion restaurant with the best gyozas I have ever tried. They also serve freshly made juices made with fruits and veggies, so if youโ€™re vegetarian or vegan this is a good option! Iโ€™m not a huge coffee drinker, but I do love a good chai latte. Camden Roastery has the perfect chai latte (but make sure to order it with oat milk, it makes it superb). Along with having really good chai, they also have amazing almond croissants. I got both for around 7 pounds (not too bad for London). My favorite Indian restaurant I tried is Little India on Gloucester Road. They have the friendliest staff and their food is top-tier, I highly recommend going at least once. When youโ€™re strolling through Portobello market in Notting Hill (which is an absolute must) keep an eye out for a lady who sells all sorts of baked goods. If youโ€™re craving something more savory, she sells a variety of samosas, but she also has something for those with a sweet tooth. The best donuts I tried were at this location. She sells all sorts, from Boston creams to Oreo donuts, and an added plus is that theyโ€™re relatively inexpensive! Another favorite of mine is located on Brick Lane. Beigel Bake sells freshly made beigels with any toppings you desire. You can mix and match your combos and trust me, they are very good! If you for some reason are not a big fan of beigels, and looking for a to-go meal, Pret ( a popular coffee shop here in London) sells a Prosciutto MacCheese with cauliflower. This is the best mac n cheese I tried in London since I wasnโ€™t a big fan of the others. Another personal favorite is located in Chinatown. Plum Valley has a sweet and sour chicken that is delicious. I stopped by on two separate occasions and ordered the same meal (make sure to ask for a side of rice, as it makes it even better). My last recommendation is from Tesco. In the frozen meals section, they sell a mushroom, ham, and mascarpone pizza that is incredibly good, and super easy to make. It bakes in just 10 minutes! If youโ€™re looking for an easy and cheap meal, I highly recommend this option; itโ€™s less than 6 pounds for the entire pizza! When I first arrived in London, I struggled to find foods that I liked, but as the days passed I learned to find things I enjoyed and was willing to try different restaurants. I have several other places that I do recommend, but this encapsulates my favorite foods when eating out in London!