the foodie scene in london is amazing. on our last trip there, we had trouble deciding which restaurants to add to our schedule, just because i had so many of them wishlisted. but don’t you agree it’s easier to find nice places to have dinner, than good places for lunch? during the day, the location of the place is so much more important – you don’t want to take a detour of an hour just to have a bite, and you want quick access to more things to discover and visit, right?

so for lunch, i tend to opt for places that are convenient, no-fuss and fast – in addition to serving great food, of course. i always try to have at least a couple of options per neighborhood, so that we can decide on a whim where to go and what cuisine we feel like having. the three places shown above are perfect for these kinds of lists.

THE FISH & CHIP SHOP is located in shoreditch, minutes away from liverpool street and the ACE HOTEL. they serve up great fish dishes, the service is super friendly and the interior is old-worldly elegant and posh. i loved everything about it. // my husband is always, always in the mood for asian food, so i make an effort to include lots of those restaurants, too. we really liked KOYA BAR for its fast service, no-nonsense approach and delicious food. // true hipster i don’t have to introduce to PIZZA EAST, one of the most popular restaurant chains in town. but the hype is not for nothing – the pizza we had at the portobello road location were amazing, and the vibe there was super cozy on a sunday.

photos by stephanie duval and matthias rabaey for CONNECTIONS.