Best Restaurants for Late-night Dining in London

Published on Europe Up Close on 24th July 2015:

Balans Cafe by Qin Xie

New York might be the city that never sleeps, but London follows pretty close behind. At least that’s true when it comes to its late night dining options. Now you can enjoy a meal at some of the best restaurants in London… 24 hours a day! This wasn’t always the case, of course. Historically, if you were hungry after a night out, you’d have to rely on private member’s casinos, kebab vans or hotel restaurants. Thanks to the 24 hour licensing laws which came into effect in 2003, allowing alcohol to be served around the clock, many bars have extended their opening hours.The result? The increase in hungry revelers has led to a growth in late night dining options. Here’s my picks for the best restaurants for late night dining in London.

Read more at Europe Up Close

Latest London lunch: Prison food

Published on CNN on 28th February 2014:

Your phone’s confiscated.

Your fingerprints are taken.

You’re going to prison.

But don’t worry, it’s just for lunch.

The Clink Charity opened its third restaurant this week inside Brixton Prison in south London.

The meals are cooked and served by actual prisoners at restaurants located inside prison walls as part of a training and qualification program to help them prepare for life on the outside.

Read more at CNN

London’s dash to ‘toilet restaurants’

Published on CNN on 15th April 2013:

Also published on CNN Espanol on 24th April 2013

When the first toilet-themed restaurant, Modern Toilet, opened in Taipei in 2004, public reaction was mixed.

Was it weird, funny or just plain unsavory?

Whatever the answer, the concept’s popularity quickly became obvious — the chain now has successful franchises across Asia.

London, however, has put a new spin on the business.

Read more at CNN