Given it is one of the biggest cities in Europe and also one of the most cosmopolitan, it is safe to say that London has its fair share of excellent restaurants. But with so much variety it is almost impossible to pick five that are better than the rest – and a lot would depend on your mood, tastes and budget. Layover Guide has, however, chosen our top picks of London’s best restaurants according to the type of food and the price, including authentic Indian fare, meals that would not look out of place at the most luxurious Dubai hotels and healthy alternatives to a McDonalds or Burger King:

The Cinnamon Club

The Old Westminster Library, 30-32 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BU

The first thing you notice about this Indian restaurant is its stunning location in an authentically restored grade II listed Victorian Building. The food matches its grandiose surroundings with creative and varied dishes a cut above your average chicken korma or vindaloo – gamey rabbit tikka with bold dill, mustard & garlic chutney anyone? (A recommended choice.)

Arbutus

63-64 Frith Street, London W1D 3JW

Chef Anthony Demetre’s modern European affair is an admirable attempt to bring fine dining to the masses but still retaining that hallmark of quality. An extensive wine list complements a hearty but widely varied menu that should cost a lot more than it actually does.

L’Anima

1 Snowden Street, Broadgate West, London EC2A 2DQ

Italian restaurants are one of the most popular eateries found in the UK today but L’Anima – Italian for soul – is not your average pizza and pasta joint; it is authentic Italian food at its finest in a luxurious setting in the heart of the city, near the finest London hotels, parks and tourist attractions. Yes this comes at a price – with main dishes hovering around the £23-28 mark – but at those times where you feel like treating yourself and you want to ensure it is money well spent, you can’t go wrong here.

Beetroot

92 Berwick Street, London W1F 0QD

Opened in 1997, this vegetarian café exudes healthy eating – you even feel healthier simply by walking in and admiring the fresh, colorful vegetarian food on the counter. Salads, hot dishes and smoothies are all on the menu, making it a healthy middle-of-the-day pit stop.

Four Seasons

12 Gerrard Street, London W1D 5PR

No, this is not the chain of hotels but an equally popular Chinese restaurant offering authentic Cantonese style dishes at extremely reasonable prices. Such is it’s popularity though don’t expect to linger after you have eaten your food, as there will be a queue of eager and hungry customers waiting to take your table! Luckily there are sister restaurants in Bayswater and Wardour Street if this one is booked up.

Have a suggestion for Best London Restaurants? Leave a comment below!

In case you thought you knew everything about Livermore Airport (I imagine there’s not many of you who’d make this claim), there’s actually a Top Ten Things You Never Knew About Livermore Airport.

For example:

Liverpool Airport was rebranded in 2002 as Liverpool John Lennon Airport, with Yoko Ono unveiling a 7ft statue of her late husband. The city is forever linked with the Beatles and John Lennon, and their music is well known worldwide. It is fitting then, that the line “above us only sky” from John Lennon’s song Imagine, is part of the logo and branding for the airport.

For the full list, click here.

London layovers in Heathrow and Gatwick are common stopovers for many travelers, and sometimes it can be a lengthy stay. Instead of spending half a day in the airport, there’s tons to do and see in London that can keep you greatly entertained. However, keep in mind that Heathrow is a big airport, with two security check points, so you want to leave yourself with more than enough time to make your connection.

For the full Layover Guide To Heathrow, CLICK HERE.

While taking the London Underground is the cheapest way to get into London, it can take up to an hour each way. If you’re strapped for time, the London Heathrow Express train can get you into London for as little as 15 minutes. The trip from Gatwick on the London Gatwick Express will take 30 minutes trip and runs every 15 minutes.

When you get into London, if you’re planning on taking the tube around for the day, look into buying the Oyster Card, which for a small fee will get you unlimited rides on the tube, buses, and riverboat discounts.

If you want the sightseeing to start straight from the airport, the London Magical Tours will pick you up from either Heathrow or Gatwick, and offers three and seven hour-tours of London starting at $60.

For more London layover tours that will pick you up directly from the airport, click here.

Sightseeing Bus

The hop-on, hop-off bus gives a commentary of the sights as you pass them. Tickets can be purchased right on the bus or online. You can “hop on” at Paddington station, and “hop off” wherever you choose. It swings back around to Paddington, if that’s all the time you have, to get back to the airport.

Tower of London

At The Tower of London, you’ll find torture exhibits as well as the famous Crown Jewels which including 530 carat Star at the Jewel House. Beefeaters, who are the walking tour guides, lead the hour-long tours every hour until 3:30p.m.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace, home to the British monarch, is another favorite sightseeing spot for those with only a short time in London. Victoria, Green Park and Hyde Park Corner are the closest Tube stations. Also, you can catch the changing of the guard, but should check ahead for the schedule as it does not happen every day.

Westminster Abbey and Big Ben

Exit the tube at the Westminster stop. You will first see Big Ben and further down the street Westminster Abbey, where Chaucer, Samuel Johnson, Tennyson, Browning, and Dickens are all buried here.

Cabinet War Rooms

Close to the Abby, you can see the actual underground bunker Winston Churchill used during World War II. Everything there from the wall maps, to Churchill’s cot are authentic.

Windsor Castle

Take a taxi or bus 77 from Heathrow to Windsor Castle in about 40 minutes. The 900-year-old castle is an official residence of The Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world.