Things to do in Marylebone, London
GUEST SPOT: In the next instalment of our guide to London neighbourhoods, Michèle Fajtmann lines up the best things to do in Marylebone.
The backbone of this area is Marylebone High Street, which is surrounded by smaller streets including Chiltern street, particularly famous since the recent opening of Andre Balazs’ Hotel, the Chiltern Firehouse. Walking and shopping in this part of the city is a pleasure and leads to new discoveries. For those who like vibrant markets, each Sunday the Marylebone Farmers' Market attracts London’s foodies with a choice of more than 30 stalls. For those who have time to explore a bit further, Marylebone Road will lead you to Alfie’s Antique Market on Church street and its hidden terrace café on the top floor.
Below is our selection of the best Marylebone galleries, cafés and boutiques:
For atmospheric indoor barbecue: The Harcourt
The food is Nordic, the wine is Mediterranean, and the gorgeous rooms (Oak, Garden, and Summer) allow for a variety of ambiences.
find out more about The Harcourt
For fresh artisan cuisine: Sourced Market
In addition to the stalls selling local British produce, there's a coffee bar, bakery and hot deli counter. Not only that, they also have a wine cellar and craft beer downstairs to unwind in.
find out more about Sourced Market
For a Scandinavian treat: Nordic Bakery
This café, with a Scandinavian feel, offers all sorts of authentic treats created by Finnish chef Sini Kiialainen, including the famous Karjalanpiirakka, made with rye flour.
find out more about The Nordic Bakery
For Italian Antipasti: Café Caldesi
An ideal place to share an antipasti platter with friends at the bar with a glass of Rosso di Montalcino in a warm and intimate venue.
For a shopping break: The Monocle Cafe
This little café opened by the Monocle Magazine offers great Allpress coffee, Swedish Cinnamon buns and Japanese-inspired cake. They are made by one of our favourite pastry chefs Masayuki Hara of Lanka (Swiss Cottage). The Monocle 24-hour Internet radio station is always on and issues of the magazine can be found around the café.
For a French Rococo experience: Wallace Collection
This is a hidden gem with a collection of French 18th-century paintings, furniture and porcelain displayed in a Georgian townhouse. Works by Antoine Watteau, François Boucher and Jean-Honoré Fragonard, including The Swing, can be comfortably admired in this museum. It is also a great place for a quiet lunch in the restaurant located in the courtyard.
For a chamber music concert: Wigmore Hall
This concert hall is one of the best venues in the world for chamber music. The best classical musicians dream to perform there. The perfect acoustics, art nouveau decor and murals add to the musical experience. January concerts feature pianist Andreas Schiff, violinist Janine Jansen, tenor Mark Padmore, The Jerusalem and Hagen quartets and many others.
For a whisky tasting: Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop and Tasting Room
A shop where you can buy and taste whiskies from across the regions of Scotland accompanied by canapés in the dedicated Tasting Room.
For a decadent candle: Cire Trudon
Founded in 1643, it is the oldest candle-maker in the world, that supplied in the 18th century, the court of Louis XIV, and later Napoleon. We love La Marquise candle, a mix of Citronella, Lemon, Verbena and Rose.
For a distinctive piece of fashion: Mouki Mou
Mouki Mou is the shop of Maria Lemos, founder of the fashion agency Rainbowwave. They sell a unique selection of clothes, bags, jewellery and other accessories and beauty products. The shopping experience is excellent. Don’t miss the various rooms downstairs, which are worth exploring one by one.
Holy Style: John Simons
This is a menswear shop with incredible soul. Opened by John Simons, who started in 1964 and had an iconic shop in Covent Garden, the shop offers classic American brands such as Alden, Woolrich and Red Wing and displays vintage pieces and antiques.
On the 28th of February, at Kings Place during the Jewish Book Week, John Simons and his son Paul, as well as broadcaster Robert Elms, will talk about The Neat Offensive, a new documentary about Simons’ life and his distinctive style. 
For a piece of cheese: La Fromagerie
Patricia, who started selling cheese in a stall in Camden market, offers an amazing selection of French and British cheese in a foodie-heaven environment. Eating on the premises is always enjoyable but tables are quickly taken.
For a traditional sandwich on the go: Paul Rothe & Son
This deli was established in 1900 and is now managed by the founder’s fourth-generation grandson Paul and great grandson Stephen. Sandwiches with a range of ingredients can be ordered and the choice of jams, marmalades and condiments from Tiptree Jams is huge. This is a great place to buy quintessentially British jam sets for friends living abroad.
Michèle Fajtmann was born in Belgium and has lived in Brussels, New York, Warsaw and London. She is a lawyer and founder of From My City, a boutique event management and advisory company that creates unique tailor-made networking experiences and events focusing on arts and culture.
‘London is ever-changing,' says Michèle, 'and it is fascinating to explore neighbourhoods that are going through rapid change. We are keen to share our passion for London’s eclectic art scene and urban creativity. As city “curators”, we often get inspired by the unexpected and love to give others the chance to be as excited as we are by these discoveries. Most of our events are guided or animated by creative experts. For details of the discovery tours offered or for any enquiries, go to www.frommycity.com.'
