The Hoxton
A self-proclaimed “urban lodge,” the hip yet laidback Hoxton Hotel might be the perfect home base for a day of gallery-hopping in the East End, an area Parasol Unit director Ziba de Weck calls one of the “best-kept secrets to foreigners.” The hotel’s funky décor is supplemented with original works by such artists as Benedicte Radcliffe, Michael Methven, and Ben Allen. This July, don’t miss Hoxton’s famous 1 pound sale, when the hotel will release a limited number of rooms at the astounding rate of 1 pound per night.
81 Great Eastern Street
44-20/7550-1000
Rates: $2-$330
hoxtonhotels.com

Eat & Drink:

El Parador
For first-class Spanish tapas, Saatchi Gallery’s Rebecca Wilson recommends the charmingly rustic El Parador. “I go several times a month, and the food is always outstanding,” she says. Her recommendations include the samphire with chickpeas, grilled baby squid with paprika, and sweet potatoes with feta and pine nuts.
245 Eversholt Street
44-20/7387-2789
elparadorlondon.com

Locanda Locatelli
Sexy, cream-colored leather banquettes and cherrywood dividers adorn the dining room at this Michelin-starred “it” spot that’s popular with the beautiful crowd. Luckily, acclaimed chef Giorgio Locatelli’s seasonal Italian cuisine lives up to the hype. “The food is great, fresh, and the ambience lovely,” Parasol Unit’s de Weck attests.
8 Seymour Place
44-20/7935-9088
locandalocatelli.com

The Wolseley
Julia Peyton-Jones, director of Serpentine Gallery, favors this glamorous “sophisticated brasserie” housed in a former car showroom with majestic vaulted ceilings and black-and-white Art Deco décor. “Not only is it in the center of town,” she says, “but you can use it for breakfast through theater time.”
160 Piccadilly
44-20/7499-6996
thewolseley.com

St. John Restaurant
For superb homegrown cuisine, it’s hard to beat St. John, whose culinary philosophy — “eating from nose to tail” — has developed something of a cult following. Dig into pig’s head, bone marrow, and chitterlings, as well as English specialties like beef and kidney pie, in the company of adventurous foodies and art world types. “It’s quite unusual,” says Hans Ulrich Obrist, the Serpentine’s co-director of exhibitions and programs and director of international projects.
26 St. John Street
44-20/7251-0848
stjohnrestaurant.com

See:

Contemporary art galleries
Here are the summer highlights at just a few of London’s many contemporary-art galleries: • The second of two Keith Coventry retrospectives, featuring new paintings and sculpture, is on view at Haunch of Venison through August 15. Young Romanian painter Adrian Ghenie and Ethiopian artist Elias Sime also enjoy solo shows (6 Burlington Gardens; 44-20/7495-5050; haunchofvenison.com). • On June 17, the Institute of Contemporary Art opens “Poor. Old. Tired. Horse.,” an exploration of text-based art from the 1960s and ’70s by Vito Acconci, Carl Andre, Ian Hamilton Finlay, and others (12 Carleton House Terrace; 44-20/7930-3647; ica.org.uk). • At Lisson Gallery starting June 24, Richard Wentworth will curate a show riffing on gallery founder Nicholas Logsdail’s personal art collection, as well as “historic works” (52-54 Bell Street; 44-20/7724-2739; lissongallery.com). • Works by Fiona Banner, Thomas Hirschhorn, William Kentridge and others that limn the sociopolitical subtext of “parades and processions” are on view at Parasol Unit (14 Wharf Road; 44-20/7490-7373; parasol-unit.org). • André Kertész and men’s fashion stylist Simon Foxton are the subjects of shows opening at the Photographers’ Gallery on July 17. View work by recent photography grads starting June 24 (16-18 Ramillies Street; 44-84/5262-1618; photonet.org.uk). • Thomas Bayrle, Ann Lislegaard, and the artist/activist collective Ultra-Red share billing in only the second show at Alex Sainsbury’s Raven Row (56 Artillery Lane; 44-20/7377-4300; ravenrow.com). • The Saatchi Gallery surveys new painting and sculpture by 32 American artists (Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Road; saatchi-gallery.co.uk). • Serpentine Gallery will open a show featuring Jeff Koons’s "Popeye Series" on July 2. Also, be sure to check out this year’s Pavilion, created by Japanese architect duo SANAA (Kensington Gardens; 44-20/7402-6075; serpentinegallery.org). • Raqib Shaw and Tracey Emin are the subjects of shows at White Cube’s two locations (48 Hoxton Square and 25-26 Mason’s Yard; 44-20/7930-5373; whitecube.com). • A number of noteworthy exhibitions will be going on at Whitechapel Gallery, including ones featuring Elizabeth Peyton, Ursula Mayer, and Minerva Cuevas (77-82 Whitechapel High Street; 44-20/7522-7878; whitechapelgallery.org).