By Amanda Gegg
Whilst we all know that London is full of beautiful and exclusive locations, the great thing about it in this day and age is that the idea of achieving luxury has become much more fluid. In fact, a great deal of the impossibly gorgeous places you see on social media might not be as hard to visit as you think: it’s all down to the illusion of the ‘gram.
Consequently, we’ve gathered for you a list of the swishest-looking yet most affordable places in London so that you can get a piece of the luxury Instagram action for yourselves.
Marchesi 1824 (Mayfair, W1K)
If you like your Instagram to look as aesthetically pleasing as a Wes Anderson movie then Marchesi 1824 has your name on it. This high-class bakery has a rather fascinating back story too – being part-owned by Prada – and of course the fact that you’re only likely to order a coffee and panettone means your bill doesn’t have to be sky high.
EL&N Café (Various Locations)
There are some places that look so outrageously cool you could be forgiven for thinking they’re out of your league to visit. The EL&N cafes have this faux exclusivity absolutely nailed but the beauty is anyone is welcome snap to their hearts content in this stunning Instagram-wonderland. You might just have to buy a coffee and a delicious cake but that’s no big deal, right?
Taste of Hakkasan (Hanway Place, W1T)
Your food will never be more ‘grammable than inside the barely-lit walls of Cantonese restaurant, Hakkasan. And the best thing is they do the lesser-known (and way more affordable) ‘Taste of Hakkasan’ menu for £38, which includes 3 delectable courses and a cocktail. Believe me when I say you’re going to brag about eating here.
Burlington Arcade (51 Piccadilly, W1J)
We don’t think there’ll ever be a time when Burlington Arcade loses its quintessential sophistication and cachet. This gorgeous passageway is as Instagram-friendly as it gets and obviously there’s no need to spend any money just by walking through. The only thing we can’t guarantee is that the shops won’t draw you in.
Park Plaza Westminster Bridge (SE1)
There’s nothing quite like sharing an extraordinary view with your followers and you can take this up a notch if you sit and have a coffee in the Executive Lounge [sp1] at Park Plaza Westminster, given that they offer a front row seat to one of the most iconic views in the capital.
Peggy Porschen Chelsea (King’s Road, SW3)
The flower arch adorning the doorway of the new Peggy Porschen has Instagrammers flocking in their droves to have their photos taken outside. The great thing about this is you’re not even obligated to buy anything but you may as well sample the delicious selection of picture-perfect cakes whilst you’re there.
Bob Bob Ricard (Upper James Street, W1F)
Ok, so this isn’t necessarily the cheapest outing but there simply isn’t any way we could leave Bob Bob Ricard and its famous ‘Press for Champagne’ button off a list of luxury Instagram locations. If things are a bit tight maybe you can just press it once?