by Janis / 2 comments - Orginally published:10th September 2019
Savouring the panoramic views across the rooftops...
If you’re local to London and love playing the tourist, or you are visiting from further afield. Jumping on a panoramic bus tour is a fantastic way to see London’s historic sights.
If, you were then to combine this with a British dining experience with a petite French twist as well, then ‘oh la la’.
This is a unique concept that Bustronome has crafted, which all began in Paris.
Why not Pin it for later?
Where is the pickup?
The pick for the Bustronome tour is on Victoria Embankment at coach bay 40B (Postcode - WC2N 6PB, or What 3 Words - ///nobody.gasp.bill), just a short walk from Embankment Tube station servicing the Bakerloo , Northern , Circle and District lines.
There is also Embankment Pier for London River Bus.
The nearest overground station is London Charing Cross.
Onboard the bus is a toilet and cloakroom facilities.
A gourmet tour with a difference
And I am just reminiscingI used to work in London for many years, and often I kept telling people to look up as the architecture in this incredible city is beautiful. So, the idea of a voyage around the bustling heart of England’s capital city was my cup of tea.
Ready to experience the Bustronome tour
There is certainly something different about Bustronome’s tours. The concept that they have created is for you to enjoy a cultured luxury experience on a high-end double-decker bus. All the while, your attentive waiter serves you with delicious, seasonal, dishes.
The spacious, light, dining area
There is no squabbling for a window seat as all the tables are located on the upper deck, with 360-degree panoramic views through the glass roof. Come, rain or shine you are protected, and the transport is fully air-conditioned.
The London gastronomic bus tour
Le Grand départAs the city tour began, Jerome, our Parisian waiter, talked us through how to use the multilingual audio guide. To make the experience a little more discreet, your audio guide is actually through an audio pen.
You are given a map of the route, and you just tap on the location with your audio pen when you pass nearby the historical site or significant monument, and your commentary begins.
Taking in the audio tour
Through the roof to St Paul's Cathedral
For me it was like a trip down memory lane, passing by old haunts, some I choose to remember and others I’ve tried to blank from my mind.
From the moment we picked up the bus from Victoria Embankment, it was a cultural trip from start to finish, I really didn’t want it to end.
Taking in the view of Threadneedle Street
Where to stay in London
If you want to stay in the heart of the financial district then why not choose the Leonardo Royal London St Paul’s (formerly Grange St. Paul’s), as we did? A short hop from Bank.
There are plenty of choices, why not check out Booking.com for something that suits your requirements?
The best sight-seeing tour of London?
Luncheon is servedGary and I chose the lunchtime tour, which consisted of 4 courses along with, wine, water (still or sparkling) and tea or coffee.
Enjoying the wine with the starter
Jerome with our red wine
Jerome made us feel very relaxed, described all the dishes and also the wine served with them.
To start with we were also given an amuse-bouche of green olive tapenade on small pieces of toasted bread.
Green olive tapenade amuse bouche
Our first dish was a crab and artichoke “gateau” with tobiko and wasabi sauce. The crab was delicious, incredibly light and tasted very fresh.
Our first course - Crab & Artichoke "gateau"
This was then followed by a crispy roll filled with goats’ cheese and beetroot prepared in three different ways.
Accompanying these two courses, we were served a glass of crisp white French Picpoule.
The crispy roll with goats cheese & three ways beetroots
While enjoying your food you’re leisurely passing national treasures like St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. While weaving your way back and forth across the River Thames.
Views along the Thames from the City of Westminster
The best lunch in London?
Go with the flowOur main course was seared tuna, carrot puree, girolle mushrooms and tarragon sauce. We were given the choice of continuing with another glass of white wine or choose to switch to a glass of red.
Simply beautiful
The quality of food is incredible, you forget that this is being prepared for you on a double-decker bus.
All the while you’re relishing the experience pleasant music is being played, some of which transports you to a street-side Parisian café.
The ambient lighting inside the bus
The seating arrangements are comfortable, and the tables are tastefully laid out.
Bustronome have taken into consideration that there is a need to support your wine and water glasses.
Also, keep a lookout for the magic magnets hidden in the table, so your cutlery doesn’t move about.
Stay Connected
Wi-fi is available onboard - check out the login details on you menu/guide
A beautiful seasonal summer dessert
Our dessert, and my favourite dish of the tour, was the strawberries and ginger pavlova, accompanied by ginger sorbet, it was delicious.
Bustronome offers three choices of dining;
Lunch 7 days a week from 12:15 (1hr 45mins tour)
£70: Menu with water and a hot drink
£90: Menu with wine pairing, including:
2 glasses of wine, 50cl mineral water (still or sparkling), coffee or tea
£40: Children menu (up to 12 years old) – One soft included
Dinner 7 days a week from 19:15 (2hr 45mins tour)
£120: Menu with water and a hot drink
£150: Menu with wine pairing, including:
1 glass of Champagne, 2 glasses of wine, mineral water (still or sparkling), coffee or tea
£50: Children menu (up to 12 years old) One soft included
You should arrive 15 minutes early for all tours. (2023 Prices)
Enjoy London sight-seeing; the Bustronome way
But it's over too soonThen to finish passing by the Houses of Parliament and then Trafalgar Square, we enjoyed a shot of coffee.
The view of Trafalgar Square
It’s great fun people watching from up above, although we did notice that the Bustronome bus was grabbing attention from passers-by too.
Our lunch experience lasted 1 hour, 45 minutes. In hindsight, perhaps we should have chosen the dinner option, and then the historic trip would have taken us on an even more extended voyage around London.
Tube Station Walks
We love to explore London on foot; a great way to break it into bite-sized pieces is to pick an underground station.
Why not browse our posts on tube station walks to find out what we uncovered in different districts?
The Bustronome experience
Our final thoughtsGary and I really enjoyed our London Bustronome experience. The only thing I would add is that I would have liked one other choice of dishes rather than a set menu. Although I do appreciate that the limited facilities put a constraint on this.
Stunning views of the City of London
A view of The Shard
The price of the trips may initially appear costly; however, not only are you embarking on a guided tour of London, but you also tasting some delightful food as you journey through the city’s historic streets.
I personally think it would make a lovely gift for someone.
Check your options
Why not take a look at their choice of menus, in addition to their regular menu they also offer vegetarian, vegan and children’s options?
Whichever one takes your fancy book directly online here.
We have a little book on our shelves that we sometimes delve into when we're about to hit an area of London.
Packed full of historical facts, and broken down into the different regions of London, it's a great resource to help you see what's hidden in plain sight.
Available in Kindle & Hardback editions, it's an excellent addition to anyone's collection who loves London.
* This post may contain links to affiliated sites where we earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.
Disclaimer
We were given a complimentary tour with Bustronome in exchange for an honest review and an account of our personal experiences.
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Looks absolutely fabulous, you’re so lucky with the weather.
Yes it was a lovely trip, it’s a relaxing way to see London and great views.