It doesn't take more than a weekend out with friends to feel as though there is nothing that doesn't cost you money when you live in London. But while hyper-touristy locations in the city are designed to make you feel that way — think, for example, about the never-ending succession of brutally lit shops crowding the entire length of Oxford Street, and the even more extortionary food traps that, profiting off travelers' exhaustion, charge you £20 for a plate of overcooked pasta anywhere near there — others, including many concept stores, restaurants, and cafés, are replacing a strictly commercial aesthetic with a much warmer and more distinctive look.
The goal? Convincing you, even if just for a moment, that you're not simply there to purchase something or indulge in your favorite selection of small plates, but to feel at home — spending quality time more than merely tapping your card.
