Secret London

Have lunch with the inmates of a high security prison, stroll through a sex shop into a Mexican restaurant, sing your heart out in a clandestine Korean karaoke club, tap your toes in a gypsy swing club, get pickled in a marooned Irish pub, join the sixties club that's still swinging, drink cappuccinos made by murderous bikers, play petanque in a central London cellar, tap an oak-tree trunk for whisky . . . Discover over 140 places with eye-popping decor, eccentric owners, and unusual menus. This guide to London's most peculiar and under-the-radar bars and restaurants is for serious foodies, intrepid drinkers, urban explorers - and anyone curious to discover the infinite possibilities to have fun in London. "The perfect gift for that friend who thinks Café Rouge is a bit exotic." - Londonist. com"I put the guide to the test around Covent Garden and Soho - two of the most touristy parts of the capital - and uncovered a host of gems I'd never encountered before, despite living there for seven years." - Rob McFarland, Australian Traveller