general tips by mrnyc
i visited in april 2007. for museums i enjoyed tate modern, the courtald & soane's museum.
for restaurants of the moment i liked canteen, st. john's, just falofs in soho, standard bathi house on brick lane and one in the little chinatown i forget the name. pub food is ok, if repetitive and generally unhealthy. i had a fine fish & chips off kensington high street in one.
for shopping carnaby street, topshop, harvey nics, selfridges, marks&spencer...heck i stopped in all the biggies.
for sights somewhat off the beaten path i enjoyed: southwark & borough market, lincoln/gray's inns, the temple, king's road, barbicon, camden town, docklands & greenwich.
the major parks are a must as well: hyde park, regent's park & green/st. james.
americans might be surprized: not much readily available good food, that the park squares around rowhouses are mostly private, that londoners take a break from the office and get a drink around 3pm & go back to work, & along those lines that although they have a rep for heavy drinking in pubs it's rather false as pubs always have a low alcohol bitters on tap.