If you are touring and determined to visit any of these three, don't leave it until later in your trip because each of these stores is a one-off with no branches outside of London.
Harrods What can you say about Harrods that has not been said a zillion times before? It is England's most famous department store, owned by Mohammed Al Fayed - the late Dodi Fayed's father and a thorn in the side of the Royal family. It is full of
- luxury goods, diamond jewelry and designer clothes
- a very over-the-top "Egyptian" hall
- a "shrine" to Dodi and Princess Diana
- a department for almost anything you can think of - including real estate, banking and travel
- perfume and cosmetics departments that seem to be endless
- a series of food halls that are legendary and not to be missed.
Fortnum & Mason To call Fortnum's the top people's grocer does not begin to suggest the extraordinary goodies in this 300-year-old store on Piccadilly. Exotic foods and wines from all over the world, sweets and cakes and biscuits, caviar and pate, rare game, dozens of different mustards and honeys and sauces and chocolates and teas. And its all served up by Fortnum's famous frock-coated shop assistants. Fortnums even has its own bee hives for gathering honey. Honey from the London rooftop hives (Fortnum's Bees' Piccadilly Honey) will available in spring of 2009. Meanwhile, check out the Fortnum's Bees on Fortnum's live "beecam".
Upper floors have gifts and accessories for men, women and the home but it's the food halls that have a fascinating history and are the main reason for visiting.
