Notting Hill's famous street market in the Portobello Road continues to draw tourists from around the world. While there are vendors there throughout the week, the Market comes alive on Saturdays when antique dealers mix with flea market sellers and all manner of food vendors to provide a rousing feast for the senses and pocketbook. When the sensory overload takes over and you need a break - somewhere peaceful to regroup - there is just such a shop at 4 Blenheim Crescent, slightly to the west as the antique market dissolves into the fresh fruit and veg area.

Books for Cooks is a specialty store with a wonderful and unique surprise waiting for you at the back of the shop. The store, which has been in business since 1983, is home to literally thousands of cookbooks from all parts of the world. It's amazingly well organized and books are displayed for easy searching or browsing. The surprise is actually a quaint little test kitchen with just a half-dozen tables and chairs, where the pages of the books come alive as chefs practice their recipes and offer them up for a very modest price to the lucky people who happen to be there when the finished products are ready to be served.

In the mornings, the smell of freshly baked cakes and pastries fills the air (perfect with an espresso or pot of Earl Gray), and soups and tarts are cooked up with freshly baked focaccia for lunch. Occasional cooking classes are held upstairs in a separate, purpose-built demonstration kitchen - the shop will have the current schedule, but you may want to check their website before leaving on vacation. The classes apparently sell out quickly.

If you want to take home a souvenir, there are five slim volumes (ridiculously-underpriced!) of Books for Cooks recipes. When you return from your vacation, you can test things out in your own kitchen back home. This wonderful little shop is a haven for foodies of all ages, and a great place to hide out for awhile if the hustle and bustle of London's busiest weekend market gets to be too much.

Constance Parker-Street

Travel professional Constance Parker-Street made her first trip to London in 1989 and has been living visit-to-visit ever since. Her website is dedicated to providing completely practical information to help people plan hassle-free and disappointment-free vacations to the most exciting city in the world.