B ack in 2013, our founder Jessica Dante moved to London from the US and she loved spending her free time exploring the city to discover its hidden gems. She focused on finding the cozy pubs where locals hang out, those little restaurants serving up the tastiest food, and avoiding the typical tourist traps. When on her own travels around the world, Jess relied on tips and suggestions from her new friends, and she soon realized that having a local friend giving her recommendations made her trip so much more interesting, fun and culturally deep. She thought about how great it would be to be “a friend in London” to people who might not have an actual friend to help them explore, so she started sharing her best tips on a YouTube channel called Love and London. It was a hit pretty early on and so she spent a couple of years, alongside her regular job, producing tons of free content for tourists on YouTube, Instagram, and a website.
In 2017, Love and London officially became a business, transforming from Jess’s part-time side gig to a fully-fledged brand dedicated to helping tourists explore the city like the locals do. And since then, we’ve helped millions of visitors discover the best that London has to offer.
Love and London has now grown into a team of city experts and energetic locals who will help you have an unforgettable trip of a lifetime, giving you the insider info you need.
We know you’ll probably want to do some of the major London sights you’ve seen in the films and learned about in school. But what we really LOVE to do is help you experience the city like you live in it. From sending you to a sexy wine bar, to telling you about the hidden museum that even locals pass by without noticing, to showing you a quaint boutique hotel you’ll love in an area that wasn’t on your radar, but should be… THAT’S what gets us fired up.
And as much as we tell you what to do, we also tell you what NOT to do, as that’s even more important. We’re here to help you save time, money and disappointment. There’s no room for that during your limited time in this amazing city.
Meet our London Experts
Jessica Dante
Founder
Jess loves London not for the typical tourist attractions like the London Eye or Big Ben, but for the little things that make the city special. She enjoys discovering hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurants, having picnics with friends on Primrose Hill while admiring the London skyline, and sipping cocktails in dimly lit lounges. Her passion for the city stems from the diverse cultural influences and hidden gems that only a true Londoner can reveal.
Melissa Nyambayo
Content Creator
Mel works as a freelance blogger and Tour Director for first-time visitors to London. She’s definitely a London pro as she loves finding new spots that make London such a special city – her friends even crowned her their “resident London tour guide” – as her list of cool places to visit is as long as her arm.
Mel is also a massive music lover – always on the hunt for new live music venues across the city. Her current favourite is Paper Dress Vintage – a vintage shop in Hackney that turns into a nightclub at night.
Eliza Rain (they/them)
Content Creator
Eliza is a disabled content creator who has lived in London for over 20 years. This means they know all the best local spots to attend and the best weekend hangouts. They create content around all the top spots in London and rate how wheelchair accessible/disabled-friendly they are.
On top of this, they have worked with various companies to promote their services such as Historic England, RSC and Google to highlight the positives that these companies are offering to people living in London and the amazing services and locations that they offer.
Jessica Dellow
Writer
Jessica Dellow is an East Londoner who loves to travel the world and eat her way around the city. When she’s not eating, cooking or hanging out in the local pub, you’ll probably find her walking one of her BorrowMyDoggy dogs in Victoria Park with a coffee in hand.
With almost a decade of writing experience, Jess’s favourite topics are travel, food, tourism, and hospitality. She’s written for lots of travel publications like GoPro, British Airways, The Independent, Travelbag, and more.
Phoebe Minson
Content Creator
Phoebe was born in London and grew up nearby, returning at 18 to study Fine Art at Central Saint Martins. Over the past six years, she has been committed to exploring every corner of the city, amassing eclectic recommendations for every Borough. Immersed in the London art scene, Phoebe worked as the Creative Director at a commercial gallery in Mayfair and continues to promote the local art scene through tours, talks, panels, and online content.
Phoebe loves to share her knowledge of the city’s vibrant and abundant offerings, providing unique insights and recommendations for both locals and visitors.
