Guidebook for London
Food Scene
Le Péché Mignon
6 Ronalds RdAmazing french deli! Oooh la la!
Ottolenghi Islington
287 Upper StFirst rate food
Euphorium Bakery
26A Chapel MarketIncredible baked goods
Sacred Cafe
8 Hornsey StFab coffee, breakfast and lunch!
Marquess of Anglesey
39 Bow StBest sunday roast!
The Pig and Butcher
80 Liverpool RdIncredible roasts
The Food Market for Gourmets. It boasts some of London’s best street food including grilled cheese, ice cream sandwiches and gourmet smoked salmon down the Ropewalk and under flagged archways. Dive into one of the archways and you’ll find cosy wine bars, bakeries and charcuterie.
Saturday 9am-4pm, Sunday 11am-4pm
292 locals recommend
Maltby Street Market
Maltby Street The Food Market for Gourmets. It boasts some of London’s best street food including grilled cheese, ice cream sandwiches and gourmet smoked salmon down the Ropewalk and under flagged archways. Dive into one of the archways and you’ll find cosy wine bars, bakeries and charcuterie.
Saturday 9am-4pm, Sunday 11am-4pm
Drinks & Nightlife
Duchess of Kent
441 Liverpool RdMy very favourite local pub!
Big Red
385 Holloway RdFun bar!
69 Colebrooke Row
69 Colebrooke RowFantastic cocktail made with love
O2 Academy Islington
16 Parkfield StBrilliant gig venue
Drinks with a view. Save yourself the £30.95 ticket price to shoot up to the top of The Shard and try this instead: get the lift to the 31st floor, head to the bar and spend your £30 on cocktails instead (they’re not cheap). Aqua Shard doesn’t take reservations for drinks so just walk right in but if you want brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner, book online in advance. Bear in mind the smart casual dress code, so leave the flip flops and trainers at home.
124 locals recommend
Aqua Shard
31 St Thomas StDrinks with a view. Save yourself the £30.95 ticket price to shoot up to the top of The Shard and try this instead: get the lift to the 31st floor, head to the bar and spend your £30 on cocktails instead (they’re not cheap). Aqua Shard doesn’t take reservations for drinks so just walk right in but if you want brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner, book online in advance. Bear in mind the smart casual dress code, so leave the flip flops and trainers at home.
Panoramic Views of the London Skyline. Franks Cafe in Peckham offers some of the best views of the skyline you can imagine - all from the rooftop of an old multi-storey car park. If you like the finer things in life this isn’t for you but if you’re happy in the company of South London’s cool kids then grab a drink from the bar, some snacks from the kitchen, watch the sun go down and let the view steal the show. Open for Summer until 1st October
257 locals recommend
Frank's Cafe
95A Rye LnPanoramic Views of the London Skyline. Franks Cafe in Peckham offers some of the best views of the skyline you can imagine - all from the rooftop of an old multi-storey car park. If you like the finer things in life this isn’t for you but if you’re happy in the company of South London’s cool kids then grab a drink from the bar, some snacks from the kitchen, watch the sun go down and let the view steal the show. Open for Summer until 1st October
London’s Oldest Wine Bar. Imagine a wine bar so cosy and so packed with local office workers that you feel like you’ve really ‘discovered’ the real London. Gordon’s is that place. Tucked down an alleyway just by Embankment, this candlelit wine bar is always busy so take on the crowds and be rewarded with a glass of wine and platter of cheese at what is London’s oldest wine bar. If you don’t like wine or if you get claustrophobic, go elsewhere - the vaulted ceilings are low. It’s unfussy, authentic and one of London’s true gems.
114 locals recommend
Champagne Bar
87-135 Brompton RdLondon’s Oldest Wine Bar. Imagine a wine bar so cosy and so packed with local office workers that you feel like you’ve really ‘discovered’ the real London. Gordon’s is that place. Tucked down an alleyway just by Embankment, this candlelit wine bar is always busy so take on the crowds and be rewarded with a glass of wine and platter of cheese at what is London’s oldest wine bar. If you don’t like wine or if you get claustrophobic, go elsewhere - the vaulted ceilings are low. It’s unfussy, authentic and one of London’s true gems.
Hidden Cocktail Bar. There’s nothing quite like a speakeasy to make you feel in-the-know. Tourist or not, Happiness Forgets is one such bar that never fails to impress a new visitor. Tucked away in a moodily-lit basement, it’s often considered one of London’s best bars - which also means out of sight does not mean out of mind. Make sure you book to get a seat as hanging around is thirsty work.
117 locals recommend
Happiness Forgets
8-9 Hoxton SquareHidden Cocktail Bar. There’s nothing quite like a speakeasy to make you feel in-the-know. Tourist or not, Happiness Forgets is one such bar that never fails to impress a new visitor. Tucked away in a moodily-lit basement, it’s often considered one of London’s best bars - which also means out of sight does not mean out of mind. Make sure you book to get a seat as hanging around is thirsty work.
A Proper Boozer. If you think ‘London’ and think ‘pub’ then this historic boozer is for you. Like something out of the Harry Potter film set, The Jerusalem Tavern is set in a 1720s building (although it only became a pub in the 90s) serving IPAs and ales from St Peter’s Brewery in Suffolk. Step inside and feel like you’re going back in time before spilling out onto the pavement or getting cosy if you can nab a seat inside.
59 locals recommend
The Jerusalem Tavern
55 Britton StA Proper Boozer. If you think ‘London’ and think ‘pub’ then this historic boozer is for you. Like something out of the Harry Potter film set, The Jerusalem Tavern is set in a 1720s building (although it only became a pub in the 90s) serving IPAs and ales from St Peter’s Brewery in Suffolk. Step inside and feel like you’re going back in time before spilling out onto the pavement or getting cosy if you can nab a seat inside.
Shopping
Camden Passage
Camden PassageWonderful antiques and quirky shops
Everything Else
Upper Street
Upper StreetBrilliant for shopping and eating
Essentials
Waitrose & Partners
366 Holloway RdReally useful for quality groceries
Entertainment & Activities
Everyman Screen on the Green
83 Upper StMovie time - lovely independent cinema
Sightseeing
East London’s traditional and historic flower market attracts the crowds so arrive early or prepare to wander along at a snails pace and soak up the atmosphere. Great at any time of the year, in summer you’ll find seas of sunflowers whilst come Christmas, berries, mistletoe and Christmas trees take centre stage. The shops are great too - pick up a memento, gift or just a coffee, from the guy at the window in the wall then wander down Ezra Street - follow the sounds of live music.
1660 locals recommend
Columbia Road Flower Market
Columbia RoadEast London’s traditional and historic flower market attracts the crowds so arrive early or prepare to wander along at a snails pace and soak up the atmosphere. Great at any time of the year, in summer you’ll find seas of sunflowers whilst come Christmas, berries, mistletoe and Christmas trees take centre stage. The shops are great too - pick up a memento, gift or just a coffee, from the guy at the window in the wall then wander down Ezra Street - follow the sounds of live music.
London’s Highest Public Garden. The Sky Garden is 155 metres above the City of London offering 230 degree birds eye views of the Tower of London, down the Thames, across the river to The Shard, and beyond. London’s highest public garden is free to visit - simply book a time slot in advance. If you want to make an occasion of it, visit Fenchurch Restaurant or Darwin Brasserie and let the views continue.
300 locals recommend
Sky Garden
London’s Highest Public Garden. The Sky Garden is 155 metres above the City of London offering 230 degree birds eye views of the Tower of London, down the Thames, across the river to The Shard, and beyond. London’s highest public garden is free to visit - simply book a time slot in advance. If you want to make an occasion of it, visit Fenchurch Restaurant or Darwin Brasserie and let the views continue.