Guidebook for London

Miso
Guidebook for London

Local Cheap Eats

If you want to get real local and need to watch your pennies, El Marsem is one of the many Algerian food joints on Old Kent Road serving great value, tasty food (bourek's, sandwiches, hot food) with a smile. Their baklava is excellent too, really nicely flavoured with rosewater. No frills place.
El Marsem
If you want to get real local and need to watch your pennies, El Marsem is one of the many Algerian food joints on Old Kent Road serving great value, tasty food (bourek's, sandwiches, hot food) with a smile. Their baklava is excellent too, really nicely flavoured with rosewater. No frills place.
Another local joint for vegan Ethiopian food, platters of vegetable and lentil stews with sour pancakes called injera. Warm service, nice ambience and tasty good value food.
Addis Vegan Kitchen Gluten-Free Restaurant
Another local joint for vegan Ethiopian food, platters of vegetable and lentil stews with sour pancakes called injera. Warm service, nice ambience and tasty good value food.
Favourite falafel place in London, and it's just a stand in Piccadilly Circus. Not a dry falafel in sight, great flavour - the coriander sauce 👌👌👌
Falafel +
Favourite falafel place in London, and it's just a stand in Piccadilly Circus. Not a dry falafel in sight, great flavour - the coriander sauce 👌👌👌
Stoke Newington. You’ll likely not find yourself in this area of north London, but if you do, this is the local secret. Be prepared to queue but it’s worth it!
11 locals recommend
Romeo & Giulietta Artisan Gelateria
137 Albion Rd
11 locals recommend
Stoke Newington. You’ll likely not find yourself in this area of north London, but if you do, this is the local secret. Be prepared to queue but it’s worth it!
Delicious and very affordable Mediterranean food especially for this area. Amazing brownies, I don’t know how they can sell them for only £2 (in 2024!)
Moriska
Delicious and very affordable Mediterranean food especially for this area. Amazing brownies, I don’t know how they can sell them for only £2 (in 2024!)
A nice 25 minute stroll across Burgess Park for the my favourite Ethiopian place, south of the river at least! I also like being here for hang with a friend catching up over their coffee ceremony, which is a pot of coffee in a beautiful vessel, frankinsense incense and a large basket of popcorn.
53 locals recommend
Zeret Kitchen
216-218 Camberwell Rd
53 locals recommend
A nice 25 minute stroll across Burgess Park for the my favourite Ethiopian place, south of the river at least! I also like being here for hang with a friend catching up over their coffee ceremony, which is a pot of coffee in a beautiful vessel, frankinsense incense and a large basket of popcorn.
Elephant and Castle. Reminiscent of scenes in Asian or Latin countries for me…tucked into a multi-arcade of Latin shops underneath the railway arches, is this Venezuelan place that serves arepas and chachapas (my favourite). Order them vegetarian or meat piled with guacamole, plantains, cheese braised beef beans etc. Portion is massive, good to share.
LosChamosuk (Elephant & Castle)
Elephant and Castle. Reminiscent of scenes in Asian or Latin countries for me…tucked into a multi-arcade of Latin shops underneath the railway arches, is this Venezuelan place that serves arepas and chachapas (my favourite). Order them vegetarian or meat piled with guacamole, plantains, cheese braised beef beans etc. Portion is massive, good to share.
Bermondsey. Open Weekends for street food I wouldn’t say cheap because street food isn’t really in that category in western countries, but it’s one of my favourite food streets not just because I’m local. For restaurants underneath the arches Bon Vino has legendary wine and sourdough pizza, 40 Maltby is great for small plates and wine, WatchHouse coffee roasters here and patisserie Comptoire Gourmand also.
292 locals recommend
Maltby Street Market
Maltby Street
292 locals recommend
Bermondsey. Open Weekends for street food I wouldn’t say cheap because street food isn’t really in that category in western countries, but it’s one of my favourite food streets not just because I’m local. For restaurants underneath the arches Bon Vino has legendary wine and sourdough pizza, 40 Maltby is great for small plates and wine, WatchHouse coffee roasters here and patisserie Comptoire Gourmand also.
Best pizza in London in Telegraph Hill which has views across London, you can hang with beers there after a bit.
Dinner for One Hundred
Best pizza in London in Telegraph Hill which has views across London, you can hang with beers there after a bit.
Local Coffee shop, barista coffees, sandwiches, pastries. 7 minutes walk.
17 locals recommend
Crol and Co
77 Dunton Rd
17 locals recommend
Local Coffee shop, barista coffees, sandwiches, pastries. 7 minutes walk.

Cafes & Bakeries

Covent Garden/Leicester Square & Marylebone. Bit spensive but high quality French/Japanese pastry.
Arôme Bakery
9 Mercer Street
Covent Garden/Leicester Square & Marylebone. Bit spensive but high quality French/Japanese pastry.
Covent Garden/Leicester Square. Everything is excellent, really properly made and satisfying at this wee Swedish bakery. It might be my favourite bakery in London.
14 locals recommend
Bageriet
24 Rose St
14 locals recommend
Covent Garden/Leicester Square. Everything is excellent, really properly made and satisfying at this wee Swedish bakery. It might be my favourite bakery in London.
Good bakery with a few branches East and North London.
6 locals recommend
Jolene Colebrooke Row
16 Essex Rd
6 locals recommend
Good bakery with a few branches East and North London.
Legendary, long running crepe stand off Hampstead High St
38 locals recommend
La Creperie de Hampstead
77a Hampstead High St
38 locals recommend
Legendary, long running crepe stand off Hampstead High St
Central London/Bloomsbury
Fortitude Bakehouse
35 Colonnade
Central London/Bloomsbury

Restaurants

The Strand/Embankment. Restaurant with a mid-century style inside a brutalist shell, adjacent to 180 Studios gallery. I love the terrace, warm service, and the dedication to ingredients and Mediterranean cooking. Their bakery next door is superb, definitely top two in London.
Toklas
The Strand/Embankment. Restaurant with a mid-century style inside a brutalist shell, adjacent to 180 Studios gallery. I love the terrace, warm service, and the dedication to ingredients and Mediterranean cooking. Their bakery next door is superb, definitely top two in London.
Hackney Wick. Jaw-droppingly inspiring and inventive restaurant leading the no-waste movement. Check it out.
Silo London
Hackney Wick. Jaw-droppingly inspiring and inventive restaurant leading the no-waste movement. Check it out.
Oxford Circus. Indian restaurant that gets alot of attention due to being featured ion Netflix Chef's Table. I haven't been but I'd probably try this over Dishoom, and if not here, try Punjab in Covent Garden.
Darjeeling Express
Oxford Circus. Indian restaurant that gets alot of attention due to being featured ion Netflix Chef's Table. I haven't been but I'd probably try this over Dishoom, and if not here, try Punjab in Covent Garden.
Kennington. I prefer to eat Korean food at home than out but if I do go out for Korean food, I like it here, more home style dishes and things you don’t get in other restaurants. 👍
Kuma
Kennington. I prefer to eat Korean food at home than out but if I do go out for Korean food, I like it here, more home style dishes and things you don’t get in other restaurants. 👍
Favourite Korean place, atmosphere and style of cooking more refined and balanced, but still very reasonable prices.
10 locals recommend
KOBA
11 Rathbone St
10 locals recommend
Favourite Korean place, atmosphere and style of cooking more refined and balanced, but still very reasonable prices.

Arts & Culture

A multi-story car park in Peckham that hosts contemporary music performances and a sculpture park as well as Frank's Cafe. Great views.
17 locals recommend
Bold Tendencies
95a Rye Ln
17 locals recommend
A multi-story car park in Peckham that hosts contemporary music performances and a sculpture park as well as Frank's Cafe. Great views.
Scene for contemporary music, improvisation, experimental, and art. Serves food, coffee and alcoholic beverages.
203 locals recommend
Cafe OTO
18-22 Ashwin Street
203 locals recommend
Scene for contemporary music, improvisation, experimental, and art. Serves food, coffee and alcoholic beverages.
Contemporary art, photography, and installations with a leaning towards digital and media.
180 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1EA, UK
Contemporary art, photography, and installations with a leaning towards digital and media.
A treasure, something different!
183 locals recommend
Sir John Soane's Museum
13 Lincoln's Inn Fields
183 locals recommend
A treasure, something different!
One of the special jazz venues in this area (Dalston), great cocktails, chill, and of course the music!
39 locals recommend
Servant Jazz Quarters
10A Bradbury St
39 locals recommend
One of the special jazz venues in this area (Dalston), great cocktails, chill, and of course the music!
Venue for all kinds of creativity leaning on the experimental, technology/research-driven side. Modular synth performances, art installations, hackathons, algo-raves, ambient day long dj sets, talks, audio-visual performances.. That sort of thing. Very lovely and chill garden serving drinks, coffee, and vegan food. Music store on site also.
IKLECTIK
20 Carlisle Ln
Venue for all kinds of creativity leaning on the experimental, technology/research-driven side. Modular synth performances, art installations, hackathons, algo-raves, ambient day long dj sets, talks, audio-visual performances.. That sort of thing. Very lovely and chill garden serving drinks, coffee, and vegan food. Music store on site also.
Interesting exhibitions - usually they choose a theme and several artists are invited to create works based on the theme, makes for surprising/fascinating/thoughtful exhibit.
61 locals recommend
Hayward Gallery
Belvedere Road
61 locals recommend
Interesting exhibitions - usually they choose a theme and several artists are invited to create works based on the theme, makes for surprising/fascinating/thoughtful exhibit.
Usually very interesting exhibitions and a yearly changing summer pavillion
240 locals recommend
Serpentine Galleries
240 locals recommend
Usually very interesting exhibitions and a yearly changing summer pavillion
Wonderful fashion and design museum in an especially magnificent building. Near other South Kensington museums, restaurants, and shopping.
1693 locals recommend
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
1693 locals recommend
Wonderful fashion and design museum in an especially magnificent building. Near other South Kensington museums, restaurants, and shopping.
Too obvious to mention that this is a London must. It is a wonderful architectural space, with a newly built extension opened in 2016, and houses one of the most substantial modern art viewings in the world. There are also views across the river, restaurants, cafes, bookshops to lose lots of time in also. As with all London museums, it's free.
2008 locals recommend
Tate Modern
Bankside
2008 locals recommend
Too obvious to mention that this is a London must. It is a wonderful architectural space, with a newly built extension opened in 2016, and houses one of the most substantial modern art viewings in the world. There are also views across the river, restaurants, cafes, bookshops to lose lots of time in also. As with all London museums, it's free.
Small nightclub in the great programming leaning on the alternative scene and a banging sound system. Vetted by a musicians’s ears 👌
ORMSIDE Projects
Small nightclub in the great programming leaning on the alternative scene and a banging sound system. Vetted by a musicians’s ears 👌
Local club at Elephant and Castle. Good for the types of music and events, a variety really tryouts I tend to go for artsy stuff, algoraves or just good vibes.
61 locals recommend
Corsica Studios
5 Elephant Rd
61 locals recommend
Local club at Elephant and Castle. Good for the types of music and events, a variety really tryouts I tend to go for artsy stuff, algoraves or just good vibes.
Peckham. In the summer, the venue which is a converted multi story car park, is converted into a sculpture garden, classical/symphonic concert venue, and Frank’s rooftop cafe, with views across London. In the midst of all of the Peckham buzz.
17 locals recommend
Bold Tendencies
95a Rye Ln
17 locals recommend
Peckham. In the summer, the venue which is a converted multi story car park, is converted into a sculpture garden, classical/symphonic concert venue, and Frank’s rooftop cafe, with views across London. In the midst of all of the Peckham buzz.

Parks & Nature

Wonderful view of London, especially nice to watch the moon rise from atop the hill. The neighbourhood is quite posh and has chic shops, cafes, bakeries, and restaurants.
790 locals recommend
Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill Road
790 locals recommend
Wonderful view of London, especially nice to watch the moon rise from atop the hill. The neighbourhood is quite posh and has chic shops, cafes, bakeries, and restaurants.
London best park, sprawling and wild, great for walking, views, picnics, and taking advantage of good weather. Swimming holes too.
1215 locals recommend
Hampstead Heath
1215 locals recommend
London best park, sprawling and wild, great for walking, views, picnics, and taking advantage of good weather. Swimming holes too.
Hackney. Beautiful and very large park serving East Londoners park needs.
Victoria Park
Hackney. Beautiful and very large park serving East Londoners park needs.
Lovely medium-sized park adjacent to Broadway Market, the canal, and Dalston.
London Fields
Lovely medium-sized park adjacent to Broadway Market, the canal, and Dalston.

Sightseeing

Shoreditch. London's flower market - lovely atmosphere, though very busy - I recommend getting there early 8-10 on a Sunday, especially if the crowds get to you. Many shops and eateries to dip into!
1660 locals recommend
Columbia Road Flower Market
Columbia Road
1660 locals recommend
Shoreditch. London's flower market - lovely atmosphere, though very busy - I recommend getting there early 8-10 on a Sunday, especially if the crowds get to you. Many shops and eateries to dip into!
Magnificent view of London to rival the view from the Shard or London Eye - best of all, it's free. You must book a ticket a month in advance though through their website. Restaurant/bars at the top as well.
299 locals recommend
Sky Garden
299 locals recommend
Magnificent view of London to rival the view from the Shard or London Eye - best of all, it's free. You must book a ticket a month in advance though through their website. Restaurant/bars at the top as well.
On a weekend, a nice way to get the feel two neighbourhoods (London Fields/Hackney/Shoreditch and Islington) is to go to Broadway Market and have a look around, then walk down the canal, exiting on Kingsland Road to go towards Shoreditch or continue down to Angel/Islington.
29 locals recommend
Canal Walk
Canal Walk
29 locals recommend
On a weekend, a nice way to get the feel two neighbourhoods (London Fields/Hackney/Shoreditch and Islington) is to go to Broadway Market and have a look around, then walk down the canal, exiting on Kingsland Road to go towards Shoreditch or continue down to Angel/Islington.

Shopping & Afternoon Tea

Department store housed in a wonderful Tudor mansion. High-end luxury clothing, cosmetics, and perfume, (more contemporary/trendy international brands) with homewares and Liberty signature-print and haberdashery in the upper floors. Afternoon tea served in their cafe.
193 locals recommend
Liberty London
Regent Street
193 locals recommend
Department store housed in a wonderful Tudor mansion. High-end luxury clothing, cosmetics, and perfume, (more contemporary/trendy international brands) with homewares and Liberty signature-print and haberdashery in the upper floors. Afternoon tea served in their cafe.
A classic place for afternoon tea with scones and small sandwiches. Make a reservation.
193 locals recommend
Fortnum & Mason
181 Piccadilly
193 locals recommend
A classic place for afternoon tea with scones and small sandwiches. Make a reservation.