Guidebook for London
Shopping
Sunday flowers, music, coffee, food & beers. A must see.
1660 molta ag muintir na háite
Columbia Road Flower Market
Columbia RoadSunday flowers, music, coffee, food & beers. A must see.
What Spitalfields was before it gentrified. Noisy, crowded, a bit smelly, knocked off bikes, curry touts, and a real laugh. The indoor food stalls on weekends are great.
825 molta ag muintir na háite
Brick Lane Sunday Market
Brick LaneWhat Spitalfields was before it gentrified. Noisy, crowded, a bit smelly, knocked off bikes, curry touts, and a real laugh. The indoor food stalls on weekends are great.
Drinks & Nightlife
New style local boozer. Serves excellent London beers on keg & cask, great cocktails, pie 'n' mash, quiz night, occasional live music. Friendly staff & locals.
46 molta ag muintir na háite
Birdcage
80 Columbia RdNew style local boozer. Serves excellent London beers on keg & cask, great cocktails, pie 'n' mash, quiz night, occasional live music. Friendly staff & locals.
Lord Clyde
27 Clennam StreetTop local boozer near Borough tube.
If for any reason you are in Euston spend a few minutes here. One of the best selections of craft beer and cider in London. Stand up place as mostly people waiting for trains.
35 molta ag muintir na háite
Euston Tap
190 Euston RdIf for any reason you are in Euston spend a few minutes here. One of the best selections of craft beer and cider in London. Stand up place as mostly people waiting for trains.
Local pub serving excellent beer. Always Camden Brewery offerings. Try Five Points Railway Porter, if they have it. Good cheese & cured meat boards. Bottled beers can be ridiculously expensive.
127 molta ag muintir na háite
The Kings Arms
251 Tooley StLocal pub serving excellent beer. Always Camden Brewery offerings. Try Five Points Railway Porter, if they have it. Good cheese & cured meat boards. Bottled beers can be ridiculously expensive.
Working Men's Clubs were a London staple, this one survives, mixing nightclub, live music, comedy, food and drinks. Many of my younger friends swear by it.
58 molta ag muintir na háite
Bethnal Green Working Men's Club
42-46 Pollard RowWorking Men's Clubs were a London staple, this one survives, mixing nightclub, live music, comedy, food and drinks. Many of my younger friends swear by it.
Paradise Row is a series of railway arches converted into bars & restaurants. Mother Kelly's has a vast selection of craft beers. Tables outside, crowded at weekends.
109 molta ag muintir na háite
Mother Kelly's
251 Paradise RowParadise Row is a series of railway arches converted into bars & restaurants. Mother Kelly's has a vast selection of craft beers. Tables outside, crowded at weekends.
What pubs were like when I was a kid. If you want to see a lively London pub that has not changed that much, this is it. Locals, hipsters, creatives & a cat!!
61 molta ag muintir na háite
The Pride of Spitalfields London
3 Heneage StWhat pubs were like when I was a kid. If you want to see a lively London pub that has not changed that much, this is it. Locals, hipsters, creatives & a cat!!
Arts & Culture
Great print shop. Open seven days so you can browse without crowds Monday - Saturday. Spent a lot of money here.
15 molta ag muintir na háite
Nelly Duff
156 Columbia RdGreat print shop. Open seven days so you can browse without crowds Monday - Saturday. Spent a lot of money here.
Everyone goes to Tate Modern, but this place, especially the Rothko's, got me through my PhD. My favourite gallery in London.
656 molta ag muintir na háite
Tate Britain
MillbankEveryone goes to Tate Modern, but this place, especially the Rothko's, got me through my PhD. My favourite gallery in London.
Museum of British home life. Great herb garden. I like it, lots.
326 molta ag muintir na háite
Museum of the Home
136 Kingsland RoadMuseum of British home life. Great herb garden. I like it, lots.
Food Scene
Brawn
49 Columbia RdUpmarket meat orientated food. Quality.
Crowded, hot Punjabi Grill. Been around since the 70's. Four massive lamb chops for £6.50. BYOB. An institution. Love it. Book and still be prepared to wait.
381 molta ag muintir na háite
Tayyabs
83-89 Fieldgate StCrowded, hot Punjabi Grill. Been around since the 70's. Four massive lamb chops for £6.50. BYOB. An institution. Love it. Book and still be prepared to wait.
My favourite restaurant in London. Excellent Italian food. Book. Visit & enjoy.
52 molta ag muintir na háite
Zucca
184 Bermondsey StreetMy favourite restaurant in London. Excellent Italian food. Book. Visit & enjoy.
A selection of outdoor, but undercover, food shacks, some serving fantastic, cheap food. See what others are eating and join in. There's a bar, but you can BYOB
E1 6HU
Shoreditch High StreetA selection of outdoor, but undercover, food shacks, some serving fantastic, cheap food. See what others are eating and join in. There's a bar, but you can BYOB
Love shopping here. It is a no nonsense London market. NOT Borough, NOT Broadway, but proper South East London, before the Elephant redevelopment gentrifies the entire area.
22 molta ag muintir na háite
East Street
East StreetLove shopping here. It is a no nonsense London market. NOT Borough, NOT Broadway, but proper South East London, before the Elephant redevelopment gentrifies the entire area.
Proper British caff with great food, and queues especially at weekends. Stuff yourself with honest food for not much more than a fiver.
51 molta ag muintir na háite
Cafe 338 London
338 Bethnal Green RdProper British caff with great food, and queues especially at weekends. Stuff yourself with honest food for not much more than a fiver.
E Pellicci
332 Bethnal Green RdAn institution. Old school caff.
Often said to be the best Fish & Chips in Britain. Not sure about that, but it's still bloody good, and Muswell Hill is worth a stroll.
43 molta ag muintir na háite
Toffs Of Muswell Hill
38 Muswell Hill BroadwayOften said to be the best Fish & Chips in Britain. Not sure about that, but it's still bloody good, and Muswell Hill is worth a stroll.
My mate Dave, a South London postman, says this place does the best roast of any London pub he has been to. Serious praise.
175 molta ag muintir na háite
The Royal Oak
73 Columbia RdMy mate Dave, a South London postman, says this place does the best roast of any London pub he has been to. Serious praise.
This is the prettiest, nicest, French bistro in London. The staff are a dream. It's romantic as hell for a date. Classic French bistro food, reasonable wine. WTF is it doing on Brick Lane???
53 molta ag muintir na háite
Chez Elles Bistroquet
45 Brick LnThis is the prettiest, nicest, French bistro in London. The staff are a dream. It's romantic as hell for a date. Classic French bistro food, reasonable wine. WTF is it doing on Brick Lane???
You could spend the entire day, and a shed load of money, eating and drinking, very well, at TTHH. The Typing Room, Corner Room and Peg & Pitcher are all here.
27 molta ag muintir na háite
Town Hall Hotel & Apartments
8 Patriot SquareYou could spend the entire day, and a shed load of money, eating and drinking, very well, at TTHH. The Typing Room, Corner Room and Peg & Pitcher are all here.
Love this little area. Calvert Avenue has great shops & cafes. The small park in Arnold Circus. Reminds me of Prenzlauer Berg. It's what areas of social housing should be like.
67 molta ag muintir na háite
Leila's Shop
Calvert AvenueLove this little area. Calvert Avenue has great shops & cafes. The small park in Arnold Circus. Reminds me of Prenzlauer Berg. It's what areas of social housing should be like.
When you really, really want meat. Reputedly the best steaks in London. I love the Sunday lunch and the bar menu - poutine in London? Great cocktails.
152 molta ag muintir na háite
Hawksmoor Spitalfields
157A Commercial StWhen you really, really want meat. Reputedly the best steaks in London. I love the Sunday lunch and the bar menu - poutine in London? Great cocktails.
Great pizzas at good prices. If you can't get to the original in Brixton Market, which is worth a trip in itself, then this is not a bad second.
561 molta ag muintir na háite
Franco Manca
52 Broadway MarketGreat pizzas at good prices. If you can't get to the original in Brixton Market, which is worth a trip in itself, then this is not a bad second.
Sightseeing
Some great food shops, restaurants and bars. Worth a visit any day of the week. Market on a Saturday.
1735 molta ag muintir na háite
Broadway Market
Broadway MarketSome great food shops, restaurants and bars. Worth a visit any day of the week. Market on a Saturday.
It really is one of the best views in the city from the middle of the bridge. There's also a nice little food market, with a Meantime pop-up pub, outside Festival hall, open Friday-Sunday.
46 molta ag muintir na háite
Waterloo Bridge
It really is one of the best views in the city from the middle of the bridge. There's also a nice little food market, with a Meantime pop-up pub, outside Festival hall, open Friday-Sunday.
This Hindu temple is a true London marvel, my favourite religious building in the city. If you are hungry go to Shayona across the road. One of the best Indian restaurants in Britain, closes 6.30pm.
58 molta ag muintir na háite
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Pramukh Swami RoadThis Hindu temple is a true London marvel, my favourite religious building in the city. If you are hungry go to Shayona across the road. One of the best Indian restaurants in Britain, closes 6.30pm.
Everything Else
The home of Fulham FC. Season ticket holder and long suffering fan. Would not have it any other way.
57 molta ag muintir na háite
Craven Cottage
Stevenage RoadThe home of Fulham FC. Season ticket holder and long suffering fan. Would not have it any other way.
If you want to see how well off Londoners live there is no better place than Barnes. Huge houses, smart terraces, riverside pubs, duck pond (one of only two in London), posh shops. Worth a stroll.
23 molta ag muintir na háite
Barnes
If you want to see how well off Londoners live there is no better place than Barnes. Huge houses, smart terraces, riverside pubs, duck pond (one of only two in London), posh shops. Worth a stroll.
Thames Clipper's operate from Putney to Woolwich, and are London's river buses. Much better way to see the city from the river than the tourist boats. Westminster to London Bridge is the best bit.
Thames Clippers
Thames Clipper's operate from Putney to Woolwich, and are London's river buses. Much better way to see the city from the river than the tourist boats. Westminster to London Bridge is the best bit.
Lords is the home of cricket, but The Oval is the people's ground. Tickets for Tests are gold dust, but if there is an evening Twenty20 game on, try it.
187 molta ag muintir na háite
The Oval
Kennington OvalLords is the home of cricket, but The Oval is the people's ground. Tickets for Tests are gold dust, but if there is an evening Twenty20 game on, try it.
Essentials
OK it's a bit touristy and the prices are well over the top, but it is still worth a visit, just don't go on Saturday. If you do go try The Rake and The Market Porter for beers.
1617 molta ag muintir na háite
Borough Market
Borough High StreetOK it's a bit touristy and the prices are well over the top, but it is still worth a visit, just don't go on Saturday. If you do go try The Rake and The Market Porter for beers.
The Ropewalk Market, open Saturday & Sunday. I much prefer it to Borough.
99 molta ag muintir na háite
40 Maltby Street
40 Maltby StThe Ropewalk Market, open Saturday & Sunday. I much prefer it to Borough.
A totally unique shop, sells essential & carrier oils. Make your own bath oil at a fraction of the cost of brands.
10 molta ag muintir na háite
G Baldwin & Co
171-173 Walworth RdA totally unique shop, sells essential & carrier oils. Make your own bath oil at a fraction of the cost of brands.
This must be the hippest barbers on the planet. Great vibe, good haircuts, at a price, and usually a decent chat. Walk-in, put your name on the blackboard inside the door & wait your turn
Rocket Barber Shop Hackney Road
401 Hackney RdThis must be the hippest barbers on the planet. Great vibe, good haircuts, at a price, and usually a decent chat. Walk-in, put your name on the blackboard inside the door & wait your turn