May 23, 2024
9 min read
The Best Neighborhoods to Visit in London
Just touched down in London Town? We'll help you immerse yourself in London's 2,000 years of history (or its hipster coffee joints) through the city's neighborhood subcultures. There's a lot of information out there, so we've pulled together everything you need to know about London's best neighborhoods from the travel mavens we all know and trust.
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is a hip area, one of London's gayborhoods, and one of the best areas to explore for foodies and shoppers.
"Shoreditch is a dining destination for hipsters, tourists and ravenous city workers alike, so it’s no wonder that there are restaurants of all cuisines and price ranges in the always-buzzy area." -
Time Out"By day, offbeat eateries dish out flaky pastries (inventive flavours to be expected) to their fashion-forward regulars and by night, a melting pot of bars and clubs — some of the best in the world — judder into life until the early hours." -
Conde Nast Traveler"...when you’re feeling up for world class nightlife, Shoreditch should sit atop your shortlist." -
Thrillist
Marylebone
Marylebone is a hip, upscale, residential area and perfect for foodies.
"Marylebone has been a fashionable area in London since at least the seventeenth century – as its catalogue of famous residents (past and present) attests. Today it’s a world-famous shopping destination." -
Time Out"Stumble out of the Bond Street Tube station and a two-minute walk north will land you in the midst of dozens of specialty shops...The area’s elegant pocket of shops and restaurants is wedged between frenetic and frenzied Oxford Street and less-than-quaint Marylebone Road." -
New York Times"Marylebone is one of those rare neighbourhoods that still manages to stir up the distinct feeling that you’ve just stumbled across an enchanting secret." -
Conde Nast Traveler
Mayfair
Mayfair is an upscale area near Hyde Park with great shopping.
"The well-heeled streets of Mayfair are home to some of the world’s most high-end shops, galleries and restaurants." -
Conde Nast Traveler"Filled with five-star hotels, chic restaurants, high end boutiques and plenty of stylish locals, Mayfair is the place to go if you are looking for a good time in London." -
Forbes
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a hip area with a great food and shopping scene, near many London landmarks.
"The area is synonymous with the Royal Opera House, hosts daily alfresco entertainment at its central piazza, and is surrounded by a plethora of famous theatres." -
Time Out"Covent Garden has become a foodie destination in its own right, staking claim to some of the best restaurants in London." -
Conde Nast Traveler"...populated by troupes of talented street performers, such as acrobats and magicians — [Covent Garden] is an entertaining spot for a stroll." -
National Geographic
Soho
Soho, one of London's best gayborhoods, is a hip area, great for foodies and nightlife-seekers.
"Soho is the geographical and spiritual centre of LGBTQ+ London. With more gay bars per square mile than any other area, Soho is buzzing on any night of the week. It’s mainstream fun: expect an all-ages, international crowd and pop music as sugary-sweet as the cocktails." -
Conde Nast Traveler"London's Soho has been showing us a good time for centuries. Its messy grid of streets and narrow alleyways is buzzy, grubby, swanky and sexy in equal parts." -
Time Out
Notting Hill
Notting Hill is great for foodies and hipsters and is home to many London landmarks.
"Attracting millions of visitors every year to its rainbow-coloured houses, enviable gardens and boho atmos, Notting Hill is the perfect place to spend a weekend exploring. Whether you’re into shopping, eating, cinema or just people-watching, it’s a great bit of London." -
Time Out"Notting Hill has always been one of London’s coolest and most bohemian enclaves, but in the last year, a new foodie buzz has been sweeping the neighborhood." -
Forbes"Best known as home of the world’s second biggest carnival (after Rio’s Mardi Gras) and home to the famous Portobello Road Market, this is also a serious destination for culture buffs and those on the hunt for a quintessential London experience." -
Lonely Planet
Kensington
Kensington is an upscale area near many landmarks and has excellent shopping.
"Stately attractions, a prime location, and rich history make the royal borough of Kensington the best place for your next English escape." -
Conde Nast Traveler"...home to many outstanding restaurants and bars, as well as boasting a rich cultural heritage thanks to some of the biggest and best museums in London. Enjoy a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, or spend a day shopping (or window shopping...) on High Street Ken. Kensington Gardens are pretty nice, too." -
Time Out
Camden
Camden is a residential area, loved by locals for its developing hipster vibe.
"Come to Camden for the subcultural atmosphere, touristified but still tangible, and stay for the cheap restaurants and awesome live music scene." -
Time Out"New businesses are flooding to the area, and new cafés and some of the best restaurants in London are opening their doors, while Camden’s old heart keeps beating boldly under it all." -
Conde Nast Traveler
King’s Cross
King's Cross, a hip area with great nightlife, is also a growing business area in London.
"Industry meets history in this central London neighbourhood. Coloured fountains lie in shadows of Victorian Gothic masterpieces, and an ever-growing list of bars and restaurants makes it one of the capital’s favoured spots." -
Conde Nast Traveler"...with outstanding clubs, music venues and museums nearby, wild green spaces and a pretty stretch of Regent’s Canal, all of which make King’s Cross a great destination in its own right." -
Time Out"Among the postindustrial-chic buildings and stylish restaurants and shops: Victorian splendor, verdant hide-outs and the long-ago haunts of writers and musicians." -
New York Times
Islington
Islington is a hip residential area, popular with locals for its great food scene.
"Islington isn’t just for the champagne socialists – its boutiques, bars and restaurants offer something for the weekend, whichever way you lean." -
Time Out"Islington has a posh-meets-street vibe that is trendy and creative. The heart of Islington buzzes with old-school street markets, quirky shops and lovely bars and cafes. Despite its affluence and the quiet of its residential streets, the area offers more diversity, grit and energy than other London suburbs." -
Forbes
Battersea
Battersea is a hip residential area, home to, and loved by many young families.
"Few places bustle like Battersea these days, with top-notch food, bars and boozers bringing 'em down south from far and wide." -
Time Out"...entertainment venues that range from Battersea Arts Centre, the cinema at Battersea Power Station to The (legendary) Clapham Grand; Battersea’s an excellent place to spend a weekend." -
The Nudge"Battersea’s roads tend to be more clogged with Bugaboo strollers pushed by parents competing for space… Its riverside restaurants and art mural by Morag Myerscough are already well worth a visit." -
Conde Nast Traveler
Hackney Central
Hackney Central is a hip area with great nightlife and is home to many locals.
"There's plenty to heart in Hackney, where high art and edgy innovation meet. There are flavours to savour from its lip-smacking restaurants...Quirky, scruffy, sleek or hip – the area's bars and pubs suit whatever taste you're packing" -
Time Out"Many of the old factories and warehouses have been converted into pubs, restaurants and shops where you can find vintage clothing, classic vinyl and second-hand bikes. Before and after West Ham United home games, the local drinking holes are flooded with soccer fans, but the rest of the time it’s a pretty diverse crowd." -
Forbes"...the new face of East London, a hub of alternative nightlife, innovative dining, thrumming markets and general fun times." -
Conde Nast Traveler
Brixton
Brixton is a culturally rich area with great nightlife, perfect for foodies and hipsters.
"Situated smack bang in the centre of south London, Brixton has become a go-to haunt for foodies, clubbers, artists and rockers alike. This cultural mecca is filled with a sense of community, which is evident for anyone who has shopped in Brixton Village or enjoyed a drink with local residents outside the Ritzy cinema." -
Time Out"The area’s contrast of generations, ethnicities and lifestyles means this south London stalwart is constantly evolving" -
Conde Nast Traveler"Brixton is one of the beating hearts of Black London, with an integral Caribbean community that’s thriving" -
New York Times
Hampstead
Hampstead is an upscale residential area, visited by locals for its excellent public parks.
"Known for its leafy open spaces (and the hordes of celebrities attracted to its blue-plaque lined streets), the historically rich neighbourhood of Hampstead has long been seen as one of the more upmarket and desirable boroughs in the capital." -
Conde Nast Traveler"Hampstead has long been known for its ridiculously gorgeous hilltop views and array of greenery to make other bits of London, well, green with envy." -
Time Out
Peckham
Peckham is a vibrant area, great for foodies and hipsters.
"...Peckham landed on the hipster radar with the arrival of Frank's Café – a Campari bar plonked on an empty car park rooftop. And ever since, the surprisingly under-rated south London neighbourhood has been spawning a long list of fun attractions, drawing cool seekers from across the city." -
Conde Nast Traveler"It's an area of contrasts — half polished, modern, and trendy, and half rough around the ages, but full of character." -
Business Insider"...vibrant, creative, delicious. Listen to live jazz in an old railway tunnel; play boozy arcade games until 2am; drink cocktails on the roof of an abandoned car park; eat fresh pasta in a converted shed; sip sake straight from the distillery; watch silent movies under the stars." -
The Nudge
Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill is an upscale and residential area, popular with locals for its city views.
"...Primrose Hill, another artsy enclave with some fantastic restaurants along the high street, Regent's Park Road...you won't want to miss the incredible view of the whole of London from the top of Primrose Hill, which you can climb in less than five minutes from the high street." -
The Points Guy"A chameleon to the seasons, Primrose Hill is peppered with picnic blankets in the sunshine, kites in the wind and sledges in the snow. A throng of independent shops, cafes and restaurants nearby contribute to the character of this village-vibe setting." -
Conde Nast Traveler
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an upscale residential area popular with locals for its developing food and business scene.
"Acclaimed restaurants, inviting bars and hearty pubs along winding streets, Clerkenwell has it all." -
Time Out"Impossibly close to the centre of town, Clerkenwell somehow still feels like an oasis of calm in the bustle of London. It has a radical history...now the area is dotted with young media companies, glorious gastropubs and some of the best restaurants in London, but Clerkenwell sometimes still feels like a well-kept secret." -
Conde Nast Traveler
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is an upscale shopping area near Hyde Park and other landmarks.
"Knightsbridge has a sizable reputation of world-renowned luxury…[the area evokes] quintessential England with architecture made of red brick, rich history, nature and shopping steps away at the iconic Sloane Street, which is lined with high-end designer stores as well as the legendary department store, Harrods." -
Forbes"Right in the high-end heart of the capital, Knightsbridge borders the grand embassies of Belgravia, the elegant greenery of Hyde Park and the art, fashion and history of Kensington and Chelsea." -
Luxury Lifestyle Magazine
Borough Market and the South Bank
Borough Market and the South Bank are hipster areas home to some of the city's best food and dining options.
"London’s South Bank is a hub of culture. A two-mile procession of mainly state-funded arts and entertainment venues and events, it’s one of those rare places that is as popular with Londoners as with tourist visitors, and it's a great spot to experience being out and about in the capital." -
Time Out"...a flavoursome barometer of the UK's foodie revolution with an international reputation…traditional British fruit-and-veg sellers, farm-to-plate butchers, artisan bakers, gin makers and some of the best outdoor restaurants in London." -
Conde Nast Traveler
Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury is a hip, upscale area encompassing businesses and landmarks.
"Bloomsbury has a reputation as London's most learned quarter...to this day Bloomsbury remains a gathering place for young creatives. Home to folk who champion the art of liberal self-expression through art, literature and fashion, it is one of the most exciting and underrated neighbourhoods in London." -
Conde Nast Traveler"Bloomsbury is the heart of literary London — it was once home to Oscar Wilde and Charles Dickens, whose former home on Doughty Street is open to visitors — and there is no better place in the city to go book shopping. Visit Gay’s The Word, a small but mighty bookshop founded in 1979 by the Gay Icebreakers, a socialist group." -
New York Times
