South London - eclectic, vibrant, green - and home for me.
If you love huge, leafy green spaces and supporting independents of all kinds - this is a place you should visit. And this latest edition of my mini travel guide, Wander & Dwell, covers the best of South London and places perfect for romantic dates or dates with friends. Whilst usually from a tourist and local perspective, in this edition, you have 3 local perspectives.
I had the pleasure of swapping stories with fellow South London residents, the lovely Catherine & Rebecca from Solo Craft Fair, about their favourite places in South London. If anyone knows the South, they do!
Two perfect days out
Explore Battersea Park & Battersea Power Station
The regeneration of Battersea Power Station and grounds is quite phenomenal. Stroll through the huge, leafy grounds of Battersea Park, and follow the Thames Path to the Power Station. There’s so much to do there - as well as shopping (one of my favourites being Battersea Bookshop), there’s mini golf, cinema, and so many places for eating and drinking. I thoroughly recommend Where The Pancakes Are or Brindisa for a meal, or Crosstown for doughnuts and coffee.
For walkers: Capital Ring Walk
If you like walking, try the Capital Ring Walk from Crystal Palace Station to Streatham Common Station. It’s 4.4 miles, some sections are pretty hilly (but give you amazing views), and you will discover some absolute gems like Norwood Grove and The Rookery, Streatham.
Eating & Drinking recommendations:
For a coffee date
I Love Coffee, Streatham. Great coffee, a cosy, friendly venue and seriously tasty cakes and treats.
For a lunch date
Wander: Megan’s: Instagrammable interiors and heavenly food. The Shakshuka is a personal favourite of mine.
Dwell: Catherine & Rebecca are huge fans of pizza, and their favourite pizza in town is Miss Margherita in Honor Oak.
A dinner date
Wander: Caminata, Balham. It is THE neighbourhood Italian. We used to live around the corner from this place, and miss having it that close! The service, atmosphere and food are second to none.
Dwell: Gremio De Brixton is amazing! It is a tapas restaurant in the crypt of St Matthews Church in Brixton so the venue is so atmospheric, and the food is delicious so absolutely perfect for a dinner date.
Where to drink
For cocktails
Wander: Control Room B feels really special, situated in the old control room hub of the Power Station. Again, incredibly atmospheric and great cocktails when we went!
A drinks date
Henny’s Wine Bar, Balham. A cosy venue with a regularly changing wine list - there’s always something to discover here.
A pub date
Dwell: The Ivy House in Nunhead is a really special, traditional pub that has a little theatre inside which puts on some brilliant gigs. Located next to Nunhead Cemetery, you can walk around there before going for a pint. It is also London's only community-owned pub!
An evening out
Dwell: The Rivoli Ballroom in Crofton Park is an absolute must - it's a 1950s ballroom which is stunning. The venue puts on loads of events such as cinema nights and discos, both of which I recommend.
What makes South London special?
Wander: I love having so many things on our doorstep. Cosy coffee shops, every type of cuisine you could imagine for a meal out, green spaces to take time out and all the eclectic independent shops. Like Brixton Village or Tooting Market with so many small independent stores selling everything from art to dried flowers, jewellery candles and more.
We also got married in South London, our wedding venue was Le Gothique. We still go back for dinner on our anniversary - they have a gorgeous garden courtyard which is the perfect setting for a romantic meal.
Dwell: It has to be the variety - I've lived here for most of my life and I'm still discovering places. I try to do a new thing every month in London and I've never got bored.
The Horniman Gardens is always going to be special to me, I used to live right by it and it has the best views of London, especially at sunset. During lockdown it was an absolute lifeline for my daily walks, I just love to find peaceful places in London.
Meet my co-travel guides:
Catherine & Rebecca, who run SoLo Craft Fair, have shops in Elephant & Castle and Brixton Village where they love being a part of the community. The shop in Elephant & Castle sells on behalf of over 100 independent makers and designers, shares a space with Little Louie's Coffee shop and overlooks the beautiful Elephant Park. Creating a creative hub, they regularly host fab workshops there too. Find out more.
If you have a special connection to South London and want to keep those memories alive for decades to come, browse my range of South London pieces. If you’d like to commission a piece of your favourite place in the city, get in touch via email, I’d love to hear from you.
