Guidebook for London
Entertainment & Activities
Fantastic for entertaining the children - especially on a rainy day. Great cafe inside
418 locals recommend
V&A Museum of Childhood
Cambridge Heath RoadFantastic for entertaining the children - especially on a rainy day. Great cafe inside
Heated, open air Lido in London Fields. 10 minutes walk away. Open all year.
591 locals recommend
London Fields
London Fields West SideHeated, open air Lido in London Fields. 10 minutes walk away. Open all year.
Brilliant restaurant/deli/childrens creative play space. Take time for yourself with truly delicious food while your kids explore nature, science, art & creative play. Inspired!
Nancy's Pantry
Brilliant restaurant/deli/childrens creative play space. Take time for yourself with truly delicious food while your kids explore nature, science, art & creative play. Inspired!
Pottery painting cafe in the village. Kids bored? Feeling creative? Just the place - though you'll need to allow time for your work of art to be fired before collection.
Wonderland Ceramics
237 Victoria Park RdPottery painting cafe in the village. Kids bored? Feeling creative? Just the place - though you'll need to allow time for your work of art to be fired before collection.
Cute City Farm with pigs, chickens, goats, sheep etc... Great cafe
269 locals recommend
Hackney City Farm
1a Goldsmiths RowCute City Farm with pigs, chickens, goats, sheep etc... Great cafe
Spitalfields City Farm
Buxton StreetHuge City Farm, full of animals and horticulture
Lee Valley Ice Centre
Lea Bridge RoadIce Skating rink. Great for kids
Lee Valley Riding Centre
71 Lea Bridge RdHorse-riding lessons for kids and adults
Drinks & Nightlife
Cool bar with nice outdoor seating, lovely food, quirky decor, great selection of board games. 2 minutes from the house!
95 locals recommend
The Hemingway Public House
84 Victoria Park RdCool bar with nice outdoor seating, lovely food, quirky decor, great selection of board games. 2 minutes from the house!
Satan's Whiskers
343 Cambridge Heath RdSuper cool intimate cocktail bar where the hip hang out
Great pub overlooking Victoria Park. Masses of outdoor seating in summer. Family friendly. Nice food
75 locals recommend
Royal Inn on the Park
111 Lauriston RoadGreat pub overlooking Victoria Park. Masses of outdoor seating in summer. Family friendly. Nice food
Hip nightspot with industrial Nordic aesthetic. Bar, food & music. Expect to queue with the beautiful people
148 locals recommend
Oslo Hackney
1A Amhurst RdHip nightspot with industrial Nordic aesthetic. Bar, food & music. Expect to queue with the beautiful people
Food Scene
Fantastic neighbourhood restaurant & bar. Great modern european food. Lovely atmosphere. Tables outside on pavement too
123 locals recommend
The Empress
130 Lauriston RdFantastic neighbourhood restaurant & bar. Great modern european food. Lovely atmosphere. Tables outside on pavement too
Fantastic cafe in the park, overlooking the boating lake. Serve great coffee, ice creams and breakfasts and organic lunches cooked on site. While away a winters morning or soak up the rays in summer
1666 locals recommend
Pavilion Cafe
Old Ford RoadFantastic cafe in the park, overlooking the boating lake. Serve great coffee, ice creams and breakfasts and organic lunches cooked on site. While away a winters morning or soak up the rays in summer
Great pizzeria in stylish, casual setting. Wood-fired pizzas, amazing charcuterie but plenty for veggies too! Very popular with locals from breakfast til late
205 locals recommend
LARDO
201 Richmond RdGreat pizzeria in stylish, casual setting. Wood-fired pizzas, amazing charcuterie but plenty for veggies too! Very popular with locals from breakfast til late
Possibly some of the best fish & chips you're likely to eat - and not even near the sea! Take away or eat-in at nice restaurant. Fantastic
104 locals recommend
Fish House
128 Lauriston RdPossibly some of the best fish & chips you're likely to eat - and not even near the sea! Take away or eat-in at nice restaurant. Fantastic
Viajante
Patriot SquareMichelin Starred restaurant & cool, cosy bar
Haute french cuisine in eclectic interior. A place to impress. Also sister bar/restaurant Loungelover is around the corner
26 locals recommend
Les Trois Garçons
40 Church StHaute french cuisine in eclectic interior. A place to impress. Also sister bar/restaurant Loungelover is around the corner
Terence Conran's beautiful Boundary hotel & restaurant is home to one of London's best rooftop bars & restaurants - get there early though as it gets very busy.
125 locals recommend
Boundary London
2-4 Boundary StTerence Conran's beautiful Boundary hotel & restaurant is home to one of London's best rooftop bars & restaurants - get there early though as it gets very busy.
Essentials
Award-winning artisan butcher who farm all their own meat and supply lots of the top London restaurants. In the village a short stroll away. Butterflied legs of lamb are amazing!
63 locals recommend
Ginger Pig
99 Lauriston RdAward-winning artisan butcher who farm all their own meat and supply lots of the top London restaurants. In the village a short stroll away. Butterflied legs of lamb are amazing!
Our local Deli, less than 5 mins walk. Buy gorgeous goodies for a picnic in the park, stock up for dinner or pop into their cafe for the best coffee in the village
53 locals recommend
The Deli Downstairs
211 Victoria Park RdOur local Deli, less than 5 mins walk. Buy gorgeous goodies for a picnic in the park, stock up for dinner or pop into their cafe for the best coffee in the village
Brilliant local fishmonger selling wonderful fresh fish. Everything from fresh lobster to mussels and smoked salmon. Always willing to offer advice on how to cook too
15 locals recommend
Jonathan Norris ltd
207 Victoria Park RdBrilliant local fishmonger selling wonderful fresh fish. Everything from fresh lobster to mussels and smoked salmon. Always willing to offer advice on how to cook too
If you need a supermarket - this well-stocked Sainsbury's local is walking distance
73 locals recommend
Sainsbury's Local
165-167 Romford RdIf you need a supermarket - this well-stocked Sainsbury's local is walking distance
Arts & Culture
Cool independent Cinema chain, showing a great mix of blockbuster and arty films. Excellent bar and cafe open all day. Also music & comedy evenings upstairs. Lots of kid-friendly shows
445 locals recommend
Hackney Picturehouse
270 Mare StCool independent Cinema chain, showing a great mix of blockbuster and arty films. Excellent bar and cafe open all day. Also music & comedy evenings upstairs. Lots of kid-friendly shows
One of London's most interesting Art Galleries with international programme of contemporary and 20th century art.
589 locals recommend
Whitechapel Gallery
77-82 Whitechapel High StOne of London's most interesting Art Galleries with international programme of contemporary and 20th century art.
Lovely, independent cinema with cafe. Kids cinema saturday & sunday mornings
244 locals recommend
Genesis Cinema
93-95 Mile End RdLovely, independent cinema with cafe. Kids cinema saturday & sunday mornings
Vyner St is home to a successful art scene and is full of galleries. A great place to view both up and coming and established artists, many of whom live locally.
22 locals recommend
Vyner Street
Vyner StreetVyner St is home to a successful art scene and is full of galleries. A great place to view both up and coming and established artists, many of whom live locally.
Beautiful Grade II listed old Music Hall, now home to a multi arts performance space and available for private hire. Beautiful historic building.
162 locals recommend
Wilton's Music Hall
1 Graces AlyBeautiful Grade II listed old Music Hall, now home to a multi arts performance space and available for private hire. Beautiful historic building.
The Barbican is home to one of London's best theatres and a massive concert hall, art gallery, restaurants and landscaped outdoor art spaces
509 locals recommend
Barbican Centre
Silk StreetThe Barbican is home to one of London's best theatres and a massive concert hall, art gallery, restaurants and landscaped outdoor art spaces
Home to the London Symphony Orchestra, free Friday lunchtime concerts & more.
15 locals recommend
LSO St. Luke's
161 Old StHome to the London Symphony Orchestra, free Friday lunchtime concerts & more.
Arcola Bar
24 Ashwin StTheatre and Arts Venue
Sightseeing
Home to famous street market on Saturday with gourmet food, vintage and London's hip and famous. Full of great coffee shops, restaurants, bars, boutiques & delis all week.
1735 locals recommend
Broadway Market
Broadway MarketHome to famous street market on Saturday with gourmet food, vintage and London's hip and famous. Full of great coffee shops, restaurants, bars, boutiques & delis all week.
Columbia Road's famous Flower Market is one of London's oldest markets and probably my favourite. Great place to buy flowers & plants but also browse galleries, eateries, boutiques & people watch
1660 locals recommend
Columbia Road Flower Market
Columbia RoadColumbia Road's famous Flower Market is one of London's oldest markets and probably my favourite. Great place to buy flowers & plants but also browse galleries, eateries, boutiques & people watch
Home to the best curries in London. Also full of artisan breweries, bowling alley, great boutique shopping, coffee shops and a fantastic weekend market & art car boot sale
878 locals recommend
Brick Lane
Brick LaneHome to the best curries in London. Also full of artisan breweries, bowling alley, great boutique shopping, coffee shops and a fantastic weekend market & art car boot sale
Full of restaurants, shops, vintage, bars, coffee shops. Great buzz and great people watching. Foodie heaven
696 locals recommend
Old Spitalfields Market
16 Commercial StFull of restaurants, shops, vintage, bars, coffee shops. Great buzz and great people watching. Foodie heaven
We are on the doorstep of the Olympic Park - host to 2012 Olympics and now open to public. Great play areas, swim in the olympic pool, cycle miles of green space or shop til you drop at Westfield
755 locals recommend
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
We are on the doorstep of the Olympic Park - host to 2012 Olympics and now open to public. Great play areas, swim in the olympic pool, cycle miles of green space or shop til you drop at Westfield
Tower of London
Famous Tower of London
Beautiful & historic Tower Bridge. Take a boat from here to Greenwich or into the centre of town, stops at Tate Modern & Tate Britain Art Galleries.
1577 locals recommend
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge RoadBeautiful & historic Tower Bridge. Take a boat from here to Greenwich or into the centre of town, stops at Tate Modern & Tate Britain Art Galleries.
St. Paul's Cathedral
The famous cathedral - beautiful
Everything Else
Listed former music hall, now home to London's best pantomime. Wide variety of entertainment from opera to kids show with everything else in between. Worth checking to see what's on. 10 mins walk
202 locals recommend
Hackney Empire
291 Mare StListed former music hall, now home to London's best pantomime. Wide variety of entertainment from opera to kids show with everything else in between. Worth checking to see what's on. 10 mins walk
Bethnal Green (Stop D) station
20 mins to Oxford St on Central Line