Best areas to explore in London

Having lived in London 3 times in different areas, I’ve jotted down a pretty solid list of good areas to visit in the capital. Whether you’re heading down for a day, a long weekend or you’ve just moved here and want to know where to hit up, this post should have you covered!

At a glance

Here are the heavy hitters that have made my list of recommendations.

• Shoreditch/ Liverpool Street

• Soho

• Hackney/Stratford

• Brixton

• Hampstead/Camden

Keep reading for a breakdown on why you should visit each of these spots.

Shoreditch

Always recommended as the ‘trendy’ place to be, I do love Shoreditch and all that it has to offer.

Shoreditch is home to Brick Lane, Queen of Hoxton, Beigel Bake, BoxPark [RIP!], and the incredible Gloria’s!

“Shoreditch is great for food, bevs, vintage shopping, mooching - pretty much everything really! ”

You can head out on a weekend, or pop out somewhere after work. It’s somewhere that as a tourist you should absolutely visit to get a ‘local’s vibe’ that isn’t really locals. There’s no one touristy thing that you should see in Shoreditch, but more lots of markets, bars and restaurants that locals and tourists alike visit.

And whilst you’re in the area, go and check out Liverpool St! I mean, not the actual train station [although lots of famous films have been shot there], but rather the surrounding areas. There's the Gherkin, Sushi Samba, Spitalfields Markets and Eataly!

EAT AT

Gloria, Manteca, Sushi Samba, Dishoom, Beigel Bake, Spitalfields Markets

DRINK AT

Queen of Hoxton, Vagabond, Old Street Records

VISIT

Eataly, Brick Lane, Truman Brewery Markets, the Gherkin, Flight Club

TUBE STOPS

Liverpool St, Shoreditch High Street

Soho

In the summer, Soho is always booming with al fresco dining with tables covering the cobbled streets. In winter it’s got the Christmas lights providing the vibe, and the streets are filled with late night shoppers whilst the pubs are heaving. Food wise, you will find every cuisine in Soho and all to an excellent standard, however a little more on the expensive side due to you being in the heart of the city and near the theatre district.

EAT AT

Flat Iron, Lobos, Barrafina, Sunday Roast @ Blacklock, Chinatown, Grasso, Chotto Matte

DRINK AT

The Devonshire, Coach & Horses, Cahoots Underground

VISIT

Carnaby Street, Oxford Street, any Theatre, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Bar, take a walk through Mayfair

TUBE STOPS

Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus, Tottenham Court Road

Hackney / Stratford

This area has had lots of investment over recent years and so has lots to offer everyone! It’s got sport, shops, breweries and pubs - and is great to visit for a pint in the summer by the river. With Westfield, it can get quite busy during peak times, but there are lots of industrial style pubs and breweries to duck into once you’re done shopping.

“East is definitely not to be overlooked by a tourist or local! ”

EAT AT

Lardo, Randy’s Wing Bar, Barge East, Slice Club

DRINK AT

Crate, No. 90, All my Friends, Any of Hackney’s breweries!

VISIT

Westfield, Olympic Park, Roof East, Axe Throwing [yes, you've read that right!]

TUBE STOPS

Stratford, Hackney Wick, Hackney Central

Brixton

South of the River you have the vibrant Brixton! Its Caribbean influence means there is banging food and drink all around, and a real lively vibe! It’s also great for gigs and live music, and is home to Electric Brixton and the O2 Academy. Although it’s ‘up and coming’ prices are still not bad compared to the city centre, and there are also lots of markets to take advantage of!

EAT AT

Pop Brixton, Blues Kitchen, Fish Wings & Tings

DRINK AT

Pop Brixton, Lost in Brixton, Blues Kitchen, Brew Dog

VISIT

Electric Brixton/O2 Academy for a gig!

TUBE STOPS

Brixton

Camden / Hampstead

Now although I’m putting Camden and Hampstead in the same category, they could not be further apart in terms of vibes. They are however 8 mins on the tube from each other, and so whilst you’re out that way it’s definitely worth visiting both boroughs. On one hand, Camden is lively with tourists, INCREDIBLY busy on weekends and has nightlife that will see you through from a Friday night all the way to Monday morning. There are lots of ‘nick nack’ market stall and shops, and is very much geared towards tourists. I would say it’s a must visit as I LOVE the endless great food options at their markets, however it’s not everyone’s cup of tea as it is quite ‘grungy’.

On the other hand we have Hampstead, which is home to some celebrities like Ricky Gervais, Liam Gallagher and Emma Thompson, and is also home to high end shops to suit.

The thin cobbled streets are very instagrammable, and with Hampstead Heath right on the doorstep, it’s a must visit for a cute Sunday stroll!

EAT AT

Anywhere at Camden Markets [I love Yorkshire Burrito], Poppie's Fish & Chips, Silverberry, It's Bagels

DRINK AT

The World’s End, The Lock Tavern, Duke of Hamilton

VISIT

Camden Markets, Hampstead Heath [Parliament Hill viewpoint], Hampstead Heath Swimming Ponds

TUBE STOPS

Camden Town, Hampstead Heath, Hampstead

For more of my food and drink recommendations across the whole of London check out this post.