Guidebook for London Borough of Southwark
Essentials
Good for buying food and drink basics to stock the cupboards and fridge on arrival. This shop could be all you need for a short stay.
1048 locals recommend
TESCO Express
275-277 Battersea Park RdGood for buying food and drink basics to stock the cupboards and fridge on arrival. This shop could be all you need for a short stay.
Tesco Superstore
Kennington LaneLarge food store for all your grocery needs. 10/15 mins walk.
Penrose Surgery
33 Penrose StOur local doctors surgery - should you need it, but hopefully you won't!
Hopefully you won't need this - but it's very close by if you do!
30 locals recommend
St Thomas' Hospital
Westminster Bridge RoadHopefully you won't need this - but it's very close by if you do!
Arts & Culture
Dramatic new displays have recently launched to mark the Centenary of the First World War. A really interesting and engaging day out for all ages. Cafe is excellent also.
461 locals recommend
Imperial War Museums
Lambeth RoadDramatic new displays have recently launched to mark the Centenary of the First World War. A really interesting and engaging day out for all ages. Cafe is excellent also.
We're lucky to have the most-visited modern art gallery in the world so close by. A walk along the river, viewing an exhibition and a visit to their cafe is a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
2008 locals recommend
Tate Modern
BanksideWe're lucky to have the most-visited modern art gallery in the world so close by. A walk along the river, viewing an exhibition and a visit to their cafe is a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
The Garden Museum's set in a beautiful old church & is a great place to stop off for a quick look or have a delicious lunch or cake on your way to the Southbank. Archbishops Park behind it is nice too
25 locals recommend
Garden Museum
5 Lambeth Palace RdThe Garden Museum's set in a beautiful old church & is a great place to stop off for a quick look or have a delicious lunch or cake on your way to the Southbank. Archbishops Park behind it is nice too
National Portrait Gallery
Saint Martin's Place
British Museum
Great Russell StreetAn outstanding and extensive collection of the greatest works of the best British painters.
656 locals recommend
Tate Britain
MillbankAn outstanding and extensive collection of the greatest works of the best British painters.
Food Scene
Really yummy homemade cakes, deli snacks and healthy light lunches. Due to lack of seating you might want to buy items to take away for eating at home or in the park.
46 locals recommend
Sally White
353 Kennington RdReally yummy homemade cakes, deli snacks and healthy light lunches. Due to lack of seating you might want to buy items to take away for eating at home or in the park.
Thai restaurant with good quality food and service. We are regulars here! Can also get takeaway from here if you collect. Very close to our house.
47 locals recommend
Oaka at the Mansion House
48 Kennington Park RdThai restaurant with good quality food and service. We are regulars here! Can also get takeaway from here if you collect. Very close to our house.
Lovely Italian restaurant. Good menu, pretty courtyard, but is a bit more expensive than other local restaurants.
35 locals recommend
Amici Mediterranean and Doost Persian Bar, Grill & Delicatessen
205-209 Kennington LnLovely Italian restaurant. Good menu, pretty courtyard, but is a bit more expensive than other local restaurants.
Kennington Tandoori
313 Kennington RdBest local Indian restaurant. Good for takeaways too.
I Due Amici Garden Cafe
310-312 Kennington RdGreat deli and coffee shop for snacks and light lunches.
My favourite local coffee shop - beautifully tasty Italian sweet treats and great selection of lunchtime food. Bright & light in converted printworks. Very child-friendly - plenty of room for buggies!
21 locals recommend
Dolcezza
139 Clapham RoadMy favourite local coffee shop - beautifully tasty Italian sweet treats and great selection of lunchtime food. Bright & light in converted printworks. Very child-friendly - plenty of room for buggies!
Really handy for when your hanging out in the park - offering drinks, snacks and ice creams.
16 locals recommend
Collective - Kennington Park Cafe
4 Saint Agnes PlaceReally handy for when your hanging out in the park - offering drinks, snacks and ice creams.
Good for a reasonably priced meal. Appropriate for a quick, easy lunch or laid back dinner.
374 locals recommend
Pizza Express
316 Kennington RdGood for a reasonably priced meal. Appropriate for a quick, easy lunch or laid back dinner.
Smart Italian deli and coffee shop in the lovely Bonnington square - selling seasonal veg grown by residents, homemade ravioli, locally brewed beer and much more. Serves hot lunches.
44 locals recommend
Italo.
13 Bonnington SquareSmart Italian deli and coffee shop in the lovely Bonnington square - selling seasonal veg grown by residents, homemade ravioli, locally brewed beer and much more. Serves hot lunches.
A family-run deli and cafe selling Italian food and wine, many of which would otherwise be hard to find in London.
19 locals recommend
Mimis Deli
2 Brixton RdA family-run deli and cafe selling Italian food and wine, many of which would otherwise be hard to find in London.
Quirky restaurant in community garden with volunteer chefs cooking up vegetarian and vegan meals. Good lunches but also do set menu candlelit dinners. But you never know if you'll get the best chefs!
82 locals recommend
Bonnington Cafe
11 Vauxhall GroveQuirky restaurant in community garden with volunteer chefs cooking up vegetarian and vegan meals. Good lunches but also do set menu candlelit dinners. But you never know if you'll get the best chefs!
Terrible location but good quality food and cocktails in a unique setting - you are basically sat in a huge antiques store surrounded by vintage crafts, recycled furniture and chandeliers!
122 locals recommend
LASSCO Brunswick House
30 Wandsworth RdTerrible location but good quality food and cocktails in a unique setting - you are basically sat in a huge antiques store surrounded by vintage crafts, recycled furniture and chandeliers!
Amazing location right on the river with a large waterside terrace. Great for a coffee or lunch in the sunshine watching life go by on the Thames.
49 locals recommend
The Riverside
Wandsworth RoadAmazing location right on the river with a large waterside terrace. Great for a coffee or lunch in the sunshine watching life go by on the Thames.
A cosy cafe close to the park to have a quiet coffee or enjoy their yummy hot chocolate. Turns into a bar in the evening. Live music on Tuesday nights.
81 locals recommend
Cable Cafe
8 Brixton RdA cosy cafe close to the park to have a quiet coffee or enjoy their yummy hot chocolate. Turns into a bar in the evening. Live music on Tuesday nights.
Really good French seafood restaurant with a nautical theme. Quite expensive though.
39 locals recommend
The Lobster Pot
3 Kennington LaneReally good French seafood restaurant with a nautical theme. Quite expensive though.
Well-renowned Indian restaurant which has attracted many famous people to it, so it must be special! Offers good takeaway food too.
23 locals recommend
Gandhi's
347 Kennington RdWell-renowned Indian restaurant which has attracted many famous people to it, so it must be special! Offers good takeaway food too.
A cafe with a very British theme. A lovely atmosphere and perfect setting for traditional afternoon tea. Very tempting cakes are positioned around the room and you wander around to take your pick.
47 locals recommend
Tea House Theatre
139 Vauxhall WalkA cafe with a very British theme. A lovely atmosphere and perfect setting for traditional afternoon tea. Very tempting cakes are positioned around the room and you wander around to take your pick.
Every Saturday 10am - 3pm there's a Farmer's Market in the church grounds. Pick up some really yummy things here - fresh juices, all kinds of olives and sausages, incredible cakes, homegrown veggies.
12 locals recommend
St Mark's Kennington
Kennington Park RoadEvery Saturday 10am - 3pm there's a Farmer's Market in the church grounds. Pick up some really yummy things here - fresh juices, all kinds of olives and sausages, incredible cakes, homegrown veggies.
Drinks & Nightlife
Traditional pub with a good atmosphere and small courtyard to enjoy an outdoor drink.
68 locals recommend
The Old Red Lion
42 Kennington Park RdTraditional pub with a good atmosphere and small courtyard to enjoy an outdoor drink.
Pub with a perfect location. Set in pretty square where you can enjoy an al fresco drink. You can also play pétanque in the square - borrow the boules from the bar and have some French-style fun!
116 locals recommend
Prince of Wales
Cleaver SquarePub with a perfect location. Set in pretty square where you can enjoy an al fresco drink. You can also play pétanque in the square - borrow the boules from the bar and have some French-style fun!
We go here for a meal when we can't be bothered to cook! Great pies, fish, steaks & traditional pub food. Very friendly staff. They have a pub quiz on Tuesday & high quality comedy nights on Thursdays
78 locals recommend
The Tommyfield
185 Kennington LnWe go here for a meal when we can't be bothered to cook! Great pies, fish, steaks & traditional pub food. Very friendly staff. They have a pub quiz on Tuesday & high quality comedy nights on Thursdays
Friendly pub serving all things German! Good if you want to eat / drink something a bit different. (Note - it looks like it's still called The Jolly Gardeners, as it has original pub sign on front)
31 locals recommend
Zeitgeist Pub London
49-51 Black Prince RdFriendly pub serving all things German! Good if you want to eat / drink something a bit different. (Note - it looks like it's still called The Jolly Gardeners, as it has original pub sign on front)
Cosy pub with hearty food and a great garden at the back, which they use for barbecues in the summer. Gets very busy, so it's best to arrive early to get a table.
97 locals recommend
Fentiman Arms
64 Fentiman RdCosy pub with hearty food and a great garden at the back, which they use for barbecues in the summer. Gets very busy, so it's best to arrive early to get a table.
Laid-back traditional local pub serving good burgers, roast dinners and sharing plate menus and more than 20 single malts.
20 locals recommend
The Beehive
197 St John's HillLaid-back traditional local pub serving good burgers, roast dinners and sharing plate menus and more than 20 single malts.
Kennington's newest gastropubs and the area's best kept secret. Hidden away, it is the perfect place to relax with friends or to dine out.
12 locals recommend
Duchy Arms
63 Sancroft StKennington's newest gastropubs and the area's best kept secret. Hidden away, it is the perfect place to relax with friends or to dine out.
It's not a nightspot to compete with the West End venues, but South London’s first ‘tiki bar’ is a fun night out with swinging disco tunes at weekends plus quirky cabaret and ‘tiki tapas’ too (Polynesian & Dutch East Indies fusion food).
7 locals recommend
South London Pacific
340 Kennington RoadIt's not a nightspot to compete with the West End venues, but South London’s first ‘tiki bar’ is a fun night out with swinging disco tunes at weekends plus quirky cabaret and ‘tiki tapas’ too (Polynesian & Dutch East Indies fusion food).
Parks & Nature
A great place right on the doorstep - for walking round, having picnics, sunbathing, using the playground... But there is also table tennis, basketball courts, tennis courts & outdoor gym equipment.
108 locals recommend
Kennington Park
Kennington Park RoadA great place right on the doorstep - for walking round, having picnics, sunbathing, using the playground... But there is also table tennis, basketball courts, tennis courts & outdoor gym equipment.
Large park with tennis centre, pretty lake, and play areas for children. Great for picnics, going for a walk / run if you want an alternative to Kennington Park. About 15 mins from the house.
232 locals recommend
Burgess Park
Cobourg RoadLarge park with tennis centre, pretty lake, and play areas for children. Great for picnics, going for a walk / run if you want an alternative to Kennington Park. About 15 mins from the house.
Sightseeing
If you want to see all the sights of London at once then going on the London Eye on a clear day will deliver the views!
39 locals recommend
London Eye Millennium Pier - Embankment Pier
If you want to see all the sights of London at once then going on the London Eye on a clear day will deliver the views!
Great to have another sightseeing landmark so close to the house for you to visit.
1337 locals recommend
Big Ben
Great to have another sightseeing landmark so close to the house for you to visit.
Such a beautiful 700 year old building which has seen many important moments in history - most recently the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding of course.
668 locals recommend
Westminster Abbey
20 Deans YdSuch a beautiful 700 year old building which has seen many important moments in history - most recently the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding of course.
Whatever you think about politics, this is still an amazing building to see - you can be impressed by it just by walking along the Thames, or go for the full tour.
81 locals recommend
House of Commons
Saint Margaret StreetWhatever you think about politics, this is still an amazing building to see - you can be impressed by it just by walking along the Thames, or go for the full tour.
A quirky museum packed full of film memorabilia and you're taken around by an enthusiastic & knowledgable guide - perfect place for the avid cinema fan! NOTE: You do need to book before you go.
19 locals recommend
Cinema Museum
2 Renfrew RdA quirky museum packed full of film memorabilia and you're taken around by an enthusiastic & knowledgable guide - perfect place for the avid cinema fan! NOTE: You do need to book before you go.
Trafalgar Square (Stop B) station
Thames River Sightseeing
Victoria EmbankmentEntertainment & Activities
Good family day out with impressive tanks of sharks and other marine creatures. Recommended on a weekday when it's less busy.
356 locals recommend
SEA LIFE Centre London Aquarium
Westminster Bridge RoadGood family day out with impressive tanks of sharks and other marine creatures. Recommended on a weekday when it's less busy.
If you're a cricket fan then you'll be amazed at how close we live to The Oval. The first ground in England to host international Test cricket, in September 1880 - and it's still going!
187 locals recommend
The Oval
Kennington OvalIf you're a cricket fan then you'll be amazed at how close we live to The Oval. The first ground in England to host international Test cricket, in September 1880 - and it's still going!
This is a little piece of the countryside in central London. A fun day out for kids - all kinds of animals to meet and activities to enjoy.
64 locals recommend
Vauxhall City Farm
165 Tyers StThis is a little piece of the countryside in central London. A fun day out for kids - all kinds of animals to meet and activities to enjoy.