Exploring London: 3 Places to Visit This Week

With its endless options for food and entertainment, London can make you feel both relentless and overwhelmed. Here, to offer a helping hand, this week’s recommendations:

Weekdays

In case you work in Central London (think anywhere close to Oxford & Piccadilly Circus, Soho, Carnaby Street or even Covent Garden if you’re a fast walker), Street Food Union on Rupert Street every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday a is a must in case you feel like spicing up your lunch break and getting some much needed vitamin D if the weather allows. Serving the best in up and coming street food as well as some tried and tested choices in case you feel less adventurous, this street food market will have you salivating in an instant. My personal favourites include Duck’n’Roll and Lili Chutney.

Sneaky tip: If you cross Brewer Street and walk through Walker’s Court (there are construction works going on through the latter one most of the time but do not let this discourage you), you will find yourself on Berwick Street where there are further food stalls to choose from. Now, these do not belong to Street Food Union, but they are an equally delicious lunch option. Try the falafel stand or one of the filling salads from the Savage Salads stand and you can thank me later. On the other hand, if you’re feeling spontaneously romantic – or simply forgot someone’s birthday, splurge on a beautiful flower arrangement from the flower stall at the middle of the same street.

Weekend

Columbia Road Flower Market is the place to be on a Sunday morning. The whole street closes to accommodate dozens of flower stalls with all kinds of flowers, pot plants as well as seeds in case you have gardening inclinations. It opens at 8 AM and lasts until 2 PM: I would advise getting there either very early to avoid the crowds as it usually gets really busy, or shortly before closure so that you can get a bunch of your favourite flowers at a lower cost; vendors are usually trying to get rid of them before packing up. [Personal tip: Hydrangeas, being extremely Instagram-able, sell fast. They are on the pricier side but last for ages.] Hidden behind Sunday’s flora and fauna, Columbia Road is lined up with little stores where you can find garden and home accessories, often by niche brands or individual designers. For a quick bite head towards the end of the flower marked, where there is a handful of food stalls nicely lined up in front of Ravenscroft Park. If a small snack doesn’t cut it, head back to Campania for a hearty brunch. Weather permitting, linger around the market for a bit longer as there are always street musicians performing here and there. Put your smartphone aside and just enjoy the good vibes.

London’s abundance makes being loyal to any spot tough. However, my friends and I tend to return to Life Goddess at Kingly Court at least once a month for their Greek Sunday parties. The petite-sized Kingly Court restaurant ditches its signature experimental Greek cuisine dishes and, for a night, resembles a casual Athenian bar locale. The music is mainstream Greek with some nostalgic 90s and 00s vibes and the occasional Greek rendition of popular English hits – Despacito in Greek, anyone? If you’re Greek beware, the parties take place in London times, finishing around 12 PM the latest.

Exploring (as always),

F.

Share Button

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *