Rec | LONDON’S SOUTHWEST IS WHERE IT’S AT

Rec

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Ok I’m biased because this is where my “in-laws” live and where I’m based on frequent trips over. But if you love parks and green space, I highly recommend venturing deeper out into Greater London. Kew Gardens (London’s major botanical garden) is so beautiful! Complete with double-decker conservatories (lol why is everything in this country double-decker), peacocks, and a pagoda you just might glimpse from the air if you fly into Heathrow. It’s nearby Richmond, which is a particularly charming lil green and town to walk around in.
I also highly recommend visiting at least one National Trust property while you’re there. Many of the old estates are along the river, so you can combine a museum with being in nature and walking around. So far my favorite I’ve visited in the area is Ham House.
In terms of London proper, one of the most fascinating things I’ve done there is to take an architectural tour of the Barbican, the brutalist mega-living center that sprung up in blitzed out part of the City of London after the war (fun fact this is the center of London and technically considered a separate entity with its own government).
Finally, despite the bad rap it gets, British food is actually quite delicious since it’s far more natural and fresher than what we get here. Plus the “cozzy livs” make most food products much more affordable. Highly recommend making use of the high quality fruit and cheese and snacks from your local Waitrose or other grocery.

@tortitude

Apr 2, 2024

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@hana_u

the barbican is amazing!!!!! you have everything you need in that one block!!! go socialism‼️🫡

Apr 4, 2024

@tortitude

hana_u I would totally love there if it weren’t now wildly expensive! but failing that, I’d go back for an architecture tour any day I’m in town.

Apr 4, 2024

@ghostjr

second the food thing. a full english was incredible. the reason americans hate the food is because all our food has sugar and salt up the ass and they’re not used to normal food. the american mind can’t comprehend beans on toast.

Apr 2, 2024

@tortitude

ghostjr ok the beans will always horrify me! Occasionally my gf buys them over here and I’m never into it.

Apr 2, 2024

@ghostjr

tortitude you’re getting the heinz british ones? I fuck with it, but I can’t say that out loud or I get dogpiled

Apr 2, 2024

@tortitude

ghostjr yeah she has a way of finding them at the store lol! Idk it’s the toast thing that really gets me. I think they taste fine, but I’m really gonna struggle with the choice of vehicle when we end up moving over there 🫠

Apr 2, 2024

@ghostjr

tortitude on hash browns or potatoes might be the pivot

Apr 2, 2024

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My London recs

I'm going to info dump sorry but I have lived here for 10+ years so I think I'm qualified to say that this is a good list for avoiding high traffic areas and to see more of what actual locals do (mostly south london because it's where I live)
Eat: -Kudu Grill (Nunhead) also there's a Little Kudu in peckham although I've yet to eat there so cannot say whether its as good -Theo's Pizza (Camberwell / Elephant & Castle) -The Camberwell Arms (Camberwell) -Artusi (Peckham) -Brutto (Farringdon) -Max's Sandwich shop (Finsbury Park) -Jai Krishna (Finsbury Park) (rogue recommendation but you have to try a good Indian when you're in London I'd say) -Casse-Croute (London Bridge) -Manze's Pie & Mash (Peckham)(try the jellied eels if you're feeling brave) -Speedboat Bar (Soho)
Books: -BOOKS PECKHAM (my fav 2nd hand bookstore and the owner is nice) -Bookmongers (Brixton) -Tenderbooks (Near Leicester Square station)(really cooool art books, the whole street it's on is known for having lots of book shops, worth a visit and very central so it's easy to find!)
Pubs (London essential, sorry about the pint prices though): -Skehan's (Nunhead) -Faltering Fullback (Finsbury Park)(try find a seat in the beer garden if poss) -The Camberwell Arms (Camberwell) -The Grapes (East London-ish)(fun fact: it's co-owned by Ian McKellan of Gandalf fame)
Also the parks are great to visit in summer: -Kew Gardens (the general area is nice to be in - lots of expensive homes and english quaint-ness) -Hampstead Heath (it's is a good place to walk around in for a day, the 'village' part is cute too like with Richmond/ Kew Gardens, lots to do here) -Crystal Palace Park (for the cursed dinosaur sculptures mainly) -Greenwich Park (a tourist classic but I've included it because it's just a nice park and a good alternative to Hyde Park) -Highgate Cemetery (technically not a park but you can visit Karl Marx's grave which is cool!)

@agnesfarta

Jun 9, 2024

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my london list

-arancina (notting hill) - casual pizza and arancini etc. -mayfair mercato - food hall in a former church -spitafields market - another great food hall! I recommend you combine this activity with some vintage shopping on brick lane! -regency cafe - can get a great full english -walk along the South Bank - fun energy lots of bars right along the Thames -Holland Park - there are peacocks in the Kyoto Garden! -SoHo to go out if you want really crazy going out vibes in the center of things -Heaven (night club) -The Social - go see local bands, London has a good music scene - Borough Market -Good neighborhoods for going out: Shoreditch, Camden, Hackney -Tate Modern -Victoria and Albert museum (free and in a good area)

@mumblecore-it-girl

Mar 11, 2025

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my recs

Lime bike around Hyde Park on a sunny day
Go for a swim in Hampstead Heath Ponds (if ur brave) or London fields Lido (heated)
Dalston Eastern Curve garden for coffee
Brick lane on the weekend (crowd hell but the vintage market has some of the best clothes - deceptively huge and gets better the further back u go)
Kew Gardens (further out but iconic)
Take the cloud cable car at sunset / after dark
Stoke newington has super cute cafes and great charity shops
Notting Hill at the weekend is mad crowded but very iconic & postcard London vibes
Pride of Spitalfields pub - cheap pints & great chat
Design Museum and V&A museum
the Windmill in Brixton for live music and South London pubs in general
Soho / Covent Garden area is fun to explore
The clink prison museum - weirdest museum I’ve ever been to
Borough market is highly rated
Broadway market is over rated (imo)
Dalston Superstore for late nights
Peckham car boot
Deptford market
Check up sebs art list for up to date exhibitions and happenings
(will add more if I think of more!)