40 of London's magnificent hidden gems, from a globe-maker in Stoke Newington to our Roman amphitheatre
Uncover the enchanting lesser-known corners of London with this curated guide to 40 magnificent hidden gems. From artisan studios and historic sites to unique cafes and tranquil gardens, explore the diverse and captivating spirit of the United Kingdom's capital.
Bellerby & Co
A London-based globemaker creating bespoke, tactile globes as heirlooms.
Roman amphitheatre
A historic Roman amphitheater located beneath the Guildhall Art Gallery, offering a glimpse into Londinium's past.
Clerkenwell
An area in London that is home to the International Magic Shop, a place where magic has never faded.
Photobook Cafe
A cafe, gallery, and hangout spot in Shoreditch reminiscent of Berlin, offering a mix of characters, edgy photography, and an escape from modernity.
International Magic Shop
A magic shop in Clerkenwell that has been open for almost 70 years, offering tricks and illusions.
Cable Café
A café near Kennington Park that serves as a gateway to a lesser-known London, offering home cooking, live music, and a sense of community.
Queer Britain
The National LGBTQ+ Museum in King’s Cross, dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights, activism, and history in Britain.
JJ Fox
A cigar merchant in St James’s that has been in business since 1787, offering a glimpse into a bygone world.
St James’s
Area in London that is home to JJ Fox cigar shop and the Jermyn Street Theatre.
Books for Cooks
A bookshop in Notting Hill that sells cookbooks and offers a daily lunch cooked from the recipes in the books.
The Old Operating Theatre
A museum in Southwark that was once an operating theatre, showcasing surgical practices from the 19th century before the use of anaesthesia.
Novelty Automation
A museum in Holborn featuring satirical machines created by Tim Hunkin, offering an irreverent and humorous take on modernity.
Polentina
An Italian canteen hidden in a factory in Bow, serving regional Italian food.
Guildhall Art Gallery
Art gallery that houses the remains of the Roman amphitheatre.
Crossness Pumping Station
A Grade I listed building near Abbey Wood, built as part of London’s sewage system by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, showcasing Victorian architecture.
Forty Hall Vineyard
London’s only commercial scale vineyard, located in Enfield, offering therapy and winemaking opportunities for young people.
Maison Assouline
A three-story showroom in Piccadilly for Assouline, a publisher known for its coffee table travel books and fashion collaborations, featuring a salon-style bookshop and the Swans bar.
Alfies Antique Market
An antique market in Lisson Grove, offering a labyrinth of vintage items and objects.
Hornets
A vintage gentlemen’s outfitters in Kensington, offering tailoring and clothing from a different age.
The Bus Cafe
A cafe in Waterloo serving generous and reasonably priced dishes, catering to bus workers and the public.
Charlton House and Gardens
A Jacobean mansion in Charlton with ornate plasterwork and gardens, offering a glimpse into history.
Barbican Launderette
A launderette in the Barbican known for its vintage Electrolux washing machines from the 1970s, serving as a movie set and a glimpse into a future that never was.
Connolly
A stylish shop in Mayfair offering luxury items and objets d’art.
Jermyn Street Theatre
A small theatre in St James’s offering affordable tickets and a unique theatrical experience.
Babur
An Indian restaurant in Honor Oak Park that is celebrating 40 years of trade, serving dishes from the Mughal Empire.
Latimer House
A historic house in Chesham that was used during World War II to record conversations of German prisoners of war.
Dennis Severs' House
A Grade II-listed Georgian home in Shoreditch, restored and reinvented by Dennis Severs to evoke the lives of a fictional family.
Goldsboro Books
A bookshop in Covent Garden specializing in signed first editions.
Brompton Oratory
A Catholic church in Knightsbridge that was once used as a dead drop site for Soviet spies.
The Ragged Museum
A museum in Mile End preserving the history of ragged schools, which provided education and refuge for poor children.
Strawberry Hill House
A Gothic castle near Twickenham that inspired the first Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto.
Paper Dress Vintage
A vintage clothing shop in Hackney that transforms into a bar, live music venue, and club at night.
The Museum of Brands
A museum in Notting Hill displaying a collection of past purchases and branding from the Victorian era to the present.
Hampstead Heath's Hill Garden Pergola
A scented pergola at The Hill in Hampstead Heath, offering views of London.
Kirkaldy’s Testing Works
A materials testing laboratory in Southwark, housing machines that crush, stretch, batter, shatter, dent, or twist materials.
Cheeses of Muswell Hill
A cheese shop in Muswell Hill run by cheese expert Morgan McGlynn Carr.
Two Temple Place
A building on the Strand that was once the estate office of William Waldorf Astor, featuring neo-Tudor architecture and intricate interiors.
the Strand
Street in London where Two Temple Place is located.
Severndroog Castle
A gothic tower on Shooters Hill, built in memory of Sir William James and offering views of London and its surrounding counties.
Boston Manor House
A 17th-century manor house in Boston Manor, featuring a state drawing room with a detailed ceiling artwork.
Tasty Jerk
A Caribbean restaurant in Selhurst that is popular among Crystal Palace fans.
City Wall
Exhibition at Vine Street showing the preserved section of the old Roman wall and stories of those who lived and worked in its shadow.
the City
Location of City Wall exhibit.
OmVed Gardens
A community garden in Highgate with new spaces and a program of events focused on art, ecology, food, and climate resilience.