Mentioned by Secret London
31 Fascinating & Free Museums Every Londoner Should Visit At Least Once
"Located on the 43rd floor of the Walkie Talkie building in the City of London, the Sky Garden is the capital’s highest public garden and one of the coolest places to visit in London for free. The garden’s large plant-filled atrium has floor-to-ceiling windows with amazing panoramic views out over the city below and is open throughout the day and into the evenings on weekends – making it one the best free things to do in London at night too!. There’s also an open-air covered terrace on one side."
"If a trip up to the stunning viewing gallery of one of London’s tallest buildings sounds like a pocket drainer, think again. Situated inside a glass oasis at the top of the “Walkie Talkie”, Sky Garden is London’s highest public garden, filled with greenery and boasting panoramic views of the capital. It’s totally free to head up there, but you’ll need to book in advance, with post-lockdown visits starting up again from July 29."
"Set atop 20 Fenchurch Street (aka the Walkie Talkie building), Sky Garden is the highest public garden in London. Amidst a lush urban jungle, it offers stunning 360° panoramic views of the city. The unique setting and spectacular views easily make this one of the most Instagrammable places in London."
"Restaurants Ice-cream parlours Soho. Those nitro-fuelled experimentalists at Chin Chin are the Willy Wonkas of the ice-cream world, and this Soho shop is an ostentatious showcase for their wares. Not only their signature ices, but also full-on desserts – there’s some seriously elaborate stuff going on here amid all the bells and whistles (try the decadent tiramisu sundae)."
"Coffee ice cream, a dusting of cocoa powder and the fluffiest, softest cloud of whipped mascarpone cream, the base of this brilliant tiramisu mash-up is a thick, super rich, brownie-like cookie that is soaked in espresso for an extra gooey texture. The Chin Chin team have truly outdone themselves here. Address: 54 Greek St, London W1D 3DS or 49-50 Camden Lock Pl, London NW1 8AF"
"The sweet treats get scientific at Chin Chin Labs, where all the ice cream is hand-churned with liquid nitrogen. Its short but inventive menu of regular flavours includes tonka bean and burnt butter caramel, with an array of topping options including bee pollen honeycomb and truffle crumble."
"From show stopping dripped cakes to the glossiest salted caramel we’ve ever seen, Cutter & Squidge is the bakery to go to if you’re in need of a special birthday treat or serious ‘I’m sorry’ gift. All products are made with 100% natural products and as little sugar as possible – don’t worry, they still taste devilishly sweet. Where:Various locationsWebsite:www.cutterandsquidge.com"
"Each one features two biscuit pieces closing in on a layer of cream to create a beautiful dessert sandwich. They’re the perfect sugary pick-me-up and come in a selection of creative flavours. Try the rich billionaire dreambar, which is served with an extra layer of chocolate in the middle."
"You'd be bonkers not to try one of their famous 'Biskies' (a merge between a cake and a biscuit - v moreish) while sitting in their secret garden."
"One of the most consistent cafes in the game and an East Finchley standby, Campbell and Syme is now back on full service, offering two espressos and three filters from its rotating cast of single origin coffees — currently, a macerated natural process coffee from Honduras and another from the well-regarded Aricha area in Sidamo, Ethiopia are standing out."
"WatchHouse’s aim – in all of its various incarnations across the city – is to offer the local community “quality coffee, food and service, in carefully considered and beautifully designed spaces”. It’s hard to argue with the fact that they’ve done just that. Each WatchHouse currently open in London (there’s now seven in total) slings out austere brews made by modern coffee creators."
"Another market in one of London’s more charming residential areas, Herne Hill Market is the kind of neighbourhood food market that everyone wishes they had on their doorstep. Part farmers market, part street food market, you can feast on a tasty dish or two and then pick up some local produce to bring home to cook too Herne Hill Market. Don’t miss the mouthwatering Indonesian street food of local favourite Enak Enak."
"If you’re looking for a quieter Sunday market, Herne Hill Farmers’ Market is the perfect place for a less “touristy” market. It is located in South London and is held every Sunday. The market is very lively and is truly independent in spirit with a local village atmosphere and unique shopping."
"Spend a Sunday strolling through Herne Hill Market, which is crammed full of foodie treats, both for eating on the spot and produce to take home, plus arts and crafts, all sourced from within 100 miles of Herne Hill. A proper local neighbourhood market!"
"Portobello Road is the jewel in Notting Hill – the world’s largest antiques market has retained its sense of charm and friendliness, even as the surrounding area has scaled the ladder of exclusivity. The market, which wends its way along the sinuous Portobello Road is actually five interconnecting markets – with separate sections for fresh produce, clothing, second hand goods, household stuff, a flea market and antiques. The antiques section, always sizable, really comes into its own on Saturdays – cementing Portobello’s position as one of the go-to Saturday markets in London."
"If I haven’t yet convinced you that London is really, really into its gin – I present to you: The Distillery. This simply-named venue is basically a gin lover’s playground, offering up four enticing levels of gin-related debauchery and its own distillery producing Portobello Road gin. Amongst the fun there are multiple tasting spaces, including the oh-so-fancy Boardroom for group tastings."
"Just round the corner from the beautiful white houses of Notting Hill you will find the cute coloured houses of Portobello. Portobello is famous for its vintage and street food market, with the coloured houses coming up close after it. It’s not quite as fancy as Notting Hill with the white columns and houses, but if like me you love colourful places Portobello is a more fun photo location."
"One of the neighborhood's most popular international restaurants, this family-friendly place has been serving classic Chinese, Singaporean and Malaysian dishes since the mid-'80s. Contemporary Asian decor fits the diverse crowd well, and the menu beckons with dishes like lamb in Peking sauce, Thai green curry with baby aubergines and lemon grass, and wasabi prawns with cucumber strips. If it's nice out, consider dining at a sidewalk table."
"An outdoor Chinese takeaway that’s in the unassuming Chrisp Street Market. Husband and wife duo Sam and Viv have been cooking some of the finest Cantonese fast food in Poplar since 1952. Think cha chaan teng (HK-style cafe) meets greasy spoon, with food that’s strictly no-frills easily filling stomachs for under a fiver."
"The Hackney Museum is a local London history museum located in Hackney. Its collection of more than 8,000 different objects is dedicated to exploring the history of Hackney with a special emphasis on immigration, ranging from Anglo-Saxon settlers to early Victorian times and more recent refugees and migrants."
"The Cinema Museum in London was founded in the 1980s by Ronald Grant and Martin Humphries. Grant and Humphries filled the museum with objects from their private collection of cinema memorabilia. The museum is housed in the workhouse where Charlie Chaplin lived during his childhood."
"London’s Cinema Museum is devoted to keeping alive the spirit of cinema from the days before the multiplex. Admission is only via joining one of their regular guided tours, which costs £10."