Best Shopping Malls, Outlet and Places in The Oakmere Area

"Purveyors of Mauritian-inspired street food, Lovely Bunch of Coconuts do two things brilliantly – BBQ meats and biyranis. Free-range Welsh lamb and Norfolk chicken get top billing (have both if you’re feeling greedy), but the vegan biryani flavoured with citrussy lemon and coconut milk is also spot-on if you’re doing the plant-based thing. Chutneys and slaws are already loaded in the box, but other extras such as fresh grated coconut, dried chili flakes and crispy onions are available to add at your own discretion."

"Just moments from London Bridge, this food market is one of London’s most visited gastronomic haunts, and rightly so, with its outstanding offering of local produce. Try the UK and Europe’s finest dairy and charcuterie, eye-up the extraordinary selection of fresh seafood, and select some handmade preserves. Borough Market: Monday to Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday 10am-6pm, and Saturday 8am-5pm."

"London’s most famous food market has a mixture of fresh produce, speciality food and street food. The market is now open seven days a week. Saturday is the busiest day."

"One of London’s best street food markets is by far Old Spitafields, which is open every day from 10 am. Located in Horner Square, the market is at walking distance from Liverpool Street Train and Tube station, and it can also be reached from Shoreditch, Whitechapel and Aldgate. It isn’t just a food market, let alone a street food market."

"Spitalfields is the oldest market in London, and it's open every day of the week. Visit the Saturday Style Market for your fix of independent fashion or pick up a bargain at the Spitalfields Art Market. It only runs on selected days, so be sure to check online before you set off."

"One of the few surviving Victorian Market Halls in London, Old Spitalfields Market (established in 1876) peddles antiques, food, clothing, collectable vinyl and bric-a-brac to a bustling crowd seven days a week. These are the antique market finds you should never pass up."

"One of the most traditional romantic places in London has to be Columbia Road’s Flower Market. Even if you’re not interested in buying flowers, the atmosphere and people will certainly romanticise the occasion. It’s a cute and quaint market, and arguably one of the more subtle romantic places around London."

"Columbia Road Flower Market is a must-visitSunday market in London. Beloved by locals and visitors alike, it’s not hard to see why this is a real favourite. After all, shopping for armfuls of blooms and perhaps a house plant or two is a pretty lovely way to spend part of your weekend."

"When you’re looking for a floral fix, Columbia Road Flower Market makes for a great day out. Just make sure to visit on a Sunday as it’s only open then. Best shot: take your pick from any of the colourful floral displays."

"While perhaps best known for its famed antiques market, Portobello Road in Notting Hill is a true haven for fans of fashion from bygone eras. Whether it’s second-hand Chanel, pre-loved Burberry or kitschy cocktail jewels, you’re likely to spot something among the endless stalls of goodies that stretch the entire length of the road and beyond. While you’re in the area, it would be rude not to pop into some of the best vintage shops in London like One of a Kind (259 Portobello Road) – Naomi and Kate are regulars."

"For me, the added touch of the pomegranate seeds took this Indian street food to another level of flavour and texture. Since London is known for its great Indian food, Horn Ok Please is a great place to grab a taste of it. While Indian restaurants offer a ton of options, this food stall simplifies your choices to a few great dishes."

"There’s a food market behind the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank, with a good mix of food from all over the world alongside local produce and plenty of cakes. It’s open until 8pm on Friday and Saturday. Perfect for a cheap bite to eat in the evening."

"A firm favourite of art students and the avant-garde cognoscenti, this ground-breaking gallery doesn't have a permanent collection but is devoted to hosting edgy exhibitions of contemporary art. It made its name by staging exhibitions by both established and emerging artists, including the first UK shows by Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Frida Kahlo. The gallery’s ambitiously themed shows change every couple of months (check online) and there’s also often live music, talks and films on Thursday evenings."

"Calling itself ‘the artists’ gallery for everybody’, it was established in 1901 to give the people in the East End of London the chance to enjoy art. Over the years it has had exhibitions by Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Frida Kahlo, as well as contemporaries such as Sophie Calle, Paul Noble, Thomas Struth, Sarah Lucas and Mark Wallinger. 77-82 Whitechapel High St, E1 7QX Free entrywhitechapelgallery.org"

"Whitechapel Gallery is a public art gallery and museum in London that first opened in 1901. At the time, it was one of the first publicly funded galleries designed for temporary exhibits. Whitechapel Gallery is home to the art of contemporary artists, temporary exhibits, and events designed for the local community."

"Source: Photo by Flickr user Roel Hemkes used under CC BY 2.0. Another Westfield chain, Westfield Stratford City Shopping Center offers a wide variety of shops, as well as dining and entertainment. With 83 restaurants, including those serving halal and vegetarian dishes, everyone will find something on the menu."

"One of the newer additions to London’s shopping scene is Westfield Stratford City. This shopping centre opened in September 2011 and it’s considered to be one of the largest in Europe. It bears a retail floor area of 175,000 m2!"

"Although – or perhaps because – it stopped being cutting-edge several thousand cheap leather jackets ago, Camden Market attracts millions of visitors each year and is one of London's most popular attractions. What started out as a collection of attractive craft stalls beside Camden Lock on the Regent's Canal now extends most of the way from Camden Town tube station to Chalk Farm tube station."

"Camden Market is not a single market, but consists of several different markets within walking distance of each other. Market stalls sell just about everything including food, clothing, crafts, art, souvenirs, and more."

"Alfies Antiques Market is a London gem, a historic antiques market that should be the very first stop for anyone looking for characterful furniture and accessories for their home. This is London’s largest indoors antiques and vintage market and it shows – there are over 100 dealers touting stunning pieces waiting to take pride of place in your home. Away from furniture, there’s also a great selection of vintage art, fashion, textiles and books."

"Located in Marylebone at 13-15 Church Street sits Alfies Antique Market. As London’s weather is notoriously unpredictable the fact this is London’s largest indoor market, spread over four floors is a major plus. Specialising in antiques, vintage fashion and 20th-century design, the market is popular with collectors, interior designers and has been known to have the odd celebrity wandering its corridors too."

"Take a step back in time at London's largest indoor market for antiques, vintage fashion and 20th century design. Here you'll find an abundance of home decor features to eye-catching furniture and heaps of breathtaking clothes that will have you wanting to redo your entire wardrobe. When to visit: Alfie's is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10am-6pm."

"Known as the place angsty teenagers, punks and creatives go to hang out, Camden Market is a must-visit in London if you want to experience an energetic and engaging counterculture. Made up of a number of adjoining markets, you’ll be able to find iconic band t-shirts, sterling silver jewellery, tattoo parlours and bespoke boutiques selling 1950s clothing and serious rock and roll attire. Camden Lock is the place to go for eating, with a huge range of street food stalls selling cuisine from all corners of the globe."

"Camden Town is home to a series of markets, encompassing an astonishingly eclectic array of goods to suit all tastes. Pick up some vintage clothes, handmade jewellery, music, or bric-a-brac. The market around Camden Lock features designers and artists, with a selection of international food vendors, too."

"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."

"There are lots of colourful streets around Notting Hill which make for wonderful pictures. Your best bet is to get off at Notting Hill Gate station and then walk towards (and along) Portobello Road. Another aesthetic place in London is on the other side of the city around Hillgate Place and Campden Hill Road."

"Can you truly understand a culture without knowing what makes its people laugh?. The Museum of Comedy is on a mission to acquaint us all with the ingredients that, when combined, make up the British sense of humour, one Ronnie at a time. More reference library then proper museum, it's a repository of seemingly every book, DVD, VHS and LP that could possibly make you laugh - literally hours and hours of non-stop silliness."

"The Museum of Comedy in London is housed in the crypt of St George's Church. The space was initially converted to be an art gallery before the Museum of Comedy moved in. The museum's collection highlights British comedic history with posters, props, outfits, costumes, films, scripts, and photographs."

"Found just outside London Designer Outlet, their lush desserts and heavenly drinks will curb that sweet tooth in no time."

"Launched as a way of ‘democratising fine dining’, The Cookout Club is a project from chef Philip Britten, following a 20-year hiatus from restaurant cooking. Delivering upmarket, restaurant-quality food to people’s homes, operating from a kitchen in Battersea. Based in south-west London, delivery is currently limited to the local area."

"This colourful little beauty is a no-brainer for those of you looking for fun things to do when the weekend rolls around. Head to Shoreditch where Barrio will be waiting with party tunes, spice rum sangria and juicy burgers at one of its fabulous bottomless brunch events."

"With mega brunches in tow and party music from afternoon 'til night, Barrio East is a fun outdoor restaurant in Shoreditch that you'll enjoy whatever the weater, complete with covered seating in the winter and shenanigans come summer.."