Best Zoo in Horns Cross

"Giants of the Galápagos was opened in 2009 to coincide with the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin,[34] and is home to three female Galápagos giant tortoises named Dolly, Polly and Priscilla. The exhibit features a large indoor area, with a heated pond and underfloor heating, while the outdoor paddock has been designed to mimic the tortoise's natural environment and features two heated pools, one of which is a naturalistic clay wallow."

"From the Tiger Territory, Gorilla Kingdom and Penguin Beach to the Butterfly Paradise and Fruit Bat Forest, the London Zoo – with 760 species across 36 acres – reigns supreme among the inner-city animal attractions. Better still, it’s set to get bigger. This spring, an epic 2,500sqm Land of the Lions enclosure opens with state-of-the-art facilities for a breeding group of endangered Asiatic lions."

"Nestled in Battersea Park, this Children’s Zoo may not exactly be big, but that’s part of its charm. They house a range of mammals, reptiles and birds, from farm to smaller exotics animals. With various feeding times, picnic and play areas and children’s rides, this zoo is especially good for the little ones."

"Battersea Park Children's Zoo is home to a host of farmyard animals, flamingos, otters and monkeys. Battersea Park, London, SW11 4NJ. Tube: Sloane Square Station"

"Meaning ‘coffee house’ in Filipino, Kapihan began as a kiosk at SOAS University in Euston, run by second-gen Filipino-British brothers David and Nigel Motley (who also own Kapé and Pan bakery). Their new site in Battersea takes inspiration from the wooden shacks that kapé (coffee) is traditionally sold from in the Philippines, and serves up classic pastries with a South East Asian twist. Think kimchi croissants, chiffon padans (a super light and fluffy green cake created with padan plant) and cassava cakes (a gloriously moist cake made from grated cassava with a layer of custard on top), all of which are best paired with their deliciously rare coffee made with Liberica beans."

"Nigel and David Motley’s new home in Battersea Park delivers beautiful, exacting Filipino baking, but also single origin coffee from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar, countries which speciality coffee has either recently deigned to recognise, or remain systemically overlooked. Now serving coffee through the hatch Monday — Saturday, guest roasts from Barcelona’s Nomad are complemented by a natural Filipino coffee that tastes of peaches and caramel. Reopens Saturday 9 January."

"I’ve already shouted about Kapihan as one of the best bakeries in London, but it’s also one of the best coffee shops, too. The family-run business – founded by brothers David and Nigel Motley – is one of the few places in London brewing specialty coffee sourced from the Philippines. Those Filipino beans are then roasted and brewed in Battersea alongside a handful of guest coffees that have been selected from the team’s favourite roasters from around the world."

"Italian-originating Said is the London offshoot of Rome’s oldest chocolate shop, but the gravity of such status doesn’t stop it from getting a little silly. Hot chocolate here transcends warm beverage to full-blown dessert – rich, thick, molten chocolate is spooned into cups so generously it often overflows. Cakes can be ordered here too, with the option of adding a dutiful drenching of hot milk, dark or white chocolate sauce."

"This dog-friendly east London café is certainly one to add to your London vegan food roster. Not only is there a full vegan English breakfast, complete with crispy hash browns, roasted plum tomatoes and grilled sourdough dripping in creamy vegan butter, they also serve seriously generous portions, leaving even the hungriest of customers full. There’s far more than fry ups on offer, though: the spicy coconut ramen is a delightful winter warmer, served with silky tofu, shiitake mushrooms and thick udon noodles deliciously slurped up when drizzled in hot chilli oil."

"More of a yard than a proper park, Postman’s Park is still one of the largest green spaces in the City of London yet it remains a hidden gem. It’s also full of plaques dedicated to everyday heroes – these stories of self-sacrifice were collected by artist George Frederic Watts and turned into a memorial in 1900 – making it a very peaceful spot."