London may have a reputation for moving at full tilt, but slip down the right side street and it quickly takes on a whole new personality. In pockets like Marylebone Village and Hampstead, the capital trades its edge for cobblestones and shopkeepers who remember your name – and coffee order.
Guided by locals who know these streets best – from cheesemongers and booksellers to restaurateurs – here’s how to best spend your time in the city’s most charming village hubs.
Marylebone
Must-do activities
While rather simple, Patricia Michelson, founder of La Fromagerie (one of London’s finest cheesemongers) recommends “wandering the hidden streets of Marylebone Village – the cobbled Mews have not been altered, and the Jackalope pub in Weymouth Mews has interesting cask beers and spicy but addictive Chongqing noodles.”
The High Street is home to various shops “like BaoBab for beautiful aromatic candles, and MHL and David Mellor,” she adds. “Don’t skip the Wallace Collection which is, in my mind, one of the best collections of art and paintings, sculpture, ceramics, furniture, and arms and armour.”
Rose Cole, manager at Daunt Books – an original Edwardian bookshop on the High Street – agrees: “My ideal day would start with a stroll through Paddington Gardens and down through the village, taking in some of the wonderful independent shops. Then lunch in Ottolenghi, followed by a visit to the Wallace Collection, and an early evening concert at Wigmore Hall.”
Where to dine
“There are so many interesting restaurants around Marylebone Village, Kudu being very new and just opposite the shop – it’s always busy. I also love Japanese food and Taka is exceptional. You’ll often see me at the bar at Blandford Comptoir enjoying a glass of fine wine, too,” says Michelson.
For a quick coffee, head to “Back On Track on Wimpole Street, or cult favorite Granger & Co., where you can sit at the front or in the very relaxed restaurant.” Another local favorite is Carlotta, part of the Big Momma Group, which boasts New York-Italian energy, but done with enough restraint that it never tips into parody.
Where to stay
A stay at The Marylebone puts you right in the action of the village hub happenings – within a mere minute’s walk you’ll find yourself right the action. With 257 rooms and suites (some that come with private terraces and skyline bragging rights), and access to the Third Space health club, you may find you end up cancelling plans just to lounge around inside.
Hidden gems
According to Cole, “V V Rouleaux, the ribbon shop on Marylebone Lane, is worth a trip for its amazing and elaborate external displays. Plus, Tracey Nuels on Marylebone Lane is beloved by those who know it, and very close by is the delicatessen Paul Rothe.”
Hampstead
Must-do activities
“I’d go to Hampstead Heath for a good walk, passing by Hampstead Ponds. Afterwards, I’d stroll down the High Street. There are great little knick-knack shops around Perrins Court,” says Wasel, owner of Paradise, a popular family-owned Indian restaurant in Hampstead, which is much-loved by the community and packed every night of the week.
“It was opened by my father in 1969. It’s a little institution – generations of the same family come to the restaurant, and, for a lot of the community, it’s linked to a lot of happy memories,” he says. If you know Wasel, though, he will always squeeze you in.
Where to dine
“First-timers should visit a Hampstead institution, like Coffee Cup. If you fancy staying for lunch, they also do good pasta,” he says. “Mani’s is a good shout for brunch as well. For something a little lighter, go to Oak and Poppy – they have a good selection of breakfast options and the fish tacos are great.”
His favorite (other than his own restaurant)? “Jin Kichi. It’s been around for a long time, and the quality of the produce is great. The place has a buzzy atmosphere, and it’s very central to Hampstead, so it’s close to pubs, like The Horseshoe, The Flask, and The Duke of Hamilton, for after.”
Where to stay
The Bull & Last is a much-admired Hampstead inn on the edge of the Heath, with guest rooms that pay homage to a cast of notable former locals: an enslaved daughter who became an heiress at Kenwood House, physicist Michael Faraday, and poet John Keats, whose room is decorated with a framed book of poetry.
Hidden gems
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“I’ve lived in Hampstead all my life, and I’ve always loved going to Keats House. It’s a wonderful place, and Keats was an amazing poet. I think people, whether visitors or locals, should go there and have a little wonder around.”
