Mercato Mayfair
Food hall set in the Grade I-listed St Mark’s Church, where stained glass and grand architecture create a striking welcome. Since 2019, it’s been a vibrant food and cultural hub, offering international cuisine made with fresh, sustainable ingredients across three unique floors.
As well as the main floor, guests can enjoy a rooftop terrace, additional bars and restaurants in the crypt and a first-floor gallery with even more restaurants and seating areas.
Museums
- British museum: Rosetta stone, loads of history
- Somerset House: art centre
- Sir Joan Soan’s Museum: Eccentric 19th century collector’s home (one of England’s great architects), packed with classical sculpture, paintings, and curiosities.
- Wellcome collection: https://www.museumslondon.org/museum/179/wellcome-collection-museum The offbeat cross-section of material takes in everything from serried ranks of amputation saws to 18th-century nipple shields, from Napoleon’s toothbrush to a Peruvian mummy. Free admission. Open every day 10-18, until 22 on Thursdays. Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Rd, Camden.
- Museum of London Docklands: https://www.museumslondon.org/museum/10/museum-of-london-docklands https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/docklands/ Located in the heart of the historical East London’s Docklands, this museum is packed with exciting exhibits and interactive displays that explore the rich history of London’s docks. From Roman times to the present day. Free admission. Open every day 10-18. Museum of London Docklands, No.1 Warehouse, West India Quay.
- London Mithraeum: https://www.londonmithraeum.com/about/ Situated on the site of Bloomberg’s European headquarters, this cultural hub showcases the ancient temple, a selection of the remarkable Roman artefacts found during the recent excavations, and a series of contemporary art commissions responding to one of the UK’s most significant archaeological sites. Free admission. Recommended to reserve free ticket online in advance. Self-guided, takes about 1h. Open every Tue-Sat 10-18, Sundays 12-17.
- Tate Modern
- Southbank Centre
- Horniman Museum and Gardens: South London. Displays of anthropology, natural history, musical instruments and taxidermied animals. Aquarium, gardens. Woodlands trail along abandoned railway line. Alpacas, guinea pigs, rabbits. https://www.horniman.ac.uk/
- Victoria & Albert Museum: https://www.vam.ac.uk/south-kensington/visit From 16 May: Contemporary art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific.
- Design Museum: https://designmuseum.org/plan-your-visit
- Serpentine Gallery: free gallery in Kensington Gardens with world-class contemporary art
Restaurants
- Hoppers: Sri Lankan fermented rice pancakes with chutney.
- Dishoom: Indian street food in Bombay-style cafes
- Ottolenghi
Sightseeing
- Battersea Power station: Now a shopping centre with food hall, and a market every Sunday from 11am – 5pm along the riverside at Battersea Power Station.
- Skygarden: In Walkie-Talkie building. Free entry, but tickets must be booked well in advance (though couldn’t find free dates when I looked). Tables at the skybar can also be booked https://skygarden.london/
- Garden at 120: Another rooftop garden. Not quite as high, but free entrance to wander around https://thegardenat120.com/#content/page/roof_garden
- China town: Near Soho
- Barbican: Architecture tours available (18 GBP), 11 am, 2 pm, 4 pm, mostly daily https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2026/event/architecture-tours
- Low Line: The Low Line is an urban regeneration initiative that brings to life the Victorian railway viaduct connecting diverse neighbourhoods through Bankside, London Bridge, and Bermondsey. Through repurposing underused space, both in the arches and adjacent urban realm, The Low Line is creating new opportunities for innovation, culture, connection and biodiversity https://lowline.london/
- Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park: walking trails, gardens, diverse mix of wetland, woodland, meadow and other wildlife habitat. London stadium, as well as the Zaha Hadid-designed London Aquatic Centre, and the twisted steel ArcelorMittal Orbit, a 115 m sculpture; Britain’s largest piece of public art, and the world’s longest slide.
- Brick Lane and Spitalfields market
Shopping
- kj