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Photograph: BFI/Luke Hayes

The 25 best cinemas in London

We present London’s top picture palaces – as chosen by Londoners

Phil de Semlyen
Written by
Phil de Semlyen
Written by
Time Out Film
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With more than a hundred cinemas inside the M25, London is as well served for picture houses as any city on earth. And they come in all shapes and sizes. From goliath multiplexes to boutique independents, to those – like Peckham’s beloved Peckhamplex and Walthamstow’s Empire – that sit at the nexus of the two, there’s truly something for everyone.

Of course, cinemagoing doesn’t quite work that way. Unless you’re up for an after-work screening in the West End, it’s usually the spot closest to home that gets the repeat visits – the local cinema with a favourite spot (in the middle by the aisle for us), reliably fresh popcorn and, if you’re lucky, ticket prices that won’t give your current account a conniption. Happily, there’s load of them and, as our poll of Time Out readers’ 25 favourites demonstrates, they’re all over the city. 

The results are not entirely unexpected – a rundown of our city’s loveliest, buzziest, friendliest and most romantic local cinemas, with a couple of the big boys thrown in. So without further ado, here are London’s best cinemas as chosen by you.

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London's best cinemas

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  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Stratford

This east London branch (further east than the Hackney Picturehouse) offers a nice, quieter alternative to the ginormous multiplex in Westfield. Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon at the pictures. 

 

The Phoenix Cinema
  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • London

The Phoenix in East Finchley lays claim to being one of London’s oldest cinemas. And with its art deco interiors, it’s definitely one of the prettiest.

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Crouch End Picturehouse
  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Crouch End

With four screens and a restaurant, this Crouch End outpost of the Picturehouse’s winning cinema chain is a firm favourite with Londoners. 

Empire Walthamstow
  • Cinemas
  • Walthamstow

With nine screens in its arsenal and ticket prices set at cost-of-living friendly levels, this 1,200 seater cinema is not one to be sniffed at. Think of it as the Peckhamplex of the north-east.

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Lexi Cinema
  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Kensal Rise

Locals love the Lexi, a friendly little gem of a community cinema run mostly by volunteers where all profits go to charity. With help from that community, it shrugged off a fire in 2020 to expand with a new, crowdfunded second screen and a ‘Lexi Hub’ space. Expect all the same film and arts goodness, only even more of it.

Everyman Muswell Hill
  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Muswell Hill

Housed in what used to be an Odeon, this grade II-listed building boasts three screens and is another jewel in Everyman’s crown of luxury cinemas. 

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Rich Mix
  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Shoreditch

Shoreditch’s independent cultural centre houses three cinema screens alongside exhibition and performance spaces and a café/bar. Run as a charity, it’s a vibrant arts hub too. Any given week could see it hosting an assortment of gigs, theatre shows, art exhibitions, themed festivals and all manner of workshops. 

David Lean Cinema
  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Croydon

Located in an attractive grade II listed clock tower in Croydon, this community-run cinema screens arthouse films, classic re-releases and new blockbusters in intimate surroundings. The staff (mostly volunteers) are super friendly and the prices affordable – not your standard multiplex offering, then.

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  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Piccadilly Circus

It’s still less than a decade old but Picturehouse Central already feels like part of the central London furniture. With an indie-meets-mainstream philosophy, the programming has an inclusive feel to it – as does the whole stylish edifice, which occupies a corner of Piccadilly’s old Trocadero centre. The main staircase, complete with a film-themed mural, is a fitting gateway to the movie nirvana within. There are seven screens, a comfy bar-restaurant and an upstairs members’ bar with glorious West End views straight from a Roger Deakins viewfinder. On the downside, the pandemic does seem to have done away with that formidable pick ‘n’ mix counter for good.

Close-Up
  • Cinemas
  • Shoreditch

An all-in-one cinema, library and café/bar that also makes film history and culture accessible through its library and online archive. 

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ArtHouse Crouch End
  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Crouch End

Regulars at Crouch End’s ArtHouse are so devoted they voted for it droves. You say: ‘Friendly atmosphere’, ‘interesting Q&As with actors and directors’, and ‘cheap popcorn’. We say: ‘Sold’.

  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Dalston

This two-screen Dalston treasure is all about serving its local community with smart programming, mini festivals, Q&As and LGBTQ+ screenings. And the local community loves it right back: a rumoured threat to sell it during the pandemic was met with a vociferous Save the Rio campaign by its passionate membership. Happily, the 1930's art deco picture palace survives and thrives, with plans for refurbishment and the possibility of a third screen ahead.

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Prince Charles Cinema
  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Leicester Square

The cinema Quentin Tarantino goes to and Edgar Wright raves about, the PCC just goes from strength to strength. The passion for everything from silver screen classics to cult curios draws in film lovers from far and wide. Its screens positively burst with London cine-lore.

  • Cinemas
  • Homerton

Since it opened in 1913, The Castle in Clapton has been a cinema, a bingo hall, a shoe factory and a snooker club. Now, after raising £57,000 on Kickstarter, a local couple has restored it back to its former filmic glory. There’s an art deco bar and two screens, as well as comfy armchair style seats. It's an exquisite cinema experience. 

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PeckhamPlex
  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Peckham

It ain’t fancy, and yes, the carpet has been known to get a little sticky, but you’ll forgive almost anything for tickets still costing an inflation-busting £4.99 all day, any day.

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  • Cinemas
  • Independent
  • Brixton

One of London’s oldest purpose-built picturehouses, the Ritzy has been an iconic Brixton institution since it opened in 1911, and even survived the Blitz. The cinema’s film offering ranges from big blockbusters to specialist fare (Icelandic folk-horror, anyone?), and Upstairs at the Ritzy hosts events like Reggaeoke, rare-soul nights and the regular Tuesday evening Queenstown Sessions. The Ritzy is way more than just a cinema, it’s a cultural hub – a worthy pick as Londoners’ favourite cinema.

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