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[title]Us Londoners are proud of where we live. In fact, it's not unusual to hear Londoners arguing passionately for their neck of the woods, joyfully defending their little corner of the capital, and making a stonkingly good case for why their borough is the best in the city. All of which is to say: nobody knows or loves their neighbourhood quite like the locals.
That’s certainly true of residents of Southwark. Historic and vibrant, the borough stretches from the south bank of the River Thames through neighbourhoods including Borough, Bermondsey, Camberwell, Peckham, all the way down to Dulwich. It’s easily one of the most diverse boroughs, balancing lush green spaces (hello, Burgess Park) with all the lively cosmopolitan goodness you’d expect from the capital – and is within easy reach of central London.
And so, who better to offer up an in-depth guide to the borough than a local? Here, we asked Southwark resident Amelia Greenham for her take on the coolest spots to discover. Be warned: it might just inspire you to move there yourself.
Where to eat
“Where to start? For breakfast, I love TOAD in Camberwell. It's easily the buzziest bakery in the area – people travel from all over the city to visit – but for good reason. They do the classics (flaky, buttery croissants for example) really well, and there’s always a new creative special to try out. Just be prepared to queue on the weekends!
“I also like Eric’s in East Dulwich for its white sourdough, which you have to pre-order and pick up on Thursday mornings (trust me: it’s worth setting your alarm for). Once you’ve got the goods, take a stroll through Peckham Rye Park and grab a coffee at NOLA, which is one of my favourite spots in the area.
“There are so many spots for eating out – it all depends on what you fancy. Some of my favourites are Vietnamese at Lai Rai and Persian at Persepolis in Peckham, Georgian at Kartuli in East Dulwich, and tapas at José on Bermondsey Street. Greek restaurant Oma in Borough is good too – in fact, pretty much every restaurant in Borough Market is worth giving a go.
“I can’t think of any other street in London that has a higher concentration of amazing restaurants than on Church Street in Camberwell: Nandine, Silk Road, Theo’s Pizza and, of course, The Camberwell Arms for a properly good dinner. Get a pint of Guinness at The Hermit’s Cave beforehand and head to Little Cellars for a glass of wine to see out the night.”
Where to drink
“You could do a pub crawl every night in Southwark and still not run out of decent options. But some of my favourites are The East Dulwich Tavern, The Montpelier in Peckham for its Tuesday pub quiz nights, and The Old Nun’s Head in, you guessed it, Nunhead. It’s as fun for a dance on Saturday night as it is for a roast on Sunday. Nearby is The Ivy House – a live music venue with everything from poetry to punk – and El Vermut, a vibey little vermouth bar.
“Of course, Frank’s Cafe is probably one of the most iconic bars in Southwark – though it's only open in the summer months. Perched on the rooftop of a multi-storey car park and accessed via a baby-pink stairwell, it's a great option for dates (impress them by getting there just before sunset!) and big group get-togethers alike.
“There are wine bars aplenty in the area too. Head to Peckham Cellars for natural wines and a rotating food menu, should you get peckish; Bar Levan for music played from vinyl on a seriously good vintage sound system; or Drop Dulwich for wine by the carafe. If you visit the latter you must order the snacks: especially the fancy crisps.”
Where to explore
“Obviously there’s loads of culture around London, but one of the greatest things about Southwark is how much of it is right on your doorstep. For art and exhibitions, Dulwich Picture Gallery and The South London Gallery are my go-tos, and there’s always something interesting on at the Southwark Playhouse. Then there’s the Peckhamplex, which is a bit of an institution: it's a lovably old-school independent cinema that costs less than seven quid a ticket.
“Southwark is an incredibly community-oriented borough and SET Social is probably one of Southwark’s most special community spaces. It hosts life drawing classes, mahjong and chess clubs, writers collectives, and loads of music events like open deck nights. The Feminist Library is another cool community space, and The Peckham Library is in an incredibly unique building with fantastic views across South London.”
“Green spaces? There are loads of those, too. The biggest – and, in my opinion, best – is Burgess Park, stretching from Camberwell and Walworth to Peckham and the Old Kent Road. I love to jog on the paths on Saturday mornings to kickwart my weekends, while it’s always nice to stroll around the lake in winter or picnic beside it in the summer. Dulwich, Southwark and Peckham Rye parks are also great – the latter even has Victorian parkland and a Japanese garden and is a lot smaller so you can cover more of it in a shorter space of time – so it’s always easy to get out into nature, even being so close to central London.”
Where to live
Fancy a slice of the Southwark lifestyle? Through multiple routes, Southern Housing New Homes makes getting on the ladder easier for those who want to buy a new place in the borough – especially important for those who don’t want to have to move away from local friends and family. One such route is Shared Ownership, which lets you buy a share of a home with a deposit and mortgage based on the share you buy, while paying rent on the rest. It can be a more accessible way to find a home in Southwark without needing to buy the whole thing upfront. In Peckham, there’s Glengall Rise, a new collection of one- to three-bedroom flats just minutes from Burgess Park. In South Bermondsey, you’ll find Varcoe Corner, a collection of one- and two-bedroom flats with an enviable Zone 2 location. Starting from just £91,250 for a 25% share, you can bag yourself a home worth £365,000.
Southern Housing also offers Southwark locals homes via London Living Rent – a Mayor of London-funded initiative that establishes rental properties at below-market rates to allow residents to put money towards a deposit on a home. There’s also properties available via Open Market Sale – the ‘traditional’ homebuying option for anyone able to secure a mortgage based on a home’s full market value.
Whichever option you go for, Southern Housing New Homes is there every step of the way, from providing advice to help you secure a place to offering support after moving in. Now that's a reassuring start to life in Southwark.
Find your new home in Southwark with Southern Housing.