13 reasons to go to Chamberlayne Road in Kensal Rise, NW10
It’s leafy and suburban, posh and refined, fun and young
Considered the chilled little sister of Harlesden, Kensal Green has an arty, bohemian feel (Kensal Green Cemetery, just over the Kensington & Chelsea border, was a fashionable final resting place for Victorian writers and artists, as well as a number of modern-day luminaries) and its cosy, compact terraces appeal to young professionals who can’t afford Notting Hill. Kensal Rise, a few streets east, has blossomed in recent years, with most of the retail action at the north end of College Road where there's a bijou, middle-class vibe, with delis, alternative-medicine treatment rooms and quirky boutiques. Restaurants, cafés and gastropubs also do a roaring trade. Further east, Willesden High Road offers an array of restaurants, shops and takeaways.
RECOMMENDED: London by area
