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Paddington area guide

Keep busy in W2 with Time Out's guide to Paddington's best restaurants, bars, pubs and things to do

Written by
Holly Williams
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Londoners may know it best as a transport hub – but whether you’re just killing time before a train or find yourself exploring the area between the handsome northern stretches of Hyde Park and the tempting waterways of Little Venice, there are gems to be discovered here.

The regeneration project of Paddington Basin feels somewhat in-progress, but it’s brought a range of new eateries and public spaces to the canal behind Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s massive station, including a floating park, fortnightly street food market Kerb, and a huge, seasonal pop-up restaurant, Pergola Paddington. You can even work up an appetite paddleboarding down the canal. Head east towards Oxford Street for Connaught Village, a chi-chi enclave of cafes and boutiques, while Edgware Road bustles with Middle Eastern restaurants and shisha bars. 

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The best bits of Paddington

Restaurants in Paddington

Casa Malevo

Casa Malevo

  • 4 out of 5 stars

The neighbourhood has a wealthy and exclusive vibe, but Casa Malevo is a little hub of welcoming homeliness. That’s partly thanks to the small,...

Lockhouse

Lockhouse

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4

Burgers-and-booze joint Lockhouse occupies a neat spot, looking over the water on the edge of Paddington Basin. 

Satay House

Satay House

  • 3 out of 5 stars

This long-running restaurant (est. 1973) continues to draw people in search of good Malaysian cooking.

Salt & Honey

Salt & Honey

  • 3 out of 5 stars

Nestled on the edge of a secluded mews just north of Hyde Park, a three-storey modern bistro attracts a moneyed crowd but there's no hint of...

Things to do in Paddington

Floating Pocket Park

Floating Pocket Park

Connect with nature while bobbing on top of the Grand Union Canal at London’s first floating public park.

The best Hotels in Paddington

La Suite West

La Suite West

  • 4 out of 5 stars

With its yin and yang interiors, Japanese minimalist furnishings, and on-site Vegan food restaurant Raw, this stylish hotel has made well-being its USP.

Stylotel

Stylotel

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4

You might love or loathe the retro-futurist quirks of this trendy hotel, but it’s a clean and convenient resting place for travellers.

Bars and pubs in Paddington

Heist Bank

Heist Bank

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4

The folks behind Coin Laundry on Exmouth Market are responsible for this dapper beer and pizza venture and it’s good to see that they’ve brought their...

Victoria

Victoria

  • 3 out of 5 stars

Queen Vic looks down disdainfully from her sign on to a mini roundabout beside this stately pub, a favourite with Churchill, Dickens, the Dracula Society and...

Bridge House

Bridge House

  • 3 out of 5 stars

Can any theatre bar in London be as convivial as this one? Beneath the Canal Café, the Bridge House comprises a waterside terrace and a spacious, relaxing...

Royal Standard Cocktail Bar & Restaurant

Royal Standard Cocktail Bar & Restaurant

With chilled out San Francisco vibes, this cocktail bar just around the corner from Paddington Station offers up two floors of chic space in which to grab a...

The perfect weekend in Paddington

Explore: Little Venice

Explore: Little Venice

Directly north of Paddington is the tranquil pocket of picturesque canals affectionately known as Little Venice. 

See: Paddington Bear

See: Paddington Bear

Pay a visit to everyone's favourite bear: a bronze statue awaits inside Paddington Station. 

Picnic: Merchant Square

Picnic: Merchant Square

Pack your marmalade sandwiches for a picnic on top of the Grand Union Canal at London’s first floating public park.