The Club’s guide to London’s hippest neighbourhood

Trendy London area Peckham is chock-full of fabulous restaurants, cultural hangouts and buzzing bars. The Club’s Marisa Cannon takes us on a tour

Boogie nights

Once a cricket bat factory, Peckham’s iconic Bussey Building was saved from demolition in 2009 and has since evolved into one of London’s leading arts and culture venues. Inside the multi-level block you’ll find live music nights from funk, soul and jazz artists, alternative disco nights playing garage, techno and house jams, plus film and comedy nights from some of the best names in the business. Looking out across the London skyline, there’s also a Rooftop Film Club (pictured) screening recent releases and cult classics – what could be better than an alfresco blockbuster with high-rise views, comfy deckchairs and unlimited popcorn?

Drinks of desire

Opened last winter across six floors of a multi-storey car park, Peckham Levels is the area’s newest cultural venue and where the city’s hipster set is known to gather. It’s also a family-friendly venue with wide-set tables, benches, space for children to play and some fab street-food stalls – but if it’s a stiff drink you’re after, look no further. Festooned with fairy lights, hanging plants and a slowly rotating disco ball, the sixth floor’s Near and Far bar (pictured) serves exotic cocktails that mix locally sourced ingredients with imports from around the world. If you’re a pub lover at heart, head to The Montpelier, just a five-minute walk away. Here you’ll find a colourful boozer that’s lively at weekends, with a range of craft beers on offer from local breweries such as Brick, Brixton and Gipsy Hill.

Culture vulture

Housed in an elegant 19th-century townhouse, the South London Gallery (pictured) opened in 1891 in a bid to make art more accessible to the working classes. The space has stayed true to its roots with ambitious outreach and education programmes, all the while featuring world-class contemporary artists including Antony Gormley, Tracey Emin and Gavin Turk. The gallery has recently been revamped to include a restful outdoor garden designed by Gabriel Orozco, with foliage curated by horticulturists from Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens. Stop at the Habit Café for a locally roasted coffee and the Habit Bap with black pudding, chilli jam and treacle-cured bacon – a breakfast of champions.

Rustic grub

Some of London’s most inspired gastronomes have infiltrated this part of town to open a chic set of cafés and pared-back restaurants serving inventive, beautifully crafted cuisine. One such establishment is Artusi, an intimate Italian restaurant whose chalkboard menu adapts to what’s fresh and seasonal, cooking up sharing plates of handmade pastas such as casarecce topped with wild garlic and almonds and tagliatelle with crab and chilli. Those seeking truly British nosh though should head to The Coal Rooms, where the roast lunch (pictured) will get you a sizeable stack of 40-day-aged Dexter sirloin, perfectly roasted potatoes and a Yorkshire pudding the size of a planet. Take it slow.

Shop till you drop

Peckham’s thriving creative community has produced a slew of one-of-a-kind boutiques and artist outlets. In the basement of the Bussey Building, pay a visit to Rye Wax, a slick community venue selling vinyl records, comics and graphic novels as well as music-related literature. A great date spot, there’s also a café and bar serving classic cocktails (two for £10 during happy hour). For a souvenir to remember, check out the Clay Store from The Kiln Rooms’ pottery studio (pictured), stocked with gorgeous ceramics ranging from dazzling table and homeware to colourful statement jewellery, all hand-crafted by local artists.

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This article has been tagged Destination, Travel Tips