9 Reasons Why You Need to visit Peckham

If you’re looking for a cool place to visit in London that is slightly off the beaten track and just begging for a visit - then hop on the ginger line and head to Peckham, SE15. This creative South East London district is less than 15 minutes from London Victoria by train and has even been named the eleventh coolest neighbourhood in the world by Time Out. Fancy finding out the best things to do in Peckham written by a local, who actually knows Peckham’s hidden gems? Then read on as we give you a rundown of 9 reasons why you need to visit Peckham.

1. Explore our exciting art scene

Peckham has a super-rich arts scene - it’s home to Goldsmiths University, which is internationally known for its creativity and innovation, it has an incredible network of creative alumni, including seven Turner Prize winners and recipients of Oscars, Mercury Music prizes and BAFTAS.

Art and creativity is in Peckham’s DNA which is why there are so many galleries and creative spaces to check out; Museum of Contemporary Art down Bellenden Road, founded in 1994 as a project-based museum, South London Gallery which features new work by British and international artists by those who have rarely or never had a solo show in London and the Hannah Barry Gallery, which was opened to continue the work of the renowned Peckham squat at 78 Lyndhurst Way exhibiting work from an array of artists with varying practices.

Peckham is also home to Copeland Park and The legendary Bussey Building- which serves as the area’s social and cultural centre with its studios, workshops and business spaces as well as underground bar Rye Wax and Bussey Rooftop bar. Situated in the courtyard you will also find Copeland Park Gallery which regularly hosts local art exhibitions and creative events.

2. Enjoy drinks with a rooftop view - Peckham’s 5 rooftop bars

For such a small corner of London Peckham is home to 5 of the best London rooftop venues.

Of course, we have to start with Frank’s Cafe - if you haven’t heard of Frank’s bar, where have you been? This bar on the roof of a multi-storey car park is known for its panoramic London views, Bold Tendencies Art, sunset spritzes and of course the most Instagram-worthy pink staircase.

Two new rooftop bars opened this Summer in Peckham - first to open was Forza Wine. This fifth-floor terrace stylish bar is owned by the same team behind popular Peckham Italian restaurant Forza Win. It calls itself a “boozy fun time place.” With everything from flatbread to clams to milk soft serve caramel biscotti (and everything in between).

Next to open this summer was the CLF Art Lounge - the latest venue from The Chronic Love Foundation (CLF) - joining CLF Art Cafe and Rye Wax. You can expect live performances, cabaret and comedy shows. The Hennessy Roof Garden has stunning views, incredible drinks, live music and is open six days a week all year round!

The Bussey Rooftop bar is famous for being the highest drinking spot in all of Peckham, plus it has absolutely delicious drinks, food and the best view of the London skyline. It is closed during the winter, so make sure to put this on your list for a summertime visit.

The Rye Society which is also located on the Bussey rooftop has a great view of Copeland Park. During the Summer months, it serves craft beer and features local microbreweries plus high-quality craft beer options from outside of London.

3. Fill up your plate - there’s plenty to choose from

We can’t write a Peckham round up and not include the amazing restaurants we have right on our doorstep. Peckham has a super impressive, foodie scene, it boasts some of the best restaurants in London.

Inspired by “bistronomy” Levan is an all-day bar and restaurant that serves European dishes inspired by the owners’ favourite restaurants in Paris, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Stockholm and Berlin.

For vegan diners (and anyone who appreciates gourmet food), Naifs is the place to go. From ex-Vanilla Black sous chef Tom Heale, this new bistro-style restaurant calls itself “fine dining in a homely setting.”

The ultimate Vegetarian & Vegan Peckham restaurant guide 2019

If tapas is your thing, then head to Miss Tapas! This restaurant mixes Spanish tapas with a cool London vibe, think exposed brick walls, cast iron stools and reclaimed barrels. Miss Tapas has been serving up hearty tapas plates since opening in 2014 - sharing plates include; Padron peppers, patatas bravas, Grilled squid with Arroz negro.
A hugely popular (albeit hard to find) place to check out is Yadas, a tiny Kurdish restaurant down a cobblestone backstreet near Peckham Rye station featuring plates of lamb and chicken shawarma, kubba and mixed platter that are very reasonably priced. An absolutely must-visit!

Have our read of Everything you need to know about Yada's: Peckham's hidden gem.

As well as trendy restaurants, Peckham also has a great mix of street food vendors like Salas food truck which is always busy on the weekend serving Turkish inspired wraps. You can choose from a toasted flatbread wrap of either falafel, chicken shawarma, lamb merguez/shawarma or spiced halloumi. Tucked down the alley opposite Peckham Rye station you will find Asian Takeaway (yup that is what it is called). A small shack that contains a tandoor (big clay-like oven) where they cook fresh naan, kebabs, and a have a vast array of curries.

Special offers and discounts: eat at your favourite Peckham restaurants for cheap

4. Cocktail hour is pretty damn good

There are lots of things people say about Peckham but one thing is for sure, Peckham knows how to make a decent cocktail. A firm favourite with locals and visitors alike is Peckham Springs. You will this festoon-lit bar under the arches of Peckham Rye station. It has a great performance space, art gallery, fully heated winter garden and a cocktail bar. If you visit on the weekend, you can expect to find DJs, flower markets, record fairs and independent film screenings.

Peckham’s newest bar, Zapoi, is definitely one to check out. You will find it on Rye Lane and it is one of the cutest cocktail bars around - think shabby-chic. It’s a spacious Peckham bar spanning across two floors, downstairs you will find the bar serving up stylish cocktails and upstairs is a chill-out lounge area with sofas and comfy seating.

Two Hundred Rye Lane is a one-stop-shop for cocktails, small plates and brunch. They make incredible cocktails which are worth trying during their Happy Hour where all house cocktails are £5.

Another great independent bar is Funkidory- a cocktail bar that celebrates style, flavour and funk. It serves “thoughtfully made” drinks that are created with the neighbourhood in mind. Take a seat at the bar and watch co-owner and award-winning mixologist Sergio mix up a cocktail to your liking - there is real art and precision to each cocktail he makes, which is evident in both presentation and taste.

There are too many cool independent bars in Peckham to list them all - check out the full list here.

After Hours: The late-night Peckham bar guide

5. Tune in to local music

Thanks to its artsy culture, there is loads of live music, DJ’s nights and gigs to enjoy in the area. Check out Tola, Bussey Building, Canavans and the recently opened Peckham Audio club for late-night DJ sets (some open until 5 am!).

If you looking for live jazz and local bands - head to The Ivy Pub - a grade II listed pub which dates back to the 1930s and London’s first cooperatively owned pub. Every Sunday they have live jazz and one on the Friday of the month they have live Folk music. You will also find live jazz, brass bands and acoustic nights at the newly opened CLF Art Lounge, a lounge bar with a nod to 1920’s speakeasy bar.

We also have a couple of super cool local radio stations like Balamii - tune in and listen to lots of up and coming DJ’s play and download their sets. Playing from Peckham Levels we have Foundation.fm which focuses on bringing female and diverse talent to the airwaves.

There are lots of fruit and veg stalls down Rye lane

6. Eccentric yet charming Rye Lane

Rye Lane (where singer Rhianna shot her fashion campaign) is the heart and soul of Peckham. Walking out of Peckham Rye station you will be hit by the smells, sounds and sights of fruit and veg traders, meat and fish markets, busy nail and hair salons blasting reggae music out - lots of these businesses have been trading in Peckham for a couple of decades (and we hope will continue to do so)! Shop at lots of small independent brands like retro streetwear brand Wavey Garms, African fashion shop Loves in Holdrons Arcade and trendy charity shop Traid. Find something (anything) at much loved Khan’s bargains which literally sells everything and anything including lots of Middle Eastern spices and delicacies, catch a film for £4.99 at London’s only indie cinema Peckham Plex, and grab a coffee at Brick House Bakery.

Just off Rye Lane, you will find the charming village-like Bellenden Road. Home to elegant Georgian houses, independent boutiques like D.A.Y and Form SE15, gastropubs like The Victoria Inn as well as cute cafe Anderson & Co and Thai restaurant The Begging Bowl.

7. Take a look around the multi-storey arts space

Next to PeckhamPlex cinema you will find Peckham Levels - a transformed car park that has become a multi-storey arts space. It opened in 2017 to make use of underutilised space and turn it into a hub of artists studios, maker spaces, offices, coworking, events, food and retail spaces. Choose to eat from a diverse range of food traders like Kurdish food from Nadine, Chinese street food from Hao Hao Chi and fried chicken burgers from Other Side Fried. You will also find Near and Far bar on Level 6 - a lively bar adorned with palm prints, disco balls and neon signs. Peckham Levels also puts on lots of free events for the community to enjoy such as the monthly film night, Deeper into the Movies, business meetups as well as lots of free music to enjoy.

8. Visit the magnificent and historic cemetery

It’s worth extending your visit to Peckham in order to check out The Nunhead Cemetery. It is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries in London and even though it might be the least famous, it is one of the most beautiful. For those looking for a bit of history, be sure to stop in and take in the graves of William Brough, Cicely Not, and Alfred Vance, among other notables. You will find magnificent monuments, views of St Paul's Cathedral and the beautiful Anglican chapel. Once you have taken a walk through Nunhead Cemetery venture down to Nunhead village. Sandwiched between Peckham and East Dulwich you will find the cute ‘villagey’ Nunhead Green which is home to lots of well-established businesses like one of London’s best fishmongers F.C.Soper, H A Smith & Sons butchers, Ayres Bakery and popular locals pub The Old Nunhead’s. You will also find shops like minimalist homeware store Alkemi and Zero-waste shop BYO. Be sure to grab a coffee at Goodcup and try the sharing board at Parisian style bar-restaurant, Babette.

9. Try some of the best vegetarian and vegan dishes London has to offer

When it comes to catering for meat-free diners Peckham is definitely vegan and veggie-friendly! There is now a variety of Vegan and Vegetarian restaurants in Peckham to choose from like Persian restaurant Persepolis, Deserted Cactus which serves homemade Vegan Caribbean food like southern fried jackfruit and vegan cafes like The Odds which does a great vegan brunch and 2 Girls Cafe who have a whole range of vegan sweet treats. Other popular restaurants in Peckham have great veggie options that have been specially curated for its plant-based foodies. Mr Boa has a whole vegan menu filled with scrumptious veggie buns like the tofu boa, Codfellas does the most AMAZING tofish and chips, popular Vietnamese restaurant Banh Banh has lots of veggie options on its menu like vegan spring rolls, bbq aubergine and lemongrass tofu curry. If you want more veggie inspo check out our ultimate veggie and vegan food guide!

Written by SouthEast15 founder and SE15 resident Fifi

So there you have it, 9 reasons why you simply must visit Peckham! It definitely is one of the most interesting, creative and diverse places in London.

Still not convinced? How about checking out what kind of events we have going on in SE15?

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