Elephant and Castle - Things to do

Things to do around Globe: A Checklist.

While you could easily spend a weekend sightseeing in London, have you wondered what quirky places there are yet to be explored, where locals hang on a rainy day, and which bookshop has the best books AND the best coffees ? I can only share with you a few of my and other Globie’s recommendations on “Things to do”, right in the heart of Southwark borough.

Here are 11 cool, fun and hidden treasures around the area you cannot miss.

Roebuck | Pub

Afternoon - Midnight An independently owned pub with beautiful Victorian Architecture.

Little Louie | Cafe | Bar Morning - Evening Coffee by day, wine and cocktail by night, this cafe bar is delightful, charming and full of surprises.

What caught my eyes were the tiny tag on every piece of furniture, be it the chair you sat on, the tables you laid your plates, and the lamps that light the space. On the tags are the names and priced value assigned to each precious, vintage, and exotic items: stools found in a primary school, benches large enough for all your extended family, and shelves taller than your Dutch cousins.

Four Quarters | Arcade | Bar Morning - Evening

Arcade games in a bar serving craft beers and cocktails.

The outdoor seating area on Great Dover Street is populated with planters and young trees, attracting locals and passerbys for a sit down and a tea break. The charming fairy lights come on at night, contributing to a cosy vibe perfect for the winter.

Inside the building you are met with friendly staff and the stunning vintage decor; the lounge up the stairs have big windows, filling any group gatherings with sunlight and airyness. The only thing you might want to keep in mind is that it can get quite busy at times. That being said, I promise you the affable atmosphere will not disappoint.

Hotric charity shop | Charity Shop | Clothings Morning - Evening

Linked to a local church, they receive and sort all clothings brough in.

SideQuest Gamers Hub | Bubble Tea Cafe Morning - Evening This yellow cafe is a wallflower on New Kent Road, easily missed but I highly recommend it.

It is dietary friendly place and you can pick how much sugar and ice you want. My go-to choice has to be the signature tapioca milk tea with oat milk, no sugar and 10% ice. This image was drawn as an impression of the product - it is not to scale.

Elephant Park | Park Morning - Evening

A park in the centre of the Elephant Park Project - aims to be net zero carbon in its operation.

(See map for other nearby urban green pockets.)

Tucked into a new mixed-used development with residential, commercial, food & beverage zone, is a family-friendly public garden away from the busyness and pollution of the traffic. If you approach the recreation ground from New Kent Road, you may see a sea of children in the playground area, the entrance to the biodiversed oasis.

If you arrive the grounds on a sunny weekend, likely you will find a huge selection of fluffers and puppers wandering aimlessly with their hipster owners. This is unashamedly my favourite thing about London, but if you want to avoid them, the park is big enough for a hide and seek !

The cafe also sells cute, instagrammable cakes; merely looking at the aesthetically pleasing sweet tweets satisfy my desires everytime. On another note, I cannot forget the vending machine that sells mini baby figures with unproportionally large heads. What a place.

Mercato metropolitano | Food | Market | Music Morning - Evening

tweets satisfy my desires everytime. On another note, I cannot forget the vending machine that sells mini baby figures with unproportionally large heads. What a place.

Morocco Bound | Bookshop+ | Cafe | Bar | Music Morning - Evening

Hidden in the corner of Morocco Street, opposite the famous Spanish tapas restaurant - José, this unique bookshop and event space gathers local creatives who thrive in all forms of art.

White Cube | Gallery

There is never a bad time to visit this ever-evolving place (unless it’s a Monday, when the boutique is closed); people, live music, bookworms, spoken words, poems, DIY workshops manifest. In the day, the book shop smells like Moroccan coffee; by night everyone is holding a craft beer produced in a local brewery or sipping on a glass of gin from a local distillery.

White Cube is easily my most frequented gallery in South London because of its zen character also partly because I live and work in nearby. Its white spacious walls constantly lit by a blend of natural daylights, its sophisticated book store ooze pure art. As there is no entrance fee, nor is there a crazy amount of crowd, I made White Cube visit my monthly ritual, if not weekly.

Morning - Evening

Be prepared to see some new faces and/or bump into those more familar. The owners - an architect and a former GP couple - decorated the space with handmade bamboo bookshelves, colourful cushions and a ceiling tapestry hung together by wooden battens and heavily patterned fabric.

Globe | Church Whether you are a new christian, curious soul fresh to the city, a wandering passerby, a devoted follower of Jesus, or you don’t believe in God at all, I urge you to see this page as a sign to come into Globe on a Sunday or go on Globe’s social media page to see what events are on. I dare say that these Sunday gatherings are the most unspoken gems in the area because of the revelation and truth that is behind it.

Horangee Pocha | Karaoke | Restaurant

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

- Psalm 34:8

Korean Restaurant with a secret karaoke bar.

You might think that going is out of your way, but be assured that you will not be disappointed.

Afternoon - Midnight