The Brooklyn
of London is
Peckham.

See the 23 venues →Where to stay
The case for Peckham

Peckham doesn't try to impress you and that's exactly why it does. Rye Lane is a sensory overload of Afro-Caribbean grocers, Nigerian restaurants, and pound shops sitting next to natural wine bars. On a summer evening, everyone ends up on a rooftop somewhere, watching the sun drop behind the Shard. It earned its reputation honestly.

Rye Lane's half-mile stretch packs in over 60 shops inside Rye Lane Market alone, plus a dozen or more independent bars and restaurants spilling out across Copeland Park and the railway arches.
Close contenders

Other cool neighborhoods in London.

Dalston

Dalston got there first. Turkish grill spots on Kingsland Road, late-night clubs that don't card your vibe, and a Ridley Road Market that still feels real despite everything.

Camberwell

Camberwell lives off the energy of Camberwell College of Arts. Graduates who never left, studios above the shops on Church Street, and a pub scene that hasn't been replaced by cocktail bars yet. Quieter than Peckham, grittier than Dulwich, and currently having a moment.

Walthamstow

Walthamstow is the east London sleeper pick. The longest street market in Europe, a William Morris gallery, and breweries filling old industrial units along the marshes.

Three sides of the neighborhood

Where to go in Peckham.

01
Stay

Peckham's accommodation options are honest rather than glamorous - a pub with rooms on Choumert Road, a color-forward hotel in Camberwell, a converted Victorian warehouse by Tower Bridge.
02
Eat & Drink

Peckham eats everything - Thai on Bellenden Road, South African on Blenheim Grove, Nigerian along Rye Lane - and drinks natural wine until midnight.
03
Do & Shop

South London Gallery on Wednesday evenings is free and reliably interesting.
All 23 spots mapped out

Peckham, corner to corner.

Open in Maps →
Our 23 top picks

The Peckham guide.

Practical info

Good to know.

The boring numbers that decide whether you stay three days or four.

CurrencyGBP
LanguageEnglish
Cost level $$$$Expensive
Best monthsMay, June and September
Local time UTC+1
Plug type UK plug · 230V/50Hz
Emergency999
Local tip
Frank's Cafe on top of the Bussey Building car park only opens in summer. Get there before 6pm or face the queue.
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Head to head

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Common questions

Things to know about Peckham.

What is the Brooklyn of London?
The Brooklyn of London is Peckham. Peckham doesn't try to impress you and that's exactly why it does. Rye Lane's half-mile stretch packs in over 60 shops inside Rye Lane Market alone, plus a dozen or more independent bars and restaurants spilling out across Copeland Park and the railway arches.
What is the coolest neighborhood in London?
Peckham is widely considered the coolest neighborhood in London. Peckham doesn't try to impress you and that's exactly why it does. Rye Lane is a sensory overload of Afro-Caribbean grocers, Nigerian restaurants, and pound shops sitting next to natural wine bars. On a summer evening, everyone ends up on a rooftop somewhere, watching the sun drop behind the Shard. It earned its reputation honestly.
What is the hippest neighborhood in London?
Peckham is the hippest neighborhood in London. Rye Lane crams Nigerian restaurants, Afro-Caribbean grocers, and natural wine bars onto one street, and by sundown half the borough is drinking on a rooftop facing the Shard.
What is the trendiest neighborhood in London?
Peckham is London's trendiest neighborhood right now. The pound shops haven't left, but neither have the openings every other month, and that tension between old Peckham and new is exactly why people keep showing up.
Where do creatives live in London?
Peckham, in South London. Creatives work out of the railway arches and old industrial blocks, where studios sit alongside independent bars and restaurants. The free gallery runs interesting evening shows. On summer nights people gather on rooftops watching the sun drop behind the Shard.
What is the most bohemian neighborhood in London?
Peckham is London's most bohemian neighborhood. Rye Lane runs half a mile of Afro-Caribbean grocers, Nigerian restaurants, and pound shops sitting next to natural wine bars. It's gritty and multicultural and doesn't try to impress you. The market alone packs in over 60 shops. It earned its reputation honestly.
Where should I stay in Peckham, London?
The best boutique hotels in Peckham are The Victoria Inn and Church Street Hotel by Belvilla near The Oval. Victorian pub-with-rooms from 1878 on Choumert Road, with 15 en-suite bedrooms above a CAMRA-listed bar featuring original etched glass.
Is Peckham in London safe at night?
Peckham is a lived-in creative neighborhood, not a tourist compound. Bars and restaurants here stay busy late, which keeps streets active. Use normal city awareness.
Is London expensive?
London rates $$$$ on a global travel scale. One of the more expensive cities, but Peckham's independent spots are still better value than the touristic core.
When is the best time to visit London?
May, June and September are the best stretches, with temperatures of 18-24°C, long daylight and less rain than autumn - in June the sun lingers past 21:00. July and August warm up but get crowded. Pub gardens and Peckham rooftops run from late April through September. Bring a light layer whatever the month; evenings cool off fast even in high summer.

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