5 Hidden Gems To Discover On The Thames
As a non-native Londoner, the South Bank will always hold a special place in my heart. My earliest memories of visiting the city are almost exclusively tied to that iconic stretch of the river. So any chance to pay it a visit, wander through the exhibitions or soak up the skyline is one I quickly grab.
In Partnership With The South Bank
Whether you’re up for the day or a lifelong local, few places let you romanticise the city quite like this one. Here are 5 hidden gems to explore on your next visit.
As a non-native Londoner, the South Bank will always hold a special place in my heart. So any chance to pay it a visit, wander through the exhibitions or soak up the skyline is one I quickly grab.
Amelia, Culture & Lifestyle Editor
1. Leake Street
Tucked beneath the railway lines, Leake Street is home to London’s iconic graffiti tunnel. The walls are constantly repainted, so whatever caught your eye last time you visited has probably already been painted over by something new.
If you’re lucky, you may even catch an artist mid-piece, spray can in hand, adding the next layer to what’s become one of the city’s most dynamic canvases. It’s one of those rare spots that you can walk through in five minutes or spend an hour exploring, depending on how much time you’ve got.
2. Landmark exhibitions
This year marks 75 years since the Festival of Britain, the event that first put this stretch of the river on the map as a home for culture and creativity, and that legacy is still very much alive.
To mark the Southbank Centre’s own 75th anniversary, illustrator Sir Quentin Blake created The Southbank Parade, a series of illustrations celebrating the performers and characters who’ve shaped the area over the decades. Keep an eye out for rock stars, ballet dancers, authors and jazz singers woven through the artwork, alongside a nod to the Londoners who keep the riverfront lively every single day.
October also marks your last chance to catch Anish Kapoor’s landmark exhibition at the Hayward Gallery. Spanning the whole gallery and its terraces, it brings together new commissions and works spanning five decades, including warped mirrors, deep black sculptures and immersive installations that play with scale and perception.
It’s one of the best exhibitions in London at the moment, and not one to miss, so make sure to book your tickets now.
3. A rooftop escape at Queen Elizabeth Hall
If you want to escape the crowds and noise below, head straight to the Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden. Tucked away above the street, it offers a green pocket of calm with views stretching out across the Thames and the London skyline.
It’s easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there, but it’s worth the climb for a coffee on a quiet afternoon or a round of drinks as the sun starts to go down. Few spots in the area offer this much space to breathe while still being right in the middle of everything.
It’s easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there, but it’s worth the climb for a coffee on a quiet afternoon or a round of drinks as the sun starts to go down.
4. Independent businesses
Skip the high street and head up into Oxo Tower Wharf instead, where the second and third floors are home to designer maker studios rather than chain shops.
Jewellery, ceramics, textiles and homeware fill the space, often made by the very people you’ll meet behind the counter. For an evening out, Big Belly Comedy Club brings together big names and rising talent under one roof, making it a solid bet whether you’re a comedy regular or just fancy a laugh.
5. Delicious food offerings
The South Bank’s food and drink scene isn’t one to skip either. One of my personal favourites, Forza Wine sits right on the National Theatre’s riverside terrace, serving seasonal sharing plates alongside low intervention wines.
Meanwhile, hidden away at County Hall, Okan brings a slice of Osaka to London, with around 20 seats, an open kitchen and a menu built around okonomiyaki and Japanese small plates that echo founder Moto Priestman’s hometown. Near Waterloo, The Archduke also serves up steaks, wine and live jazz every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from beneath the railway arches.
A destination worth returning to
Even if you think you know South Bank well, there’s always something new waiting to be found, whether it’s a fresh piece of street art at Leake Street, a character in the Quentin Blake illustrations you hadn’t spotted before, or a small restaurant you’d never noticed tucked under an arch. As summer winds down, it’s the perfect excuse to take a longer route through the neighbourhood and see what else it’s been hiding.
As summer winds down, it’s the perfect excuse to take a longer route through the neighbourhood and see what else it’s been hiding.
