Our Guide to Camberwell
Where we live and work....
Late Afternoon’s studio is tucked in cobbled Vanguard Court, alongside prop-makers, jewellers, artist and even a stonemason. Given how much time we spend in the area, we thought we’d make a guide to our favourite haunts for those yet to get to know Camberwell’s charms.
Camberwell is a curious place. It seems to elicit fanatical local pride from those that live here (like our co-founder Rose), even if its charms could seem elusive just passing through. The official motto is “All’s well”, which gives a clue to why people love the casual, inclusive, slightly-crackers atmosphere.
Combining residents from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds with a strong showing of art students and makers, it has remained comfortingly casual and attracts those drawn to its quirky side. Even the residents of the well-to-do roads are pleasingly eccentric and the gentrified pubs resolutely not posh.
Everyone and their dog will tell you to go to Silk Road, Toad Bakery and FM Mangal (and they’re right!). But our personal favourites are below.
A Day in Camberwell...
Before you hit up the food options...
A Visit to South London Gallery
Next to the art college this contemporary gallery stages regular exhibitions and acts as a hub for the neighbourhood’s art crowd. The café is always stuffed and good for people watching.
A Sauna in Ruskin Park
Brand new and our co-founder Claire’s favourite of the local options, this community sauna is in one of the local parks on the southern fringe of Camberwell.
A Class at Zen Yoga
This tiny studio on beautiful Grove Land offers all manner of yoga, meditation and sound bath classes as well as a community acupuncture clinic.
JazzLive in the Crypt
Tucked beneath the church is a serious jazz club. Booking required for acts from all over the world.
The Classics
These restaurants never fail.
The Camberwell Arms
This stone-cold classic neighbourhood restaurant is much-loved for its quality, interesting food, reasonable pricing and relaxed vibe. Locals pop in and chance grabbing a spot in the front for pints or martinis but if you want Sunday lunch (which you do…trust us) then book well in advance.
Fun fact: our co-founder Rose celebrated her wedding here.
Theo’s Pizzeria
In our passionately-held opinion, this is the best pizza in London. And the accessory factors are all excellent too: they freeze the beer glasses; serve all the amaro Italian cocktail classics and even have a pizza dough ice-cream sandwich for dessert. Make sure you try the house chilli sauce.
Café Mondo
As Claire said after her first visit, “ the vibe is impeccable” in this spirited new sandwich joint. They specialise in gourmet dirty subs much-loved by instagram food bloggers, but our favourites are their less ‘grammable counter sarnies and other dishes, like the latkes and deep-fried treacle tart. They have a sunny garden and are a night-time restaurant too open for proper alcoholic drinks and a longer menu.
The Kerfield Arms
An experienced team from The Baring in Hoxton have just Farrow & Ball-ed this once-forgettable pub into a chic new gastropub (sorry but that’s what it is). Thus far, we’ve only managed a few drinks there and salivated over the menu, but reports from others are strong.
Top 3 Cheap Lunch Eats
All under a tenner.
Falafel Wrap from Falafel & Shawarma
Ask for garlic and chilli sauce. Under a fiver and the best on the road. Don’t be put off by the queue - it moves quick.
Panuozzo from Theo’s
They only serve these pizza dough wood-fired sandwiches at lunchtime and they are properly filling.
Small Kebab Wrap from FM Mangal
Homemade herby, chilli kofta grilled over this Turkish joint’s real coal grill and served with homemade salads and some sort of magic sauce. Also great for dinner.
Save our list to your Maps.
Save our favourite spots to your Google Maps so you can easily find them when you visit the area. We threw in a couple of extras not written about above…