Bermondsey Street

When traveling to urban locations, do you like to stay in the heart of things—right in with the attractions and historical sites? Or do you like to be away from the hustle and bustle? I like to find that sweet spot of having access to destinations yet staying in a neighborhood that offers a bit of “local” to come home to after a day of sightseeing. On a recent trip to London, that sweet spot was found in London’s Bermondsey neighborhood in the Southern Borough of Southwark. Once in the neighborhood, we could forget we were just a five-minute walk to London Bridge station, which is the fourth busiest station in the country and provides efficient access to the greater London area.

The evening of our London arrival found us at José Tapas Bar, described by the founder as “inspired by the bustling tapas bars around La Boquería market in Barcelona and the traditional tapas bars in the hot, dusty towns and villages of Andalucía.” With its windows wide open to the streets, the bar was a relaxing place to enjoy fabulous tapas and plan out our days.

Another evening found us at Franco Manca, eating pizza with dough made fresh on site every day from a 15th century starter and ingredients sourced from Spain and Italy. We enjoyed a traditional British Sunday roast dinner at The Garrison, where the focus is on “fresh British produce with the chefs changing menus frequently to highlight the best seasonal offering, sourced from local Bermondsey suppliers, and predominately from British farms and fishermen.” We spent a lovely evening at B Street Deli for a charcuterie and cheese board, and our final evening we enjoyed dinner and wine outside under the lights at  Tanner & Co.

Several stops at the Giddy Grocer provided us with fresh fruit to take back to our flat. Mornings had us stopping for cappuccino at B Street Deli and, on the best of those mornings, sipping outside.

A short walk from Bermondsey is the famous Borough Market, London’s oldest food market, described on their website as “a riot of colours, smells and human engagement. The traders—a vast repository of culinary knowledge—are only too happy to share their expertise with shoppers, or else just pass the time of day.” The treasured Borough Market is nothing short of atmospheric, and our visits there were too short.

Our other stops on Bermondsey Street included Eames Fine Art, featuring works by Anita Klein, and London Glassblowing. Next time we won’t miss dinner at The Woolpack, breakfast at Al’s Café, and a purchase at Mary’s Living and Giving Shop.

The Bermondsey neighborhood gave us the perfect balance to our busy excursions in London. It was fun to return at the end of the day and walk along Bermondsey Street, deciding where to stop for dinner, a sip, and a moment to plan the next day’s outing.

Have you been to London?  In what neighborhood did you stay?