An insider's neighbourhood guide to Clerkenwell
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Impossibly close to the centre of town, Clerkenwell somehow still feels like an oasis of calm in the bustle of London. It has a radical history, with long ties to working-class political movements as well as communism – Lenin lodged here in the early 1900s and it’s home to the Marx Memorial Library. Until 2008 the Guardian newspaper had its headquarters here and now the area is dotted with young media companies, glorious gastropubs and some of the best restaurants in London, but Clerkenwell sometimes still feels like a well-kept secret.
Due to the current situation, some of these places will be closed at the moment. Please check their websites for the latest details.
WHERE TO EAT IN CLERKENWELL
Sam HarrisSt John
It’s the restaurant that needs no introduction, but for the uninitiated here’s the deal: the first location of London’s finest opened in 1994 and quickly achieved cult status for simple but tremendously good food which treats every single part of the animal with equal respect. This nose-to-tail approach means trotters, faggots, kidney, tongue and bone marrow all make regular appearances on the menu. Do not be afraid. It is all delicious. Forget to order a side of gooey, Guinness-splashed Welsh rarebit at your peril.
Address: St John, 26 St John Street, London EC1M 4AY
Telephone: +44 20 7251 0848
Website: stjohnrestaurant.com
The Quality Chop House and Quality Wines
The picture of old-school elegance, The Quality Chop House is a spruced-up 19th-century dining room with a 21st-century menu. The meat-centric restaurant was built in 1869 but reopened in 2012, and its epic Sunday roasts are a thing of beauty. It’s easy to see why their crisp confit potatoes are one of London’s most famous dishes – order one with everything. If you haven’t time for a languorous three-hour meal, then visit Quality Wines next door, a well-stocked wine bar and shop, where you can nibble on small plates, knock back wines by the glass, and purchase deli goods and heroic sandwiches.
Address: The Quality Chop House and Quality Wines, 88-94 Farringdon Road, Farringdon, London EC1R 3EA
Telephone: +44 20 7278 1452
Website: thequalitychophouse.com
Berber & Q Shawarma Bar
The little sister of Haggerston’s Berber & Q Grill House, the Shawarma Bar brings Tel Aviv to Exmouth Market. It has been cooking up a storm on its spits since 2016, with Middle Eastern meats prepared rotisserie-style over wood and coals, leaving everything perfectly smoky. The chicken is always a winner, but make sure you don’t miss the mezze, with plates of piquillo peppers, beetroot tahini, labneh and baba ghanoush all served with challah bread. Wash it all down with a hot Turkish coffee with cardamom.
Address: Berber & Q Shawarma Bar, 46 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QE
Telephone: +44 20 7837 1726
Website: shawarmabar.co.ukThe Eagle
Britain’s first ever gastropub, The Eagle is still going strong almost 30 years after its much-copied model made its mark on London’s dining and drinking scene. Back in 1991, its melding of gourmet food and traditional boozing was revolutionary – pubs then were known for little more than bags of crisps and packets of pork scratchings. Now, it’s hard to go for more than a couple of feet in the capital without stumbling upon a pub with fabulous food. You can thank The Eagle for that. A new menu is chalked up every day on the blackboard; expect to see fresh grilled fish, lovingly prepared chops and veggie options, too.
Address: The Eagle, 159 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3AL
Telephone: 020 7837 1353
Website: theeaglefarringdon.co.uk
Cafe Kick
A sports bar, but not as you know it. Forget the groups of lads, this friendly and almost rustic-feeling spot is so named for its traditional French table-football set-up, which has been drawing in the crowds since 1997. More like a chilled-out European café than town-centre tourist trap, it also screens regular football games which you can enjoy with a Portuguese Sagres lager alongside a Spanish cheese or meat platter. It’s also open early in the morning if you need a coffee and breakfast bagel.
Address: Cafe Kick, 43 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QL
Telephone: +44 20 7837 8077
Website: cafekick.co.uk
Moro
Opening in 1997, Moro was one of the first fine dining spots in the now thriving foodie paradise that is Exmouth Market. It’s still very much worth a visit, with Southern Mediterranean food that highlights the very best of Spanish and Moroccan cooking. Make sure you finish your meal with the pistachio and pomegranate-laden yogurt cake – and if you struggle to get a table, Moro’s little sister, tapas bar Morito, is just next door. It’s a more casual – but every bit as delicious – affair.
Address: Moro, 34-36 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QE
Telephone: +44 20 7833 8336
Website: moro.co.ukLeather Lane market
One of London’s last traditional street markets, Leather Lane has seen regular trade for the past 400 years and is still going strong. On weekday lunch times it’s the perfect place to grab a bite from a variety of street-food stalls and carts with a global offering of select delicacies.
Address: Leather Lane, EC1N 7TJ
Read more about the best restaurants in Clerkenwell
WHERE TO DRINK IN CLERKENWELL
Pictured: Berber & Q Shawarma bar
Jerusalem Tavern
Tiny but cosy, this is the London home of St Peter’s Brewery, which is based in rural Suffolk. You can see why this intimate, creaky spot took their fancy – the building dates from the 1720s and you can practically feel the history oozing out the walls, even though it only became a pub in the 1990s. Sample the whole range of St Peter’s beers and ales here – keg, cask and bottled – though we probably wouldn’t recommend doing so in one sitting.
Address: Jerusalem Tavern, 55 Britton Street, London EC1M 5UQ
Telephone: +44 20 7490 4281
Website: stpetersbrewery.co.ukThree Kings
Paying tribute to a slightly unexpected trio of kings – King Henry VIII, King Kong and Elvis – this cosy pub’s name sets the tone for its somewhat unconventional way of doing things. The small space means it always feels like something exciting is happening here, and very often there is. On Monday nights there’s a pub quiz, acoustic singer-songwriters regularly pop up for gigs, and there are regular DJs. Fancy a quiet drink? Then you’re probably better off somewhere else.
Address: Three Kings, 7 Clerkenwell Close, EC1R 0DY
Telephone: 020 7253 0483
Website:threekingsclerkenwell.co.ukFind more of the best pubs in London here
Getty ImagesFabric
London’s most famous nightclub, Fabric has been a Clerkenwell mainstay for two decades, opening up in 1999 and carrying the torch onwards from long-gone, hard-partying neighbour Turnmills. It’s had its ups and downs – it closed its doors in 2016 and reopened the following year – but the converted cold-storage space (it sits right opposite Smithfield Market) is top of the list when it comes to techno, house, drum’n’bass and disco, with the biggest DJs in the world all vying over who gets to command its vibrating dancefloor.
Address: Fabric, 77A Charterhouse Street, London EC1M 6HJ
Telephone: +44 20 7336 8898
Website: fabriclondon.comWHERE TO SHOP IN CLERKENWELL
Botanique Workshop
Run by Alice Howard, this artisan florist caters for all your plant-based needs, big or small. Leave with anything from a tiny packet of seeds to a hefty cheese plant, or thoughtfully put-together bouquets of blooms and tasteful terrariums. If you’re not overly green-fingered there’s other kinds of pretty things available, with local crafters’ work up for sale, including cards, jewellery, handmade tiles and scented candles.
Address: Botanique Workshop, 31 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QL
Telephone: +44 20 7833 2811
Website: botaniqueworkshop.comThe Family Business
One of the UK’s most respected tattoo parlours, the traditional-style Family Business was opened by Mo Coppoletta in 2003 and it’s been buzzing – quite literally – ever since. A number of talented artists work out of this elegant storefront, and it counts the likes of Kate Moss, Paloma Faith and Jude Law as customers. If you’re looking for fresh ink, it’s one of the best. Just remember to get in there early – people travel from all over the world to get work done here and their books fill up fast.
**Address:**The Family Business, 58 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QE
Telephone: +44 20 7278 9526
Website: thefamilybusinesstattoo.com
magCulture
Whoever said print media was dead obviously hasn’t been to magCulture. Tucked away among a parade of shops, this haven for all things glossy stocks more than 500 magazines from across the world. Fashion, music, travel, politics, interiors, food, sports and style, this place has something for everybody, even those who only usually read anything if it’s on their phone screen.
Address: magCulture, 270 St John Street, London EC1V 4PE
Telephone:+44 20 3759 8022
Website: magculture.comSpa Fields
Just around the corner from buzzing Exmouth Market lies the urban sanctuary that is Spa Fields park. On a sunny day there are local office workers eating lunch they’ve just picked up from the market stalls, as well as kids in the playground, exercise buffs hitting up the workout area and tennis players who’ve bagged the free court. All sounds a bit too strenuous? Just take a stroll and get a lungful of the lush lavender garden.
Address: Spa Fields, 91 Skinner Street, London EC1R 0WX
Website: islington.gov.uk
International Magic Shop
Quirky and welcoming, the family-run International Magic Shop has been on the same site since the 1960s. Drop in and you might just see a card-trick demo behind the counter. If not, make your own magic and pick up some literature on how to do it yourself. It also stocks classic stocking-filler-style jokes and more books on sleight of hand than you ever thought possible.
Address: International Magic Shop, 89 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1R 5BX
Telephone: +44 20 7405 7324
Website: internationalmagic.com
EC One
In the shadow of London’s jewellery district Hatton Gardens you’ll find independent jewellery store EC One. Named Ethical Jeweller of the Year 2019, it sells its own elegant, simple designs as well as stocking select pieces from guest designers. For something truly special and personal, the bespoke service can help with creating the perfect engagement ring. Or just buy off the shelf with affordable pieces mixed in with big-budget stunners.
Address: EC One, 41 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QL
Telephone: +44 20 7713 6185
Website: econe.co.ukWHERE TO STAY IN CLERKENWELL
Zetter Townhouse
There may only be 13 bedrooms in Zetter Townhouse’s Clerkenwell outpost set in an original Georgian property, but that makes it even more special. If you’re looking for somewhere decadent to stay, then splash out on one of two lavish suites. Our favourite is the Townhouse Apartment, with its rolltop bath and Mary Poppins views across London. You don’t have to stay here to enjoy its beauty either; come for afternoon tea and scones or a rosehip Daiquiri in the lavish cocktail bar.
Address: Zetter Townhouse, 49-50 St John's Square, London EC1V 4JJ
Telephone: +44 20 7324 4545
Website: booking.com
The Rookery
Clerkenwell does boutique hotels exceptionally well. A sister hotel to perennial Soho favourite Hazlitt’s, the 18th-century buildings of the Rookery are all about old-school charm. Think four-poster oak beds, original flagstones on the floor, and the distinct feeling that you might have wandered into a Daniel Defoe novel. The perfect historic base for exploring the area, it’s an equally good place to while away a weekend inside with the company of hotel cat Bagheera. The best room in the house is the Rook’s Nest, a two-storey penthouse suite with a sitting room under a grand 40ft spire.
Address: The Rookery, 12 Peter's Lane, Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6DS
Telephone: +44 20 7336 0931
Website: booking.comKeep scrolling for more pictures of Clerkenwell
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The Quality Chop House and Quality Wines
The Quality Chop House and Quality Wines
The Quality Chop House and Quality Wines
The Quality Chop House and Quality Wines
The Quality Chop House and Quality Wines
The Quality Chop House and Quality Wines
The Quality Chop House and Quality Wines
The Quality Chop House and Quality Wines
Berber & Q Shawarma bar
Berber & Q Shawarma bar
Berber & Q Shawarma bar
Berber & Q Shawarma bar
Moro
Moro
Moro
Cafe Kick
Mag Culture
Mag Culture
Mag Culture
EC One
The Rookery
The Rookery