My favourite no-frills Malaysian restaurant and takeaway hidden away in a basement. Expect to queues for up to 30–40min, but well worth the wait.

London is so vast I am forever coming across new hidden gems. Walking around the streets and getting lost is the best way to find London's best kept secrets.

The Premises is cozy café attached to a recording studio in Hackney (frequented by Nina Simone, Al Green and Jarvis Cocker over the years.) Lovely people serve up tasty breakfasts and Turkish food in the evening.

London is blessed with many fine parks, but Brockwell is a real jewel in south London. A short walk or bus ride from Brixton, or right by Herne Hill overground station, the park includes large grassy areas, the fantastic Brockwell Lido (a vast open-air pool – hectic mid-summer unless you get in early - a 7am swim is utterly blissful), tennis courts, a bowling green, a BMX track, a mini-railway, a secret garden, and a few newly landscaped ponds. Perfect for a lazy summer day.

An excellent bookshop by Brick Lane, the interior design is incredible and the selection unexpected. A good place to get lost in!