Specialising in photography & fashion books and magazines, this independent shop can be a goldmine for rare and out of print books. Also if you’re lucky you’ll meet Otis, the lovely pug-cross resident.

Great food and atmosphere in Brixton. Try their Vegan Viking pizza: Cashew cheese, pistachio pesto, red chillies, rocket and mint or their Cauliflower cheese arancini. And who doesn't like a bottomless brunch in the weekends?

The fantastical shop front for the children’s literacy charity, the Ministry of Stories – which offers one-to-one writing tuition for local kids. The shop sells ‘Bespoke and Everyday Items for the Living, Dead and Undead’, including Thickest Human Snot, Compacted Earwax, and Tinned Fear. (And all their products make perfect presents for humans.) All proceeds go to the charity.

One of those rarely found shops that inspires one to craft and creativity. A huge selection of high quality papers to print and draw on, to cut, fold, glue or just wrap presents with.

Bordering the west side of Victoria Park, Regent's Canal serves as a pleasant walking or riding track, particularly on weekends when it's at it's quietest.