A short walk from Oxford Circus tube station, Kaffeine is easily one of the best coffee houses in London. Whenever I'm working in the area I pop in beforehand to kick start my day with a well-made cappuccino.

Lovely, open space close to Highbury and Islington with tennis courts, netball courts, kids' playground and Parkrun on a Saturday morning at 9am!  

The Garden Museum and the Garden Museum Cafe are a welcome addition to an area of London that is slow to change. The food at the cafe is modern and seasonal, and the space is beautiful and looks out into a small garden by Dan Pearson. Christopher Woodward, the museum director, is active in improving and campaigning for local green spaces and creating space for the local community. The Museum lives inside an old 18th-century church and has a changing program of exhibits. Worth noting, it is a museum on the subject of gardening, not of gardens, so don’t expect many flower beds. Throughout the summer holidays, the Museum has lots of great events for kids, including cooking and drawing. Luke and I also designed the identity for the museum… the tote bags and visitor badges are particularly nice.

Donlon Books is an atmospheric little bookstore on Broadway Market (in East London.) They sell rare art books, style publications, and homemade photography zines.

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.