Incredible building centred in the heart of London. Great for exhibitions, David Hockney is currently showing here.

A green oasis in Hackney, offering affordable, beautiful plants. A jungle full of inspiration. (Pic from meltingbutter.com)

A slice of Scandi in the heart of London. Great for lunch, with all the meatballs, salads and classic Scandi foods you could want, along with a great little deli shop too.

The St Bride Foundation is the home of the St Bride Library, an incredible resource of printing history, in the form of books, printed ephemera, and tools from the trade. It also hosts many fantastic talks each year – check their website for details.

The Almeida, in Islington, is a small theatre with big influence. It's an intimate place to discover groundbreaking theatre and get up close to some of Britain's leading actors. The cafe/bar across has a constantly-changing tasty menu, relaxed atmosphere and free wifi. Open all day and great place to spend time even if you're not going to catch a production.