In our new section for sustainability, we show our guests around the hottest, greenest places on our patch. This ranges from boutique and vintage shopping to museums and repair shops to the neighbourhood’s most loved green, organic or eco-friendly restaurants and bars. We call it The Good Guide – happy exploring.
Curious?
Transition Town is a global movement of grassroots projects responding to climate change. The Crystal Palace community has a plethora of eco projects going at any one time, all geared towards sustainability and reducing carbon footprints; whether that’s via shopping, transport, waste, food, recycling, repair or energy. The group’s hugely popular Crystal Palace Food Market showcases small, sustainable farming and producers, usually with extras such as performances, kids’ activities or handmade gift stalls.
5 Lambeth Palace Road,
London SE1 7LB
Housed in a church on the bank of the Thames – with a knockout view from its medieval tower – the Garden Museum is the only one of its kind in Britain, celebrating gardens through its collection of art, history and exhibitions. Go for the verdant history and an education on one of Britain’s favourite hobbies, then hit the café; a hidden spot with a seasonal menu of classics with a contemporary spin.
Feeling spenny
32-33 Granville Arcade, Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8PR
Head to ethical Brixton Village haunt The Keep – a womenswear and lifestyle boutique passionate about craftsmanship and sustainability. Choose from an exquisite hand-picked range of brands with ethical credentials, from lambswool gloves to vegan wallets, and enjoy a spot of mindful shopping.
121 Bellenden Road, London SE15 4QY
A market with a mission, Gather is an organic refill shop and social enterprise that aims to help the local community lower its environmental impact. Skip single-use plastics and fill your own jar or bottle with cereals, vinegars, pasta, pulses or bathroom and cleaning products, all from ethical brands. Half the profit here goes to community projects and environmental charities.
Hungry?
42 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6DR
Dine on delicious cuisine from around the world at vibrant Mercato Metropolitano, London’s first sustainable community food market.
The Fire Station, 139 Tooley Street, London SE1 2HZ
A restaurant built with a social purpose, The Brigade Bar + Kitchen is an all-day brasserie serving British seasonal produce. Together with The Beyond Food Foundation, it trains hundreds of apprentices and helps vulnerable people and those fallen on hard times to break into culinary careers.
Thirsty?
The Brunel Museum, Railway Avenue, London SE16 4LF
Hidden atop the Brunel Museum sits a candlelit roof garden. It’s the brainchild of Lottie Muir – aka the Cocktail Gardener – who transformed the unloved space into a cosy bar back in 2012. The menu uses locally-made spirits and ingredients from the garden’s veg and herb patches (so it changes regularly). Soak ‘em in while toasting a marshmallow over one of the open-air firepits.
8 Holyrood Street, London SE1 2EL
Tucked away in a Victorian basement in Bermondsey, Nine Lives is a neighbourhood bar with the ethos “nothing wasted, everything lovingly sourced and selected with intention”. This means a zero-waste approach to cocktail-making, with eco-friendly ingredients and herbs from an urban garden. As a bonus, you’ll find seasonal and sustainably sourced seafood tacos from the food truck outside.