Discover Lewisham
Whether it’s relaxing in our award-winning parks, attending an outdoor festival, or exploring the local cafes and arts scene, there’s plenty to enjoy - and it's only an 11-minute direct train journey from London Bridge station.
Here's our guide for a great summer in Lewisham:
Festival fun
Our borough is buzzing with fantastic outdoor festivals that bring music, art, and culture to life.
Music, Jerk n Tings festival
Saturday 10 August, 1pm to 6pm at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, SE23 3PQ.
Friday, 16 August 2024, 12pm to 10pm at Beckenham Place Park.
So Last Century vintage market
Monday, 26 August, 10am to 5pm at Beckenham Place Park Mansion.
Food scene (cafes, restaurants, local markets, food stores)
Lewisham’s fantastic cafes, restaurants, shops and markets have all your foodie needs covered.
Restaurants and cafes
Amrutha a great new vegan restaurant, has a pay what you feel policy, incredible food, one of the best restaurants I’ve been to in my life, has broughtlots of people to Honor Oak which helps local businesses.
Multi-award-winning gourmet Indian restaurant and takeaway in a contemporary dining room with modern art.
The Bar Beach offers great comfort food in a traditional bar style atmosphere, complete with refreshing cocktails and juicy grilled food.
Family run Italian Restaurant - perfect for Italian dishes, pizzas and social occasions.
Serving delicious breakfast & brunch inspired by the chef’s love of global flavours. From French toast to ackee & saltfish, it’s a culinary journey around the world.
Corner is an LGBTQ+ led neighborhood coffee shop and creative space in New Cross. Great coffee, art exhibitions, bakes and cakes, somewhere lovely to meet.
Serving delicious freshly made crumble and treats in a vibrant setting offering opportunities for young people to work and develop skills.
Coffee, desserts and cafe. International coffees, bagels, waffles, paninis and more. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options.
Aromatic Mediterranean cuisine serving chef specials made with the finest ingredients and cooked to the highest standards.
\A specialty coffee shop located in Brockley. Offering freshly made food and drink. Dinner service Thursdays and Fridays.
Traditional family bakery producing a large range of bread, rolls and cakes which are supplied to local shops, restaurants, cafés and pubs. Located next to Lewisham hospital, it has an in-store sandwich bar often serving patients and visitors.
Specialising in small plates and sharers with sustainable and seasonal ingredients of the highest quality from small, local producers, which in turn are responsible for an ever changing menu.
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Catford this hidden dining gem La Pizzeria Italiana has been serving incredible, authentic Italian food since first opening doors in 1986.
Relaxed haunt serving bubble and squeak breakfasts and boasting a big day-time menu in a cosy setting, plus Wi-Fi.
Casual eatery with patio dining serving all-day breakfast & Indian dinners, plus cocktails & wine. Exciting Summer events in Brockley.
Best doggy café in town! Rain or shine, you can bring your pooches for FREE to play whilst we wine and dine you. With doggy day care service too.
Day time coffee and café in Honor Oak Park. Service with a smile.
Cool cafe with local art and book exchange, offering artisan coffee, cakes and veggie food.
Caribbean plant-based meals, juices, smoothies and gluten-free baked goods.
Food retailers
Antonio Delicatessen (Lewisham Town Centre)
Antonio Delicatessen is local Italian shop selling meats, pasta and all other things Italian. From traditional favourites to childhood delights, they offer an array of treats to satisfy every palate.
Handmade, customised cakes, freshly baked in Brockley, offering Celebration Cakes for all occasions.
Artisan bakery selling to retail and wholesale customers. Product range includes sourdough bread, pastries, pasties, quiches, pies and desserts.
Delicious fruit-flavoured spirit-based drink from the French West Indies. Handmade locally by slowly infusing fruits, herbs, and spices in white rum. 100% fresh natural ingredients.
Good Food is a modern grocery store prioritising local, organic and artisan foods. A social enterprise crowd-funded by over 350 local residents and businesses. With stores in Catford and Sydenham.
Premium quality produce from British farms delivered to your door, With customisable boxes for their customer's specific needs.
Award-winning Guyanese hot sauces and condiments.
Exotic fruit, veg and coffee. Dedicated to raising equality for people of the global majority spearheading international projects with local suppliers.
SweetDoughThings, is a confectionery business selling delicious sweets and baked treats. Their mission is to provide customers with an accessible alternative to traditional sweeteners by providing healthier options that taste amazing.
Markets
Beckenham Place Farmer’s Market
Every Sunday 10 am to 3pm at the beautiful Beckenham Place Park, come rain or shine.
Bustling Saturday market for local fresh produce, artisan breads and pastries, plants and flowers.
Visit Catford Food Market for an authentic mix of local street food traders, live music and good vibes. Held on the last Sunday of every month.
The market takes place every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, from around 7am until 4pm, in Deptford High Street, Douglas Way and the junction with Giffin Street.
Peckish! Weekly street food market and music
Thursdays from the 13 June to 15 August from 3-9pm. Expect a varied selection of pop-up food outlets, a host of quality DJs selecting the best summertime tunes and the Mansion Bar will be serving up cocktails, local craft beers and more.
Creative arts and music
Aaja Digital Community Radio (online)
AAJA Music is a grassroots music space and digital platform DIY broadcasting powerhouse.
Exciting new makers market curated by local LGBTQ+ creatives and hosted regularly at Catford Mews, in addition to collaborating on Catford Pride.
Local theatre with an inclusive programme of plays and film viewings, focused on promoting new writing.
Recently renovated and historic theatre which stands proud in the heart of Catford. Since 1932 it has been a showcase for the best live music, comedy and theatre.
Independent entertainment venue with a focus on community. Three cinema screens, a café, a bar, five local food vendors and space for hire.
Tuesdays during term time, 3.30pm to 8pm, The Albany, Deptford, SE8 4AG.
IRIE! Dance theatre has a very comprehensive education programme. The company provides African and Caribbean dance and drumming workshops and classes for children as young as 5 through to adults. Accredited by University of Roehampton.
An innovative music education and talent development organisation founded in ‘95. Champion excellence through programmes and nurturing local musical talent specialising in working with vulnerable and disadvantaged young people.
Philo has evolved into a space that welcomes artists, dreamers, and families of all ages. With weekly (Tuesdays during term time) workshops.
A new community-owned music venue and radio station with curated line-up of events and workshops.
Studio 101 is offering affordable space available for photo and video shoots, auditions, business meetings, training courses, seminars, workshops, and events bringing new creative entities to the area.
Striving to improve diversity within the art sector to raise artist profiles and to seek new platforms and partnerships in the art industry by organising exhibitions and commissioning artworks.
Nightlife, pubs and bars
Raise a glass to Lewisham’s independent pubs, bars, and nights out. Our borough's brimming with fantastic places to grab a pint, try a wine, or tuck into a feast.
There’s plenty of non-drinking activities at night as well that you can also explore.
A welcoming café, pub and kitchen in the heart of Deptford, serving up Japanese street food, drinks, board gaming and affordable workspace.
Award winning classic corner pub with a choice of real ales and draught ciders. Family friendly beer garden.
Industrial-chic creative cocktail bar, Jamaican restaurant, event and gallery space in Deptford, south London. Art exhibitions, screenings, art classes and workshops.
Providing the best in cocktails, entertainment, live music and nightlife. Somewhere you can go out and enjoy your day or night.
Fox and Firkin & Firkin Brewery
Home for live underground music venue in Ladywell with an extended beer garden and local food vendors and new brewery. Pro LGBTQ+ venue.
A social enterprise at the heart of the Sydenham community. Creating meaningful London Living Wage employment for people with learning disabilities and brewing great beer.
Good place for social drinks in Brockley - beer, wine, cider & spirits from their favourite makers.
Casual eatery with patio dining serving all-day breakfast & Indian dinners, plus cocktails & wine. Exciting summer events in Brockley
Cosy pub serving classic plates, BBQ & wine in a wood-paneled space, beer garden and Sunday roasts.
The Duke of Catford & outdoor cinema (free)
Independent pub in Catford dedicated to celebrating culture, music, food and sport with series of free film screenings in the garden.
Third Thursday of every month: 7pm to 10pm, Main Hall, Deptford Lounge, 9 Giffin St, Deptford, SE8 4RJ.
Sustainability in Lewisham
Lewisham is bustling with ways to lead more sustainable ways of living.
Cycling workshops and support with Lewisham Cyclists (free)
Lewisham Cyclists is the local group of the London Cycling Campaign in the borough with a series of workshops and events.
Join voluntary community group, Friends of Blythe Hill Fields, and learn more about their free annual summer festival, their biodiversity group, tree care days and Nature's Gym days.
New recycling scheme making it easier to reduce environmental impact and stop your waste heading into landfill. Repurposed bespoke products created from waste. Refill store with recycling workshops and hub.
Everything is through a sustainability lens: Recyclable and compostable packaging, delivery by bicycle, fair trade and sustainable supply chain, Living wage employer.
Shop for parents and carers. Find great products for children locally with a safe space where kids can stay without a care in the world. Products are curated with the aim to use sustainable products.
Summer gardening club (free)
Tuesdays and Thursdays until September: 11am to 1pm, The Albany, Deptford, SE8 4AG. RSVP by emailing gardening@thealbany.org.uk.
Shopping
Lewisham’s independent businesses have a huge range of gift ideas. Offering everything from recipe books to clothes, from houseplants, toys, to bottled cocktails – they have your every gifting need covered.
Female-owned Blackheath Creatives is a local artist collaboration that offers a range of jewellery, artwork, prints, homeware & lifestyle design and fine foods.
Handmade award-winning bottled cocktail specialist. Bottled cocktails and infusions are all handmade from start to finish.
Crimson and Clover/Three Sisters
A nostalgic but design-led little shop - cosy, quirky and thoughtfully curated offering a homeware, plants and a good dose of vintage too.
A well-established Pet Shop & Dog Grooming Parlour located within Beckenham Place Park. Selling a range of dog food and accessories.
Your go-to shop for haberdashery in Southeast London selling a range of quality garments, soft furnishings, fabric, trimmings, and much more for dressmakers, professionals and individuals. Wedding dresses and alterations.
A family-owned independent Builders Merchants trading in Lewisham since 1912. Here you can find top quality building products at competitive prices.
Magi Gifts is an independent gift shop and card shop in Brockley. Selling gifts, greetings cards, gift wrap and children's toys for all occasions.
The Migration Museum is based in Lewisham Shopping Centre. It explores how the movement of people to and from the UK across the ages has made us who we are – as individuals and as nations.
Local person Rachel Dawson started first a pop-up shop in Blackheath and then opened her own shop ‘On The Heath’ selling quirky items to customers in Blackheath.
SHAPES Lewisham is a creative network that aims to promote, celebrate and connect the creative community in Lewisham.
Much-loved and long-established pet shop on Lewisham High Street. One of the country’s largest independent pet shop retailers.
Children
Games, books, puzzles, clothes and more – you can find gift ideas galore for younger ones, in our many independent gift shops.
Gently Elephant is based in Brockley, and offers British & Scandinavian inspired homeware, clothing for children, shoes, creative toys, books and gifts.
The Find Store (Lee)
Discover the perfect blend of art and lifestyle within Pottery Studio at The Find Store. You can learn the craft of pottery creation or paint ceramics for a unique day out.
Moon Lane Books (Forest Hill)
Moon Lane Books is a not-for-profit dedicated to addressing inequity in children's books. Their aim is to ensure every child has access to books that enable them to feel seen, reflected, respected and valued.
Jumping Bean (Honor Oak)
Selling cards, clothes, children’s toys, homeware and everything in between, Jumping Bean offers unique lifestyle products that you can’t always find on the high street.
Wellbeing and sport
Locally, there are many great spots to get active and practice well-being.
Award winning classes supporting & empowering parents through their early parenting journey offering pregnancy relaxation, baby massage, baby reflexology, social time and baby yoga classes.
9am every Saturday and walk, jog or run 5k.
A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate every Saturday at 9am at Mountsfield Park.
Millwall Community Trust
Founded in 1885. From 1910-1993 the club played at The Old Den in New Cross before moving to its current stadium nearby, The Den. The club engages in lots of community work and attracts 10,000+ fans weekly.
A wide range of classes across two studios in Lee and Catford with highly experienced teachers delivering sessions seven days-a-week.
Visitor attractions
Beckenham Place Park has London's first purpose-built swimming lake. This includes water sports, lessons and facilities provided by PTP coaching. The park is the largest green space in the borough and one of 23 Lewisham green flag parks. Regular farm, culture and vintage markets and music festivals.
Creekside Discovery Centre works to support biodiversity and provide education in Deptford with a nature park and Creekside. Working with local schools, people and companies through river and wildflower walks and talks, sharing our knowledge and know-how. Supports urban wildlife and natural habitats for everyone.
A local family-friendly, free museum and gardens which won Art Fund Museum of the Year 2022.
Hair and beauty
Skilled stylists, great at colour, helps local schools with work experience.
Geddes is an independent family owned hair and beauty salon.
Friendly salon on Brownhill Road specialising in natural hair and dreadlocks.
Providing expert hair styling services in a modern and stylish setting in the heart of Deptford.
Friendly, professional nail bar with great customer service.
Hairdresser with a friendly and supportive environment as well as providing work placements for school students. True asset to the Brockley community.
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