Where should we go for more local culture?

Posted by BrideofVoorhees@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 41 comments

Hello! I’m visiting the London area for a couple days at the end of March and most of the things I’m being told to see are the big touristy attractions but we always seem to make friends with locals and skip those things. We are big drinkers, big eaters, love sports and love live music, we are a few women in our late 20’s/early 30’s. Can anyone point us in the right direction to enjoy London for the lovely culture? Thanks in advance!

[-]

Nyx_Necrodragon101@reddit

The problem is with London is there's lots of different local cultures. The culture in Dagenham is vastly different from the local culture of Kensington for example.

If you want food, drink and merriment Borough market is a great spot for food it's also not too far from Tower Bridge and you can pretty much walk to Westminster. Camden Town usually has some live events but the hipsters have chased out the goths unfortunately so kinda killed the buzz. Covent Garden is good for shopping but don't eat around there, too expensive.

Cultural sights I would recommend British Museum, Cleopatra's Needle, St Dunstans in the East, Leadenhall Market (especially if you like Harry Potter), there's some sections of roman wall still around, Natural History Museum, Science Museum and the V&A. There's also the National Portrait Gallery but you have to pay to get in that one.

[-]

Chance-Presence5941@reddit

Are you sure you want to meet the locals of London?

[-]

Normalscottishperson@reddit

Jellied eels and going to a Millwall match to fight someone.

[-]

LobsterMountain4036@reddit

I would love if this became the done thing for American tourists coming to London.

[-]

AppearanceAwkward364@reddit

There are plenty of good pubs around Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia, Marylebone and Paddington used by people who actually live in those areas.

Much better than the tourist traps in the West End.

[-]

LadyTentacles@reddit

I loved the Lord Wargrave in Marylebone when I visited in 2017. Excellent BBQ and a good whiskey selection.

[-]

AppearanceAwkward364@reddit

I love a good whiskey. Next time I'm over that way, I'll check it out.

[-]

KonkeyDongPrime@reddit

Get out of Zone 1. Some great pubs between Z2 and Z5. Have a look on what nights are on. Haringey Green Lanes has some decent boozers. Forest Gate, Leyton, Leytonstone and Wanstead Park have loads of decent pubs and are massively underrated, check if any have an event on that you like. For instance, Holly Tree has some quite lively drag nights and the pub has a mini train track.

We went through Romford last Saturday night, that was lively AF.

Hackney Wick is always quite lively.

[-]

UrbanxHermit@reddit

Don't spend too much time in London there's some great things to see but it's a tourist trap. It isn't representative of the country at all. Many Brits see almost like it's another country.

2 places I can immediately think of is York. It's a great historical city. You can walk around the city wall and see the different layers of the wall all the way back to the Roman era. It has lots of historical buildings and a lot of links to the Vikings who took the city in 866, renaming it Jorvik/York.

A great place to take a day trip is the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley. During the industrial revolution, thick black smoke used to hang in the are from the factories, which is why it's called the Black Country.

The museum isn't just a building it a recreation of different houses, such as mills and other things right from the 1700s onwards. Some of the buildings were moved brick by brick and placed there. People in authentic costumes show you how products were made and factories, etc, worked during the different periods.

Just remember, though whilst you're in London ,the Natural History Museum, The Science Museum, and the National Gallery are all free to enter and are worthy of a visit. You'll probably need a day for each as they are so big. If you only have time for one, I'd recommend the Natural History Museum.

[-]

mellonians@reddit

At the risk of sounding a bit like a gammon, you're unlikely to find any of what you might expect to call "locals" in London. What I would call a local in a London pub is more likely to be American than cockney. Although I would point you in the direction of Wimbledon or Wandsworth

That said, for live music etc you could consider at least one night of your trip in Brighton, just an hour away.

[-]

Certain-Trade8319@reddit

Also, slightly arrogant to think random people t hey meet in pubs want to make friends with them.

[-]

Tiny_Megalodon6368@reddit

Haha yes delusional

[-]

Illustrious_Study_30@reddit

I'm a bit of a fan of Stoke Newington for pubs and amazing Turkish food. I suppose that can be considered fairly 'local' . It's certainly better than trying any pub in town

[-]

greylord123@reddit

In all honesty I'd avoid London.

Go to some country pubs in the north.

Find an industrial town and go to a pub with a flat roof. You'll experience a lot of local culture

[-]

chroniccomplexcase@reddit

I recommended this to someone the other day visiting the Uk who like walks and local culture. Get the train to Tonbridge from Charing Cross and then walk to Leigh (around 60 minute walk through mostly countryside on footpaths) and have lunch at the Fleur de Lis which is lovely countryside pub with nice food and drink. Then continue onto Penshurst and onto the Little Brown Jug which is another lovely countryside pub with great food. Stay for dinner and then catch the train home from Penshurst, changing at Tonbridge back to London. A lovely day out visiting villages that very few tourists visit so you’ll meet lots of locals. They’re both village pubs so where you’ll get regulars (I used to live in Tonbridge and went to both pubs often) and locals who will happily sit and chat. It’s 45 minutes on the train from Charing Cross to Tonbridge so not too long either.

[-]

spanakopita555@reddit

Definitely Brixton

[-]

FidelityBob@reddit

For the locals get the tube out to the suburbs, away from the centre. Find a pub. Maybe the surrounding towns, Watford comes to mind - they also have football famously supported by Elton John, music and sport in one!

[-]

pineapplesaltwaffles@reddit

Sounds like Shoreditch is what you want. Brick Lane, Boxpark and Spitalfields market. Dennis Severs' house of you fancy a museum.

You won't necessarily find many "locals" but it's where the cool kids hang out, lots of live music and food. There will be some tourists, but more the insta crowd rather than the type you'll find at Mme Tussaud's or Tower Bridge.

[-]

Captainsamvimes1@reddit

The local pub, you'll find more British culture in one of those hallowed establishments than in a hundred exhibits

[-]

Zo50@reddit

Look for one with a flat roof for extra culture!

[-]

InstructionLess583@reddit

Ideally facing a railway station for a true cultural education.

[-]

Cuznatch@reddit

Nah, you want it to be as far from train or tube stations as possible. It's a shame the Barge Pole in Abbey Wood / Thamesmead got knocked down. Tooke Arms on the Isle of Dogs used to do the job well, but anything with a flag outside, sports advertised, Carling on tap and windows you can't see through (aside from the Traditional Windowless, though plenty of culture to be found in those too, specially with a cotton swab).

[-]

anonymouslyyoursxxx@reddit

This feels like.a.joke

[-]

Paulstan67@reddit

Try any wetherspoons.

You probably won't make friends but you will certainly see some interesting characters.

Start off early , they usually start selling alcohol at 8am.

Take it steady and you can enjoy the breakfast session. Lunch session , then the graveyard/early doors session, and eventually the night time session.

[-]

Vrayloki@reddit

Check out Borough Market for some food, and loads of local pubs around will have people standing around drinking after work where you shouldn't have trouble striking up a conversation, the George has a big outdoor area that gets people circulating. Thursdays are probably the best night for after work drinks these days.

March should be an okay time to go to a football match, there are loads of London clubs so you should be able to get tickets for one if you are not too precious about who you see.

Will you be around for St Patricks day, in which case try around Kilburn area.

[-]

IndelibleIguana@reddit

Go to Tooting. There’s an indoor market on the High Street. 2 mins walk from the underground station. It’s full of bars, places to eat and all kinds of interesting shops. Or you could try Brixton Village which isn’t too far from there.

[-]

girlwithapinkpack@reddit

I used to know a chap from Yorkshire who said the first thing he did in any new town was look for the grottiest looking pub he could find and have a beer in there. Apparently the shitter pubs are friendlier. That’s how I met him, so it definitely worked at least once.

[-]

some_kinda_wack_job@reddit

Clapham, Wandsworth, Putney, Wimbledon, Kingston, Brixton, Balham

[-]

vcockle@reddit

My 1st port of call is always Atlas Obscura for the more unusual attractions wherever I go

[-]

withnailstail123@reddit

Have a watch of Joolz guides on you tube. He tours some amazing, cosy pubs that are often overlooked

[-]

iatecurryatlunch@reddit

do a jack the ripper tour

[-]

trysca@reddit

Go to Hackney broadway market on Saturday and columbia road flower market on Sunday. Also portobello road in west London.

[-]

Fanoflif21@reddit

Specifically London? Try the Cheddar Cheese on Fleet Street (have the pie- delicious!) For London light jump on the train to Southend and try a pub there or the cafe at the end of the world's longest pier!

[-]

generichandel@reddit

Cheshire cheese. Not cheddar cheese.

[-]

Fanoflif21@reddit

😂😂😂 damn you autocorrect (and eyes!)

[-]

MoblinClub69@reddit

Head to Mr Foggs Tavern in Covent Garden for a Cockney singalong!

[-]

PetersMapProject@reddit

Making friends in London can be tricky, even if you live there; it can be a rather anonymous city. But www.meetup.com is probably as close as you're going to get. When you say locals I'll presume you just mean people who live there as opposed to tourists.

As you love sport, I'd suggest finding a pub which shows the football (soccer) when it's on (I'll let someone else come up with specific pub recommendations). Unfortunately getting tickets to the game in person has a reputation for being almost impossible.

It's too early in the year for cricket, but rugby will be on; I don't know how hard it is to get tickets to see a match at Twickenham.

As for music - go to a gig? Hard to recommend places when you haven't suggested a genre. Camden has quite a few live music venues, but all will require a ticket in advance.

[-]