Image by Peter Hoffer

Macaron shops have been appearing over London for the last year or so. These baked treats seem to be the new fashionable trend for those with a sweet-tooth. I have done my duty as a good Londoner (much to the disappointment of my dentist) and sampled a few macarons around town and my favourite is, without a doubt, those of Ladurée.

This Parisian chain of confectionary shops has three stores in London (the others are in Harrod’s and Covent Garden). However I think the Burlington Arcade shop feels the most French. Just looking into the windows of Ladurée seems indulgent (much like looking at the neighbouring jewelry and cashmere shops in the arcade). The shop assistants are dressed impeccably and the edible window decorations are sumptuous to behold and just oozes sophistication.

The flavours of the macaroons cover a range from vanilla and pistachio to rose and Madagascar chocolate. They are pricey for their small size (£1.60 each), but they are worth it once you bite into these pillowy pockets of sugar.

There is not much seating space, so I would recommend buying a selection of flavours and share them with a friend while promenading through Burlington Arcade. I guarantee that all of the Ladurée macarons will disappear by the time you finish your walk.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Ladurée | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks | Each macaron £ 1.60
71-72 Burlington Arcade | Central | +442074929155
Mon – Fri 08:30 – 18:30, Sat 09:00 – 18:30, Sun 11:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals London

Image by Peter Hoffer

I find second-hand bookshops in London can fit on a scale with two extremes. On one side are bookshops so immaculately organized that book lovers might be afraid of taking books off shelves or displays for fear of altering the bookseller’s vision. On the other side are bookshops so disheveled that you feel like you are exploring your grandma’s dusty attic.

Located underneath the Brunswick Centre near Russell Square station, Skoob Books falls somewhere between the two ends of the spectrum. I can best describe the bookshop as ‘organized chaos’. The books are grouped in key sections throughout the underground shop, and the titles are arranged in alphabetical order on the shelves (and many times on the floor too).

The selection of books is numerous without being overwhelming (and if the shop doesn’t have the title you want, they can order it for you). Being located near many universities, Skoob also has a rich selection of titles not normally found in other second-hand bookshops: philosophy, science, economics. But if you’re just looking for a good novel, there are plenty of those too.

The lack of windows and natural light might be a turn-off for some, but for me it just reinforces the feel of adventure, like Aladdin searching through the treasures of a magical literary cave. And if you need a break from browsing, there’s a piano in the middle of the shop that people are welcome to play.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Skoob Books | Shopping | Used books £ 4.00
66 The Brunswick WC1N 1AE | Central | +442072788760
Mon – Sat 10:30 – 20:00, Sun 10:30 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals London

Image by Peter Hoffer

Situated on Chiswick High Road (and just a couple minutes from the pizzeria Franco Manca), the Old Cinema is an unexpected treat amongst the coffee shops and chain restaurants. From the outside, it looks like an old-fashioned cinema that may have once showed silent films (in fact, the building was once a picture palace dating back over 100 years). Instead of cinema seating and the smell of buttery popcorn, this quirky department store holds a collection of retro furniture and vintage gifts to please the designer in each of us.

Wandering around the Old Cinema is like walking around the backset of a Hollywood movie studio. Rather than decorate rooms with the precision of an IKEA room display, the store groups items loosely in the showrooms and allows customers to explore the treasures individually. The Old Cinema sources items from all time periods and from a large number of countries, so a clock that looks like it might come from a 50s roadside American diner can sit above a delicate Edwardian writing desk.

Although I cannot afford most items here, I enjoy imagining how I would decorate my own flat if I ever won the lottery. I have my eye on old signs from the London Underground; I just need to buy a place big enough to fit them in!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
The Old Cinema | Shopping | Retro jars £ 9.00
160 Chiswick High Road W4 1PR | South-West | +442089954166
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 12:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals London

Image by Charl Asuit

Now before you say “arrr!” or “shiver me timbers”, let it be know that this shop was not opened in homage to the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. The new East India Company shop in central London is, in fact, a re-launch of the company with same name that was dissolved 135 years ago – the one chartered by Queen Elizabeth I. But instead of silk, cotton and opium, this reincarnation is focusing on luxury food items.

The shop oozes luxury as you enter it, feeling as though it is an off-site section of Harrod’s. Inside there are wide varieties of coffees, biscuits, spices and a tea library not just from India but also from artisan producers around the world. Rows of elegant tins, boxes and hampers line the shelves bearing a modern version of the East India Company logo. What’s nice is that you can taste and sample the products before you purchase – it certainly makes shopping easier (and filling, too!).

As for the prices, well, they won’t break the bank but they are a tad more expensive than what you find in the regular food shops so certainly not for everyday consumption. But if you’re after something for a present or a special treat then there’s definitely plenty to choose from.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
East India Company | Shopping | Tin of biscuits £ 3.95
7-8 Conduit Street | Central | +442032053395
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 19:00, Sun 11:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals London

Image by Charl Asuit

When I first noticed My Back Pages, I thought it was a forgotten document storage facility. The place didn’t even have its name shown from an outside onlooker. I dared to venture inside one day and it was truly a welcome discovery.

Amidst the floor to ceiling shelves and narrow halls are treasures from the printed medium. History books, art books, fiction novels, travel guides and more. My Back Pages could indeed give those mega commercialised bookshops a run for their money except that you won’t find the current bestseller or order a latte. It is, after all, a second hand bookshop!

Perhaps if you come back at a later time or you could ask to be put on the waitlist where they will notify you if your book is in stock. And for the latte, hmm, best have that somewhere else after you’ve bought your book.

I wouldn’t consider myself as a true bookworm; however, I do enjoy a light reading here and there. I do love to browse through big coffee table books on photography and other art forms. To my delight, the shelves of My Back Pages stack many books of these kinds. Much more, they are priced reasonably, too!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
My Back Pages | Shopping
8-10 Balham Station Road | South-West | +442086759346
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 19:00, Sun 11:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals London

Image by Victoria Rachitzky

Its origins date back from the time when the Romans built the London Bridge. And although it has moved from where it was originally established, the Borough Market has occupied its current site for the last 250 years making it London’s oldest market.

Business activity in the Borough Market begins at 2am for wholesale trading. If you can be up at that time of the day then perhaps you could get a good deal if you’re buying in bulk and volumes. Otherwise, you can go and grab a bargain or two during usual opening hours.

You can find both food and non-food items in this market but locals regularly go here to get fresh produce from various parts of the country. One of the popular items to purchase here is the ostrich burger, especially to City folk. They can prepare it for you right there like ‘fast food’ or you can take them home and cook at home. For me, I usually come here for the best brownies.

Borough Market is always heaving with people – locals and visitors alike. Tourists come here to get a feel of the local life. But even though it has become quite known to visitors, Borough Market will always be a Londoner’s market.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Borough Market | Shopping, Snacks
8 Southwark Street | Central
Thu 11:00 – 17:00, Fri 12:00 – 18:00, Sat 08:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals London

Image by Morgan & James photo depository

Being a music fan and specifically a vinyl fan over the last few years hasn’t been easy. Record shops have closed by the dozen and second hand records have been harder and harder to find – unless you go online. But part of the thrill and beauty of records is having them in your hand. Feeling the weight of the vinyl. The smell of it. Seeing the graphic design as it was meant to be seen, not squashed into a small plastic case. And most record collectors will say the same – ideally shopping for second hand records should be done in person, on foot, not online. Luckily for me, and for vinyl junkies like me, places like the excellent Flashback still exists.

Flashback opened in 1997 and use to sell second hand clothes in the basement. Over the years that has changed and now the vinyl is downstairs and CDs and DVDs can be found on the ground floor. I like the fact that the records are in the basement. It adds to the mystique somehow. Makes the search for that elusive LP that much greater. 

Flashback have a stated aim of ‘changing the record shop experience from an intimidating run-in with surly cooler-than-thou staff’ and they have done that. The place is friendly, the staff knowledgeable and most importantly for the digger, the prices, on the whole, are very reasonable.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Flashback | Music, Shopping | Per album € 5
50 Essex Road,N1 8LR | North-East | +442073549356
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 19:00, Sun 12:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals London

Image by John Simons

John Simons, the man, not the shop, is a legend. Vice magazine called him ‘one of the unsung heroes of British post-war fashion’ and who would disagree?

This is the man who has been selling the Ivy look since 1964. The man who first imported Filson, Pendleton and Brooks Brothers. The man who influenced and sold to the original London mods and who is still selling to the urban modernist now.

The shop itself (which is not far from Marylebone High Street), represents all that is good about John Simons and the Ivy look. It brings together art, design, jazz (of course) and quality menswear. This is the shop if you want to buy Bass Weejuns or Sebago or Florsheim or Brooks Brothers or Baracuta. Simply put, this is the shop you go to if you want to be Steve McQueen. 

However, not all of the clothes are imported from America as once was the case, the new shop is also home to the John Simons Apparel Company. Designed by John himself and drawing on his endless knowledge of menswear, the John Simons Apparel Company are producing classic Ivy silhouettes for today. 

If I had the money I suit myself head to toe with clothes from John Simons, but I can’t so I settle for the occasional visit and wait patiently for the twice yearly sale (Winter and Summer). Sign up for the mailing list to know exactly when they begin.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
John Simons | Shopping | Bass Weejuns € 90
46 Chiltern Street,W1U 7QR | Central
Tue – Sat 11:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals London

Image by Andrew Sidford

Broadway Market on a Saturday is a snap shot of what life in Hackney is all about. A true mix of styles and cultures, young and old, traditional and new. It is a microcosm of what living in a truly global city is all about. 

Broadway Market is not a large street yet the market on Saturdays see this street crammed with life. The weekly stalls attract the crowds, but the shops, the pubs, the restaurants and cafes all join in. It is what I want a weekly market to be. Lively, but offering something for everyone. Go for the shopping, stay for the people watching!

The market is primarily a specialist food market where you can get organic meat, fruit and veg alongside fresh fish, cakes, bread, cheese, sausages, the lot – but you can also get vintage clothes, furniture, hand made brooches, bike repairs/spares or hit the shops instead of the stalls and get art books at Artwords, fabulous coffee at Climpsons, all your sewing needs at Our Patterned Hand or a proper East End pie and mash at the historic Cooke’s. The choice really is that varied.

Personally, I always make sure I pick up at least one samosa from the Gujarati Rasoi stall as they are simply the best I have ever tasted. But be aware, if you only get one you will have to go back and get another, and at £1 each why not?

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Broadway Market | Bars, Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants (Various)
Broadway Market,E8 4PH | East
Sat 09:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals London

Image by Matt Bramford

Fans of all things vintage will love brand new East End concept store BLITZ. Heralded as the city’s first ‘vintage department store’, BLITZ is  set over two floors in an old warehouse space which will have even the most cynical non-hipsters wide eyed.

You probably won’t be surprised to hear that it’s damn expensive… with mens shoes retailing at £42 and childrenswear at a standard £20. But, it’s worth popping in to check out this glorious space and it would be my first destination if I was looking for something specific; a leopard-print shirt or a patent-leather Creepers, for example.

There’s also a good range of new books that meet the demands of the vintage-lover, a great selection of vintage movie posters, and one of London’s largest collections of actual designer vintage, with British brands covered from Biba to McQueen. It’s just down from Poppies Fish & Chips and off Brick Lane, so you’ve got nothing to lose by losing yourself for an hour amongst their unique collection of finds.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
BLITZ | Shopping
55-59 Hanbury Street, E1 5JP | East | +442073770730
10:00 – 18:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals London