New to East Dulwich, looking for top tips!

[buntysammy]

Hello!

I have just moved to East Dulwich from Hoxton and I am looking for top tips on where to eat, drink, socialise, do sport, listening to music, get a great Sunday roast, a fab chinese takeaway, see some art, etc etc

I love the quirkiness and individuality of East London and I sense a similar vibe in East Dulwich and surrounding areas - I'd love to get more of a feel for my new homeland...

What are your top tips - I'd love to hear from you!!

x

[AlexC]

For eating, I'd highly recommend the Thai Corner Cafe on North cross road - but make sure you book! It gets very busy at the weekends. Great good, plus it's BYO. For drinking, I'm a fan of the Bishop but there are loads of great pubs on the lane. The Mag and the Plough both do a great Sunday roast. If you fancy going over to Dulwich village, check out the Crown and Greyhound. The new Italian there is really good too - I think it's called Rocca. To be honest, there are too many places to mention. Just go out and explore! :)

I've only been living here for just under a year, so I'm still looking for quirky places nearby to try! I'm branching out and exploring around Camberwell at the moment - there's an old-school Greek resteraunt on Camerbwell Grove called 'Vineyard' which has fake vines and grapes all over the ceiling! Food was very tasty.

For some sport, I'd recommend the Dulwich college sports club - which is basically a gym that uses the school's facilities outside of school hours. Really good value monthly membership, and never that busy. Played Badminton there on Sunday with a friend, had the whole sports hall to ourselves so played some basketball in between games!

ED is a great place to live. Welcome!

[AD]

Hisar is my favourite. Good value and excellent food, their Humus plus Kuzu Shihs are excellent. As for Pubs the bishop is my favourite.

Check the ED marke on Saturdays, in terms of food there is the Hot dog man with his gourment dogs, the Vietnamese Baguette man which are exceptionla and also a Hog roast, plus there is a whole hos of other things to eat there, enjoy !

[titch juicy]

Avoid Lordship Lane at all costs unless you want to be acosted by marauding viking-like gangs.......or is it desperate local vigilantes wielding 4 wheel drive buggies and cath kidston oil cloth shoppers? i'm not sure

[twofourseven]

Hello buntysammy,

Welcome to the 'hood.

There's some great places not just on East Dulwich, but Dulwich Village as well.

The Mag and Franklins on Lordship Lane are great pub/bar, as is The Actress on the corner of North Cross Road and Crystal Palace Road.

Thai Corner Cafe is brilliant - though take your own beer or wine.

Jacks on Pellat Road and Luca's on Lordship Lane are brilliant for coffee. Head's up to Jacks for breakfasts!

I've a Dulwich Life List on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/twofourseven/dulwich-life.

[Vixster250]

I second the person re hisar! Lovely food and service.

Also dulwich tandoori is a winner in my eyes!

Edt is one if the only places that shows football if ur a fan!

Lastly if ever u need diy type equipment - visit the diy shop up by the plough! They are the friendliest and most helpful diy store I have been too and pretty much sell everything

V

[midivydale]

There is an unbelievable Turkish Restaurant on Lewisham way called Meze Mengal. I know that is not at all ED but the food is out of this world and the staff and owner are truly lovely. Please note that this is not your romantic, beautiful surroundings type of place. You go for the food really.

I would also recommend Marcel at the drycleaners on Lordship Lane next to EDT. Him and his wife are also lovely people!

I also like Surma for a curry, love the food shame about the staff :)

Agree with previous posters though, go out and explore!

[PipD]

Hi buntysammy. I moved here a few months ago so probably not the best person to answer but I am interested in the answers! having said that I would agree with AlexC - my plan is to eat and drink in every restaurant and bar so I can make my own mind up, I expect to be bankrupt by Christmas :-) So far it does seem like a fab place to live, enjoy!

[Strawbs]

Welcome!!

I like :

Bishop - pub

Gowlett - pub and best pizza in town by far

Old Nuns head in Nunhead - best sunday roast hands down (but you will get lots of different views on where to eat)

Thai corner cafe - fantastic little thai restaurant but book! circa 18-20 a head (byo booze) which includes normally 2 courses and corkage..

Buddha Jazz - great thai restaurant but a bit more upmarket than thai cafe and also you can linger longer.. circa 25-30 a head including booze..

The pheonix pub (on top of demark hill station) is wicked on a friday night (dont go on a sat as it is literally empty!)

Swadesh and Mirash - favourite curry houses - (maybe join the curry club that meets once a month)

yee wah chinese takeaway on Barry road

Clockhouse for a cheeky glass (ok 5) of red wine on a rainy winter afternoon

Hope that helps!!

[Ellie78]

I second Meze Mangal- it is AMAZING. Lewisham not too difficult to get to.

Ganapati is fab. I love it.

[Nero]

THere is a great caff with outside space on Barry Road, near to the junction with Overhill Road, which does fantastic egg buttes/bacon buttes/muesli/teas/coffees. I also recommend Dulwich Library for a good collection of novels, biogs, DVDs, CDs ESPH is a good gym. Dulwich Picture Gallery is a gem, with a good caff (which is cheaper if you join the Gallery). Transport is not that great, really, compared to Brixton and Clapham, so put your best foot forward and walk a bit more, but buses are pretty good if you're not tied to them in rush hour.

[PeckhamRose]

Peckham Rye Park

Nunhead Cemetery

The Views in the front of Dawson Heights, or from the back, depending, anyway, the views!

Brenchley Gardens

One Tree Hill

Welcome to you!

[Earl Aelfheah]

Most of the 'quirkier' places are to be found in surrounding neighbourhoods (Brixton, Camberwell, Peckham and New Cross). ED is great, but reasonably conservative for nights out. Frank's cafe on top of Peckham multistorey carpark is around until end of sept and a bit different. Welcome to the area.

[Horsebox]

Welcome to the area.

Check out:

Franklins on LL for dinner and Saturday brunch/pints/papers.

The Castle on Crystal Palace Road, for The Best Guinness In South London (official), cheap daytime pints, football on Sky, Irish sports & the occasional bowl of roast potatoes on the bar.

The unnamed butchers at the Plough for all things meaty.

The Gowlett for pizzas.

The Actress on CPR for (unusual but good) pizzas and good/interesting beer selection.

Can also recommend Buddha Jazz (as did Strawbs, above) but it's Vietnamese rather than Thai.

Further afield:

The Lido Cafe at Brockwell Park.

Brixton Village for some great little restaurants including Honest Burgers (currently BYO) & Franco Manca for fantastic pizzas.

Brixton in general for a variety of late nights.

[thecaptain]

Mayflower in West Dulwich is the best Chinese takeaway btw.

[buntysammy]

this is all so cool, what a nice friendly forum this is. thanks everyone!

[Strawbs]

There are drinks at the gowlett tonight that my other half has organised, why dont you pop down and meet some of the locals..

[buntysammy]

I'd love to but I am heading to Sussex for my brother's 30th birthday party - shame as I hear its a great bar! Thanks for the invite tho x

[Horsebox]

buntysammy Wrote:

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> this is all so cool, what a nice friendly forum

> this is. thanks everyone!

You're welcome. Just don't talk about Foie Gras or clowns.

[buntysammy]

Horsebox Wrote:

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> buntysammy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > this is all so cool, what a nice friendly forum

> > this is. thanks everyone!

>

> You're welcome. Just don't talk about Foie Gras or

> clowns.

YUK to both :)

[PipD]

Horsebox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> buntysammy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > this is all so cool, what a nice friendly forum

> > this is. thanks everyone!

>

> You're welcome. Just don't talk about Foie Gras or

> clowns.

The force feeding of clowns makes me so upset.

[tarafitness]

buntysammy Wrote:

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> Hello!

Hello and welcome! :-)

> I have just moved to East Dulwich from Hoxton and

> I am looking for top tips on where to eat,

For best pizzas choose the Actress or the Gowlett. Locale on east dulwich grove do nice pizzas too and half a half price steak night every Monday (v nice steaks too)

Best Indian - Swadesh and Dulwich Tandoori

Tapas - No22 on Half Moon Lane

French - Le Chardon

Thai - LomBok on Half Moon Lane

> drink,

Pubs - plenty to choose from but firm faves are the Bishop, EDT and the Gowlett who have a great 'Lucky 7's' night where you can turn up with your 7" vinyl and play DJ for a few tunes - always a good night that :-)

For cocktails you can't go wrong with Liquorish, very tasty and potent drinks, plus the crowd isn't all 18 year olds which is how some of the other late night bars can feel.

> socialise, do sport, listening to music,

There's a gym on Crystal Palace road with a nice pool, Peckham Rye Park is great to run and exercise in. There's a female netball team that meet in Dulwich Village too and various football kickaraounds and social events advertised on the 'what's going on' section of this forum.

> get a great Sunday roast,

interestingly Le Chardon do a really nice roast but I must say The Vale on Grove Vale do a really well priced one and plus it's a carvery so you can load up on potatoes and veg if you're feeling particularly hungry ;-)

> a fab chinese takeaway,

not tried personally but I hear that Hong Hong on Grove Vale do decent takeaways

> see some art

Dulwich Picture Gallery - they also do film nights which are good fun, saw The Motorcycle Diaries there not so long ago and there was food there provided by No22 Tapas Restaurant!

hope all that helps!

[amyhackleyjones]

Hi,

I too have just moved to the area so all the above is a great source of info! I would be interested in meeting some people of a similar age (27) from the area as I know no one around this part of London and it would be good to try some of the places mentioned above, do people from the forum ever meet up as everyone sounds very friendly?

Amy

[SteveUK1978]

What a nice thread....makes a nice change from riots etc!

We moved here at the start of the year and feel like proper locals now. Highlights for me are:

Best pub: Bishop. The burger is worth the trip alone. Clock House worth a look, Actress is a nice spot when the sun is shining. Agree that the Mag does a very nice Sunday roast.

Restaurant: Have to agree with others, love the Hisar. Just finished a chicken shish for dinner....lovely stuff.

Sport: Bit further afield but the Brockwell Lido is a great 50m outdoor pool. Only ?2.70 entry before 10.00am. Dulwich and Peckham Rye parks both nice for a run. They have boot camp style fitness groups too.

Not really found a chinese takeaway yet although my girlfriend raves about the Thai Corner Cafe.

Enjoy!

[Lozellen]

*Seconding the cafe on Barry road - it's called 'Homemade'.

*Brockwell Park is my favourite for a run. Can't really explain why but it just works! Also some nice pubs around Herne Hill too which are open late and will let you take your bottle of wine home with you if you foolishly order another circa 1:50am...

*Babur near Honor Oak is incredible for curry and a very different menu/experience to a typical curry house.

*I like the little wine comparison tasting they do at 'Green and Blue', usually okay ales available at the Bishop, although also like Herne Tavern and had some lovely cocktails at adventure accompanied by way too loud eighties music (yes to the music, no to the volume!).

*St David's Coffee House in neighbouring Forest Hill is adorable, and the one opposite the station 'From the Forest', also does a nice coffee and line in chit chat although food not in the league of Homemade.