Located in Northwest London, the neighborhood of Camden is a hip, cool spot for 20 and 30-somethings to dine, drink and be merry. It offers a cool vibe and an even more vibrant food scene. London is known to be one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, and Camden perfectly highlights this characteristic through its food! From £4 street food dishes to a Gordon Ramsey critically acclaimed restaurant, the places to eat in Camden offer a little something for every palate and preference.
To get you started, here’s a sampling of some of my favorite spots from my recent trip to Camden Town in London. Don’t miss these spots or your tummy will be rumbling for more!
>>>If you’re looking for coffee shops or cafes to work from (or just explore!) try this list.
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Places to Eat in Camden: Restaurants
Poppies
This fish and chip hot spot, continuously wins awards for being the BEST fish and chips in all of London, some say even in all of the UK. Sorry competitors, but this certainly lives up to its reputation without getting too big for its britches. The retro decor and live music on the weekends perfectly compliments the crispy fried deliciousness adorning the tables. Definitely try a London staple accompaniment to fish and chips: mushy peas. Not to be confused with the mushy peas you feed a small human, these are just mushed peas but typically are spiced up with mint or parsley and garlic.
You’re in luck, if the line is out the door, which it usually is, take away is a great option! Bonus Tip: Take your fish and chips to Primrose hill for a lovely sunset with the London Eye off in the distance.
Address: 30 Hawley Cres, London NW1 8NP, United Kingdom
Phone:+44 20 7267 0440
Open 11am to midnight everyday but Sunday when it closes early….at 11pm.
Hook of Camden
This casual, communal dining restaurant takes fish and chips and gives it a twist. Batters can be found with basil and lemon or lime, mint and wasabi. Dipping sauces include the basic tartar with other options like chipotle, mojo, or garlic truffle, and if you can’t decide you can get a sampler board of sauces for under 4 pounds. The rest of their menu and sides offer interesting other choice including wakame or aracini.
Address: 63 Parkway, London NW1 7PP, United Kingdom
Phone:+44 20 3808 5112
Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner until 10pm-ish.
http://www.hookrestaurants.com
Dishoom
This spot really showed how diverse and accepting London really is. A confession, I actually wound up going to the Carnaby location because the location near Camden was a 2 hour line on a TUESDAY! Coined as a hip Bombay-style restaurant serving up feisty, classic Indian dishes with creative craft cocktails in a welcoming yet, elegant atmosphere. I sipped on a few too many Bombay Pimm’s, their creative twist on a Pimm’s cup that added a smorgasbord of herbs like mint and coriander and even fresh pomegranate seeds.
The food was unbelievably delicious and catered well to our group with included me, a gluten free diet eater, a vegetarian, and an eat-anything kind of guy. The lamb chops were seasoned deliciously, the biryani complimented the curries, and the paneer was a great addition. For a cool twist try the fried okra! It had an awesome light coating and a slight spice.
Address: 5 Stable St, London N1C 4AB, United Kingdom
Phone:+44 20 7420 9321
There are multiple locations around London including the hot spot of Shoreditch.
Hours vary, but all locations are open 7 days a week serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon chai, and dinner and drinks till 11 or midnight.
Namaste Kitchen
London is well known for their Indian food selections, and you’ll be hard pressed to find an awful Indian meal in the city. BUT the reallllllly good places can be hard to find. I give you, Namaste Kitchen. Significantly more expensive than the curry houses on Brick Lane, this is very much an upscale Indian restaurant. It doesn’t try to do anything funky, though, which I appreciate. Indian food is delicious, there is absolutely no need to fuse it with anything else! Try the Korma or the Jalfrezi!
Address: 64 Parkway, Camden / Primrose Hill, London NW17AH, United Kingdom
Phone:+44 20 7485 5977
Hours Open 7 days a week from noon to 11pm.
http://www.namaastekitchen.co.uk/
Places to Eat in Camden: Cafes
Leya’s
This a cute, eclectic little spot located neatly on Camden High street jammed between the massive amount of other storefronts. It seemingly portrays itself as only having a table or two, but nestle below the surface is a cozy room with a long communal table a few comfy chairs for reading the day away (or blogging the day away, in my case). They offer a wide variety of coffee and espresso bevys to meet any taste bud’s desires. Their pastries had me drooling as I walked in the door, but, alas!, they even had a few gluten free baked yummies. The gf lemon polenta loaf is worth a try even if you are a fan of gluten! They hot brunch options were incredibly tempting as well and including the illustrious avocado toast that seems to be a London brunch option of choice.
Address: 20 Camden High St, London NW1 0JH, United Kingdom
Open from 7:30am to 6pm during the week and 9-6pm on weekends.
Mario’s Café
I am a sucker for diners so I couldn’t miss something that was consistently referred to as a classic “greasy spoon” establishment. Happy to report that their food isn’t greasy in the slightest, except when you want it to be! This community driven spot, is an English and Italian hybrid. Breakfast dishes can come accompanied with prosciutto or salmon, and English favorites like black pudding (if you don’t know, don’t ask). For lunch, try the Italian mains like the Italian sausage penne.
Address: 6 Kelly St, London NW1 8PH, United Kingdom
Phone:+44 20 7284 2066
Open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 4pm.
Places to Eat in Camden: Pubs
The Prince Albert
No trip to London is complete without visiting a typical British pub. This one may not be so typical, however. Their menu boasts sustainable and organic ingredients, locally brewed beers and community events like a cider festival over Easter weekend. Savory pies, veggie burgers, goat cheese salads and lamb koftas set their delicious menu apart from other local favorites. You can still find British favorites like bangers and mash and fish and chips and pair them a big pint of your favorite brew! Fun fact: Sleep where you drink: there’s a 3-bedroom Airbnb for rent above the pub!
Address: 163 Royal College St, London NW1 0SG, United Kingdom
Phone:+44 20 7485 0270
Food is served from 12-3pm and 6-10pm Monday to Saturday and Sundays 12-8pm.
The Earl of Camden
A great place to catch a sports game, grab something to eat, and relax! An eclectic pub that offers everything from tacos to burn your mouth off chicken wings. Pizza, fish and chips, halloumi, and so much more will give you all the offerings you need to make a good decision – food wise. They often run happy hours and specials, so make sure to check the boards or their Facebook page. It’s conveniently located just a few steps from Camden High St. this is a can’t miss pub if you’re venturing out to Camden and need a break from the hustle and bustle.
Address: 55 Parkway, Camden, NW1 7PN, United Kingdom
Phone:+44 20 7284 1675
Hours Open 7 days a week. Mon-Thurs – 11am to 11pm, Fri + Sat. – 11am to Midnight, Sun – 11am to 10:30pm
https://www.craft-pubs.co.uk/earlofcamden
Places to Eat in Camden: Markets
The Camden Markets pretty much offer any and every thing your tummy could ever want. There’s also plenty of shopping to be had before or after or in-between snacks.
The Camden Locke Markets: The Global Kitchen
Overlooking a river lock, The Global Kitchen market in the Camden Locke Market offers food stalls from everywhere imaginable. There is Colombian, Malaysian, Ethiopian, and everything in between. I personally sampled an Arepa from the Venezuelan street food stall for £5 and I am happy to report it was fabulous! Follow your gut and your nose! Not every stand is amazing but this is one of my favorite places to eat in Camden, hands down! I had some less than desirable “healthy” Indian food.
In front of the entrance to the Stables Market, which is just past the Locke Market is a neat little hub of the market that features stands offering ready-to-eat dishes. The Asian curries and Mexican morsels smelled incredible!
Pro Tip: Go before your starving level of hunger so you have plenty of time to wander around and weigh all of your options before making a hasty decision and regretting it!
Address: 56 Camden Lock Pl, London NW1 8AF, United Kingdom
Phone:+44 20 3763 9999
Open everyday from 10am-6pm. If it is raining hard, many stands are likely to be closed.
Places to Eat in Camden: Dessert
Cookies and Scream
I couldn’t resist including this awesome, different dessert option in Camden! It is a vegan, gluten free cookie shop. They offer more than just cookies though. Brownies, donuts and pies are also included in their gluten free and vegan options. And the crowning jewel? Their “Cool Cookies” which are ice cream sandwiches stored in the fridge for a delicious treat on a warm day!
Address: The Market Hall, Camden Lock Pl, London NW1 8AF, United Kingdom
Phone:+44 7778 691519
Open daily from 10:30am to 5:30pm
http://www.cookiesandscream.com
Exploring a different part of London? Try this foodie guide to Soho!
