Comedian Ella Wills Highlights Her Top Indie Spots In London

Run by Alex Loveless and Clara Solis, La Camionera (Spanish for ‘female truck driver’, a euphemism for butch lesbians) is the second lesbian bar and the first FLINTA (female, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, trans, and agender) owned one in London. After a wildly successful pop-up in the basement of Off Broadway and popular crowdfunding campaign, La Camionera moved into a permanent site on Well Street. Taking inspo from Spanish bars, there’s hand-painted tiles, terracotta colours and stained-glass lampshades inside and a little garden out back. Pop by for coffee during the day, natural wine in the evening or one of the regular events, like singles nights and poetry readings.

Shakeshuka is an authentic Halal & Palestinian kitchen right by Baker Street station. It serves up a selection of fresh juices and comforting Palestinian dishes including falafel, shawarma, and, of course, its signature shakshouka. The spot is proud of its Palestinian heritage, becoming a meeting spot for the community to come together. And it counts Bella Hadid among its fans. 

This comedy club with sites at Caledonian Road, Kings Cross and Camden, is a reliable destination when you’re looking for a good laugh. The intimate venue is designed in a way which means you get close and personal with the comedians plus there’s a DJ to keep the vibes going in between sets. The lineups are always eclectic, mixing rising stars and established TV comedians. Take a chance – you never know who you might catch!

Arguably the biggest attraction to The Faltering Fullback, just up from Finsbury Park tube, is the multi-level beer garden…staircase, beer garden staircase….it’s like a bloody maze. Admittedly weather depending, the garden offers secluded pockets of seating where you can chat into the early hours. The pub itself is a traditional one, except it does Thai food, which isn’t traditional at all, but you’ll find all your usual friends behind the bar. Great pub.

Sabiib has become one of London’s leading names in Somali cuisine. Starting in Acton, it’s now expanded with a second restaurant in Harringay where they are serving a comprehensive and authentic selection of Somali dishes. The menu includes Somali staples like Bajiyo and Basbaas – traditional Somali-style falafel – and beef Suqaar – diced beef with Xawaash spices, but the signature dish is Haniid – slow-cooked lamb shoulder served with Sabaayad flatbread. All meat is halal. One thing to note, Sabiib does not serve alcohol but instead focuses on a large selection of mocktails, juices, Somali tea and other non-alc options.

Gay’s The Word is the oldest independent LGBT+ bookshop in the UK. It was set up as a community space (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners held their first meetings here during the strike of 84-85) and community events are still held in the store to this day. The shelves are packed with a range of books spanning fiction, non-fiction, classics, plays, poetry, history, graphic novels, queer studies and more.

Once the playground for all sorts of night dwellers like Amy Winehouse, Noel Fielding and Alexa Chung this Camden pub still offers up a night out to remember…all those impromptu and secret gigs mean you don’t know what you might stumble upon. There’s a tiny outside area you’ll struggle to manoeuvre around but the real gem is the upstairs terrace. The staff look younger than your newborn cousin and couldn’t give a shit what band you are in. Just don’t cause trouble and have a bloody good time.

This indie cinema was the former Salvation Army Hall but now it’s a Crouch End fave that develops new and classic works reflecting the multi-cultural nature of our city. And as you can guess from the name, it’s not only a two-screen cinema venue but a live arts space too. Its programme favours independent and international movies, while the foyer area features a bar and café serving up a good offering for snacks.

At the end of Mare Street in Hackney, The Crown Pub is a traditional boozer with a well-stocked bar and a cosy pub garden. Attached to it is a guesthouse with seven rooms, so you can even bed down for the night. Whether you’re coming for a quick drink or sleeping over, The Crown hosts lots of events including sport on the TV, trivia every Thursday and live music on Fridays.

Hidden in Wood Green Shopping Mall, Mauritius Paradise has been serving authentic Mauritian street food since 2008. Led by Chef Anusha, who learned all her skills from her mother, the stall offers a long list of traditional Mauritian dishes. Choose from a large range of noodle and rice dishes, soups and curries – including an octopus curry – all of which are halal certified.