Shop
French food is practically synonymous with cheese (the smellier the better) and this clutch of three boujie cheese shops is a celebration of all things français. Yes, it all started with the cheese, but the sites are also deli and café all-rounders, selling all the classic charcuterie, gourmet tinned goods (hello Ortiz anchovies), wine and beautiful tableware your little heart could dream of. What’s more, each location – Highbury, Bloomsbury, Marylebone – runs tasting events and one-off dinners. The focus was originally French, but they all sell produce from British and further afield – the only thing you need to know is that if it’s sold at La Fromagerie, it’ll be absolutely delicious. And while you’re there it would be rude to visit without a little glass of French vin, non?
THE CHEESEBOARD
Down in the sophisticated surrounds of Greenwich (it’s a Royal Borough, dontcha know), an equally sophisticated cheesemonger has been purveying some of the finest fromages in town for more than 30 years. This is, obviously, a brilliant place to build your ideal cheeseboard, whether it’s for a special occasion or just your next afternoon snack. Hey, no judgement here. The shop sells cheese from all the usual suspects – Britain, France, Italy – and beyond, including Norway. Yes, you heard it here first: this is the place to get your gob around Norwegian brown cheese, or gjetost, without getting yourself all the way to Scandinavia. If you don’t know it, brown cheese is a sweeter, almost fudgey cheese made with caramelised way that gets thinly sliced or shaved onto toast. It’s an acquired taste, sure, but in our humble opinion it’s delicious.
CHEESES OF MUSWELL HILL
Cheeses by name, cheeses by nature: this is truly a place that does what it says on the tin. Everything – and we mean everything – is about the stinky stuff here. The shop may be small (and beautiful) but it sure packs a lot in, stocking more than 200 different kinds of fromage. You could make it your mission to try them all, or you could be guided by founder Morgan McGlynn, whose dairy knowledge knows almost no bounds. The shop is family run but she’s at the (cheese) wheel, hand picking every variety straight from the dairy. Elsewhere, the shop sells all the tools you could possibly need in your cheesy arsenal, from wine to crackers to condiments. They’ve also been making cheese wedding cakes for more than 10 years. Do you think you have to be getting married in order to buy one? Asking for a friend.
Array stocks a curated edit of clothing, homeware and bath products – carrying brands such as La Paz, Armor Lux, Wax + Wick Workshop, Heath London, Maison Bengal and Tom Lane – as well as hand-selected vintage objects and mid to late 20th-century British pottery.
Finlay & Co glasses are all handmade in the Italian Alps using Mazzucchelli acetate and Carl Zeiss lenses, and with spectacles starting at £100 (prescription lenses from £50) and sunnies starting at £120, you get a lot of craftsmanship for your money. They have a curated selection of frames from 14 independent brands, including Grey Ant, Cutler & Gross, Prism and Kaleos, as well as their own collection of specs and sunnies. And if you need help picking the perfect pair, the in-store specialists are a dab hand at helping you find the right ones for your face shape, and most styles are unisex so it’s even easier to choose. They also offer in-store eye tests using the latest equipment, which is absolutely amazing – compared to Boots, it’s like a stag do in Amsterdam.
Deli X is the place to stock up on all your wholefoods and sustainable goodies. There are lots of organic and artisanal groceries on offer, refill stations for cleaning products so you can cut down on your plastic use, and a cafe so you can take a break from your shopping with a coffee and some veggie grub.
Housed in the railway arches near the station, Deptford Market Yard brings together some of the best local start-ups and independents including Jerk Yard (Caribbean street food), Salt Craft Beer + Pizza, Little Nan’s (cocktails), The Box (hairdressers), Lomond Coffee, and IYA (creative studio and shop). It’s a real one-stop shop.
Finlay London is popping up in Mare Street Market with a whole range of glasses and sunnies in tow. All the frames are designed right here in London before being handmade in Italy. Swing by MSM, pick up a pair of shades and then put them to use straight away by sitting out on the terrace.
This floating bookshop on a 100-year-old Dutch barge actually used to make its way up and down the canal but now it’s moored by Granary Square (so at least you know where to find it). Go for the books – they have a range of second-hand tomes and new releases plus some quirky titles, as you’d expect from a bookshop on a boat – stay for the dog and one of the live music performances on the roof if you’re lucky.
Coal Drops Yard isn’t just about the bars and restaurants; the bulk of the units in the former Victorian coal store development are shops, including the likes of American Vintage, Cubitts, RAINS and Universal Works. Tom Dixon also calls the area home with a huge HQ functioning as a studio and a shop. Prepare to want everything.
L.F.Markey, known for its workwear-inspired womenswear, has its first perm shop in Dalston. The store looks the part with pastel powder coated industrial fittings, pink velvet curtains and mint tiles. As well as stocking the L.F. Markey collections, including those signature boiler suits, the shop also carries pieces from independent labels like YKRA from Hungary and Toasties from Paris.
After branching out from Richmond, the Petersham Nurseries team transformed a 16,000 sq ft Floral Court spot into a lifestyle destination that celebrates nature, seasonality and slow living just like the original. There’s a home and garden shop, deli, wine cellar and florist, as well as The Petersham, an à la carte restaurant and La Goccia, a more informal spot.
Kit & Ace is bringing you the comfort of your fave leggings and t-shirts without compromising your look. They’ve put their expert technical design into clothing that lasts all day, no matter what’s on the agenda. Lunch, lounge or lunge – all in the same outfit. But it isn’t all about the clothes, the showroom itself is worth a visit. Minimalistic and monochrome with accents of concrete and copper throughout the space, it is Shoreditch through and through, and there is even a large marble topped coffee bar within the space.
Search & Rescue is one of our fave shops in Stokey to poke about. Whether you’re looking for presents or bits to fill your home, Search & Rescue has you covered – they literally do everything from ceramics to skincare.
Even if you have no intention of buying anything, House of Hackney’s home in Shoreditch is worth poking around in. The mid-19th century four-storey building, complete with gothic architecture and stained glass windows, is a showcase for all things design, with each room featuring an edit of House of Hackney collections so you can experience them first-hand – a real feast for the eyes.
You’ll rarely find anything else on our feet than trainers and that’s why we LOVE Sneakersnstuff. This place is filled with all hottest sneakers including limited edition ones – expect brands like Adidas, Reebok, Vans, Converse, Nike and more.
If we could dress head to toe in threads from Goodhood we would – they stock all our fave brands including Wood Wood, Vans, Aries, Nanushka, YMC and Norse Projects. And once your wardrobe is full, it’s worth checking out their homeware selection, including Hay, Ferm Living and Cold Picnic, and picking up some Aesop goodies OBVS.
If your looking for some unique homeware, Native & Co is your shop. Specialising in crafted homeware from Japan and Taiwan, they stock a range of tableware, ceramics, kitchenware and other small home accessories, and you can expect lots of clean lines and soft colours.