LONDON A-Z | F IS FOR FARRINGDON ROAD

WE all have our favourite streets in London and one of our all time favourites is Farringdon Road. It’s the history (it was one of the first great Victorian engineering road works), the heritage of its Italian delis, the design studios and general nonchalant coolness that we find just out-and-out inspiring. It’s hard to know where to begin but we like to walk up towards Exmouth Market with an eye to dropping into the Quality Chop House Shop and of course fourth generation Gazzano’s Italian Deli. Exmouth Market is of course just a stone’s throw away (we’re not kidding). Known for its independent shops and eateries, you can't do better than Cafe Kick, Caravan and don’t forget Borough Wine. That’s the thing about Farringdon Road it's a thoroughfare to some of the best hidden spots in Clerkenwell. For some of the city's best coffee, take a detour to Leather Lane for Purfrock Coffee, and the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs. There’s Clerkenwell Road for its line-up of Terroni of Clerkenwell, Magma Book Store and Forest London (a great place to find vintage Danish furniture). There’s Hatton Garden for London’s jewellery traders and then down to Smithfield Market, where you can buy some of the best meat in London, if you can wake up early enough (from 02.00 - 07.00 weekdays). And for some solitude, you can’t go past St James Church Garden. 

A-Z REFERENCE: MAP 8/ A1-5C

Other F’s we like are: biodynamic farmers Fern Verron. 

FOR YOUR ADDRESS BOOK
Borough Wine, 3 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QL. Tel. 020 7837 1076
​Cafe Kick, 43 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QL. Tel. 020 7837 8077
Caravan, 11-13 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QD. Tel. 020 7833 8115
Department of Coffee and Social Affairs, 14-16 Leather Lane, EC1N 7SU. Tel. 020 7419 6906
Forest London, 115 Clerkenwell Rd, EC1R 5BY. Tel. 07535 637731
Gazzano’s Italian Deli, 167-169 Farringdon Rd, EC1R 3AL. Tel. 020 7837 1586
Magma Book Store, 117-119 Clerkenwell Rd, EC1R 5BY. Tel. 020 7242 9503
Purfrock Coffee, 23-25 Leather Ln, EC1N 7TE. Tel. 020 7242 0467
Quality Chop Food Shop 88-94 Farringdon Road, EC1R 3EA
Smithfield Market, Buyers Walk E Market, London EC1A 9PQ
St James, Clerkenwell Cl, London EC1R 0EA.
Terroni of Clerkenwell, 138 -140 Clerkenwell Rd, EC1R 5DL. Tel, 020 7837 1712