Things To Do Near Old Street London | Top Attractions To Explore
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From the minute you step off the Old Street Station in Central London, you can understand why the street has become so famous. It is now a hub for technical and marketing related businesses, but that has not stopped the busy road from becoming a magnet for crowds from all over.
With an influx of eateries and cafés, Old Street London is a central point for anyone visiting the city. It’s close to tons of tourist attractions, and it has become the meeting point for locals before a night out.
Running from east to west, it can be difficult to identify what borough Old Streets belongs to. So, if you were wondering what borough Old Street is in? The correct answer would be Islington.
Old Street stretches for one mile (1.6 kilometres) and is a well-known street art area, just like Shoreditch, which also has tons of cool things to do.
Since the street has gained so much popularity in the past few years, various businesses occupy the area. However, Old Street remains one of the city’s best central areas to bring friends together.
Things To Do Near Old Street
Being such a central landmark to the city of London, Old Street itself has many tourist attractions surrounding it. As a result, Old Street Station is the easiest way to get to many of the city’s popular points of interest.
Here are the top attractions that you can find in and around Old Street, Islington.
Rivington Place
Located in Shoreditch, just a short seven-minute walk away from Old Street Station, Rivington Place embraces the art of London. Opening its doors in 2007, the art gallery aims to bring fantastic art pieces together to encourage discussions between art lovers.
It is one of the first new art buildings to be funded by the public since Hayward Gallery, and you can expect excellence here. Rivington also hosts two unique art houses, the Institute of International Visual Art (Iniva) and Autograph.
These are critical additions to the London art scene since they pride themselves on innovating art in the city by providing opportunities for artists of various different cultural backgrounds.
The two art houses host various events, exhibitions, and talks, so be sure to visit the fantastic art building when you find an artist who tickles your artistic interests.
Museum Of The Home (Geffrye House)
Just a short four-minute trip away from Old Street Station is where you’ll find inspiration next time you move house. Museum of the Home, formally known as Geffrye House, is a museum that focuses on English interior design.
Known to host tons of designs that date back to the 16th century, the museum showcases how interior design has changed over the years. The museum offers tons of innovative ideas and a new look at modern design and its evolution.
Their name change in 2021 was to remind the public what their proper focus is: home. And now they have new galleries, learning spaces, a charming café, and a collection of new study rooms.
The museum is always closely in tune with the interior design community, so keep an eye on their events.
Pure Evil Gallery
While many aren’t sure how to categorise Pure Evil Gallery, it’s a great place to visit and shop. A gallery that focuses on the principle and not just the profit is a fantastic addition to the London art scene.
Don’t let the name keep you away from the gallery. Pure Evil is an art gallery with print art, NFTs, clothing, and figurines all on offer. The gallery prides itself on providing a place for independent artists to showcase their talents.
All pieces are also up for sale, so check out their website to find your favourites, then visit the shop to view it in its full glory.
Old Street Shops
You can be sure that Old Street has fantastic shops in the street and its surrounding areas. With markets, interesting clothing shops, and unique galleries to shop from, remember to bring along your wallet in case something catches your eye.
The Old Street zone has tons of inspiring pieces made by locals. Here is a list of the must-visit shops near Old Street.
House Of Vintage
Since 2010, House of Vintage has brought amazing, retro-style pieces to London. They have since grown even bigger, offering more clothes inspired by the past. With three stores under their belt, their flagship store is just 0.8 miles (1.2 kilometres) away from the Old Street Station.
On their website, you will find a fantastic lookbook with past pieces, with all stores having carefully collected vintage wear. Most of the clothes draw inspiration from the 1920s to the 1980s.
Both men’s and womenswear are available. And there is an emphasis on only selling rare and unique clothing that remains fashionable.
Goodhood
Take a three-minute walk from Old Street Station and you’ll find yourself at a store that needs no introduction. Goodhood opened its doors in 2007 and hasn’t looked back since. The store has one goal: bring the most delicate clothing pieces together and make them available in one place.
Goodhood is a self-funded store that brings minimalist styles together to provide visitors with the best streetwear together. And since it started, they branched out and now offer unique home pieces that make living a lot more stylish.
Goodhood has a great collection of everything with excellent clothing and home items. Visit the store and see how they bring together quirky pieces of clothing and pick up some fantastic home goods while you’re there.
Brick Lane Vintage Market
Brick Lane Vintage Market is the place to be if you want great bargains on unique vintage wear. It takes place seven days a week at the Truman Brewery just under 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) away from the Old Street Station.
The market brings together vintage specialists from across Europe that showcase terrific pieces dating back to the 1920s. Over 40 different boutiques and stylists come here, so you’ll be spoilt for choice.
If you are a vintage trader and looking to join the Brick Lane Market, you can easily apply and get your pieces in the busy market. It is certainly worth a visit since you can get jewellery and food here as well.
Where To Eat in Old Street
Now that all the shopping and attractions are out of the way, the next aim should be to re-fuel. Old Street offers quite a few dining options that are well worth the visit.
Here are some of the best eateries that you can find on Old Street.
Banh Mi Keu Deli Shoreditch
If you crave some amazing seasonal Vietnamese dishes, this contemporary deli is ideal. Located in Old Street in Shoreditch, Banh Mi Keu brings Saigon Street food to London. The Vietnamese establishment offers amazing sandwiches, rice bowls and noodles, all made with fresh ingredients.
It is an excellent pick-up-and-go deli, but it is also perfect for a catch-up session during lunch with good company. Their menu also has a great variety of dishes they specialise in, and if you can, try out their famous Hanoi Beer.
On The Bab
This Korean Street food restaurant is one of the best eateries you’ll find on the street. On The Bab offers rice and bibimbap, fried chicken, and excellent noodles.
Not only a dining place but also a great drinking spot with typical Korean drinks like soju served. So, be sure to enjoy your dish with a glass while enjoying the day out with friends.
With two stores already in London and two more coming soon, On the Bab is an excellent restaurant to visit.
Best Mangal Bar & Kitchen
Located in the heart of Old Street is one of the best Turkish restaurants that you can find in fun-filled East London. The name says it all; Best Mangal has a great atmosphere that complements their food even more. And their kebabs are excellent, as you’d expect.
Their food and drinks menu is quite extensive, offering many traditional Turkish dishes that will make your mouth water.
Start your meal off with either cold or warm starters, move on to the mains or try one of their dishes with yoghurt. They also offer great fish dishes, kebab wraps, burgers, and many more.
Final Thoughts on Old Street Activities
If you don’t already know, Old Street is a fantastic place to visit with a lot of things to do. You get everything you’ll need just as you step off the station. And don’t let all the businesses in the street fool you; there are still tons to discover on the road.
Attractions, fashion, and food all in one area make your journey to Old Street all the more welcoming.
What makes Old Street such a fantastic place to tour is that many of the nearby attractions are non touristy things to do. So, be sure to visit the tremendous street.
If you’re looking for a guide for London’s nightlife, browse my thoughts on what to do in London at night.