Camberwell is a vibrant place to live and is renowned for its contribution to the arts.
In zone 2 (Southwark), Camberwell has excellent transport links, taking residents across central London and Kent. It has two train stations, Denmark Hill and Loughborough Junction, taking you to London Victoria in just under 20 minutes. The nearest tube stations are Oval (Northern Line) and Elephant and Castle (Bakerloo and Northern Lines), and they’re both just over a mile away. There’s also plenty of TFL buses that frequently pass through, taking you across London.
There are several excellent state and public schools in Camberwell, including the Charter School North Dulwich (which has an outstanding Ofsted rating), James Allen’s Girls’ School, and Alleyn’s School. There are many primary schools with a good Ofsted rating for families with younger children, such as Brunswick Park Primary School and Lyndhurst Primary School.
Camberwell Church Street is the area’s high street, and it has plenty of independent stores for locals to enjoy. There’s a great mix of shops meeting various needs and tastes, including Susitas Shop (a beauty store), Cruson (a greengrocer), United Food & Gadgets, and Seabass Cycles Camberwell. Rat Records is a popular second-hand vinyl and cd store that’s been here since 1999. Butterfly Walk shopping centre has well-known brands, such as Superdrug and Holland & Barratt, and it also has a Morrisons supermarket.
The area has a great selection of independent local cafes. Lumberjack Café is a popular place selling baked goods and a few craft items too, and Maloko is a chilled café filled with art that serves up tasty crepes and galettes. Camberwell has lots of places to enjoy an evening meal out, including independent restaurants like the Silk Road (delicious Chinese food) or Caravaggio Italian Restaurant, a lovely family-run place serving generous portions of Italian food. Nandine (which featured in the Guardian) is a family-run Kurdish restaurant serving mezze and brunches made from the freshest ingredients you’ll find. It’s an affordable option too as all dishes are £10 or under.
There’s plenty of pubs and bars playing live music until the early hours. Tiger Pub serves classic pub grub with an impressive range of burgers plus great options for vegetarians and vegans. The Flying Dutchman (with a weekend license until 6am) is one of Camberwell’s hidden gems, and it complements the area’s rich art history by hosting exhibitions promoting difference and diversity.
The local hospital here is Kings College Hospital, and there are plenty of GPs and pharmacies in the area too.
Camberwell is home to one of London’s biggest parks, Burgess Park. This beautiful green space has plenty on offer to keep you entertained with its play areas, café, gardens, and even a 400 metre BMX track. There are three listed buildings, including a lime kiln and a library, and the park has a fishing lake too.
Camberwell is known for the arts, and the South London Gallery is a free day out, hosting year-round exhibitions showcasing the best of international contemporary art. Every Sunday, the gallery hosts workshops for families with activities the kids can get involved in. Camberwell College of Arts has a popular annual arts festival that’s been running for over 25 years.
