This is an advertising feature from Wembley Park Ltd.
One of the things that makes London such an exciting place to live is the huge diversity of high streets and neighborhoods to which the city is home. One of the most exciting to spring up in recent years is Wembley Park, which has evolved into a vibrant destination with a family-friendly feel and a focus on culture and the arts. Read on for my favorite discoveries, from edible works of art to beautiful new green spaces.
Wembley Park
Wembley Park is home to the world-famous Wembley Stadium and, until a couple of decades ago, primarily what area was known for.
However, a huge transformation has taken place across Wembley Park. The neighborhood is now home to a 5,000-strong community, thousands of attractive new homes, shops, markets, a theater, cafes, restaurants, leisure venues, yoga studios…everything you could imagine!
There’s even a new park, fountains, an outdoor art trail and plenty of entertainment year-round which make this a great neighborhood to visit and live.
How to Get to Wembley Park
Wembley Park is easy to travel to from elsewhere in London. It’s on the Jubilee Line and Metropolitan Line (Wembley Park Station), as well as the Bakerloo (Wembley Central Station). From Baker Street on the Metropolitan Line, it’s just a 12-minute journey.
London Overground trains also stop at Wembley Central, so Clapham Junction is just 22 minutes away, providing plenty of access options.
Secure car parking for 3,000 cars is also available on-site, spread across the Pink, Blue, Green and Red Parking. For those driving electric cars, Pink Parking has 39 electric vehicle chargers.
There are also plenty of bicycle parking options dotted around Wembley Park, if you like your transportation to be as green as it can be.
Of course, you can’t get greener than traveling on foot, and Wembley Park is ideal for that. It’s almost entirely pedestrianized, with wide, car-free boulevards and ample squares for resting and enjoying the atmosphere.
Wembley Park Shops
Wembley Park is packed with shops, many of them within the large, open-air London Designer Outlet. If shopping in London is high up on your agenda, this is a great place to start.
The focus is on fashion, homewares and electricals with a few treats thrown in for good measure to keep you going as you browse. Churros Buenos is well worth a visit, along with the Lindt store if you’re after a sweet pick-me-up.
Designer brands at up to 70% off RRP including Kurt Geiger, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Superdry, Replay and more provide plenty of options for picking up something stylish at a good price.
For sports and athleisure fans the Adidas Outlet, Asics, New Balance and new Nike Unite stores are also a must.
For home enthusiasts, brands like Villeroy & Boch, Denby and ProCook offer an enviable choice of designer homeware at ridiculously low prices, with product lines covering everything from quintessentially British ceramics to high-quality crystal.
The One Wembley Park app provides access to exclusive discounts and VIP events in many of the stores across the neighborhood.
Along with the big brands there are many independent stores located across Wembley Park. One of my favorites is the Book & Kulture Pop Up.
The store shines a spotlight on underrepresented authors and crafters from the African diaspora, with a huge range of diverse literature and artisan crafts.
For antique, retro and pre-loved items, including some fabulously unique and quirky pieces – from furnishings to clothing to objets d’art – a visit to the monthly Wembley Park Antiques Market is also essential.
On the visual arts front, a visit to Pascal Fessler is also a must when you’re in the Wembley Park area.
Pascal provides sketches and paintings, on canvas, Kraft paper and watercolor paper, primarily focused on creating chiaroscuro atmospheres. His portfolio is fascinating.
Sayegh & Sayegh, meanwhile, has a lovely range of sculptures, inspired by the extraordinary beauty of the natural world.
Wembley Park has plenty to offer after a hard day’s shopping, too. More Yoga and Pilates boutique El Estudio are a great way to calm the mind.
If your focus is on external beauty rather than inner peace, it’s time to visit Chop Chop, the second branch of the luxurious and super popular Shoreditch-based, gender and texture neutral hair salon.
Bahvi Beauty also has a range of treatments that specialize in the ancient Indian arts of threading and massage, as well as other relaxation treatments.
Wembley Park Restaurants
Eateries play a big role in the attractions of Wembley Park. Long gone are the days of only being able to grab a quick hotdog before a concert! Now, whether you’re after a quick snack or a special meal, the area is bursting with dining options.
One of the most tempting options is twice Michelin starred celebrity chef Atul Kochhar’s Masalchi (Kochhar is also behind the exclusive Tamarind in Mayfair), which serves up modern Indian street food beautifully paired with Desi-inspired cocktails.
The casual dining concept and selection of sharing plates make for a very social atmosphere – this is a great place to visit with friends.
If you’re after Italian flavors, then Pasta Remoli is the place to be. This is a lovely way to enjoy an authentic taste of Italy, courtesy of chef Simone Remoli, of Barrafina, Locanda Locatelli and Bocca di Lupo fame.
For dessert, it has to be Haute Dolci. Be sure to snap a pic for your Instagram beneath the boughs of the beautiful indoor cherry tree before tucking into one of the edible artwork desserts.
The hazelnut and chocolate macarons are exquisitely light, while the sticky toffee banana French toast is the ultimate indulgence!
BOXPARK Wembley meanwhile, is home to flavors from around the world. From gourmet burgers to elegant sushi to Caribbean delights, there are flavor sensations to impress, whatever style of cuisine you fancy.
If you want to get hands-on when it comes to gourmet treats in Wembley Park, Bread Ahead is the place to be.
Famed for producing the best doughnuts in London (seriously, they’re sensational), the artisan bakery, which also has stores in Borough Market, South Kensington and Hampstead, doesn’t just sell delicious products, but also runs workshops teaching you how to make them.
Wembley Park Coffee Shops
Wembley Park is home to an array of coffee shops, from high street staples to an eclectic mix of independent options.
London chain Black Sheep Coffee delivers some interesting alternative flavors (turmeric latte, anyone?), while Out of Office Coffee has a lovely spot near leafy green parkland – plus serves an impressive selection of cakes.
My favorite Wembley Park coffee shop has to be Boki. (Bo)ris and (Ki)m make a mean flat white and their indulgent salted caramel brownie is a must.
Wembley Park Pubs and Bars
Sipping a cool drink on a sunny summer’s day is a great way to spend time in Wembley Park.
If you’re after a traditional pub, then it has to be the White Horse. The lovely terrace is perfect for al fresco drinks with friends looking out onto the Grade II listed OVO Arena Wembley while in the winter the rich wooden panels and elegant decor of the interior seem to call you in to settle down and enjoy an excellent Sunday roast.
Again, BOXPARK Wembley is a great place to grab a drink and enjoy some regular live entertainment but if it’s cocktails you’re after, then the new Estadio Lounge is ready to impress.
Sink into a battered old club chair under a tremendously tassel-y lampshade, overlooked by huge paintings that celebrate the history and spirit of the local community.
The Strawberry Sling is delightfully refreshing during the warm weather, while the Light & Stormy delivers plenty of flavor minus the hangover for those avoiding alcohol.
Wembley Park Art and Culture
One of the most captivating aspects of Wembley Park is its artistic credentials.
There’s a free art trail that draws visitors from near and far, with a range of exciting installations, some permanent and others part of seasonal exhibitions throughout year.
At present, the art trail consists of 18 pieces across a number of media, including paints, digital mixed media and upcycled materials – including three original K2 telephone boxes repurposed as pop up art galleries.
The Shadow Wall, designed by an award-winning multidisciplinary art and design practice, Jason Bruges Studio, is delightfully interactive.
It uses infrared light sensors to create a ‘digital shadow’ made of light – so as you move through Wembley Park’s Royal Route underpass, you can make pose, dance and play with your shadow however the mood takes you!
In addition to seasonal exhibitions, there are permanent artworks dotted around Wembley Park, including by Lois O’Hara and Mr Doodle.
O’Hara’s Samovar Space work – entitled Think Independently, Together – is a glorious celebration of diversity with an eye-popping color palette.
Mr Doodle, meanwhile, has loaned his talent to 12 concrete blocks in Market Square and around the neighborhood, delivering a spectacular street art installation.
Wembley Park’s Spanish Steps are also home to artworks that change twice each year. They have already featured celebrated artists including Remi Rough, Frank Styles, and Maser.
Another cultural attraction is the Square of Fame, just outside OVO Arena Wembley.
Stars including Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Dame Shirley Bassey, Dolly Parton, George Michael, Westlife, Lionel Richie, Bryan Adams, Status Quo, and Alice Cooper have all cast their hand prints in the gleaming bronze plaques.
Wembley Park is also great for settling in for an evening of culture, thanks to the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, which has brought to Wembley some of London’s most-loved theater productions and cultural institutions, including War Horse with the National Theatre, Peaky Blinders with Rambert Dance and a new production of Newsies: the Musical by Disney.
For music lovers, Wembley Park Live offers free music on Thursday to Sunday evenings until the end of September and, of course, there’s always something happening at the OVO Arena Wembley and Wembley Stadium.
Wembley Park Parks and Gardens
Wembley Park’s greenery is really noticeable when you visit the neighborhood. The fountains in Arena Square mean the air is filled with the happy squeals of little children (and a few adventurous adults), as they splash through the spray.
Elvin Gardens is also a lovely spot for relaxing with a coffee, while the newly opened Union Park, the first park in the area for over 100 years, is a great way to reconnect with nature.
With fountains, wildflowers and grassy areas that invite the spreading of picnic blankets, it’s a pretty space to unwind in.
Other pocket parks include the aptly named Zig-a-Zag Allee (Spice Girls, anyone?) which pays homage to San Francisco’s Lombard Street.
Wembley Park Events
Aside from those in the Stadium and OVO Arena Wembley, Wembley Park hosts an interesting range of events throughout the year.
The neighborhood is home to Mayor of London’s annual International Busking Day, which features performers from around the world, all rather wonderfully eclectic and entirely free.
The musical, poetic spectacular Wemba’s Dream, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, takes place here each year, as does the delightful Winterfest celebration over the Christmas period.
A whole host of other events take place throughout the year – there’s always something exciting to look forward to.
BOXPARK, in particular, is known for its packed calendar of events, with plenty on offer for younger residents during the day, as well as those old enough to dance the night away.
Wembley Park’s leisure offering also includes an interesting selection of fun and quirky activities.
You can enjoy dealing with a zombie apocalypse at MeetspaceVR, play crazy golf to the sound of thumping 80s tunes at Pop Golf and even try your hand at axe throwing to work out some of your tension at Bad Axe.
Wembley Park Accommodation
The Hilton London Wembley is the place to stay if you’re stopping overnight in Wembley Park.
As well as plush rooms and welcoming service, it’s a great spot for cocktails (check out Sky Bar 9 on the top floor) and for refined dining, at The Association Restaurant, headed up by executive chef Anthony Roy.
Wembley Park also has some interesting accommodation options if you want to make your stay more permanent and enjoy the community vibe every day.
Quintain Living provides thousands of pet friendly rental apartments in the neighborhood, spread across a series of buildings, each with its own unique design.
Whether you’re after a New York warehouse loft vibe or some warming Scandi comfort, there’s a huge choice of homes, all with on-site amenities such as outdoor kitchens, rooftop BBQ areas, designer work-from-home sheds…all sorts!
Wembley Park – Off you go!
I hope this guide to Wembley Park has been helpful. There’s so much to do in the neighborhood that you’ll discover plenty more when you visit.
Visit their website to plan your day and why not leave a comment after your trip, sharing what you enjoyed most?
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