South Kensington
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Kensington
Best for: the V&A, Natural History and
Science
Museums, eating and drinking, women’s fashion
and designer home furnishing. Exhibition Road, the boulevard that
leads to the museums, has recently been transformed into a
pedestrian friendly space with a good selection of cafes and
restauarants offering outdoor seating in the summer months.
South Kensington has a cosmopolitan feel with brilliant French,
Polish and Japanese food on offer and some interesting art
galleries. From South Kensington tube station it’s a short walk
down Pelham Street to Brompton Cross where you will find the
fabulous Art Deco Michelin Building housing the Conran Shop and
Bibendum Restaurant, surrounded by designer's fashion houses
including Chanel, Joseph, Paul Smith and Kenzo. Venture around the
corner to Walton Street and Draycott Avenue and you will find a
number of one-off independent shops and restaurants, or head
south down Fulham Road for a great selection of fashion
retailers.
Specialist shops: costume jewellers
Butler and Wilson,
La Cave a Fromage
cheese shop, Grangers
Fishing Tackle and auctioneers Christies.
South
Kensington Farmers' Market operates in Bute Street on
Saturdays. The Brompton Quarterly
magazine gives details of what's on in the area.
People spotting: With the Lycée
and Institut Français the area has a very French feel, and is
nicknamed the 21st Arrondisment.
Trivia: Bibendum is the name of the Michelin
man.