London area of Bankside guide

What to do and where to stay in London's Bankside neighbourhood

Five hundred years ago, Bankside was like Soho is today, a bustling, bawdy place, full of taverns, theatres, and seedier pursuits. Though it has cleaned up its act considerably since then, one of those theatres has risen from the grave, and now the timber and plaster of Shakespeare’s Globe again fills with eager theatregoers with a few hotels nearby for a convenient weekend jaunt. Just to the north, another ancient feature has found a new lease of life. One of the best views in London can be had from the middle of the Millennium Bridge, with the giant dome of St. Paul’s forming a perfect counterpoint to the 99-metre chimney of Tate Modern, Britain’s best modern art gallery.

See our recommended nearby Bankside Hotels, Events, Entertainment, Sights and Attractions, Shopping, Restaurants, Pubs, Nightlife, Leisure, Education, and Meeting Venues.

Novotel London City South
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel
53 61 Southwark Bridge Road, SE1
Opposite St Paul's Cathedral and right in the shadow of the Tate Modern Novotel is a short walk from the River Thames. With bright, airy rooms, ... More

 

 

Holiday Inn Express London Southwark
London > Hotels > Budget Chain Hotel
103-109 Southwark Street, SE1
Located in the bustling heart of London's arts scene, with the capital's finest theatres, concert halls and cinemas just a short stroll away, this is a ... More

 

 

Hilton London Tower Bridge
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel
5 More London Place, SE1
This plush, modern hotel south of the historic Tower Bridge is very convenient for exploring London. Just five minutes from the Tube station, it's 10 to ... More

 

 

Hotels in Bankside

 

The View From The Shard
London > Events > Tours
The Shard, 96 Tooley Street, Bankside, London SE1
London looks like a city in miniature from The View From The Shard which at 244 metres tall is the highest public viewing platform in ... More

 

 

Lichtenstein: A Retrospective
London > Events > Exhibitions
Tate Modern, Bankside Power Station, 25 Sumner Street, Bankside, London SE1
In 1964, Lichtenstein became the first American to exhibit at the Tate Gallery, and in 2013 the American pop artist reunites with the London gallery for ... More

 

 

The Tempest
London > Events > Theatre
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, Bankside, London SE1
Shakespeare's great masterpiece, The Tempest, starts Shakespeare's Globe's 2013 season on 23rd April 2013 with a play which uses Renaissance costumes and music composed by Stephen ... More

 

 

Events in Bankside

 

Drum Cafe
London > Entertainment > Live Music
Glaziers Hall, 9 Montague Close Bridge, Bankside, London SE1
100 people in a room, all armed with a large African drum, banging in unison, until reaching a deafening crescendo - that's the premise of Drum ... More

 

 

Roxy Bar & Screen
London > Entertainment > Cinemas
128-132 Borough High Street, Bankside, London SE1
The Roxy Bar and Screen on Borough High Street is an independent cinema which hosts monthly VJ/DJ nights and has a Popcorn Comedy night as well ... More

 

 

The Jellyfish Theatre
London > Entertainment > Theatres
Marlborough Playground, 11-25 Union Street, Bankside, London SE1
London's first fully-functioning theatre made entirely from recycled and reclaimed materials was constructed over the summer of 2010 and will be open from late August through ... More

 

 

Entertainment in Bankside

 

Golden Hinde
London > Attractions > Boats and Bridges
Pickfords Wharf, Clink Street, Bankside, London SE1
Sir Francis Drake completed the second-ever circumnavigation of the world between 1577-80 in a galleon ship called the Golden Hinde. The ship has been re-created and ... More

 

 

The Clink Prison Museum
London > Attractions > Museums
1 Clink Street, Bankside, Bankside, London SE1
Located on what was once the London estate of the Bishops of Winchester (known as the 'Liberty of the Clink'), the Clink Prison Museum unlocks the ... More

 

 

Southwark Cathedral
London > Attractions > Historic Buildings
London Bridge, Bankside, London SE1
Dating back to around 1220 Southwark Cathedral is the oldest Gothic church in London. It has a varied and lively history and houses interesting memorials connected ... More

 

 

Sights and Attractions in Bankside

 

Konditor & Cook
London > Shopping > Food and Drink Shops
10 Stoney Street, Bankside, London SE1
Konditor & Cook specialise in the creation of amazingly tasty cakes which are also sold on to some of the finest restaurants in the city. This ... More

 

 

The Wine Pantry
London > Shopping > Food and Drink Shops
1 Stoney Street, Bankside, London SE1
The only wine shop in the world selling nothing but English wine, The Wine Pantry in Borough Market offers customers something quite unique. It may come ... More

 

 

Borough Market
London > Shopping > Markets
Southwark Street, Bankside, London SE1
Nestled in-between Borough High Street, Bedale Street, Stoney Street and Winchester Walk lives "London's Larder", more formally known as Borough Market. This gourmand's delight is London's ... More

 

 

Shopping in Bankside

 

Feng Sushi
London > Restaurants > Japanese restaurants
13 Stoney Street, Bankside, London SE1
This chain of inexpensive sushi restaurants is never going to win any accolades for service - in the main it’s slow and not particularly helpful. Nevertheless, ... More

 

 

Brew Wharf
London > Restaurants > Brasseries
Brew Wharf Yard, Stoney Street, , Bankside, London SE1
... More

 

 

Wright Brothers Oyster & Porter House
London > Restaurants > Fish and Seafood
11 Stoney Street, Southwark, , Bankside, London SE1
Wright Brothers supply oysters to some of the finest chefs at London’s top hotels and restaurants and have an extensive range from the Pacific Northwest as ... More

 

 

Restaurants in Bankside

 

Wheatsheaf
London > Nightlife > Pubs
6 Stoney Street, Bankside, London SE1
Following a three-year closure due to the Thameslink building works, the Wheatsheaf pub next to Borough Market reopened in December 2012. Drinkers who mourned the loss ... More

 

 

National Trust: George Inn, The George Inn Yard
London > Nightlife > Pubs
77 Borough High Street, Southwark, Bankside, London SE1
Dating back to 1676 this is the only original galleried inn left in London. Borough High Street was once crammed full of old coaching inns, providing accommodation ... More

 

 

Charles Dickens
London > Restaurants > Gastropub
160 Union Street, Bankside, London SE1
... More

 

 

Pubs in Bankside

 

The Rake
London > Nightlife > Bars
14 Winchester Walk, Borough, Bankside, London SE1
Beer is the draw here, over 100 different bottled kinds from all over the world squeezed into the compact space (said to be the smallest bar ... More

 

 

Vinopolis Wine Wharf
London > Nightlife > Wine Bars
Stoney Street, Bankside, London SE1
Their extensive wine list is a veritable treat for connoisseurs and aspiring novices alike; there are 100 wines available by the glass and over 300 wines, ... More

 

 

Vinopolis
London > Nightlife > Wine Bars
1 Bank End, Bankside, London SE1
If you like wine, an afternoon spent exploring the alcoholic delights of Vinopolis is an ideal pursuit. This self-guided tour allows visitors to find out about ... More

 

 

Nightlife in Bankside

 

Snowsfields Wellness
London > Leisure > Health and Beauty
41 Snowsfields, Bankside, London SE1
It's a relief to step into Snowsfields Wellness, with its shelves of carefully selected healthy and organic products. Unlike plenty of other places, each of the ... More

 

 

Potters Fields Park
London > Leisure > Parks and Gardens
City Hall, 110 The Queens Walk, Bankside, London SE1
Potters Fields Park occupies a prime spot between City Hall (from where the Mayor runs London) and Tower Bridge. The pedestrianised, grassy area on the south ... More

 

 

Leisure in Bankside

 

Education in Bankside

 

Vinopolis
London > Business > Venue Hire
London Bridge, Bankside, Bankside, London SE1
This conference and event venue caters for between 10 and 1250 guests. Ideal for dinners, conferences, exhibitions, meetings, product launches & AGMs. ... More

 

 

Tate Modern
London > Business > Venue Hire
Bankside, Bankside, London SE1
Located along the banks of the River Thames in the former Bankside Power Station, originally designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1947, the architect of ... More

 

 

The Bridge
London > Business > Venue Hire
Weston Street, Bankside, London SE1
... More

 

 

Meeting Venues in Bankside