London is one of the world’s coolest megacities. It’s ancient and modern, steel and stone in the same breath. 

Tourists flood the South Bank and Piccadilly. But the real London lies elsewhere: the stars know that and so do the most savvy visitors.

Avoid the obvious hot spots. David Beckham may sometimes dine at Chiltern Firehouse, Dua Lipa slip into The Maine on Hanover Square and Idris Elba pop into his own bar at King’s Cross. 

Yet even red-carpet favourites like that actually spend more real relaxing time far from the obvious spots. From a classy casino site on Bally Bet, to a tiny candlelit restaurant, the capital’s true glamour is often hidden away from the glare of publicity.

Forget queues outside Annabel’s or private clubs in Mayfair, the visitors-in-the-know find where London’s creative crowd really goes.

Secret Spots and Quiet Corners

Start in the little-known streets of Fitzrovia. 

The Remedy on Cleveland Street serves natural wines and small plates. It’s candlelit, understated and always full of film editors and stylists. 

Expect to pay around £40 a head. There’s no dress code, no fuss.

A few streets away, the Newman Arms feels like an old pub but hides a kitchen run by top modern chefs. The pies are famous and the crowd is local writers and musicians avoiding Soho’s chaos.

Over in Hackney, Ruby’s Bar under Stoke Newington Road is one of London’s basement secrets. Expect brick walls, neon glow and a playlist that runs from Prince to Peggy Gou. 

Entry is free so packed most weekends, but you can still slip in midweek. Spot top DJs and fashion photographers off duty.

Nearby, Moth Club in Hackney Central draws another cool crowd. 

It’s a former servicemen’s club turned glittery dive with gold ceilings, karaoke nights and surprise gigs from names like Florence Welch or Hot Chip. Yet tickets rarely top £15.

In Dalston, Pamela on Kingsland Road mixes vintage vibes with serious cocktails. You might find actors between film shoots sitting beside painters fresh from galleries.

If you prefer West London, try Laylow in Notting Hill. This townhouse venue offers dinner downstairs and live sets upstairs. 

Sip £12 cocktails among rappers, designers and old-school fashion editors.

North of Regent’s Park, The Kentish Town Forum hosts secret sets from major bands. Amy Winehouse played here before she was famous. 

It still attracts stars who want to test new material without cameras flashing. Tickets cost between £20 and £40.

For coffee and conversation, go east. Paper and Cup in Shoreditch is a quiet charity café where models and magazine staff drop in for mocha. 

In Clerkenwell, the tiny Zetter Townhouse feels like a film set with velvet furniture, oil paintings and eccentric cocktails named after lost aristocrats. Sip a brandy spotting famous writers and photographers.

Or try The Vault, hidden beneath Milroy’s whisky shop in Soho. It’s the coolest of them all.

You push through a bookcase to find a dark bar with just 30 seats. Regular celebrities include Tom Hardy and there’s no entry fee.

Food and Nightlife Without Hype

The best food doesn’t need a waiting list. Do your research and find London’s kitchens run by chefs who’ve left Michelin-starred restaurants to go independent.

In Peckham, Kudu serves South African-inspired plates in a room no bigger than a flat. Dishes cost between £10 and £25. The crowd is half locals, half actors from the National Theatre. And no tourists, no gimmicks.

In Camden, Ma Petite Jamaica mixes reggae and jerk chicken with rum cocktails. It feels like a summer night that never ends.

If you want fine dining without fuss, head to Rochelle Canteen inside a former school in Shoreditch. The whitewashed dining room is run by Margot Henderson, one of London’s most respected chefs. Lunch for two is around £70.

Peckham Levels, a converted car park, offers bars, art shows and rooftop views. Best of all, entry is free. 

Another surprise sits beneath Waterloo Station. The Vaults Theatre hosts theatre mixed with club events with tickets starting at £10. 

Lessons of the Hidden City

These places prove you don’t need VIP passes to feel part of London’s glamour. 

Queues outside five-star hotels or rooftop bars don’t define the capital anymore. Style lives in smaller rooms and side streets. 

The coolest people choose places with mood, not marketing.

Pick your area: Hackney mixes East End grit with modern art, Fitzrovia buzzes with its media crowd, Notting Hill is still cool and Camden keeps its roots alive. 

Hidden hangouts cost less and offer more. Sip a martini beside a film director, eat world-class dinner for the price of an average drink at a trendy club or see a chart-topper play unannounced a few feet away. 

So skip the queues at Sky Garden or the selfie crowd in Covent Garden. Look for the doors without a sign where London hides its cool.

Published by HOLR Magazine.