Elephant and Castle Today

Eating and Drinking

As far as eating and drinking go, there is a wealth of choice in Elephant and Castle, with cuisine from all over the world available including:

La Luna Pizzeria
An award-winning restaurant further down the same road.
Tai Won Mein Noodle Restaurant
Situated on the northern roundabout, Tai Won Mein offers a huge oriental plateful at budget prices.
The Beehive on Penrose Street and The Hampton Court on Hampton Street
Two traditional pubs serving decent beer.
La Dolce Vita
La Dolce Vita serve a variety of Italian dishes at their fully licensed restaurant and also provide a takeaway option.
4-5 London Road, London, SE1 6JZ Telephone 020 7928 7138

Entertainment

Local highlights include:

The Coronet
Has recently re-opened its doors to headline acts such as Blur and Justin Timberlake.
Ministry of Sound
Gives clubbers good reason to venture south of the river, along with its Latin American derivative, Ministry of Salsa.
La Bodeguita (www.labodeguita.co.uk)
Located in the Elephant and Castle shopping centre, evening customers can work off their Columbian meal by dancing into the early hours.
The Palace Superbowl (www.palacesuperbowl.com)
Located on the first floor on the shopping centre and open daily between 11am and 11pm. Prices start at £4.50 a game (adult) and £4.00 a child. More information can be found on the Palace Superbowl website or by calling 020 7277 0001.

Shopping

Walworth Road, the busy popular shopping street, is home to an eclectic range of shops, as well as some undiscovered gems.

Baldwin's (www.baldwins.co.uk)
This family-owned health store has been in business on Walworth Road since 1844.
East Street Market
Provides the opening shot on the credits of Only Fools and Horses and is an old stomping ground of Charlie Chaplin’s. The market is full of fresh fruit and vegetables and local favourites such as jellied eels and African-Caribbean produce.
The Elephant and Castle shopping centre and markets
Selling everything from CDs and pashminas to ‘bling’ jewellery and homeware products. Most shops here are small and independently owned and Southwark Council is working to ensure that these businesses can keep trading in the regenerated Elephant and Castle.

Architecture

Architecture from the 1960s can be good, as Erno Goldfinger's Metro Central Heights and Perronet House demonstrate. These popular residential blocks (Metro Central Heights was converted six years ago from a disused Department of Health building) sit right on the Elephant and Castle roundabout and have front row seats that are perfect for watching the regeneration unfold.

Pretty streets are dotted around Elephant and Castle, including Trinity Church Square, West Square, Hayles Street, and the Pullens Estate, and further into Walworth, Sutherland Square and Fielding Street. The historic Imperial War Museum is also nearby.

Education

Over 20,000 university students come to Elephant and Castle to study each day, mainly at:

The London College of Communication (LCC) (www.lcc.arts.ac.uk)
Previously the London College of Printing, the LCC adds an arty feel to the Elephant, with courses available in design, animation, fashion, journalism and marketing. The building has recently been upgraded by award winning local architects, Allies and Morrison.
London South Bank University (LSBU) (www.lsbu.ac.uk)
LSBU is set to invest over £50 million in its campus over the next few years and is a key partner in the regeneration of Elephant and Castle.

Culture

The area plays host to a range of cultural attractions, including the quirky Cuming Museum (www.southwark.gov.uk/DiscoverSouthwark/Museums) at the top of Walworth Road, which is full of archaeological curios from Richard and Henry Cuming’s international collection.