Some of my fondest memories of my time when I was living in England were days spent exploring my town, Chiswick. Chiswick is a very quaint and picturesque town with a small village-vibe that has plenty to do and lots to see, so there were many days when all I wanted to do was wrap myself up in a warm coat, pull on my boots and venture through these little nooks and cranny’s, and that’s exactly what I did.
Instead of simply listing all my favourite spots in Chiswick and surrounds, I thought I’d take my readers through what one of these days exploring Chiswick looked like while making some recommendations of my favourite spots along the way.
Start your day at Kew Bridge Start your day by making your way to Kew Bridge. Kew Bridge is a beautiful little concrete structure that connects Brentford, Gunnersbury and Chiswick to Kew, a beautiful little town within itself that is home to the iconic Kew Gardens. You can make your way to Kew Bridge either by walking, catching the train, or catching the bus. The South Western Railway visits Kew Bridge Station, and bus routes 110 (towards Hammersmith), 237 (towards White City), 267 (towards Hammersmith) and N9 (towards Heathrow Terminal 5) stop via Kew Bridge Station (Stop X). Additionally, bus routes 65 (towards Kingston), 110 (towards Hounslow), and N65 (towards Ealing Broadway) visit Kew Bridge (Stop H).
Close to all three stations is the lovely Strand Cafe and Restaurant; a lovely choice for a delicious breakfast and morning cuppa-joe! Despite being on the edge of a transport hub, I always opted for outdoor seating as I drank my coffee as it’s unexpectedly peaceful.
Next stop: Strand-on-the-Green From Kew Bridge, walk towards Strand-on-the-Green and continue along the waterfront. You’ll pass plentiful pubs (which I’ll get to later) and you’ll sight many picturesque 18th century houses (that would definitely cost a pretty-penny). Strand-on-the-Green in general is a great photo opportunity; the houses and pubs have tastefully decorated exteriors, and the riverside and Kew Bridge are particularly gorgeous sights to see in the early hours of the morning. As you’re walking down Strand-on-the-Green, keep an eye out for an alleyway that will lead you onto Thames Road.
Here, you’ll find one of my three favourite breakfast spots, a cafe called ‘The Coffee Traveller’. Their mochas are delicious and their Shakshouka is to die for!
Next stop: Grove Park Continue walking down Strand-on-the-Green until you reach the intersection with Thames Road that continues onto Grove Park Road. The Grove Park area has roads littered with lush green trees (or trees covered in orangey/yellow leaves, depending on the season), beautifully grand houses, and clean gardens, and makes for a relaxing suburban stroll. Keep walking down Grove Park Road, onto the first exit at the first roundabout, and then turning left at the t-intersection. This will continue to take you along Grove Park Road and will lead you to Grove Park Bridge. Cross the bridge, sticking to the right-hand side and take a hard right at the end onto Sutton Park Road. Continue along the train line until you see Chiswick Train Station. The train station itself is nestled within a quiet and clean neighbourhood and you’ll find a Co-op across the road to pop in and grab a little snack for the journey.
Next stop: Chiswick House and Gardens Head down Burlington Lane and you’ll stumble upon Chiswick House and Gardens; a site containing exquisitely landscaped gardens and 18th-century architecture, built between 1725 and 1738. The rich history of Chiswick House and Gardens references classical Italian architecture, and is simple but sophisticated. Afterwards, continue along Burlington Lane, sticking to the left-hand side of the Hogarth Flyover, and take the second exit of the Hogarth Roundabout onto Dorchester Grove and then left onto Devonshire Road. Continue down Devonshire Road (it’s a long one!) until you hit Chiswick High Road!
Next stop: Chiswick High Road Chiswick High Road is a haven of indie cafes, a variety of restaurants, boutique stores, and pubs; it’s the social hub of the West London suburb. The high street also has numerous bus stations and is a gateway to the London Underground and Overground, including close proximity to Gunnersbury Station, Chiswick Park Station, Turnham Green Station, and Stamford Brook Station.
Personally, a lunch favourite of mine is Pho Vietnamese. From the end of Devonshire Road, turn right and cross the road and Pho is just a short walk down the road! I ALWAYS ordered the Classic Chicken Curry with a side of peanut sauce… Pho is probably the food I miss the most being back in Australia.
After lunch, take a stroll down Chiswick High Road towards Gunnersbury Station; there are a few stores to pop into for some casual shopping, such as Waterstones, Gails Bakery, GAP, and Paperchase, however I believe Chiswick is better in terms of cafes, restaurants, essential services, and pubs – leave the shopping to Westfield in White City.
Be sure to spend some time in Turnham Green and visit Christ Church Turnham Green. You’ll find this spot littered with people on picnic blankets in the Summertime; in the Autumn, orange and yellow leaves cover the pathways from the trees that line the green-space; during the Springtime, Turnham Green offers incredible sunsets; and in the Winter the green-space will see frost covered grass and, if you’re lucky, will be turned white with a layer of snow!
Next stop: Chiswick Business Park Our second last stop of the day is the Chiswick Business Park; sounds corporate, I know… and it is, but it’s also a modernly beautiful recreational space. The park consists of 33 acres and is home to 75 companies. It features a huge lake surrounded by 12 five (or so) story buildings with floor to ceiling glass windows. Surrounding the lake is wooden decking with plenty of seating space, including meeting pods, and various patches of grass suitable for picnics. The lake has a bridge crossing, a waterfall, and is home to plenty of wildlife. There are a variety of retail stores- as well as corporate offices- that make up the space, like Starbucks, Kafe 23, The Union Bar and Grill, and Virgin Active Health Club for example. Body corporate also hold regular events throughout the park, like beach volleyball, firework displays, and sporting events. I loved grabbing a coffee from Starbucks on the way to work (there was always this one barista who flirted with me which I never complained about), and lounging on the grass near the lake on my days off, but I also spent lots of lunch times here on workdays with mates and that’s when the space is truely bustling.
Last stop: One Over The Ait End your day with a delicious pub meal and a few drinks for dinner! A place that stands out in my mind is One Over The Ait: a pub/restaurant located next to Kew Bridge, back to where we started the day. From Chiswick Business Park, you can either enjoy the 20 minute walk, take either the 237 or 267 bus, or Uber to this dinner spot. Perched on the edge of the River Thames, this industrial themed pub located in an old warehouse has been refurbished to look quite modern inside and out. The two floors feature both indoor and wrap-around outdoor dining options (outdoor dining is my preferred), and as it’s a Fuller’s pub, Fuller’s is obviously on-tap with Frontier being my go-to (a premium lager- not too bitter, but not too sweet). In terms of food, your regular pub-menu is on the table but is refined to a certain extent; the Norfolk Chicken Kiev being my fave. Sitting outside beside the Thames with a bunch of mates during the English Summertime, gulping down a Frontier and pigging out on some hot chips is a fond memory of mine, which is what makes this pub so special to me.
Notable Mentions
Cafes/Restaurants Ozwald Copplepot – I passed this little cafe every day I walked to work and regularly bought a morning coffee on the way, which were always delicious! A little expensive, but the vibe and aesthetic of this place is like a dream! The staff were always helpful and I always felt like I was in an Alice in Wonderland world when I stepped into this place.
Ozwald Copplepot Cafe, Chiswick - via @ozwaldcopplepot on Instagram
Nikki’s Bakery – If you’re a fan of baked goods, Nikki’s Bakery is definitely the place to be! I’d regularly have morning tea or lunch here on my days off and was a sucker for their Penne with Chicken Filet and Fresh Pesto of Basil with a chocolate milkshake. This cafe is especially cosy in the Winter and lovely in the warmer weather if you can snag yourself a table outside.
Rhythm & Brews – I stopped by Rhythm and Brews a couple of times and both times were extremely memorable! This vinyl cafe has a very indie vibe and serves fantastic loaded milkshakes! Food choices range from rainbow cake for a morning snack to poached eggs for breakfast to delicious sandwiches for lunch!
The Lightbox – a place I visited almost every day. Located directly across from my offices, their iced caramel lattes and hot lunch selections made lunch breaks exciting- especially in the Winter! Additionally, their staff are so kind.
Gourmet Burger Kitchen – I Ubered GBK more than I ate in their restaurant, but this burger chain has buttermilk chicken burgers and peanut butter and chocolate milkshakes that made me less and less confident in my own cooking every time I ate it.
Pubs Express Tavern – The Express Tavern, right next to Kew Bridge station, is your typical cosy pub in the Winter with a buzzing outdoor beer garden in the Summer. My coworkers and I frequented this pub a couple of times and it never disappointed.
The Gunnersbury – Located right across from Gunnersbury Station (as you might have guessed), The Gunnersbury is your typical English pub serving an array of beer, spirits, and wine. I’ve spent a few lunches and afternoons here, as it was just down the road from work; lots of memories made and numerous delicious Chicken Parmi’s were consumed! Honestly, probably the best Chicken Parmigiana I’ve had my entire life.
The Pilot – The Pilot sits just off Chiswick High Road and a short 3 minute walk from Gunnersbury Station; it was right around the corner from my flat and is a Fuller’s Pub, serving my fave larger, Frontier. It’s got classic Chiswick charm; beautiful and clean interiors with bright Summer vibes throughout the beer garden. The Pilot has one of my favourite beer gardens throughout all the pubs in Chiswick!
Connollys Bar – Oh the memories made in this little Irish pocket of Chiswick! Connollys Bar is nothing flash; it’s your typical bar serving the basics and playing live sport. For some reason, night’s out after work and Friday afternoon drinks always ended here. The amount of times I’ve sat nestled in a corner of this pub in the Winter or sitting at one of the outdoor tables into the late hours of night in the Summertime is countless. Despite its complete average-ness, I have both some incredibly happy and incredibly sad memories at this pub; with the happy memories outweighing the sad ones. In fact, Connollys was the last bar I visited in England before moving back home to Australia. It was the night all my friends lost their jobs, the night the UK announced closure of pubs, bars and restaurants, the night before I flew home to Australia. We drank and cried and laughed and then cried again. It was a beautiful end to an abrupt halt of my life in London, surrounded by these people I’ve spent almost every day with, but heartbreakingly sad as we realised nothing would ever be the same again. A night that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
The Bell and Crown – This pub is one of many nestled riverside along the Thames. This 18th century pub is a traditionally roomy pub and restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating overlooking Strand-on-the-Green and the River Thames. A bonus, the staff are so kind and always up for a laugh! A lovely location whether it’s Winter, Summer and everything else in between.
The Old Pack Horse – This is a pub that you usually won’t come about. Get ready for it. It’s a traditional English pub serving Thai food… Mental, right? The food is, as you could probably guess, delicious, they serve a wide variety of drinks, and the bar staff were always so welcoming. Definitely the place to be if you’re keen for a side of Thai with your drinks!
Train Stations If you’re somewhat of a train nerd, like myself, I really do recommend visiting both Gunnersbury Station and Chiswick Park Station. Maybe it’s because I frequented these stations so often, particularly Gunnersbury, and because I have a geeky obsession with the London Underground and Overground, but I really do love these stations. They’re nothing flash by any means, but they have lovely staff, and fantastic services and connections, and I think that warrants a visit within itself.