Brook Green | A Local's Neighbourhood Guide
Brook Green is a neighbour to my own little hood, Shepherds Bush. Throughout the week, I find myself stumbling into Brook Green for various things and it’s amazing to me how it has such a distinct and different feel. Enjoy my friend Julie’s take on life in Brook Green. She’s the owner of the very cute and popular Instagram account, LondonIsPink, and you’ll see she has a gift of taking really pretty pictures. Julie is nice, has great taste, works and is a mom. Her vantage point as a resident of Brook Green will give some great insight to most anyone in their life stage!
1. TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD.
Brook Green is a small family-friendly little village enclave, dotted with small locally-owned shops - an oasis sandwiched between two very busy urban areas, . The neighborhood is centered around a small Green space - which serves as sort of the social central for Brook Green-dwellers with a small cafe, playground, tennis courts, and open fields. It's one of those neighbourhoods where you can't walk down the street without seeing someone you know, and I love that sense of community that can be hard to find in a big city.
We had previously lived in a north London village - Highgate - but I felt it was too quiet and after moving to the U.K. from a very urban part of Washington DC: we missed the international community. We were thrilled to find this little paradise so close to central London, and with a very big expat community. The French primary school, Jacques Prevert, has made Brook Green a little South Kensington with lots of French families. Brook Green has gorgeous houses with blossoming gardens, quaint cafes, and even our very own Fishmonger (I feel like this is a big deal, but maybe because I'm an American and it's a novelty!) It also holds the distinction of having the only Michelin starred pub, The Harwood Arms. We like to pop in for a loaf of fresh bread to takeaway, it's a nice little neighborhood secret!
Holland Park and High Street Kensington are both just around the corner, which provide us with pretty much anything we need, and more patisserie than should be legal.
2. ON A SCALE FROM 1-10, HOW CONNECTED WOULD YOU SAY WHERE YOU LIVE IS? WHAT ARE THE MAJOR LINES THAT RUN TO/FROM YOU?
Brook Green is a commuters dream! I'd say we're a solid 9. We're within a 10 minute walk from the Central, District, Piccadilly, and Hammersmith and City lines. We're also extremely well located for airport access, which is great as we travel frequently. We moved here to be closer to Heathrow, which is about a 30 minute journey on the tube, but we're also a quick train ride from Gatwick, via the overground.
We're also next to the Overground - the hidden secret of London transport! About 2/3 of the stations have a lift, which comes in handy when traveling with a buggy. In 20 minutes I can be right at the foot of Hampstead Heath, ready for a romp through the fields or in 10 minutes I can be exploring the lovely Northcote road market in South London. Also worth mentioning - whenever there's been a public transportation strike, the overground has almost always stayed open, and can skirt you around the perimeters of London rather stealthily. It's also air conditioned, which can be a lifesaver in the summer.
I do a lot of walking (get in those 10,000 steps!), and if you like to get around by foot, Kensington, Notting Hill, and Chiswick are all within walking distance.
3. IN A DREAM WORLD, WHAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT STREET OR AREA TO LIVE IN WITHIN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD? WHY?
Brook Green has no shortage of gorgeous colorful houses, but I'm obsessed with one particular tiny street with small cottages: Hofland road. It's very quiet, and simply stunning. In the Spring, all the houses are covered in wisteria, roses, jasmine, and other English garden beauties. Most houses are 2 or 3 bedroom, and don't have the soaring ceilings like many of the neighboring houses on surrounding streets, but I have to say I wouldn't mind foregoing some space for the cuteness factor! There is a very low turnover in housing stock, however, as we looked for about 6 months before settling on our current flat. I looked for ages on Hofland road, but sadly nothing came up for rent, and we can't afford to buy on that road. Cottages run a cool £1-1.5 mil.
4. ON A SCALE FROM 1-10, HOW WOULD YOU SAY THE VALUE FOR SQUARE FOOTAGE IS? DO YOU PAY A PREMIUM FOR WHERE YOU LIVE OR WOULD YOU SAY IT IS A BETTER VALUE THAN OTHER AREAS IN LONDON?
We are zone 2, close to the zone 1 border. We definitely pay a premium for location and transportation access. For the price we pay, we could probably get a 3 bedroom if we went about a 1/2 mile west or south, but we're willing to pay the premium to be that much closer to proximity to the Central line (for my husbands commute), and the parks, shops, and restaurants we like. I also love a good walk around Holland Park, Notting Hill, and Kensington, and I love being within walking distance of all of these neighborhoods.
5. WHAT IS THE GENERAL VIBE OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD? GIVE US THREE TYPES OF PEOPLE WE MEET SEE ON YOUR HIGH STREET?
Brook Green is a charming laid-back village with a loyal group of committed localists. It's known for being a haven for families and you'll see lots of prams around the green or in the cafes. On sunny days the pubs and outdoor spaces fill up with City professionals that live in some of the areas lovely mansion flats. There's also a good arts community that have brought annual events to our neighborhood, like book fairs and music festivals. It's very Stars Hallow. I can't walk down the street without seeing a power mum scootering or walking her kids to school before jetting off to their impressive job, nannies pushing buggies and wrangling scooter-riding children, and so many dog-owners. I think we have two pet stores in our small neighborhood! People love their dogs around here.
6. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO GET COFFEE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
As a freelancer, I work in cafes to stay productive, and Brook Green has a few great options. I absolutely love The Blue Corner, a relaxed family-owned cafe with great food and drinks and a strong wi-fi connection. It's owned by a mother-daughter duo from Portugal, and the ambience is so warm and lovely. Also sometimes they sell Pastel de Nata's - quite the treat!
I also love the newest addition to our high street, The Corner House. It's a multi-use space, with a restaurant/cafe on the ground floor and the downstairs hosts a really darling play space for toddlers with an attached cafe for parents to relax with a cuppa and a croissant. They also have great studios with exercise classes for children and adults. It's a very relaxed and beautiful space and the food is excellent.
7. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO GET DINNER IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
We love The Bird in Hand, a really cozy little locals gastropub that has nice small plates and pizzas, and usually a little pup or two soaking up the atmosphere. In the last couple of months, TWO new pizza places have opened! Zia Lucia on Blythe road makes pizzas using 48-hour fermented dough. Farina & More is a family-owned Italian restaurant with friendly staff and delicious pizzas and pastas. Another spot we love is Kerbisher and Malt, a chippy on the high street known to be frequented by local celebrities like Simon Cowell. If it's a nice day, we'll get a fish and chips takeaway and bring it to the Green for a picnic. A favorite summer pastime!
8. HOW WOULD YOU SPEND A SATURDAY IN BROOK GREEN- AS A LOCAL?
My son has drama club in the neighborhood, so we usually drop him off, then hibernate at home if it's cold, or catch a "mini-morning" movie with my daughter at the nearby cinema. If the weather is nice, we head to the Brook Green Market. Everyone really comes together here on Saturdays and now that we have kids in school, we always run into someone we know. The kids play on the playground onsite, and the mums and dads have a bite and chat. It's a perfect way to while away a Saturday! We love to pick up fresh bread and some sweet treats, along with things for dinner. I especially love when the buskers show up, makes me feel like I'm in actual episode of Gilmore Girls.
Sometimes we head to the nearby Brook Green playground and let the kids have a run around. If we're lucky, we'll walk home via Blythe Road and stop for a little cake at the darling vintage-inspired Betty Blythe's tea room and have a peek next door at the newest arrivals at the mega stylish kids clothing and toy shop, Scandi Mini.
If the weather is especially nice, we love to spend the day on the Hammersmith riverfront to admire one of London's prettiest bridges. We stop for a bite at one of the pubs - our faves are The Rutland Arms and The Dove - and walk across the bridge to explore the shore of the Thames. I love being so close to the river. Even though it's only a 20 minute walk from Brook Green, it feels like a different world on the riverfront!
9. HOW MUCH WOULD AN UBER TO OXFORD CIRCUS COST YOU? (APPROXIMATELY)
£8-13
10. WHAT’S THE BEST PLACE TO BE OUTDOORS IN BROOK GREEN?
Brook Green isn't big enough to have much outdoor space, but we have a few favorites. Obviously, the Green! We love to play and picnic on this gorgeous little space. Thanks to the annual community bulb planting, there are snowdrops, daffodils, and crocus in the spring, and big crunchy autumn leaves in the Autumn. We also have tennis courts and fields big enough for kids to play football. Also, the pubs on Masbro Road - The Bird in Hand and Havelock Tavern - both have outdoor tables where we love to have a lazy lunch on the street and visit with friends and neighbors and pet a few puppies.
11. WHAT ARE THE BEST LOCAL SCHOOLS IN BROOK GREEN? ARE THESE PAID OR PRIVATE?
In Brook Green, you really are spoiled for choice when it comes to good schools. There are great options from top-rated community schools, a free school - the newly opened brach of the much-loved West London Free School, Kensington Primary Academy, and two religious-based schools, including Larminier & Sacred Heart which in recent years had nearly 200 applicants for 60 spots. Fee-paying schools include the well-regarded Bute House Preparatory School for Girls, the French primary school: Jacques Prevert, and St. James Primary and Secondary Schools, a vegetarian school where kids learn Sanskrit as part of the curriculum.
12. WHAT ARE SOME GOOD AREA THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS?
My kids obviously love the playground, which is absolutely jam packed with kids and mums and nannies after school! We love to spend rainy days at The Corner House play area, or the Hammersmith library. The Masbro Centre has lots of classes on offer for kids, and play-times and meet-ups for mums with new babies. If we venture out of our neighborhood, you'll find us at nearby Holland Park, Daunt Books on Holland Park's high street, and our new favorite - the newly opened Design Museum. We visit weekly! The museum hosts maker activities for kids 5-11 (sometimes younger, but typically these are geared towards school-aged children). They have building activities that my kids love to work on, and a new Explorers Trail to help younger kids explore the museum. My 6 year old son is obsessed with an activity to design the future underground train (future engineer!), and my 3 year old daughter loves to listen to the interactive exhibits. In the summer, the kids love to cool off in the water fountains outside on the plaza. It's a big hit with our family, and I don't think many families know about it (we don't see a lot of kids there) so I'm spreading the word! Go!
Looking for the perfect London neighbourhood for you? Check out my other neighbourhood guides:
DULWICH | HAMPSTEAD | SHEPHERDS BUSH | CHELSEA | NOTTING HILL | ISLINGTON | BRIXTON | PutnEY
*images courtesy of Julie Taylor