South Kensington: Not Just for Prince William & Harry

South Kensington. Photo Credit: Jiuguang Wang

Clubs, Parks, Celebrities and “snogging”: South Ken really has it all.

Known as an international hotspot, visiting South Kensington is like being in another country. As a resident of the neighborhood, English is not the predominant language you hear while walking the streets. Large Italian, French, and Spanish communities, grace the area. Just last night, at an Italian sandwich shop, my waitress hardly knew English. It was hard for me to remember I was in England for a second, as I felt I should have known Italian. My dear waitress had to ask another staff member what the word “hummus” was as I was trying to order.

Cafes:
Speaking of Italy, I just had a friend in town from Rome. They say all roads lead to Rome, but the only road she was interested in was the one that led to Hummingbird Café. This café located on Old Brompton Road in South Kensington, and minutes from the tube stop, offers the best cupcakes and sweets you have ever had in your life. We indulged in six different cupcakes, followed by four the very next day. Flavors such as red velvet cake, carrot, chocolate, and bright blue sugar, are sure to satisfy the most pretentious sweet tooth.

Pubs:
One also might catch the likes of Conservative Party Leader David Cameron walking around. One of his favorite dinner and drinks spot is the Bumpkin, also located on the main street of Old Brompton Road. Bumpkin is a boutique English style restaurant, with country chic interior and the most amazing macaroni and cheese you ever tasted. I am fortunate enough to live right around the corner from this establishment and so I am a regular customer every Sunday, just in time for their traditional English roast. So to disprove an earlier point, South Kensington is still English, you just have to look hard to find it.

Clubs:
The owner of the Bumpkin restaurant, Matt Hermer, also owns one of the hottest nightclubs in the city, Boujis. Boujis is located right by the South Kensington station and is also a spot to become acquainted with. As far as swanky goes, regulars of Boujis include party-going Prince Harry and his brother, the future King, Prince William and perhaps his future wife, but for now girlfriend, Kate Middleton. The inside of the club, compared to the clientele, is quite modest. It is not super posh or a place where you feel uncomfortable. The crowd is jolly and the venue is quite small that people are forced to interact, which is not a bad thing in a club. There is a hefty twenty-pound cover, so be sure to save up in order to rub elbows with the Princes.

Parks and Museums:
From nighttime to daytime, South Kensington has it all. Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park surround the neighborhood, which offers beautiful grounds, ponds with feisty swans, and horseback riding. It is worth every minute on a tube ride to check out these exceptional parks. Also during the day, be sure to head down here to check out the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum. They are located right next to each other on Brompton Road; take a right when you come out of the tube station.

Snogging:
And last but not least, take a trip to South Kensington for a snog…not a kiss like you are thinking, but a yogurt snog. Snog is a great frozen yogurt place that is truly divine. You will feel refreshed, satisfied, and wanting to come back the very next day. There is so much to offer in the vicinity of this lovely neighborhood, so be sure to check it out while in London because a trip to South Kensington is like your first snog…you’ll never forget it.