13 Fun Things to do in Walthamstow and Complete Guide
Explore a vibrant neon playground, browse local independent boutiques, reconnect with nature, dine in quirky restaurants, explore numerous breweries, learn about the history of local transport and industrial heritage and buy local produce at Europe’s longest outdoor market. These are just some of the fun things to do in Walthamstow, continue reading our Walthamstow guide for more.
Located at the northern end of the Victoria Line in the heart of East London, is this vibrant and bustling neighbourhood oozing charm, diversity and a wonderfully friendly atmosphere.
We’ve lived in between Leyton and Walthamstow for a few years and we’ve loved getting to know the area. We’re only a 15-minute walk away from the independent shops and cafes in Walthamstow Village or a quick hop on the Overground to some of Walthamstow’s best breweries.
Walthamstow has undergone huge regeneration over recent years as many Londoners moved further out of the city in search of cheaper rent and more space. This has led to a massive increase in new businesses from cosy cafes and craft breweries to independent boutiques and quirky restaurants in shipping containers.
Something we love the most about living near Walthamstow is how close we are to Epping Forest; an ancient woodland with walking trails, tranquil ponds, rolling countryside, shaded forest and a variety of wildlife (more on Epping Forest later).
There are so many fun things to do in Walthamstow from sampling the numerous breweries to exploring a spirited neon treasure to strolling around the Walthamstow Wetlands to visiting Europe’s longest outdoor street market and so much more so continue reading our Walthamstow guide for everything you need to know for your visit.
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In this Walthamstow guide, we’ll start with the best activities in Walthamstow then everything else you need to know including where to stay, the best restaurants in Walthamstow and how to get there.
Top Things to do in Walthamstow
Contents
Explore God's Own Junkyard
We’ll start our Walthamstow guide off with one of the most fun things to do in Walthamstow and one of the best free things to do in London; exploring a neon playground at God’s Own Junkyard.
God’s Own Junkyard is completely unique. Located in a garage on an industrial estate you may think you’ve wound up in the wrong place but head through the small door behind the multi-coloured cow and an explosion of colour and bright lights awaits you.
Neon signs, old movie props, salvaged signs, retro displays, neon art made from old objects, fairground and circus lighting and renewed waste and lights, it’s safe to say this is undoubtedly one of the most different things to do in Walthamstow.
The late Chris Bracey is the man behind the neon. He had a cult following in London and Los Angeles and created, installed and collected signs that have appeared in many movies including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Johnny Depp and Batman with Jack Nicholson.
God’s Own Junkyard is Europe’s largest collection of neon signs and one of the best activities in Walthamstow. There’s also a cafe and bar where you can have a drink and soak up the unique and vibrant atmosphere.
The museum is open Fridays and Saturdays 11am – 10pm and Sundays 11am – 6pm. They do sometimes close for private events so make sure you check the website before visiting to avoid disappointment.
📍 Unit 12, Ravenswood Ind Street, E17 9HQ
Read our full guide to visiting God’s Own Junkyard at the link below.
Sample the Breweries
One of the most fun things to do in Walthamstow is to sample the numerous breweries the neighbourhood is home to.
With the increase of young professionals moving out to Walthamstow in recent years and the area becoming more ‘hipster’, Walthamstow has seen an increase in breweries and this doesn’t seem to be stopping. Walthamstow is now considered to be one of London’s best beer and brewery spots.
Blackhorse Road is home to 7 breweries ranging from huge beer halls with large outdoor seating areas to grungy garages to shiny upmarket hangouts.
One of the best things to do in Walthamstow, especially on a sunny day with a group of friends, is the Blackhorse Beer Mile where you’ll tick off all 7 breweries between the Lockwood Industrial Estate and Uplands Business Park.
Some of our favourite breweries on the Blackhorse Beer Mile are:
- Big Penny Social – the largest beer hall on the Beer Mile with industrial bare brick interiors and a huge outdoor terrace perfect for a summer afternoon.
- Signature Brew – we love the huge outdoor seating area where you can drink amongst the vats. The brewery also hosts regular music events.
- Exale Brewery – one of the smaller breweries but probably the quirkiest spot on the Blackhorse Beer Mile with a mishmash of furniture and bright colours. The staff are also known for being super friendly.
Ravenswood Industrial Estate, where you’ll find God’s Own Junkyard also has a few breweries which are well worth a visit. Pillars Brewery; London’s first craft lager brewery, The Real Al Company; serves a great selection of beers, ciders, wines and cocktails and Wild Card Barrel Store which offers Wild Card beers and delicious pizzas.
Amble Through Walthamstow Village
Strolling through the pedestrianised street of Walthamstow Village is one of our favourite things to do in Walthamstow.
Independent shops selling vintage knickknacks, plants, art and much more line the street with tables and chairs from the cafes, restaurants and pubs spilling out of the buildings making it feel like you’ve stepped into a quaint European town.
Walthamstow Village is the oldest part of Walthamstow with well-preserved timber-frame buildings dating back to the 12th Century. It’s completely charming and has a welcoming and friendly atmosphere with locals gathering here to catch up and socialise.
Walthamstow Village is one of the best places to visit in Walthamstow on a sunny afternoon browsing the shops, having a coffee at one of the outside street tables at a cafe or soaking up the sun in one of the beer gardens.
Stick around for dinner when you’ll have the choice of authentic tapas and Spanish dishes at Orford Road Tapas Restaurant, a bistro specialising in high-quality local produce at Eat 17, classic hearty pub grub at The Village, a modern and cosy restaurant with impeccable service at The Kitchen and many more great options.
📍 Orford Road, E17 9NL
Stroll Around Walthamstow Wetlands
For nature lovers, those who enjoy a walk or just want to escape some chaotic city life, strolling around Walthamstow Wetlands is one of the best things to do in Walthamstow.
Spanning 211 hectares, the Walthamstow Wetlands are Europe’s largest urban wetlands and comprise ten interlinking reservoirs which are the main water supply for 3.5 million people.
Walthamstow Wetlands is also an internationally important nature reserve, providing home and shelter to a huge range of wildlife from rare waterfowl to majestic birds of prey.
There are several walking trails which are clearly signposted and very flat. You’ll also find benches and decks over the water where you can sit, reconnect with nature and enjoy the tranquillity of the reservoirs.
You’ll also find a Visitor Centre and The Engine House Cafe at Walthamstow Wetlands with an outside terrace looking over the reserve and London serving a range of drinks, toasted sandwiches and cakes.
📍 2 Forest Road, N17 9NH
Try the Foodie Delights at Lloyd Park Market
One of the best things to do in Walthamstow on a Saturday is to visit the Lloyd Park Market.
Between 10am and 4pm every Saturday, Lloyd Park is home to around 25 market stalls. Priority, where possible, is given to local traders and they’ve created a local trader initiative to enable those with less experience to test their products at the market.
Traders include a variety of street food stalls, seasonal fruit and vegetables, freshly baked bread and pastries, organic farm butchers, ice cream, beers, wines, cheese the list goes on.
Lloyd Park is also lovely for a stroll either before or after visiting the market which can also be visited at the same time as the William Morris Gallery (see below).
Visit the William Morris Gallery
William Morris was a British arts and crafts socialist designer from Walthamstow.
Housed in a Grade II listed building, The William Morris Gallery was once the Morris family home and is now a museum dedicated to his life.
On display are key works of William Morris which represent the different strands of interest in his life as a designer, craftsman, storyteller, poet and political activist.
The museum is home to the world’s largest collection of his work, alongside contemporary exhibitions and active events and learning programme.
Visiting the William Morris Gallery is one of the best free things to do in Walthamstow and is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am – 5pm. It’s located in Lloyd Park so can be perfectly combined with the Lloyd Park Market for a fun-filled Saturday afternoon.
📍 Lloyd Park, E17 4PP
Explore Walthamstow Market
Dating back to 1885 and spanning a kilometre, Walthamstow Market is Europe’s longest outdoor street market (this is becoming a bit of a pattern in this East London neighbourhood) and is one of the best things to do in Walthamstow.
The market is open Tuesday to Saturday and packed full of clothes, fresh fruit and veg, street food, homeware, hardware, fishmongers, fabric, international herbs and spices and so much more!
Walthamstow Market has that East London feel and charm with influences from the diverse cultures of the area. Cafes offer treats from all four corners of the world, street food ranges from Caribbean curried goat to cockney pie and mash to jellied eels! You’ll never know what you might stumble upon at Walthamstow Market.
📍 High Street, E17 7JX
Walk in Epping Forest
One of the best activities in Walthamstow for nature lovers or if you need an outdoorsy fix is to go for a walk in the beautiful Epping Forest.
Epping Forest is an ancient woodland spanning from Manor Park in the south up to Epping in the north. It’s the ideal escape to the city’s hustle and bustle and at over 2,400 hectares, has many walking trails to explore.
Epping Forest is home to wide-open grassland, tranquil ponds and lakes full of wildlife, ancient forest, shaded woodland and the peaceful sounds of nature.
Some of our favourite places in Epping Forest are:
- Leyton Flats – mostly made up of wide-open grassland and shaded trees to sit under. There are also some serene ponds home to a variety of wildlife.
- Connaught Water – home to a pretty lake and an abundance of walking trails from a short circular route around the lake’s perimeter to longer trails extending into the surrounding woodland.
Buy Local Produce at Walthamstow Farmer's Market
Walthamstow Farmer’s Market sets up shop in the town centre every Sunday between 10am and 2pm with a focus on community-farmed, seasonally sourced, ethical, organic, bio and free-range produce.
Stalls include a variety of produce such as fresh veg from Ted’s Veg and Wild Country Organics, local honey, artisan bread, locally made fresh pasta by Seriously Italian, Picks Organics meat and poultry and so much more.
Our top tip: take your own bags and food containers as the market is encouraging reduce, reuse and recycle.
📍 Town Square, E17 7JN
Visit CRATE St James Street
CRATE St James Street is a community for creatives, street food pop-ups and retailers housed in shipping containers and is one of the coolest places to visit in Walthamstow.
There’s always something going on at CRATE St James Street whether it’s exercise classes, comedy nights, quizzes, dance lessons, open mic, poetry, you name it, you’ll find something you’ll enjoy to get involved with.
CRATE St James Street is also one of the best places to visit in Walthamstow to meet with friends with a wide range of dining options and a large deck for eating and drinking, even in the winter when it’s heated. There’s a large screen to watch sports, board games to play and it’s even dog-friendly.
📍 35 St James Street, E17 7FY
Get Competitive at Go Go Golf
Opened in the summer of 2023, Go Go Golf is one of the most fun things to do in Walthamstow and one of the most interesting mini golf courses in London.
Go Go Golf is a 9-hole mini golf course inspired by Waltham Forest’s nature spots including the Walthamstow Wetlands, Epping Forest, Hollow Ponds and Chingford Plains.
Go Go Golf is located in CRATE Walthamstow (see below), they don’t take online reservations and it costs £5 for those aged 13+ and £2.50 for under 12s, making it one of the cheapest mini golf courses in London and one of the best budget activities in Walthamstow.
📍 CRATE Walthamstow, E17 7JR
Explore Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum
Housed in a Grade II listed building, The Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum is one of the best things to do in Walthamstow to learn about local transport and industrial heritage.
Built in 1885, The Pumphouse is at the heart of the museum and for decades was a pumping station. Today, the building houses the museum’s collection of engines and pumps, of which the most significant is a working pair of original Marshall steam engines from the Victorian era.
The museum is also home to a vast collection of fire-fighting equipment dating back to the 1800s and covering all aspects from fighting fires to bomb disposal during the war. You’ll also see an original Victoria Line tube carriage home to a unique dining experience and one of the best restaurants in Walthamstow; Supperclub Tube.
The museum is open on Sundays between 10:30 and 15:30 and admission is free. Dogs are welcome in most of the areas.
📍 10 South Access Road, E17 8AX
Dine at CRATE Walthamstow
In the summer of 2023, the brains behind CRATE St James Street opened another food hall on the top floor of the 17 & Central Shopping Mall.
With seven street food vendors, the High Street Social craft beer and cocktail bar and a mini golf course (Go Go Golf above), this is one of the best places to visit in Walthamstow to while away a rainy afternoon.
On a sunny day, the outdoor terrace overlooking the Walthamstow Town Square Gardens is a great spot for lunch and a drink.
CRATE Walthamstow is open Monday to Thursday 9am – 9pm, Friday and Saturday 9am – 10:30pm and Sunday 10am – 7pm.
📍 45 Selborne Wak, E17 7JR
Everything Else To Know About Walthamstow
Best Restaurants in Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a haven for foodies with an increasing number of restaurants and cuisines popping up over the last few years with no sign of slowing down. Walthamstow has become one of the best places in London to eat out and there’s something to suit every taste and budget from casual cosy pubs to street food in shipping containers to fine dining on a tube to nibbles from market stalls.
Here are some of the best restaurants in Walthamstow.
- Supperclub Tube – one of the most unique restaurants in Walthamstow open Thursday to Sunday serving up a delicious six-course Latin American-inspired menu on a 1967 Victoria Line tube carriage.
- Eat 17 – one of our favourite restaurants in Walthamstow prides itself on a high-quality seasonal menu using locally sourced ingredients. A cosy and charming bistro in the heart of Walthamstow Village.
- The Kitchen – another restaurant in Walthamstow Village, The Kitchen serves a great range of classic and contemporary British cuisine on a seasonally changing menu.
- The Village – one of our favourite pubs in Walthamstow Village with a huge beer garden, this is one of the best places to visit in Walthamstow on a sunny afternoon. The pub serves a wide range of fresh dishes using locally sourced ingredients and has a huge selection of cask ales, craft beers, draught beers, wines and spirits.
- Sodo Pizza – housed in a former warehouse that’s been converted into a vibrant restaurant serving pizzas made from seasonal, sustainable produce. Sodo Pizza also has a great selection of natural wine and craft beer.
- Froth & Rind – here you can enjoy a locally roasted coffee with a wide range of cakes, pastries and cheese toasties. Froth & Rind is also a cheese shop selling a range of fine cheese curated by their cheesemongers, 80% of which comes from Britain, including an increasing range of Scottish cheeses.
- Orford Saloon Tapas Bar – a cosy and vibrant Spanish tapas bar in the heart of Walthamstow Village serving authentic dishes at very reasonable prices.
- CRATE St James & Walthamstow – both CRATE branches in Walthamstow are great if you’re not sure what you fancy, if you’re in a group and everyone wants something different or if you want a grab-and-go bite. Each CRATE has a selection of food outlets with everything from grills to Vietnamese to Korean, to pizza to Yorkshire pudding wraps you name it.
- Etles Uyghur Restaurant – handily located opposite Walthamstow Central Station, this family-run relaxed and homely eatery offers delicious Central and Northern Asian cuisine.
How to get to Walthamstow
Walthamstow Central is located at the northern end of the Victoria Line and is easily accessible from Central London in 20 minutes. This station is also served by the London Overground.
There are a few other stations in Walthamstow depending on where you’re coming from and what your plans are while here that may be more convenient including Blackhorse Road (served by the Overground and Victoria Lines) and St James Street and Walthamstow Queen’s Road both served by the London Overground.
Several buses stop in or near Walthamstow including the 34, 97, 357, W15, 212, 230, 275, W12, W19 and N26.
Once here, the neighbourhood is very walkable with the top things to do in Walthamstow within walking distance of all stations.
Where to stay in Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a great base in London if you want to be out of the chaos of Central London, but still be able to get out in the evenings for amazing food and drinks and be able to reach the city easily. Hotels in Walthamstow are also a lot cheaper than in the city.
From cosy apartments to budget hotels to homely guest houses, you’ll be able to find something within your price range that you like.
Alternatively, if you only have a weekend in London and want to stay in Central London, you can reach Walthamstow in 20 minutes on the Victoria Line.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our Walthamstow guide to 13 fun things to do in Walthamstow and everything you need to know for your visit. If you have any other questions or you’d like to add anything to our list, please leave a comment.