Barnes feels more like a countryside village than a London neighbourhood. Think pretty cottages, independent cafes, traditional pubs, a village pond, and some of the loveliest stretches of the Thames. It's the kind of place you visit for a coffee and accidentally spend the entire afternoon wandering around. Less hustle, more Sunday roast and riverside strolls.  Best for: Riverside walks, village charm, traditional pubs, independent cafes, Sunday roasts.

COFFEE | Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters, Alma, Lockdown Bakehouse, Orange Pekoe(tea and afternoon tea), No.40, &Feast

TO DRINK | White Hart (riverside views), The Sun Inn (overlooking Barnes Pond), Bull's Head (live jazz), The Brown Dog, Barnes, Coach & Horses (beer garden)

TO EAT | Riva (Italian), Rick Stein, Barnes (riverside seafood), Home SW13 (modern European), The Waterman’s Arms(seasonal British), The Brown Dog (Sunday roast)

TO DO | Barnes Pond & Village Green, Barnes Common, WWT London Wetland Centre, Olympic Cinema, Barnes Farmers' Market (Saturdays), OSO Arts Centre, Thames Path (Barnes Bridge to Hammersmith Bridge)

If my recommendations helped you discover somewhere new, consider leaving a little something in the tip jar to support future guides and my entrepreneurial dream of publishing a book.

TIP JAR