Sitting inside the Waterside Café, you can see the entirety of the triangle-shaped intersection formed at Little Venice, where the Regents and Grand Union Canals, once a pivotal intersection in London transportation, meet…
The area, accordingly named for its resemblance to the famous canals of Venice, Italy, is an extremely desirable residential spot south of the Warwick Avenue tube station. Prices are soaring around here, with neighbouring districts all bidding for association with the Little Venice name.
The quaintly small Waterside Café, a historical sport serving years and generations of customers in the region, sits on the water in a converted houseboat, offering seating – with equally respective views – in and out of the boat. From inside the restaurant, a traditional British lunch and breakfast food are available, before it undocks and becomes reservation-only private dining. Inside, various black and white photos feature historical glances at the boat and canal history, with those little descriptions you can expect from London museums.
Around the canals you can visit the London Canal Museum, the Puppet Theatre Barge, and the Cascade Flooring Art Gallery. Many attractions, including canal boats that offer private trips to Camden Town or the London Zoo, are in the boats along the canal themselves. For a longer excursion, canal boats are available for four to five day group trips as well.
If you head a bit south away from the canal junction, you’ll run into more contemporary attractions- a few bars, a Subway, a Sainsbury’s- among the canal boats.
Head north, and you’ll discover the tastes of the best view in Little Venice, overlooking the custom-painted boats along the canal. Café Laville, situated at the very end of the neighbourhood, features a selection of pasta, salads, and sandwiches that feed the Italian reference to the area well.
For what may at first look like a simple pond in passing, Little Venice offers a bit more with a nice walk featuring a small selection of quiet entertainment- perfect for a Saturday lunch or a looker’s stroll.
– Seth Graves