Bermondsey Street is like an inner-city village, yet even though it’s in central London there are several hidden gems I urge you to discover.

At the top end of the street you’ll find a wonderful shop called Cave that specialises in fine wines, vintage-inspired fresh flowers and artisan chocolates and candles. It’s a one-stop shop for the perfect gift and the knowledgeable owners are a pleasure to chat to.

Onwards, and as you meander past converted Victorian industrial warehouses, I recommend stopping in at the Fashion and Textile Museum which always has an interesting exhibition on.

Lastly, make sure your visit coincides with lunch or supper because this little corner of London is foodie central. If, like me, you adore tapas washed down with a glug of nutty, salty sherry then you must head to either José or Pizarro (both owned by José Pizarrro – see what he did there?!). Both feel like neighbourhood restaurants and yet the quality of the food and cooking is incredibly high.

José, the sherry and tapas bar, has the kind of ambience of a traditional tapas bar you’d stumble across in Spain, where you’re nibbling Iberico ham at large barrels. The tapas menu is short and simple but do try the pisto with crispy duck egg and sample as many sherries you can!

Image courtesy of Cave