7 places to check out around Camberwell College of Arts

Hi, Aliya here! My first year studying at Camberwell has been a fun and emotional journey.

Exploring Camberwell after college and witnessing the life and people here makes me feel a sense of happiness in a usually cloudy London.

Here are some things that I do, and you may want to do to socialise or enjoy your time, while at college!



1. Grab a bite between classes 🌯

Grabbing an affordable, filling meal in the college cafeteria is extremely convenient.

But there are also plenty of places nearby offering student discounts and great lunch deals. My favourite place is Francesco’s, a five-minute walk away that offers £5 meal deals during lunchtime or filling pizza wraps for just £3.50!

There’s a Greggs 10 minutes away where you can get a snack, coffee, and sandwich for under £4 (remember to ask for a student discount).

There is also a Sainsbury’s next to college to grab quick snacks!

And then you have Well Mix Oriental, which offers a huge quantity of food at good prices!



2. Go to a park 🌳

In between classes or during lunch, you may want to relax in a park.

Check out Lucas Gardens, a cute park just 2 minutes away from the college and a perfect place to wind down.



3. Grab art supplies 🖌🎨

You can go art supply shopping in the arts store in the college or at Cowling and Wilcox, an art store 10 minutes away with a wide range of supplies and student discounts.



4. Go to an art gallery 🖼

The South London gallery is a great place to spend time for some inspiration and artist research.

They also have a café, the South London Louie, inside the gallery and also have outdoor seating to enjoy a beautiful sunny day in London!



5. Catch up with Friends with a couple drinks 🥂

The Peckham Pelican is a café and bar less than 2 minutes away from college and a great place to catch up with friends over drinks after classes.

It’s a pleasant bar and always quite lively, especially on Friday evenings.



6. Get coffee or bubble tea 🧋

Lumberjack, a quaint café just 5 minutes away, offers specialty coffees, deli and freshly baked items.

Greggs is also an affordable and great option to get a hot mocha on a cold day!

Ding Tea, a cute bubble tea place in Camberwell Green, is a 15-minute walk and serves some great milk teas, bubble teas, and seasonal drinks and is a fav amongst UAL students.



7. Explore the area 🧭

The college is located right between Camberwell and Peckham, which leaves lots of room for exploration and finding new things.

I recently found out that there’s a Camberwell Bunker Garden, a space in which lies an abandoned Cold War bunker. The entire area is filled with creativity, food culture and lots of bustle and there’s always new places to find inspiration for your next projects!



Applying or moving to our halls? Check out some of our other articles that can helpful to you:

• Getting from your hall to college
• Things to around your local area