A local’s guide to London by Climax Books founder Isabella Burley

Isabella Burley, founder of Climax Books

(Image credit: Photography by Jacob Lillis)

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Where to eat and drink
What to do
Where to shop

published 26 May 2025

Editor, creative consultant and Climax Books founder Isabella Burley (whose New York Climax Books outpost we visited on its opening in 2024) has always flourished in London, the city where she grew up and calls home, a place she credits with shaping who she is today: ‘When I was a teenager, there was just this feeling of limitless creativity. London has been the biggest influence on me personally and creatively. I hope it continues to do that for people.’

What to see and do in London, Isabella Burley’s tips

Where to eat and drink

Bar Italia

Once a Soho workers’ hangout, Bar Italia became the haunt it is today after a wave of 1980s club scenesters made it their wind-down spot of choice after a night out. Burley has frequented the bar since she was 14, drawn in by the late closing times and quintessential Italo atmosphere. ‘Now I just go and have mint tea,’ she laughs.

Bar Italia is located at 22 Frith St; baritaliasoho.co.uk

Café Cecilia

Just off Broadway market, Café Cecilia is an all-time favourite for Burley. The restaurant, founded by her friend Max Rocha, is as much loved for its warming, homespun breakfast plates as it is for its heartwarming, seasonal main courses. ‘I love going for dinner and sitting next to Perry Ogden’s Pony Kids picture. Max has cultivated the most special environment,’ she says.

Café Cecilia is located at 32 Andrews Rd; cafececilia.com

What to do

The Hippodrome Casino London

Of the Hippodrome Casino London in Leicester Square, Burley says: ‘It’s so weird and funny, like another world. You end up staying there for hours and have the funniest interactions.’ The venue comprises four floors of entertainment, from restaurants and bars to gaming and an intimate cabaret theatre.

The Hippodrome Casino London is located at Cranbourn St; hippodromecasino.com

Prince Charles Cinema

‘A London institution. I’ve been going there since I was a teenager,’ says Burley of the Prince Charles Cinema, a venue that has been entertaining cinephiles since 1969. One of the last remaining independent cinemas in London, and recently under threat of demolition (some reprieve came in its designation as ‘an asset of community value’ on 9 May 2025 but is still seeking a long-term lease), it features a rotating programme of cult, arthouse, and classic films alongside contemporary releases – screening over 40 films a week across its two screens. ‘The programming and the popcorn are iconic! They play a lot of cult movies like Donnie Darko,’ she adds. A petition supporting the Prince Charles Cinema is available on its website.

Prince Charles Cinema is located at 7 Leicester Pl; princecharlescinema.com

Sadie Coles HQ

Burley describes Sadie Coles HQ – which has two central London locations and a third due to open in autumn 2025 – as having ‘the most thoughtful programming and care of their artists’. The gallery, which opened in 1997, represents over 50 international artists, from Sarah Lucas to Martine Syms and Matthew Barney. Its newly inaugurated Gargle series is an invitational programme of monthly live events, including readings, poetry, and performances. Burley recently orchestrated a ‘sexy’ book exchange evening as part of the initiative.

Sadie Coles HQ has outposts at 62 Kingly Street and 8 Bury Street, sadiecoles.com

Where to shop

Climax Books

Climax Books is a platform dedicated to rare and hard-to-find books, multimedia, and ephemera spanning art, photography, and culture. The London store, which opened in 2023, will relocate to a larger, street-level space in summer 2025.

Climax Books is currently located at 5 Wardour Mews; climaxbooks.com

Dover Street Market

Recently marking two decades of what co-founder Rei Kawakubo dubs ‘beautiful chaos’, Dover Street Market London has long held the status of fashion lodestar. Across five floors, it offers a mix of seasonal radical retail, immersive installations, and the beloved European-style café, Rose Bakery. ‘My first job when I was 17 was working on the shop floor. It was my education,’ says Burley. Her words nod to the department store’s reputation as an inspiring hub for cultural cross-pollination.

Dover Street Market is located at 18-22 Haymarket; london.doverstreetmarket.com

Leila’s Shop

‘Best produce in London. Even during the bleak winter, going there and seeing pink radicchio and blood oranges makes life a little better – their produce makes me actually want to cook,’ says Burley of Leila’s Shop, a picturesque grocery shop and café in Shoreditch that is a go-to for those seeking to stock up on local and seasonal vegetables and artisan sundries.

Leila’s Shop is located at Calvert Ave; leilasshop.co.uk

A version of this article appears in the June 2025 Travel Issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.

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Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. A self-declared flâneuse, she feels most inspired when taking the role of a cultural observer – chronicling the essence of cities and remote corners through their nuances, rituals, and people. Her work lives at the intersection of art, design, and culture, often shaped by conversations with the photographers who capture these worlds through their lens.