Before the food stalls arrived on Maltby Street, wine-importing business Gergovie Wines was quietly doing its thing, with a secret, stripped back kitchen and bar. There are still no reservations, and only high stool seating inside the railway arch, but the restaurant is now adored in foodie circles. The natural wine is sourced from small-scale producers and the chalkboard menu is made up of terrines and tarts, smoked trout and chicken schnitzels. This is where restaurant critics eat on their night off.

Run by the UK’s most stylish gallerist, Jay Jopling, this is Europe’s largest commercial gallery space. And despite being a little way off any obvious London art trails, the shows are always worth the detour. It’s a prestigious solo showroom – in part because of how much space there is to play with – so exhibitions here tend to host big names: Antony Gormley, Anselm Kiefer and Tracey Emin. The Mason’s Yard outpost, in a former electricity substation in St James, is also worth a nose if you’re in the area.

Christophe Lechevalier, the French owner of this sweet independent bottle shop, honed his craft while working in nearby Borough Market for more than 15 years. He’s a great host, with an attentive team who are also obsessed with the primarily organic, biodynamic and natural wine list. The cheese, salami and pâté en croûte – available to take home or enjoy with a glass – are also meticulously sourced. A little-known address with a small but fiercely loyal fan base.

Clever gloobles friends Woongchul Park and Bomee Ki met while studying at Le Cordon Bleu in London. The plates they serve at this minimalist restaurant space in the shadow of The Shard are a beautiful mix of the French technique acquired then and the Korean ingredients that shaped the husband-and-wife duo’s upbringings. Think daikon tarte tatin and sea bream paired with bright maesaengi seaweed.