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Best Things to do in Marylebone: An Insider’s Area Guide

Best Things to do in Marylebone: An Insider’s Area Guide

Tucked behind the nightmare that is Oxford Street, the quiet streets of well-heeled Marylebone couldn’t stand in starker contrast.

Stroll around and you’ll discover an area rich in history, with quirky museums sitting alongside independent shops, traditional pubs next to chic boutiques. It’s time to explore the best things to do in Marylebone.

Marylebone is an area of quiet delights. Less ostentatious than nearby Mayfair, it’s often billed as a village that got sucked up into central London – if that village happened to be filled with imposing rebond-bricked Georgian architecture and costly shops. 

Independent boutiques and cafes thrive and a selection of some of the city’s most interesting museums and galleries – not to mention some of the city’s quaintest pubs, most stylish bars and restaurants. It’s an area we’ve come to love in recent years – a small pocket of London that somehow manages to feel both historic and contemporary at the same time. 

Marylebone on a rainy day

Top Picks for Things to do in Marylebone

What to do, where to drink and where to eat….

Things to do in Marylebone

Delving into the spots you shouldn’t miss.

The Wallace Collection 

The Wallace Collection is one of London’s most fabulous free museums – an extensive collection of art and furniture in a beautiful stately home on Manchester Square. 

The collection was put together by four subsequent Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace (widely thought to be the illegitimate son of the fourth Marquess of Hertford – seemingly borne out by the fact the Marquess left him the family collection and extensive property on his death) and bequeathed to the nation by Wallace’s wife. 

Interesting as the history of the collection is, it’s the collection itself that draws visitors time and time again – over 5,500 items are displayed in 25 beautifully-decorated galleries. Expect to see works by artists such as Velazquez, Titian, Rembrandt and Canaletto hung on jewel-coloured damask walls, hovering over baroque furniture. 

Franz Hal's The Laughing Cavalier

You’ll find the most famous work Franz Hal’s The Laughing Cavalier in the aptly-named Great Gallery. 

Marylebone Parish Church 

Tribute to the Brownings in Marylebone Church
Tribute to the Brownings in Marylebone Church

Marylebone’s population expanded rapidly in the 18th century – with the result that a new parish church was needed to replace the now-destroyed St Mary-by-the-Bourne (aha, we sense the origins of a name) church. 

The grandeur of the new Marylebone Parish Church may be diminished by its unattractive location on the heaving Marylebone Road but it’s an imposing building with a lot of history and well deserving of a spot in any Marylebone guide. 

In fact, Marylebone Parish Church played a pivotal role in the Victorian romance of the century – between the poets Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barret Browning. They got married in secret here after a quiet romance hidden from Barret Browning’s controlling father – ask in advance and you can see the Browning Chapel. 

British Dental Association Museum 

Inside the British Dental Association Museum
Inside the British Dental Association Museum

You know how we love a weird museum and it just so happens that Marylebone is blessed with two that our editor, Julianna, featured in her Unusual London Book

The first, the small museum in the British Dental Association is a jaw-clenchingly frank jaunt through the (sometimes unpleasant) history of dentistry. 

Think dentists are something to be scared of today? How about the time when it was common practice for your blacksmith to try their hand at yanking out uncooperative teeth? 

We dare you not to shiver as you thumb through the brute instruments on display. There are even small interactive exhibits where you can practice drilling and pulling teeth. 

Anaesthesia Heritage Centre 

London Anaesthesia Centre

You’ll find the second of Marylebone’s quirky museum offerings in the basement of the Association of Anaesthetists. If the name didn’t give it away, the Anaesthesia Heritage Centre is dedicated to all things in the world of anaesthesia and pain relief. 

Don’t knock it – it’s surprisingly interesting – walking you through the evolution of one of the most important developments in modern medicine through an extensive collection of displays. 

BBC Broadcasting House 

BBC Broadcasting House
BBC Broadcasting House

The grand art-deco buildings of BBC Broadcasting House are nothing if not controversial – even now, coming on to a century after its completion. Designed by G Vaal Myers, the Portland-stone clad structure was the first purpose-built broadcasting building. Totally worth seeing, if only for the giant sculptures on its exterior – Prospero and Ariel by Eric Gill. 

Regent’s Park 

The grandest of London’s Royal Parks, Regent’s Park is a purpose-built pleasure ground enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Where else in the city can you find a park with an extensive rose garden, zoo, canal, outdoors theatre and boating lake? 

Realistically, only the southern reaches fall within Marylebone itself but it would be a shame not to explore the whole if you have the time. 

Sherlock Holmes Museum

Sherlock Holmes Museum
(c) Shutterstock

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective famously resided at 221B Baker Street – the very location where you’ll now find The Sherlock Holmes Museum. As the name suggests – the space is dedicated to the deerstalker wearing, cigar puffing detective – complete with recreations of the residence lived in by Holmes and his famous sidekick, Dr John Watson. 

St James Spanish Place 

St James Spanish Place
St James Spanish Place

You have the architect Edward Goldie to thank for the striking Gothic beauty of St James church. Eye-catching as it is from the outside – the inside hides one of the most artistic English Gothic interiors in the city and which looks much older than it is (it was finished in 1890). 

The Spanish Place is a reference to the time when Hertford House – now home of The Wallace Collection – was the home of the Spanish Embassy. At a time when it was difficult for Roman Catholics to worship openly, the Embassy and its chapel provided a place where they could practice their faith. 

Wigmore Hall

The relatively small confines of Wigmore Hall may not quite be where you’d expect to find one of London’s best concert halls but hey, nothing is ever quite what it seems. The hall was first built in 1901 (when it went by the name of Bechstein Hall) and is famed for its near-perfect acoustics. Those acoustics – and the plush interior – have made it a favourite for chamber recitals ever since. 

Wimpole Mews 

Wimpole Mews
Wimpole Mews

Like most posher parts of London, Mayfair is dotted with a number of mews. Wimpole Mews is the prettiest of the area’s offerings. It also stands out for being the location where many of the key events of the scandalous Profumo Affair played out in the sixties.

Eating & Drinking in Marylebone

Our favourite places to eat and drink around Marylebone.

Food at Monocle Cafe
Food at Monocle Cafe

Orrey

Marylebone stalwart Orrey has been wowing locals with its high-end French cuisine for over two decades now – and still shows no signs of abating. Elegance abounds – both in the dining room and on the menu, which features fabulous European classics such as seafood linguine with a lobster bisque. 

28-50 

The Marylebone outpost of stylish enclave of wine bar / restaurant 28-50 takes the concept of its Holborn predecessor and makes it yet more fabulous. The result is an elegant place for you to quaff great wine accompanied by seasonal culinary classics like lamb shoulder on a bed of barley and squash or black olive polenta with cherry tomatoes and a herb salad. 

The Italians

The Italians

Looking for delicious Italian food in Marylebone Village? Head to The Italians for a tasty Mediterranean toastie and a glass of vino or two. Step inside the wine bar and you’ll be greeted by an entire wall of wine – good luck deciding which to quaff.

On our last visit, we dived mouth first into the delicious bruschetta – though we definitely wish we ordered the beef lasagna on the side. Our tip? Go hungry and order plenty to share with a group of friends.

Seymour’s Parlour 

Boutique hotel The Zetter Townhouse is no stranger to a quirky cocktail bar – as their Farringdon outpost will attest. So it should come as no surprise that Seymour’s Parlour is alluring and eccentric in equal measure. The decor – filled with fictional Uncle Seymour’s collection of bric a brac in a dusky red room is the perfect setting for you to enjoy one of the bar’s inventive (and may we say it, damn delicious) cocktails. 

Chiltern Firehouse 

Undoubtedly Marylebone’s most prestigious restaurant, the hype about celebrity favourite Chiltern Firehouse may have died down a bit but the quality of Nuno Mendes’ deceptively simple menu has not. Mendes’ emphasis on relaxed reimagined classics with bold flavours is not to be sniffed at, going a long way to justifying the eye-wateringly high prices. 

Monocle Cafe 

The cutesy monochrome awning of Monocle Cafe may be what lures you in, but it’s the relaxed pace, tasty bites and perfectly-made coffee that will keep you there. Just the right amount of quirky, it’s deservedly popular so you may have to jostle for a seat in the small cafe.

Discover The Best Cafes in Marylebone

Discover The Best Restaurants in Marylebone

Top Shopping Spots

Daunt Books 

Daunt Books Marylebone

It’s nice to see that London’s most famous bookshop isn’t a big soulless chain but rather an independent bookseller in a gorgeous Edwardian building on Marylebone High Street. Sure, Daunt Books is one of the city’s most Instagrammable spots but don’t let that distract you from the fact that it’s actually a stellar bookshop and a great place to stock up on new reads. 

They specialise in travel – but the collection extends its web to pretty much every genre and style. 

The Conran Shop

Few names are as synonymous with good design as Conran, so it’s little surprise that Marylebone’s Conran Shop functions as a mecca for London’s design crowd. Originally a stable building, the shop provides three floors of home inspiration – from discreet staples to one-off design classics. 

Cabbages & Frocks 

Forget about tacky markets selling knock-off goods, the weekly Cabbages & Frocks market brings some of fashion’s rising stars, chic accessories from designer makers and delicious food to Marylebone each Saturday. Its eclectic offerings have seen it become a London favourite throughout the 11 years it’s been running. Find it in the courtyard of Marylebone Parish Church.  

Marylebone Farmers Market 

Marylebone’s chi chi farmers market is an exercise in all that’s good and great about neighbourhood farmers markets. Go to shop super-fresh seasonal food from an array of vegetable and fruit sellers, fishmongers, butchers and artisan food producers at one of the best Sunday markets in London. You’ll find it on Aybrook Street.

Map of Marylebone

Practical Tips for Exploring

  • Marylebone is well-served by public transport. There’s London Marylebone railway station, as well as Regent’s Park, Oxford Circus, Bond Street, Regent’s Park, Edgware Road, Great Portland Street and Baker Street scattered in and around the area. 
  • Short on time? Make a visit to The Wallace Collection a priority – the collection features many of the great masters and it’s a beautiful setting. 
  • Chiltern Firehouse is still one of the hottest tables in town – pair it with cocktails at Seymour’s Parlour for a classic night out. 

The Zetter Townhouse

Quirky glamour

Quirky in all the right ways, The Zetter Townhouse is the place to stay when you’re tired of cookie-cutter hotels but still want to splurge on the luxe-factor. 

Chiltern Firehouse

Exclusive hotel with a stellar restaurant.

Andre Balzac’s spenny hotel in an old fire station has quickly established itself as one of the area’s must-stays. 

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