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Nine Elms covers 3km of the Thames’ south bank and will include a new cultural quarter that aims to bring the energy, authenticity and edginess that defines a modern city. The new destination will create 20,000 new homes, 25,000 jobs, vast office and commercial space as well as plenty of leisure facilities, parks and squares.
Add to that two brand new Underground stations, a proposed new bridge across to Pimlico, an array of shops, restaurants, bars and cafés and it’s easy to see how Nine Elms is fast becoming a captivating area.
Stretching the entire length of Nine Elms will be a linear park, connecting riverside walkways and cycle paths with wide green spaces and areas for outdoor recreation.
Such is the excitement surrounding Nine Elms that a number of prestigious institutions have already made it their future home. The US Embassy moved from Mayfair to its iconic new site here in summer 2017, establishing a new diplomatic district. Apple has also announced it will set up its new UK headquarters here, housing around 1,400 staff.
So what else can you expect from the area?
Food & Drink
Darby’s
NYC-inspired oyster bars don’t get much better than this. Or much more affordable. Head on down to Darby’s between 5pm and 7pm on Tuesday through to Saturday and get half a dozen oysters and a pint of Guinness for £10.
Yeah, it’s fairly safe to say that Darby’s has got its whole classy Irish-American dining experience shtick nailed. If you fancy something a bit more substantial, a haunch of Dexter beef and a portion of seriously buttery mash should fit the bill.
Brunswick House
Set in an imposing Georgian building, Jackson Boxer’s Brunswick House is a restaurant where you can eat some excellent food and take some memorable Instagram photos while you’re at it.
Quaff back the sommelier-selected wine of the week while you split a whole seabass in a dramatic, stylish space that sits between classic brasserie and antiques shop – think chandeliers, heavy drapes, a chequered floor and red leather banquettes. Aside from the dining room there’s a bar area serving snacks, beers and classic cocktails. In a setting like this, it’d be criminal not to order an Old Fashioned.
Waterfront London
True to its name, this recently refurbished pub sits overlooking the Thames, right by Wandsworth Bridge. There’s a large garden at the riverside, meaning you can take your highball cocktail or high-brow beer outdoors and watch the sunset hit the river, which is very ‘gram-friendly and you know, romantic.
The size of the place also makes it ideal for special occasions – whether it’s a birthday, wedding, or perhaps most importantly, the rugby, you’re guaranteed ample space and refined surroundings.
POTUS restaurant
Situated in the Crowne Plaza hotel next to the US Embassy, and exhibiting photographs of presidents meeting the Queen, there’s nowhere more appropriate for a slice of upmarket American dining in London. And for chef Pablo Peñalosa Najera, who began his career as a 16-year-old waiter in New Mexico, the menu is a personal dive into the classics he remembers from across the border.
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The Alchemist
Like a cocktail bar on acid, The Alchemist (launching next year) is an exciting addition to Nine Elms, offering a touch of drink with your theatre (or so you’ll say on the way out after a couple).
Eccentric presentation, curiously obscure ingredients (tree bark, anyone) and mixologists keen to devise drinks that will test your boundaries all within a golden brown speakeasy-style bar (and a lovely garden) mean that this is a place you’re guaranteed to talk about long after you’ve visited. Oh, and did we mention there’s a great food menu, too.
Battersea Power Station
When completed, the redeveloped Battersea Power Station will include a brand-new high street, a riverside park and a luxury hotel. The area’s already become a hub for excellent food and drink, with highlights including seafood experts Wright Brothers and Vivek Singh’s Cinnamon Kitchen.
You can also enjoy superlative Spanish small plates at Tapas Brindisa Battersea (it’s hard to say no to manchego) while you decide what else you’d like to gorge yourself on. When it comes to fast and friendly lunchtime options, organic sourdough pizzas from Mother and ramen bowls from Tonkotsu – complete with 18-hour slow cooked broths and homemade noodles – are both worthy additions to the Battersea landscape.
After that, pop round to Vagabond Wines in Circus West Village to sample one of their 100 wines sourced from all around the world. There’s even one made on-site at the power station – it’d be rude not to try it, right?
London Restaurant Festival
Nine Elms has also been chosen as one of the settings for this year’s London Restaurant Festival, which is held throughout October. Events include a range of tasting menus and restaurant-hopping tours. Brindisa and Estrella Galicia are teaming up to host ‘London’s Longest Lunch’ with an indulgent six-course Spanish feast along the Thames.
Starting at Brindisa London Bridge, diners will then be whisked down the Thames via Clipper to Battersea Power Station where they’ll enjoy the second half of their lunch at Brindisa Battersea. It’s a long lunch that we can definitely get on board with, quite literally.
The Market
Vauxhall Street Food Market
Do you like food markets that are a bit more street? If so, head on down to the Vauxhall Street Food Market for a range of stalls selling grab-and-go snacks for you to get your teeth into.
Burgers from Holy Moly; wraps from souvlaki purveyors Opa-Opa; pasta and pizza from The Italian Food Co; dumplings and noodles from Win & Lily Oriental Fine Foods; and waffles and crepes from Crepe Away. What else do you need to know?
The Parks
Battersea Park
There are two types of park: parks for chilling, and parks for doing. Both can be found near Nine Elms. Battersea Park definitely falls into the latter camp. Renowned for its permanent fixtures – a Victorian sub-tropical garden, a children’s zoo and a lakeside restaurant – the park also hosts endless events including outdoor cinema screenings and one of London’s finest firework displays.
It’s an ideal place to spend a day exploring among the greenery, and given that it stretches over 200 acres, you’ll likely discover new secrets each time you visit. Fishing, anyone?
Vauxhall Park
Vauxhall Park, on the other hand, is a park for chilling. Home to the historic Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, this modestly sized (8.5-acre) piece of land is a quiet spot between Vauxhall and Stockwell. Beyond plonking yourself on the grass and soaking up the last of this year’s rays, there are a handful of other things to do.
Here for those who like to look large, view the model village; or if you smell (or like smells) there is the famed lavender garden. What better scent is there to chill out near?
The Development
Nine Elms Point
Barratt London is bringing together some of the finest contemporary urban architecture to create Nine Elms Point. This collection of 647 studios, apartments and penthouses is set across seven buildings and built around more than an acre of private landscaped gardens.
There are plenty of stand-out features for residents to enjoy, including the use of an exclusive private dining room and kitchen perfect for entertaining. “Larger dedicated dining areas set within these developments are especially popular with our international clients keen to show their guests the best of London,” says Pam Reardon, Sales and Marketing Director at Barratt East London.
Other facilities include a cinema room, residents’ lounge and business suite. There’s also a state-of-the-art fitness suite for working out before or after work. Completing the five-star service is a 24-hour concierge, ensuring Nine Elms Point is not just somewhere to live, but somewhere to enjoy.
At the top of the tree are the new penthouses – a perfect solution for investors and owner-occupiers alike; if it’s a prime property in a prime location that buyers want, then the Nine Elms Point penthouses are the best value for money, as well as an excellent lifestyle choice for city workers.
Two three-bedroom penthouses, Archer and Wilberforce, have just launched. The Archer penthouse has a light and airy main living area on the first floor, with bi-fold doors opening onto a large private terrace and a separate balcony. There’s also a study on this floor which is ideal for anyone working from home, while the first floor offers a separate living area attached to the master suite with a second balcony, giving buyers a chance to relax in the peace and quiet.
Equally as impressive, the Wilberforce penthouse occupies the top two floors of Waterford Point; a landmark tower for the area at 37 storeys tall. The ground floor houses the three bedrooms, as well as a large open-plan living and dining area, and a private balcony.
Perhaps the most exciting element of this property is the first floor with its stylish, separate living, dining and kitchen area, which leads through to an enormous private terrace that’s absolutely perfect for some serious outdoor entertaining.
Both penthouses are currently available at Nine Elms Point, starting from £3,999,950, with a show home due to launch this autumn. Studios, as well as one and two-bedroom homes are also available, with prices ranging from £599,995 to £904,950. For more information or to book an appointment, visit barrattlondon.com, or call 0333 344 7205.
