City farms in London

Best for: Weekend brunch and kooky classes

Hackney City Farm is nestled on the bust throughway between Broadway Market and Columbia Road, offering a more peaceful respite for ambling market-goers. It’s become a fashionable stop-off in the area thanks in large part to its Italian café, Frizzante. The rest of the farm is thriving with happy animals, including a baby donkey, a pottery studio and a garden. The farm is a vital community hub with a vegetable box collection scheme for locals, courses on low-impact living and beekeeping and practical courses for asylum seekers and refugees. 

Anything else I should know? Disabled parking can be arranged if you phone and book in advance. A member of staff will also assist anyone who needs more help accessing the farm. You can up your green credentials by cycling to and from the farm, which has a bike repair and service centre on-site.

Price: Free; donations welcome.

Best for: Farmlife tasters for kids, like ‘Own A Pony Day’

Set on part of the National Trust’s Morden Hall Park Estate, Deen City Farm provides south Wimbledon with a healthy dose of the countryside. Meet farmyard residents like alpacas, barn owls, donkeys and farm cats, buy grass nuts to feed the animals, or squeal over ducklings, chicks and lambs. If you fall in love with any of the animals on-site, you can take part in the farm’s sponsorship scheme to help them care for your new furry friend.

Anything else I should know? The farm, fields and stable yard are largely wheelchair accessible, and there's a volunteering programme you can get involved in if you're left wanting more.

Price: Free

Best for: Cool attractions, like the ‘animal encounters’

Spread over 29 acres, Hounslow Urban Farm is one of London’s largest community farms and is a fun day trip for families from Feltham and beyond. Take a stroll around the paddocks, feed the wide range of farm animals (including pigs, goats, cows, rabbits, ducks, geese, alpacas, chipmunks and rheas – flightless birds), or have a picnic and catch an owl display. Check out the farm's special activities and events for chances to get even closer to its residents. 

Anything else I should know? There’s free parking onsite. 

Price: From £6-£7.50.

Best for: A conveniently located, quick escape from the city bustle

You may be surprised to find this compact farm just off the busy main Vauxhall junction, but it being in a busy area of the city hasn’t stopped it from packing in a whole menagerie of animals, a duck pond and an ecology garden (complete with bog, wormery and stag beetle nursery).

There’s also a community allotment, which grows plants used as dyes for the wool spinning classes that take place on the farm. There is also a riding school with a paddock, which is probably the only place you can keep an eye on MI5 while out for a gallop. 

Anything else I should know? It’s fully wheelchair accessible and only a short distance from Vauxhall tube.

Price: Free, but a £3 donation is suggested. 

Best for: A country feel in otherwise edgy East London 

Built in a former railway goods depot, this farm is an urban oasis just minutes from the bustle and electricity of Brick Lane and Shoreditch. So when you tire of rummaging for vintage clothes and have picked up the obligatory bagel, stop by and visit characters such as Bayleaf the donkey and Bentley the goat, or pick your own veg. Stop by the farm shop before you head out and pick up farm-grown produce and handcrafted gifts.

Anything else I should know? It's easy to get to from all types of public transport, but there are also some patches of free parking to scout out. 

Price: Free

Best for: Extracurricular activities such as farm yoga and the monthly market

Nestled on the Thames Path in what used to be a smallpox and fever receiving station, Surrey Docks Farm is a rural delight only a few moments from the mayhem of Surrey Quays shopping centre. You’ll find cute animals, flourishing gardens and well-kept grounds. There is also The Barn café by the entrance, which serves up some yummy grub. The farm is bustling and busy with regular donkey rides, allotment activities, a mobile farm and more.

Anything else I should know? These guys are committed to their green mantra: they make compost from their green waste and generate their electricity from roof solar panels.  

Price: Free, donations welcome

Best for: Getting your hands dirty 

Ever been on the Overground and noticed horses near Gospel Oak station? You’ll find their home at Kentish Town City Farm, which is tucked in and around the railway and is a treasure trove of wildlife. Expect to find goats romping under brick arches, sheep bleating over the whirring of nearby trains and frogs croaking in a lively pond.

Children are at the heart of the farm, with a range of weekend workshops, an under-fives activity room and a dedicated team of local young volunteers. 

Anything else I should know? There’s free parking and easy access from Kentish Town and Gospel Oak stations. Oh, and it is London's first-ever city farm. Cool, right?

Price: Free

Best for: Supporting their locals.

This farm has existed for 40 years and now offers a green creative space for Stepney. Not only is there The Rural Arts Centre but there's also a gallery that hosts classes. Really, education is one of the key pillars of this farm, which is reflected in all the activities: from community growing workshops to teaching pottery, woodworking and beekeeping. With land newly-reinstated by Crossrail, the farm is also planning to increase room for growing food, encourage biodiversity, and improve facilities for people and animals. 

Anything else I should know? They've definitely got their eye on the green agenda – there's even a children’s garden constructed from recycled materials, such as an old car and bathroom suite, as well as a greenhouse made from plastic bottles.

Price: Free, donations welcome

Best for: Awesome themed areas. Think Dino-chicken World, the Meerkat Lookout and Rainforest Retreat.

Comprising two farms – Hayes Hill and Holyfield Hall – Lee Valley Park Farms features vegetable plots and plenty of opportunities to see animals large and small. Their livestock includes cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs. If the kids need a runaround, there's also a soft play area in the Bundle Barn, while the Hilltop Adventure Zone includes a spider climbing tower and a giant jumping pillow.

Anything else I need to know? Be sure to check their website for special events on that day, and, if you have the time, hit up the nearby River Lee Country Park for walking trails and more wildlife watching.

Price: From £6.99

Best for: Lambing Day – don't miss it or the newborn balls of fluff

This working city farm is spread across 89 acres, meaning there’s plenty to explore on your day out. It allows visitors the chance to see the inner workings of a farmyard and get up close to native bird species, butterflies, wildflowers, and woodland. Awesome events at the farm include themed walks, activities such as shelter building and sparrow spotting, and their annual barn dance, which takes place in an actual hay barn.

Anything else I should know? It's best to call ahead if you're visiting in a group larger than 10 people, as there is likely to be a fee. Parking is also limited, so travel by public transport if you can.

Price: Free, donations welcome

Best for: Locally-produced farm produce. Yum.

Islington’s small, 2.5-acre community-run farm is battling against large government cuts but is determined to keep afloat. Hidden behind Holloway Road, Freightliners is a vibrant hub of wildlife with a wide range of animals. Strawbale Café, a great vegetarian café with tasty daily specials, is a must-try, housed in a volunteer-built eco-building.

There is also a small petting zoo, bee hives, vegetable gardens and even animal boarding for local pets. Make sure to pay a visit to the shop to pick up some homegrown honey, eggs or veg, too.

Anything else I should know? These guys are all about minimal waste – their super sustainable vegetable gardens supply the Strawbale Café. 

Price: Free

Best for: School trips for the biggest animal lovers

Crystal Palace Park Farm is run by Capel Manor College, London’s only environmental college, meaning there’s a big education focus here. It's very much a community-focused centre and well-used by local schools, who get guided tours with an education officer. In the small yard and paddock, there are kunekune pigs, alpacas, goats and Shetland ponies, while the smaller animals are up a steep ramp. Children are always fascinated by the reptile room, too. In the afternoons, casual visitors can often handle the smaller animals, if there's a free member of staff handy.

Anything else I should know? Thanks to the London Overground line, it's really easy to visit this farm. It's a stone's throw from Crystal Palace station.

Price: Free

Best for: Meeting cows and eating waffles

Belmont Children's Farm's is home to the usual range of animals but also boasts lambs, deer, goats, rabbits and guinea pigs, as well as the more exotic alpacas, storks, wallabies and snowy owls. You can take a tractor ride around the farm, feed the animals and, at 10am every day, you can meet their lovely herd of jersey cows and their calves.

The attached café specialises in waffles, but you'll also find other food and drinks on offer. 

Anything else I should know? If you want to take the kids to the soft play area, make sure to go there first. You won’t be allowed to visit after being close to the animals to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

Price: From £8. Children £4.50-£6, under 1’s go free.