Boxpark Croydon is bigger – much bigger – than its Shoreditch sibling, with a supersized dining area, but its best asset is the warm community feel. Music helps that vibe – we wouldn’t expect anything less from the town that gave us the BRIT School (esteemed alumni include Amy Winehouse and Adele). There’s free live music on Thursdays and Sundays, and resident DJs on Fridays and Saturdays – but you’ll need to register for tickets. Check online for details of the full events schedule.
Top tip: it’s great for breakfast on the go. If you work or live locally and are the kind of person that likes to have a proper warm-the-cockles brekkie, it’s well worth dropping in first thing in the morning. Most of Boxpark’s vendors are raring to go by 8am and breakfast specials abound – £2 baps at Bukowski Grill, pastries and artisan coffee at Mud and ample takeaway options at The Breakfast Club. No more soggy cornflakes at home.
There are not just one, but three independent coffee shops here, along with a host of other punnily named eateries from Soho, Shoreditch and Brixton. It’s a shame there aren’t more Croydon originals here, but the bar (read: the rent) is pretty high for new entries – a fact reflected in the prices. But it’s a minor gripe. There’s still some major humdingers at Boxpark.
Here's a list of current food traders: Arancina, Bao Bao, Bang Bang Hawker Kitchen, Bread Tree, The Breakfast Club, Bukowski Grill, Carioca, Chillbox, Coqfighter Chicken & Beer, Cook Daily, The Cronx Brewery, Department of Coffee and Social Affairs, Donde Tapas, Dum Dum Donutterie, Feed Me Primal, Fish, Wings & Tings, Fixed, Get Juiced, Greek on the Street, Indigo, Knot, Kothu Kothu, Lazeez Tapas, Les Deux Amies, Mamalan, Meat Liquor, Mud Cafe, Nanny Outars, Poptata, The Potato Project, Thai Express UK, Wine & Deli and Yumn.