Shepherd’s Bush gets written off as a shopping centre with a postcode attached, but there’s a proper music hall, a market with a hundred years of history and a genuinely excellent spa hiding behind the retail signage.
Overshadowed by neighbouring Hammersmith and Kensington, Shepherd’s Bush gets assumed to be Westfield and not much else. That’s selling it short. This was originally a patch of pasture where shepherds rested their flocks on the long walk to Smithfield Market, still trading today over in Farringdon, and it stayed fairly run-down until a proper transformation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries turned it into somewhere people actually wanted to perform.
That transformation is why Charlie Chaplin used to frequent the Empire here, and why the area still punches well above its postcode for live music. Add in a market that’s been trading for over a century, some proper eating and drinking, and yes, decent shopping too, and you’ve got more than enough for a full day out.
The best things to do in Shepherd’s Bush
Catch a gig at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
Arguably the area’s best-known attraction, the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire opened as a music hall in 1903, later became the BBC Television Theatre in the 1950s, and has been open to the public again since 1994. Charlie Chaplin himself was among the performers who passed through in its earliest years. Today it hosts some of the biggest touring artists in music, along with the odd comedy show.
Shop the stalls at Shepherd’s Bush Market
Shepherd’s Bush Market has over 100 years of history as a place where cultures collide, with stalls covering everything from fabric and spices to phone cases and fresh produce. Osman’s Juice Bar is worth seeking out for a fresh smoothie, and This Is Nuts! for a snack once you’re shopped out.
Catch new writing at Bush Theatre
Often the first stop for future West End hits, the intimate Bush Theatre is a breeding ground for new talent, staging everything from one-person shows to full ensemble productions. Check what’s on before visiting, as the programme changes regularly.
Bowl a few frames at All Star Lanes
All Star Lanes in Shepherd’s Bush leans into art-deco style, with dim lighting, dark wood and sketchy wall art setting the tone. It’s one of our favourite picks on our wider round-up of bowling in London. Bowling, drinking and dining can come in at around £15, and there’s karaoke here too if you fancy warming up your vocal cords.
Picnic on Shepherd’s Bush Green
Shepherd’s Bush Green is a triangular patch of grass at the centre of the area. It’s not the biggest of London’s parks, but it’s a solid spot to sit out with a picnic before catching a show nearby.
Play tech-infused mini golf at Puttshack
Puttshack is a tech-infused mini-golf course set inside a bar, with flashing lights, digital scoreboards and a ball that tracks your shots so there’s no room for a fudged score. It’s one of the better options on our list of crazy golf in London. A sour appletini or a peach fashion from the cocktail menu helps loosen up the competitive edge.
Unwind at K Spa
K Spa is one of the more reasonably priced spas in London, with a wide range of treatments on offer, from prescriptive facials to deep tissue massages built to work out any knots picked up on the tube. It’s tucked inside the K West Hotel, which used to be a BBC recording studio back in the 70s and 80s, Bob Marley and David Bowie both cut records here, and it’s picked up a Best Spa in London gong at the Good Spa Guide Awards along the way.
Worth knowing: the Wet Spa here, complete with a snow room, hydrotherapy pool and herbal steam room, is worth building time around before any treatment, not just after it.
Let the kids loose at KidZania
KidZania is one of the best things to do in Shepherd’s Bush for families, letting children role-play their way through scaled-down versions of real workplaces, from a hotel to a full airport, complete with costumes. This one is strictly for the kids, so parents get a rare hour or two to themselves, useful if you’re navigating London with children for a few days.
See underground artists at Bush Hall
Originally built as a dance hall and later used as a soup kitchen during the war and a bingo hall in the 1950s, Bush Hall was fully restored to its Edwardian glory in 2001, cherubs included. It now hosts live music from a strong run of underground artists, and it’s one of the few venues from its era still standing, of an original trio built along this stretch, it’s the only survivor.
Crack the case at a Sherlock-themed escape room
The Game Is Now is one of the better escape rooms in London, with input from the team behind the Sherlock television series, so the puzzles and atmosphere feel a cut above the average high street escape room.
Drink in the beer garden at The Hawk’s Nest
Tucked into Shepherd’s Bush Market, The Hawk’s Nest pairs twinkling lights and craft beer with genuinely good pizza, making it one of the better entries on our round-up of beer gardens in London.
Eat mezze at Harana Meze
Harana Meze is a Turkish restaurant worth seeking out, with a menu built around spicy sausage, koftas, and some of the better hummus and olives in the area, a good change of pace from the usual Italian or American options nearby.
Drink craft beer at Brewdog
The Shepherd’s Bush branch of Brewdog is a solid, industrial-style pub with a large craft beer selection and a few unusual cocktail options, including a beer slushie.
Get your coffee fix at Electric Coffee Shop
Electric Coffee Shop serves blends from Peru, Nicaragua and Colombia in an exposed-brick space with leather sofas, making it a good stop for breakfast before a market browse or a matinee show.
Shop until you drop at Westfield
Westfield brings together food spots, designer shops and high street regulars under one roof, whether you’re after a full afternoon of shopping or just need to pick up a few essentials.
Catch a film and a bite at West 12
A smaller complex than Westfield, West 12 covers food and entertainment in one spot, with a cinema, places to eat and an escape room among its offerings. Less overwhelming than its bigger neighbour if you just want to get in and out.
