Leake Street
Meet local street artists and hang out at quirky bars in this famous graffiti tunnel.
Opening Hours
The tunnel itself is a public space linking South Bank to Waterloo and is open 24 hours a day. The opening times of the different venues on Leake Street varies.
Contact Info
- Address
- Leake Street Arches, Leake Street, London, UK
- AccessAble Link
- View Accessibility Info
Linking South Bank and Waterloo, the epic 300-metre-long Leake Street tunnel that crosses beneath the tracks of Waterloo Station is the unofficial centre of south London graffiti culture.
Every inch of space is covered with a forever-evolving collection of street art murals and anybody is free to come and leave their mark on the walls. Before it was a hub for graffiti and street art, Leake Street was part of the road entrance to the old Eurostar terminal. After the Eurostar moved to Kings Cross, street art legend Banksy spotted the site and took it over as the venue for his 2008 Cans Festival.
The street has been on the up ever since and is now a famous place to come and take fun photos while watching top local graffiti artists at work.
There are absolutely no rules about painting down here either (except for the obvious caveat being that somebody else will inevitably come down and paint over your creations tomorrow!), so if you fancy yourself a street artist bring your cans along and have a go! Or even better yet, get in touch with Leake Street's very own artist-in-residence Max The Virus about joining one of his graffiti workshops where you'll get the chance to learn from the best.
Where to eat and drink on Leake Street
Draughts
This super-fun spot has turned a once-dank railway arch into one of the city's most popular venues devoted to all things board games. Spread over two floors and with over 1,000 unique games on the shelves, you can recreate Christmas at home or find a secluded spot to quietly unlock the mysteries of the universe. If the weather suddenly takes a turn (as often happens in London), this is an ideal spot to settle in and ride out the rain showers.
Passyunk Avenue
Enjoy the relaxed vibe and frank and friendly service of this authentic all-American Philly dive bar. A popular venue for American expats, and fans of American sports from elsewhere in the world, Passyunk Avenue shows all the biggest sports clashes from the US – especially NFL, college football, basketball and baseball.
Keeping things authentic there's the best of Philly regional cuisine on offer. Their Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are a winner - even Travis Kelce is said to be a fan. In addition to the bar and dining, Passyunk Avenue also has an adjoining space, Passyunk Play, where you can spend the evening getting competitive with classic American bar sports like pool, darts, air hockey, shuffleboard and even try your hand at baseball in the batting cage.
Mamuśka
Just off Leake Street and opening onto Addington Street (you can access the bar via the small linking tunnel halfway along Leake Street), Mamuśka is said to be London's biggest Polish restaurant and bar. The decor mixes steel, brick and concrete and has a Polish 'milk bar' meets beer hall atmosphere.
The menu heroes hearty traditional Polish food. Dishes like pierogi dumplings, bigos stew and schabowy cutlets feature prominently, complemented by a great salad bar. As you might expect there's also an excellent selection of Polish vodkas on sale – for something special push the boat out and try the vodka boards with their selection of fruity tipples!
Aures
A heady mix of urban graffiti culture meets futuristic immersive technology at this unique venue. Aures goes beyond the conventional event space experience and is known for its use of dynamic, immersive technology with 360 degree audio-visual tech enveloping the entire space for private corporate events such as product launches.
26 Leake Street
This huge private hire space spreads out across several of the arches hidden behind the graffiti-strewn doors lining the lower end of the Leake Street tunnel. A popular venue for large corporate functions, 26 Leake Street is also often hired for major club nights with trance, techno and ragga DJs taking to the decks for all-night parties.
During major sporting tournaments like the World Cup and the Euros, the 26 Leake Street tunnels have also been transformed into some of the most atmospheric fan zones in this area of London.
Graffiti workshops on Leake Street
Feeling inspired by watching all the graffiti artists at work in Leake Street? The tunnel's very own Artist in Residence, Marc Craig, runs graffiti workshops where you can learn the ropes and get the chance to create your own street art masterpiece! With a blank canvas waiting for you on one of the walls, you'll be given easy-to-follow instructions on how to use a spray can to bring your vision to life. No need to worry about protective gear - they've got you covered with masks, overalls, and gloves.
Spaces on each workshop are limited to 15 and available on a first come first served basis. Prices are £50 per adult and £40 for under-18s. Email [email protected]. The workshops last two hours, are fully insured and open to all ages above 12 years.