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 the perfect spot to settle in and ride out the rain showers.
The perfect venue for a family board game session or an alternative place to catch up with friends over a few drinks, there's something for everyone with a classic bar food menu (think burgers, nachos and the like) and plenty of craft beers on the taps too.
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, to come together and guzzle down some all-American beers and wings while watching all the biggest sports from the US – especially NFL, college football, basketball and baseball. There's a huge screen in the middle of the bar, plus a few extras tucked away in the back, as well as baseball batting cages if you fancy brushing up your baseball skills.
Probably Passyunk's biggest signature event of the year is their epic Super Bowl party which sees a 'tailgate' party taking over the tunnel for a live screening of America's most famous sporting event. 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.
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, with the added bonus of a small terrace area out front.
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 for hire inside one of the many arches off the Leake Street tunnel. Aures goes beyond the conventional event space experience and is known for its use of dynamic, immersive technology. In addition to being used for private corporate events, the venue also often pops up with public events that make full use of their 360 degree audio-visual tech.
26 Leake Street
This huge private hire space spreads out across several of the arches beneath Waterloo Station that are 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 the centre of the city.