A Local's Guide to Battersea & Nine Elms, London

Nine Elms is one of London's fastest-changing neighbourhoods — a stretch of the south bank that's transformed from farmland and industrial docks into gleaming new towers, all anchored by the unmistakable silhouette of Battersea Power Station. Here's how to make the most of the area.

Getting Your Bearings

Nine Elms sits on the south bank of the Thames, between Battersea and Vauxhall, and is now larger in area than Monaco. The district blends brand-new riverside towers with leafy, established Battersea Park just to the west — giving it a genuinely unusual mix of cutting-edge architecture and classic Victorian green space.

Eat and Drink Nearby

• Circus West Village, the restored heart of Battersea Power Station, is packed with restaurants and bars — look out for Brindisa for Spanish tapas, Dishoom for Bombay-style Indian food, Grind for coffee and brunch, and Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza for a casual bite
• Brunswick House, a Georgian townhouse turned antiques shop and restaurant, is a wonderfully atmospheric spot for a meal surrounded by curiosities and chandeliers
• Battersea Barge, a floating pub and music venue moored on the Thames, is a fun, unusual spot for a drink with river views

Culture and Sights

• Lift 109 takes you up inside one of the Power Station's original chimneys in a glass elevator, with panoramic views over London from 109 metres up
• The world's first floating sky pool, suspended 115 feet above the ground between two residential towers at Embassy Gardens, is a striking sight even if you're just walking past
• Battersea Park, a 200-acre Victorian park along the riverside, was the site of London's first ever football match and remains one of the city's best-loved green spaces — perfect for a picnic or a walk by the boating lake
• New Covent Garden Market, London's largest wholesale fruit, vegetable and flower market, is worth an early-morning visit if you're curious to see the city's food supply chain in action
• Nine Elms is also home to the new US Embassy, a striking cube-shaped building that's become a talking point of the area's redevelopment

Getting Around

Battersea Power Station station, on the Northern line extension (opened 2021), gives direct access into Central London — Leicester Square and the West End are around 25 minutes away. Queenstown Road and Battersea Park mainline stations are also a short walk away, with easy access to Victoria and Waterloo.

From the airports:

• Heathrow: Elizabeth line to Tottenham Court Road, then the Northern line to Battersea Power Station (around 45 minutes)
• Gatwick: Gatwick Express to Victoria, then the Victoria line to Vauxhall, then a short walk or the 344 bus to Battersea (around 50 minutes)
• Stansted: Stansted Express to Tottenham Hale, then the Victoria line to Vauxhall, then a short walk or bus
• Luton: Thameslink to Farringdon, then the Elizabeth line to Tottenham Court Road, then the Northern line to Battersea Power Station
• London City Airport: DLR to Bank, then the Northern line direct to Battersea Power Station

Eurostar (King's Cross St Pancras) connects via a direct Northern line journey to Battersea Power Station, around 25–30 minutes.

Good to Know

If you're planning a stay in Battersea or Nine Elms, our own penthouse apartment sits right across from Battersea Park, with air conditioning, a winter garden terrace, and balcony views over the skyline — a great base for exploring everything in this guide.