Hampstead High Street mixes independent shops, historic pubs, and excellent restaurants. Here's the complete guide to shopping and eating on NW3's main street.
Hampstead High Street is one of those London streets that has managed to remain genuinely useful while becoming genuinely attractive, a combination that very few high streets in Zone 2 achieve simultaneously. The chain shops are present (as they are everywhere) but have not dominated: independent bookshops, specialist food shops, clothing boutiques, and restaurants that serve the local community rather than the tourist trade persist alongside them. Walking its length from the tube station to the Heath entrance takes 10 minutes; doing it properly takes most of a morning.
Key Takeaways
- The High Street runs from Hampstead tube station (Northern line) north to the Heath entrance on East Heath Road, approximately 600 metres
- The best independent shopping is on the side streets: Flask Walk, Perrins Court, Holly Mount
- Restaurants range from good Italian trattorias to reliable Japanese; the standard is higher than the tourist footfall might suggest
- Weekend mornings (9am to noon) are the best time to shop before the crowds arrive
- Parking: the surrounding streets are in a controlled parking zone on weekdays; East Heath Road car park is the most practical option
The Shape of the Street
Hampstead High Street begins at the tube station and runs northeast, passing Church Row on the left, before bending around toward the junction with Heath Street. From the Heath Street junction, it continues as East Heath Road toward the main Heath entrance.
The street divides naturally into sections:
Lower High Street (tube to Church Row junction): The most commercial section, with the highest density of shops and the greatest mix of chain and independent retailers.
Upper High Street (Church Row junction to Heath junction): More residential in character, with restaurants and specialist shops replacing the general retail of the lower section.
The Side Streets: Flask Walk, Perrins Court, and the lanes off the main street contain some of the best independent shops, the ones that the High Street's rents would not support.
Waterstones Hampstead: The branch on the High Street is one of the better Waterstones in north London, well-stocked, with a local section that takes the neighbourhood's literary history seriously. Staff recommendations tend to be genuine.
Hampstead Antique and Craft Emporium (off Flask Walk): Accessible through an alley from the High Street, this is a collection of small dealers selling antiques, vintage clothing, jewellery, and art. Quality varies by dealer; the print section consistently offers interesting material.
Keith Fawkes (Flask Walk): One of London's last real secondhand bookshops. Floor-to-ceiling stock, idiosyncratic organisation, genuinely interesting finds. Open Wednesday to Sunday.
The Kooples, LK Bennett, and similar: Present on the High Street and competent at what they do. Less interesting than the independents, but useful when needed.
"Lucy, a designer who lives off Flask Walk, does her bookshop browsing at Keith Fawkes, her food shopping at the Saturday market, and her clothing shopping online. 'The High Street works for me because I use the specific things it does well, ' she says. 'The chain shops could be anywhere. Keith Fawkes could only be here.'"
Eating on the High Street
Gaucho Hampstead: Argentine steakhouse in a converted Victorian building. The beef quality is genuine; prices are high but not unreasonable for the quality. Book ahead at weekends.
Côte Brasserie: Reliable French brasserie format. Competent execution, fair prices, good for a group. Not exciting but dependably correct.
Jin Kichi: On Heath Street, just off the High Street, widely regarded as one of the better Japanese restaurants in north London. The robata grill items are the highlight. Book ahead.
The Horseshoe: A pub-restaurant on Heath Street with good food standards. The Sunday roast is one of the better options in the immediate area.
For cafes and coffee shops, see our dedicated Hampstead cafes guide, which covers Ginger and White and the other best options in detail.
The Saturday Market
A small farmers' market operates near the tube station on Saturday mornings (roughly 10am-2pm, weekly). The stalls vary but typically include seasonal vegetables, bread, cheese, charcuterie, and prepared foods. It is smaller than the Borough Market or the Portobello Road equivalent, but well-stocked with genuinely good produce.
The Saturday market is the most practically useful shopping event of the Hampstead week: the produce is good, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the concentration of interesting food shops in the surrounding streets makes the Saturday morning shop a worthwhile routine.
Getting there: Hampstead tube station (Northern line, Zone 2) is at the foot of the High Street.
Parking: Controlled parking zone weekdays. East Heath Road car park (pay and display, open 7am-8pm) is the nearest for Heath-adjacent visits. On Sundays, residential streets adjacent to the High Street are generally available.
Best time to visit: Saturday mornings from 9-11am, before the main tourist crowds arrive, while the market is running, and while the cafes still have space.
Accessibility: The High Street has reasonable accessibility; the side streets (Flask Walk, Holly Mount) include steps and uneven surfaces.
Conclusion
Hampstead High Street rewards the visitor who uses the side streets as much as the main drag. Flask Walk, Perrins Court, and the lanes off Heath Street contain the most specifically interesting shops and the most consistently good cafes. The High Street itself is the convenient spine; the side streets are the substance.
Continue exploring: Flask Walk Hampstead Guide · Best Cafes in Hampstead · Things to Do in Hampstead
