Cafés, bars, funky apartments and famous gay clubs – as Soho loses its cool, Vauxhall is shaping up as London’s next happening location. Nick Curtis looks at SW8’s up and coming attractions

There have even been royal sightings in Vauxhall. Prince Harry and Kate Middleton were separately enthusiastic visitors to the roller disco nights at the Renaissance Rooms on Wandsworth Road back in 2008 and 2009.

To add to the mix, the railway arches not occupied by clubs or showrooms are home to the Portuguese Casa Madeira and Pico Bar and the Italian restaurant Moratti, foodie overspill from nearby Little Lisbon on South Lambeth Road.

There are plans afoot to encourage these lively venues to put out tables on the Pleasure Gardens at the back, as well as Albert Embankment at the front, where diners can stare at the MI6 building, at Jeffrey Archer’s penthouse atop riverside Alembic House, and downstream to Westminster.

Bonnington Square, run for years by a housing association that planted a community garden and lined the streets with palm trees, is now home not only to its original vegan café but also to the cool Bonnington Square Bed and Breakfast and a lovely deli, Italo, run by Mark and Arabella Boxer’s eldest son Charlie with the scion of the south London de Lieto baking clan.

via Well hello Voho: Vauxhall's star is rising – London Life – Life & Style – Evening Standard.