London Area Guide: Maida Vale

In today’s article, I’m going to be sharing another fabulous neighbourhood in London known for its leafy streets, houseboats on the canal, and major mansion blocks – Maida Vale.

Maida Vale is an affluent neighbourhood, that’s got a really young but sophisticated vibe as well. It’s known for its tree-lined streets, wide boulevards, as well as the Little Venice area.

Maida Vale has beautiful red brick and white stucco-fronted homes throughout and some of the oldest mansion blocks of London. In today’s article we’re going to highlight seven things that make Maida Vale so special, as well as a little known fact about the area!

Reason Number 1 to Love Maida Vale – The Properties

Young families and professionals are drawn to Maida Vale, for a stock of large flats within beautiful mansion blocks, and terraced properties, many with large communal gardens at the back accessible to residents only. The first mansion blocks were built in 1897 at Lauderdale Mansions with many others coming in short succession. There’s also villa style homes sitting on the edge of the canal, as well as large terraced homes on select streets such as Randolph Avenue, and Formosa Street.

Reason Number 2 to Love Maida Vale – The Location

Located within the borough of Westminster, Maida Vale is just minutes from Central London and its neighbours include St Johns Wood to the East, Paddington to the South, and Kilburn to the North.

Maida Vale is also sometimes called Little Venice which is really just a small portion of the area. Along the little venice basin and canals, the main streets of Little Venice are Blondfield road, Maida Vale, Warwick Crescent, and Formosa Street. Here you’ll find loads of houseboats and quaint pathways. You can even take a gondola ride at the right time of year, and day trippers and locals alike can cruise the waterways on canal boats, or take long dreamy strolls along tree-lined footpaths.

Reason Number 3 to Love Maida Vale – The Dining & Shopping Experiences

For dining, Maida Vale has many a stylish waterside pub and plenty of restaurants offering outdoor dining all along the canal banks, the temptation is hard to resist! Some of my top picks are The Summerhouse on Blomfield Road or The Waterway on Formosa Street are both canalside, offering amazing food with magical dining experiences. Formosa street is also known for its other wonderful eateries including the Red Pepper an Italian restaurant, and the Prince Alfred gastropub. Another local favourite is Raoul’s restaurant and deli occupying both sides of the street on Clifton Road, it really is a perfect neighbourhood spot to enjoy a meal on either side, or to pick up delicious items including cold meats, artisan bread, cheeses, wines, or luxury chocolates.

Also worth mentioning, and is just one block away from the canal, is Clifton Nurseries which definitely should be frequented regularly. It’s a botanical haven where you can enjoy the magical atmosphere and be inspired and find peace, wonderful plantings to take home and fill up your space.

Reason Number 4 to Love Maida Vale – The Quirky Entertainment

When it comes to uniqueness, some of the offerings of entertainment in Maida Vale truly are rare to find elsewhere, like the Puppet Theatre Barge, which entertains children with its lifelike marionettes. For comedy fans, an absolute must-visit is the Canal Cafe Theatre, a venue not to be missed. It’s understated from the outside and a small space on the inside but it serves up some of the best comedy London can offer, it is a guinness world record-breaking show that’s been going on for over 40 years and regularly recruits brilliant writers and performers to produce the most cutting, witty, and downright hysterical observations of the world at large.

Maida Vale has welcomed and supported countless musicians and artists through the local BBC Sound Studios and of course the legendary Abbey Road Studios in Abbey Road is nearby in St Johns Wood. For film buffs, the Everyman Theatre on Sutherland Avenue is a two screen theatre with capacity for almost 150 viewers.

Reason to Love Maida Vale Number 5 – The Transport

On the transport side, the area is well serviced by buses and two underground stations – Maida Vale and Warwick Avenue – that are on the Bakerloo line in zone two. The Bakerloo line not only provides easy access to Baker Street and Oxford Street, but it also provides quick access to several national rail stations, including Paddington, Marylebone, and Waterloo, which offer an easy gateway out of London. If at any point you prefer a traffic free option, then consider the Waterbus service that runs between Maida Vale and Camden.

Reason to Love Maida Vale Number 6 – The Green Spaces

For green space, Maida Vale is well connected and the highlight of which is Paddington recreation ground where you can enjoy a picnic, grab nibbles from the cafe or stroll through the beautiful gardens. If you’re feeling more energetic, it also offers a plethora of activity options including an athletics track, tennis courts, bowling green, cricket nets, indoor and outdoor gym, hockey pitch, and even village green play areas, an exhausting list indeed!

Maida Vale is also home to Paddington Sports Club which is a private members club offering tennis, squash, bowls, and fitness. There’s also Lord’s Cricket Grounds on your doorstep in St John’s Wood. Whilst the incredible Regents Park is less than a 20 minute walk away,

Reason to Love Maida Vale Number 7 – Incredible Schools

Maida Vale has two major Montessori schools both within walking distance of the station – Windmill Montessori and Little Sweethearts Montessori School. Other primary schools include St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, and Saint Saviours Church of England Primary School.

Secondary options include two academies – Westminster Academy and Paddington Academy, as well as several independent and faith schools.

My Bonus Fact About Maida Vale…

Well now that you’ve made it to the end here’s my little known but notable fact about Maida Vale! Playing a massive role in winning the second world war was Alan Turing’s role in cracking German codes while working at Bletchley park turned the tide in a war which many felt was going against Britain and the allies. Turing was born in Maida Vale, at the Colonnade hospital, and he’s just one of the many blue plaques that adorn the walls of the area.

I hope you’ve learned a little bit more about Maida Vale, and discovered some great new things to bring you to the area! If you’re thinking about buying or even relocating and renting in Maida Vale, or any other area in London make sure to get in touch I’m always happy to have a complimentary conversation.