Golders Green: Cafe culture in north London

Golders Green is a very diverse, affluent and cosmopolitan district situated in the London borough of Barnet in the north of the capital.

This upmarket area boasts an array of top restaurants, coffee shops and niche food stores, as well as a wide variety of housing, making property to rent in Golders Green highly sought after.

It has been home to a large Jewish community since the 1900s and also has many Japanese and Southeast Asian residents, and because it's seen as a safe and friendly area, it's ideal for families.

History of the area

The name Golders is thought to have derived from a family named Godyere who lived in the area in the 14th century, while Green is said to refer to the manorial waste on which the district was built.

It wasn't until the arrival of Finchley Road in the 1820s that the hub of Golders Green was created. Until then it was a relatively quiet and underdeveloped suburb.

The district grew rapidly in the early 20th century thanks to the opening of the Tube station, after which came the first shopping parade and the Golders Green Hippodrome, the former home of the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Life in Golders Green

There are plenty of local amenities in Golders Green to cater for all residents, from shops and restaurants to parks and sports facilities.

The area has a traditional high street environment, with lots of local traders as well as brand name stores, while the Brent Cross shopping centre is just a short distance to the west.

Because there are so many open spaces around Golders Green, residents often feel they are further away from Central London than they really are.

There's Golders Hill Park which adjoins the west heath of Hampstead Heath and boasts a walled garden, ponds, a cafe, a butterfly house and small zoo, as well as Child's Park, Princes Park and Clitterhouse Playing Fields, to name a few.

Cafe culture

There aren't many pubs or nightclubs in Golders Green, but there is a thriving cafe culture, with plenty of cafes, delis, bagel shops and niche food stores open late into the evening.

It's this cosmopolitan atmosphere that makes the area so attractive to families, couples and young professionals alike.

Also, because of its ethnic diversity, Golders Green is home to a wide variety of restaurants serving cuisine from around the world, including Indian, Iranian, Japanese and Italian.

Schools

Schools in Golders Green fall under the Barnet Council Local Education Authority and residents will find a number of primary and secondary facilities in the area, as well as colleges and sixth forms.

Henrietta Barnett school for girls is seen as one of the best in the London borough of Barnet and is located in nearby Hampstead Garden Suburb.

There is also the Kisharon Day School, which is a Jewish primary, secondary and sixth form, Golders Hill school for primary age children and the King Alfred School and Wentworth Tutorial College for secondary pupils.

Getting around

Golders Green is a very well connected area offering quick journey times into Central London. Golders Green Underground station is on the Northern Line Edgware branch, taking passengers in to Euston, King's Cross, Charing Cross, Bank, London Bridge and Waterloo.

Golders Green has a busy bus station which acts as major hub for buses in the north west of the capital, while National Express coaches also stop here before and after travelling into Central London.

Published 18th September, 2012

© 2012 Estates IT Limited