Things to Do in Kingston Upon Thames: A Local Area Guide

If you want drinks by the Thames, The Bishop offers views of Kingston Bridge, a terrace, cocktails, and a seasonal British menu. In the Ancient Market Place, the Grade II-listed Druids Head is one of Kingston’s historic pubs, serving pub classics and hosting live sport, music and quiz nights. Further along the river, The Boaters Inn is a great spot for craft beer, real ale or an evening drink in its riverside garden.

Fairfield Recreation Ground is the closest green space to Square Roots Kingston, roughly an eight-minute walk from the development, and covers open lawn, sports pitches and space for sunny weekend picnics. 

Canbury Gardens, a riverside park a short walk beyond the town centre, runs along the Thames with a bandstand, a children’s playground, tennis courts and a café, and connects directly onto the Thames Path for longer walks.

Richmond Park is about a seven-minute bike ride from the development, taking you to its southern edge. Covering nearly 2,500 acres, it’s London’s largest Royal Park and is home to around 600 free-roaming red and fallow deer, the Isabella Plantation, and a woodland garden.

The riverside path starts at Kingston Bridge and passes Canbury Gardens, offering walkers and cyclists a scenic route beside the water. You can spot wildlife and boats along the way. Several pubs and restaurants line this stretch, making it easy to stop for a drink.

Kingston’s restaurant scene ranges from quick post-shopping lunches to waterside dinners. Sticks’n’Sushi in the Bentall Centre combines sushi and sashimi with yakitori-style dishes from the grill. 

For a relaxed meal by the water, The Boaters Inn sits in Canbury Gardens, with a riverside beer garden, seasonal food and real ales. Near Kingston Bridge, Comptoir Libanais serves Lebanese and Middle Eastern mezze and sharing plates overlooking the river. 

And for something more casual and distinctive, independent Poor Boys in the Griffin Centre specialises in New Orleans-inspired sandwiches, seafood and Southern-style comfort food.

You’ll find plenty of independent cafés in the town centre. Beanberry Coffee Company on Fife Road serves organic coffee roasted on site, with espresso and seasonal single-origin filter options. Local Hero on Thames Street is a family-run spot for brunch and coffee near the Market Place. In the Griffin Centre, Mimosa is a family-owned Portuguese café and deli, offering coffee, pastel de nata, savoury snacks and products from Portugal.

For a night out, you can catch a show at the Rose Theatre on Kingston’s High Street. This 822-seat venue has hosted performances on its unique stage since 2008. If you’re in the mood for a movie or family fun, the Rotunda has a 14-screen Odeon cinema, a bowling alley and a fitness centre all in one place.

Kingston’s name is believed to come from the Old English for ‘king’s town’, showing its long ties to Anglo-Saxon royalty. Tradition says seven Anglo-Saxon kings were crowned here, with the earliest recorded coronation in 924. The Coronation Stone, now outside the Guildhall on the High Street, is a reminder of this history. 

Kingston’s civic story continued when King John gave it its first market charter in 1208, and it became a borough in 1441. The market that started back then still runs today.

The town is also where Eadweard Muybridge, the pioneering photographer famous for his early motion studies, was born. Kingston Museum has a permanent gallery showing his work and personal collection.

Kingston Station is in TfL Zone 6 and served by South Western Railway. Common direct journey times from Kingston include:

• London Waterloo in as little as 29 minutes.
• Clapham Junction in around 15 to 25 minutes.  
• Wimbledon in around 10 to 15 minutes.
• Richmond in around 10 to 15 minutes.

Regular bus routes also cover the surrounding area, including Surbiton, Richmond and Hampton Court.