All eyes and ears will be on Wembley Stadium this summer as Oasis return to London for the first time in more than 15 years. The lads are playing the city’s biggest venue on sell-out dates over July, August and September and such was the frenzy that just about everyone is hoping they announce more.
Those who managed to snag a ticket or two will be scouting for food and drink. Though the immediate vicinity around the stadium serves a purpose, it’s a little boring and corporate, so our advice is to pitch up earlier and visit one of the area’s great curry houses or bed in at a local pub.
Here’s a quick guide to where to eat and drink around Wembley Stadium.
Restaurants
Wembley is best known for its Indian restaurants, widely regarded as some of the best in the city. Most of them aren’t in Wembley Park and next to the stadium and so would require a bit of walking, but it’s not far to Ealing Road and the High Road, where many of them are, and it’s worth the journey. Work off those naans.
Notable places include Mumbai Local, Sakoni’s, Nagerkovil Arya Bhavan, Amol’s Vada Pav, Asher’s Africana, and Taste of Peshawar, but we can’t imagine you’d have a bad time anywhere up there really. Many specialise in a regional style of cooking, such as Peshawar, which is Pakistani and serves Pashtun food, Asher’s, which is Gujarati, and Sekoni’s, which is South Indian.
Back to Wembley Park, and the new culinary hub is Boxpark, which opened at the end of last year. It’s managed to pack a pretty dazzling array of traders and chefs into its 50,000sq ft space, with cuisines that span multiple continents.
Souvlaki sensation The Athenian delivers tender meat, grilled halloumi, chips and more wrapped up in a soft flatbread, while Cut + Grind is the place to go for burgers. Zia Lucia is the pizza spot in situ, not the best but decent enough. Elsewhere there are ice creams, kebabs, noodles, dumplings, doughnuts, coffees and more.
Away from Boxpark, Pasta Remoli serves classic pasta dishes, keeping things simple. First, you choose the pasta shape, then the sauce, and finally the cheese. Ecco’La is another spot for Italian food, namely pizza. It’s best known for its low prices, with 10-inchers starting at little over a fiver.
Arena has been serving up Greek food to the people of Wembley for 35 years now and claims to be the oldest family-run restaurant in the area. The service is friendly and the food traditional, with old school grills and platters on offer. For Nepalese cuisine, head to to Wembley Tandoori. It’s all about the momos here (dumplings).
Finally, there’s Wembley Park Market. Besides being home to a number of arts and crafts stalls and independent traders, it also boasts a number of food stalls which are worth seeking out.
Bars and pubs
Sky Bar 9 is one of the fancier establishments in the area. Find it at the Hilton hotel. Its cocktail list is solid if not entirely adventurous — it deals in the classics, from cosmopolitans to Negronis — but this place is all about the view. Depending on where you sit, you’ll either get an eyeful of Wembley Stadium’s famous arch or a panorama of north west London and beyond.
The Green Man is a no-frills boozer, perfect for a quick pint or two. It gets particularly busy on match days, so bear that in mind if you want to pay a visit. The Torch, up past Wembley Park station, is another reliable option, as is the Wetherspoon pub on the High Road.
Other pubs include the Celtic boozer the Parish Bar, home to a good beer garden, the White Horse, and the Wembley Tavern, both of which are relatively modern, straightforward pubs. Both a safe bet for those hoping for a pint or two ahead of the show.
Coffee shops and cafes
Back to Boxpark, which has a few options when it comes to coffee and sweet treats. Boki Coffee, which first popped up in Seven Dials, serves up all manner of caffeinated drinks, while Udderlicious is all about the ice cream.
Black Sheep Coffee, just off Wembley Way, is the latest in a string of kiosks and cafes all over the city. It has edgy interiors and music pumping through the venue, with some punchy, well-flavoured coffee to match. It morphs into a light cocktail spot after dark, staying open until 10pm from Thursday to Saturday.
Finally, Wenzel’s (north London Greggs, essentially) has been in the bakery business since 1975 and has three outposts in the Wembley area — one by Wembley Central station, another over towards Sudbury, as well as a spot in the London Designer Outlet.
Wembley Stadium, Wembley Way, HA9 0WS, wembleystadium.com
