A former fishing village, the riverside district of Chiswick is an affluent area that offers all the benefits of the busy city centre without the hustle and bustle. It’s highly popular with families looking for a safe area with plenty of amenities and activities suitable for both kids and adults. If you’re looking for a place to set down roots and stay there, Chiswick, with its excellent schools, picturesque views and friendly, family-oriented vibe, is worth considering — and once you’re there, it’s unlikely you’ll want to leave anyway!
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W4 Chiswick Area Guide
Where Is Chiswick?
It is bordered by Hammersmith in the east, South Acton in the London Borough of Ealing in the north and Brentford to the west.
Is Chiswick a Nice Area to Live?
A favourite with many celebrities, this leafy suburb proves that living on the edges of London doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the best that the city has to offer. It’s a beautiful town with a village feel and has plenty of green areas — the opposite of what you might expect from industrial, concrete London. Chiswick House and Gardens is a particular highlight, with its gorgeous gardens making it the perfect place to take the dog, and the kids, for a walk. It also has all the amenities you could want, with outstanding schools, plenty of shops and homely, welcoming pubs and eateries, yet its excellent travel links mean the excitement of central London is just a short train ride away.
It’s not just the people and overall atmosphere of Chiswick that make it such a nice place to live; it also boasts some stunning sights, especially from the Victorian homes that sit beside the River Thames.
Is Chiswick Safe?
Chiswick is one of the safest areas in London, with exceptionally low crime rates, especially when compared to other areas in London. Of course, no area is entirely free from crime, but its affluent community, largely made up of young families, means that there’s a reduced risk of more serious criminal activity. If you’re looking for a safe and welcoming place to call your home, you could do a lot worse than living in Chiswick
Primary and Secondary Schools in Chiswick
One of the reasons Chiswick is so popular with families is the schools in the area. Many of the schools in Chiswick are rated either Outstanding or Good by Ofsted.
In terms of secondary schools, the West London Free School in nearby Hammersmith and the Hammersmith Academy, in Shepherd’s Bush, are highly regarded schools.
West London also boasts a number of independent schools with excellent reputations, including St Paul’s School in Barnes SW13, less than a mile from Chiswick, and Godolphin and Latymer, in Hammersmith W6.
Travel Links in Chiswick
Despite being further away from the city centre, Chiswick has excellent travel links and is well connected via the M3, M4 and A40. Commuters will love the District line, which serves Tube stations including Ravenscourt Park and Turnham Green. A train from Chiswick station to Waterloo takes less than half an hour via Clapham Junction and Vauxhall, while a trip into central London takes just 20 minutes. It is also extremely well connected to areas further afield, with Heathrow being a short distance by car, leaving the entire world at your fingertips.
As you’d expect from a West London district, Chiswick is also well-served by buses, with routes serving Camden Town, Richmond and Hammersmith. Buses to Piccadilly Circus operate a 24-hour service, and night buses to Heathrow and Liverpool Street are also available, so whether you have a last-minute flight to catch or you want to head into Shepherd’s Bush for a spot of retail therapy in the district’s Westfield shopping mall, you won’t have to worry about getting there.
Restaurants, Bars, Clubs and Pubs in Chiswick
When it comes to eateries in Chiswick, you are spoiled for choice. Fans of the familiar will find all the chain restaurants they enjoy, but there are also some incredible independent gems you’ll want to visit. Whether you head out for a romantic meal on date night, you’re looking for the perfect family diner or you want to find a perfect pub you can call your local, Chiswick has it all.
Coffee fans might just give up their Starbucks — which has a home in Chiswick — when they experience the great coffee servedSam’s Larder the Post Room cafe or Chief Coffee, a cafe with a Pinball Lounge — which is packed full of pinball machines from the 90s and leading up to the present day. There are also plenty of pubs to enjoy an after-work pint or delicious cocktail in. The Bell & Crown, part of the Fuller’s chain, is particularly popular with dog owners, with its dog-friendly conservatory overlooking the river. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a good beer in the sun in the afternoon.
If you can’t get enough of beer, you’ll also want to check out Fuller’s Brewery, where you can enjoy a guided tour and see how it’s made (and get a cheeky taste, too!).
Fans of fine dining in a laid-back atmosphere will enjoy The Duke of Sussex, a rustic gastropub just a short distance from Chiswick Park station. It’s loved for its Spanish-inspired menu, with tapas dishes on offer as well as the more traditional pub fare, including a classic Sunday Roast complete with delicious herb and pork stuffing. If you’re looking for foodie heaven, Chiswick is where it’s at.
The Chiswick High Road is home to several independent cafes, restaurants and bars, perfect to take you from lunch to evening drinks without having to leave the street — or even the same building! This includes Franco Manca, the Neapolitan sensation famous for serving delicious sourdough pizzas cooked in wood-fired ovens built by Artisans from Naples. Enjoy a classic tomato, basil and mozzarella dish, check out its gluten-free and vegan options and wash it all down with a delicious glass of wine, beer, cider or cocktails.
Chiswick is also home to La Trompette, a Michelin-starred restaurant led by a head chef who has worked with Marco Pierre White and Michel Roux Jr. The menu changes twice a day and serves food influenced by places all over Europe.
There are also plenty of other gems to find, from pubs overlooking the river to Angie’s, where professional chef Angie Steele uses her eight years of working with Gordon Ramsay to create delicious breakfast and lunch platters packed full of pastries and sweet treats and meat and fish options, including mouth-watering honey and lemon roasted chicken.
Things to Do in Chiswick
Parks and Outdoor Spaces
There is no shortage of things to do in Chiswick and plenty of parks and green spaces to roam in this countryside paradise.
Chiswick House and Gardens is home to 65 acres of gardens, from vistas to ponds and fountains. It’s the perfect place for a picnic on a warm day and some of its trees date back to 1720. In the West Gardens, you’ll find the Northern Wilderness, an idyllic forest-like setting full of natural beauty. There’s plenty of wildlife to spot, from orange-tip butterflies to woodpeckers, frogs and sparrow hawks.
Gunnersbury Triangle is an oasis just yards from the Chiswick Park Tube station, and here you can find the perfect escape: it’s a place of tranquillity in an otherwise bustling location where you can find small mammals, flora and birdlife.
Of course, Chiswick’s close proximity to the Thames makes this the perfect place for a relaxed stroll. Walk to Chiswick Eyot Island or take a canoe out on the river!
Sports and Recreation
For outdoorsy types, there’s plenty to enjoy in Chiswick, including going for a swim at its several swimming pools or enjoying the tennis courts, golf courses and playing fields close by. There are also local gyms, including The Hogarth Club and Chiswick Riverside, which has 26 tennis courts available for perfecting your serve.
Once a year, Chiswick Park also hosts several events, so whether you want to zoom down a zip wire or enjoy life-sized table football or more sedate geese herding, there’s plenty for you and the family to enjoy.
Shopping in Chiswick
This affluent area may be a haven for foodies and nature-dwellers, but it has a lot to offer shoppers too. The Westfield shopping centre in Shepherd’s Bush is just a short ride away, and there are still plenty of amenities in Chiswick.
The Chiswick Farmers and Fine Food Market is held every Sunday morning at the Grove Park Farm House. It’s particularly popular with families looking to stock up on local, fresh produce, and you can get everything from artisanal cheeses to coffee beans. Locals can also enjoy a spot of lunch here at Pizza Maria, where Neapolitan pizza is made in the Maruzzella, a three-wheeled van complete with an authentic wood-fired oven.
Oliver Bonas is a growing chain with over 20 shops spread across the capital. In this gift shop, you’ll find anything and everything, from handbags and homeware to clothes. For retro furniture and antiques, you’ll want to head to The Old Cinema, a treasure trove of vintage items that you won’t want to leave.
Book lovers will be right at home in Chiswick, as it’s home to Fosters’ Books. It’s based in the oldest shop on Chiswick High Road, and that’s certainly an indication of what you’ll find inside. This independent bookshop specialises in first editions, illustrated children’s books and antiquarian books. It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon as you pore through what’s on offer.
Residents will want to look into the Chiswick Club Card, which helps support local businesses by encouraging you to shop with them — for your trouble, you’ll get up to 20% off your purchases!
Entertainment Venues in Chiswick
As a quiet family town, you won’t find much in the way of large and noisy music venues in Chiswick. But if that’s what you like, you’re just a stone’s throw away from Shepherd’s Bush, which is home to the 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire venue.
That being said, there’s still plenty of things to do and places to go if you’re looking for a spot of entertainment.
The Tabard Theatre showcases comedy from both well-known acts and up-and-comers with great talent. Prices are affordable too, with tickets as low as £10. Comedy fans will also like the Headliners Comedy Club, which showcases four hilarious acts on Friday and Saturday nights.
Chiswick Cinema, an independent cinema, offers five screens, showing a mixture of current releases, family screenings and event cinema, alongside a restaurant for food and beverages and a private Members’ restaurant and bar.
Chiswick is also a big festival scene, with Bedford Park Festival attracting local celebrities — recent events have been opened by Jeremy Vine and singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor — and Tidefest taking place in September, where you can enjoy live music along with a host of other activities, plus there are bouncy castles for the kids!
What Is Property in Chiswick Like?
Chiswick attracts both families and young professionals, and there is plenty of property on offer, whatever you’re looking for.
Properties in Chiswick range from mansion flats and studios to elegant period cottages and large Edwardian detached homes overlooking the Thames River.
Despite being an incredibly desirable area, Chiswick is fairly affordable; much more so than properties in neighbouring Richmond and Hammersmith. This grants a huge benefit to buying or renting on the edge of the city, and with such excellent travel links and easy access to central London, there’s no reason why you have to miss out.
Homes range from one-bedroom flats to stunning five-bedroom homes in tree-lined cul-de-sacs.
Ask Our Chiswick Estate Agents: Should You Live in Chiswick?
Buying or renting a property in Chiswick is the perfect choice for families or professionals looking to settle down. This affluent area boasts all the travel links you could need, and a wide range of activities and amenities mean you’ll never be left without things to do. It’s one of the much quieter and homely areas in West London, with a villagey feel, and it’s definitely not party central, but with delicious eateries and local pubs and bars, you won’t miss the lack of 24/7 nightlife spots.
Buy or Rent a Property in Chiswick
Are you thinking about living in Chiswick? Grab your own welcoming slice of West London life by speaking to our expert award-winning estate agents. Our Chiswick estate agents can help you find the perfect house for sale or to let, and with years of experience finding dream homes for people looking to live in Chiswick, we’d love to help you find yours.
