Wherever you land for a drink take a stroll after that to the truly vivid Copeland Park & Bussey Building Quarter. Recognized by its artistic graffiti between meanders of bright colored entrances, staircases and yards stretching along the industrial brick Bussey Building, the Quarter is home to Peckham community-driven cultural, artistic and small business initiatives. Here coexist artistic dens, live music concerts and jams, little shops and craft workshops, niche cinemas such as Peckhamplex and a community theatre, cocktail and craft beer bars, restaurants, yoga and fitness studios, architecture and graphic design nests. All to give the Peckham community the social integrating experience that retains this district's culturally diverse fabric. I wish I had more time to spend the whole day there and finish with a beer on one of their rooftop bars or in the Rooftop Film Club, or both.

My London-based Polish friend said it was a must on the map of the cool and hipster neighborhoods the South-East London offers. And she was right. With a majority of inhabitants of African, Caribbean as well as Asian origin you can dip into the vibrant multiethnic and multicultural texture of this district in its food markets, restaurants, squares, little shops and community meeting spots. I definitely just had a small bite of it and want to come back for more.

Start with dinner at Kudu Grill on Nunhead Lane. Their South African cuisine accompanied by smoke-scented cocktails, top notch customer service and classy dark wooden furnishing will serve you the fancier taste of culinary experience. Try their vegetarian options on the menu, with hispi cabbage, grilled potato flatbread, prawns in peri peri sauce, yuzu truffle baby spinach and monkfish and you may find refreshing the way they prepare meatless meals.

After dinner stroll down Rye Lane, pass by smelly meat and colorful fruit and veggie markets to land in Zapoi Cocktail Bar for a kick-off drink. Zapoi seems a jungle of big plants, vintage furniture, weird objects and intriguing scents that seem to infuse their signature cocktails. Zapoi's hospitable owner turned out to be an expat from the Podkarpatian region in Poland. She can treat you with a home-made 'bimber' outside the regular menu, the Polish specific distilled alcohol that makes your head spin but it is her way of showing how happy she feels seeing her homies.

Funkidory on Peckham Rye is an alternative to the jungle-like mysterious Zapoi. Funky in its interior style which reminded me of a tiny old-school apartment with a kitchen, with a funk playlists and vinyl records at hand, sip their funky variation of a classic named 'Holy Negroni' (with kombucha replacing gin in the mix) or intriguing 'Viper' (exotic, sake-inspired). Unpretentious atmosphere makes you feel like you dropped by just to have one glass with neighbors.

Travel: South East London | Eat: Kudu Grill - Zapoi - Funkidory | Experience: Copeland Park & Bussey Building Quarter