Kaya Scodelario's guide to London: sneaky pints at The Spaniards Inn & a wild night at Marathon kebab shop

North London. I grew up in Holloway and have always rented between Islington and Harringay. I don’t think I could ever leave north London — I very rarely venture south of the river. I’m pretty sure I even lost signal on my phone once down there!. When I’m lucky enough to stay in a hotel, it’s usually for work. I love The Soho Hotel for its colourful decor, incredible mattresses, and the great pub right outside the back door. Plus, the hum of scaffolding and drunken revellers in Soho is oddly relaxing.

On Camden Road, above a Domino’s pizza. It was a tiny studio where the bed had to be pulled out of the wardrobe. You could brush your teeth in the bathroom, stir a pot on the hob and watch TV at the same time. But I absolutely loved living on my own in the city. I worked as a florist on Seven Sisters Road during secondary school work experience. They kept me on when I turned 15 as the Saturday girl. I earned £20 a week and learned a lot from the owner, Lorraine, about the importance of knowing your local community. My dream is to have my own little flower shop one day.

A big, long walk through Hampstead Heath is ideal for a first date. There’s an app called Geocaching that turns it into a treasure hunt. Plus, if the date goes badly, you can run away and head to The Spaniards Inn for a pint on your own. Right now, my favourite restaurant is Humble Chicken in Soho. I recently took my The Gentlemen co-stars, Theo James and Daniel Ings, for a celebratory season two renewal meal. The chefs prepare a Japanese-inspired tasting menu right in front of you — it’s amazing!.

Dunn’s bakery in Crouch End for the best sourdough of your life. For the vibes, I love Cyberdog in Camden Market. For groceries, I go to the Brazilian Centre in Stamford Hill — I am half-Brazilian and cook Brazilian food three or four nights a week at home, so I’m there very often. Whenever a friend has a baby, I go to Hamleys. There’s something very special about buying a teddy from there.

I’d make it mandatory for someone to shout “ANTICIPATE THE BARRIER!” at every Tube station escalator for tourists. We love you, but please get through the barriers faster. Peggy Mitchell. End of story. My best friend’s dad was a London cabbie. He taught me to say “be lucky” when leaving a taxi — it’s like a secret code between cabbies. I still say it every time. When I was 13, I bunked off school and got stopped by a policeman in my uniform. I panicked, ran back to school and have been very respectful of the law ever since!.

In my teens and early twenties, we’d go to Joe’s swing bar in Camden, then Marathon kebab shop, which had a speakeasy in the back with an Elvis impersonator and candles — you just go for a “can of Stella” to be allowed in. Nowadays, I love pub gardens in summer, or singing 1990s classics in my kitchen with friends until the early hours. My home. Since I started working at 14 my goal was to be able to get a mortgage. I’m trying to set down some roots for my kids and their future, which is something I didn’t have.

The Spriggan sculpture along the Parkland Walk. Otherwise known as The Fairy Bodyguard of North London. ANTICIPATE THE BARRIER!!!. I’m working at Hampstead Theatre. It’s my London stage debut and I’m excited to be working with a wonderful company on a new play, East is South, written by the brilliant Beau Willimon. It explores the ethics behind AI, what the future holds for it, and how humans see their relationship with technological advancement.