I didn't expect to spend my Saturday inside a former power station, eating Gordon Ramsay’s ‘beef wellington experience’, bagging exclusive merch, and drinking a cocktail out of a lightbulb. Yet here we are.
Battersea Power Station has pulled off something truly impressive: they’ve taken one of London’s most famous industrial buildings and turned it into a place where you can spend an entire day with premium food, drink, shopping, and entertainment. I went thinking I would ‘have a look around’ and left several hours later wondering why I don’t do this more often.
It’s in prime location in South West London, and couldn’t be easier to get to with Southern. Hop on a train to Battersea Park, then it’s an easy five-minute walk to the power station. It takes less than 15 minutes door-to-door from London Victoria, making it a convenient and exciting day out in the capital. Here’s how I spent my day, from the iconic chimney lift to relaxed pottery painting and unique cocktails.
The Chimney Lift Experience at Battersea Power Station
Let me start with the highlight. The Lift Experience is more than a quick trip up and down in a glass box. Tickets are £24 on the day, or £16 if you book online in advance, and you can get two tickets for the price of one when you travel by train, so it's totally affordable and totally worth it.
Before you even see the lift, you’re guided through an immersive introduction that brings the history of the power station to life. There are tactile displays, interactive elements, and a media presentation that explains how this building once powered a huge chunk of London. It’s informative and genuinely interesting, I could easily see school groups getting a lot out of it.
After a short but eager wait, the lift doors open and the anticipation builds. You step into the glass elevator and begin to rise inside the chimney. Even if you’re not great with heights or lifts (like me), it feels surprisingly calm. Before you know it, you pop out above the chimney top and London is laid out around you in full 360 degrees.
On a clear day you can see as far as Heathrow, which is 13 miles away. There are information panels that explain what you can see, from The Shard and Tate Modern to Wembley Stadium, Big Ben, and the London Eye. You can spot Royal Hospital Chelsea, home of the Chelsea Pensioners and the Chelsea Flower Show, and even see Southern trains gliding in and out of London Victoria below you (this was my favourite part, naturally).
Visitors get around ten minutes at the top, which is plenty of time to take it all in, snap some photos, and enjoy the panoramic view. Afterwards, there’s a gift shop filled with genuinely good souvenirs, which makes it easy to leave with quality gifts for friends and family, or just a keepsake for yourself.
A world first: Standalone Peppa Pig and Transformers stores
After the chimney lift experience, I headed to a pair of rather special shops. Battersea Power Station is home to the world’s first (and only) standalone Peppa Pig and Transformers stores, which opened in November 2024.
The Peppa Pig store is packed with exclusive products and experiences. There’s a huge Battersea Power Station x Peppa Pig birthday cake created with Hummingbird Bakery, which comes as standard for birthday parties hosted inside the store. There’s a photobooth, bespoke products, and events like biscuit decorating and story time. Peppa herself makes an appearance every weekend and daily during school holidays.
Next door, the Transformers store is equally packed out with exclusive merchandise, bespoke items, and activities. There are limited edition items like rare first-edition comic books and a Battersea-inspired Transformer called PowerPlex. You can play arcade games, test voice activated toys, and browse apparel designed by international street artists.
Lunch at Bread Street Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay
Following on from the excitement of the morning, I was more than ready for lunch at Bread Street Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay, who, incidentally, owns a penthouse here at the power station.
Our host Vlad talked us through the experience while Chef Ranel worked his magic in the kitchen. The restaurant’s famous ‘beef wellington experience’ starts with a welcome drink, so I took Vlad’s recommendation and went for the lemon swizzle, a mix of lemon, passionfruit, pineapple, mint and Sicilian lemon soda, served in a cactus shaped glass that tempts you to consider how easily it would fit into a handbag (I didn't by the way, obviously). It’s sharp, fresh, and exactly what you want before an indulgent lunch.
Then came a platter of starters that felt like a greatest hits selection. Spicy tuna tartare with avocado that was fresh and meaty, tamarind spiced chicken wings that were sticky, succulent and impossible to stop eating, plus burrata with pineapple and candied walnuts which was creamy and satisfying.
The main event, though, is the beef wellington. It takes around 45 minutes to cook, which gives you time to relax and chat while the anticipation builds. It arrives perfectly medium rare, tender and buttery, wrapped in golden pastry with a layer of garlic and mushrooms that adds real depth of flavour. You can see why it’s a signature dish.
Dessert arrives as another generous platter featuring sticky toffee pudding, BSK tiramisu, and Black Forest cheesecake. At this point I was full, but not foolish enough to refuse. There’s an optional wine pairing if you want to make a real occasion of it, and honestly, I haven’t stopped thinking about it for days.
Paint and sip at BonBon Pottery
With a full belly, I walked the short distance to BonBon Pottery for some creativity and relaxation. It’s a beautiful, light space, full of friends chatting over drinks and paintbrushes. I checked in and chose what I was going to paint. There’s a great selection, from bowls and vases to statues and ornaments. I chose a bowl which I could give to my cat to use as a personalised food bowl. I sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed the slow pace. You have 90 minutes, which is plenty of time, and there are thoughtful touches like stencils and sponges.
Happy with my design, I took it to the counter, where the staff keep it safe for glazing and firing. In two weeks’ time, my cat will have a beautiful bespoke food bowl to eat out of, with his face on it.
Cocktails inside an actual Control Room
I finished my day at Control Room B, which is one of the coolest cocktail bars in London. Set in the original control room for the power station, you’re surrounded by vintage control panels and dials that once powered the city.
I ordered the Engineer’s Paradise, which arrived in a lightbulb shaped glass and tasted sharp, fresh, and strong enough to make me glad I took the train. In fact, all of the cocktails come in incredible novelty glasses, which makes the experience so fun.
My verdict on Battersea Power Station
On top of all these amazing experiences, Battersea Power Station has even more to offer. There are cinemas, escape rooms, designer shops, and more food and drink. I barely scraped the surface, and I’m already planning my return visit.
What I like most about Battersea Power Station is that there’s such a variety of things to do all in one place. You can go full family mode with Peppa Pig, lean into nostalgia with Transformers, have a romantic lunch at Bread Street Kitchen, get creative over pottery painting, and end up in a control room with a cocktail in hand, all under one roof.
I went out of curiosity and came home already planning which shops and entertainment venues to visit next. If you’re looking for somewhere that ticks the boxes for views, food, shopping and things you didn’t even know you needed, Battersea Power Station is the perfect destination.
