London's arty places

[nada29]

My niece who is 16 is coming for a visit from abroad for the first time.
She is interested in art and I'd like to take her to an arty cafe or any unusual cafe / restaurant that would appeal to her unconventional personality. She has already planned museums and galleries that she wants to see. Would be grateful for your ideas. Thanks a lot.

How about brick lane/ spiral fields market on a Sunday? Or Camden?

Will check those definitely. Thanks.

I like the cafe in the Tate modern.

Or afternoon tea at Liberty's?

London is awash with galleries, and there are big names like the National Gallery (I far preferNationsl Portrait Gallery - a smaller gem) but she might like some "in the know" Londoner places? Unusual arty places include:

A walk around Shoreditch to look at the street art with an organic artisan coffee at trendy hipster hangout (beards and iPad required). There's a particularly good concentration of street art in the streets around Redchurch Street and Rivington Street. Walk from there to White Cube on Hoxton Square.

Antique and curiosity art from a single collector, try John Soane's house on Lincoln's Inn Fields. You'll need to book tickets.

An eclectic mix of art and antiques at for a beautiful experience and lovely sit down lunch try the Wallace Collection on Manchester square . Much more grown up than Shoreditch and not on the usual tourist trail.

Something a bit different: at the moment Strawberry Hill House has a sculpture exhibition on that is great-Gothic and spooky. The house is lovely anyway and the cafe is good. On a sunny day, do the house and shop then get a table in the garden, it's lovely.

If she likes textiles, try the textile museum. Also the design museum often has good exhibitions.
we visited the V&A for the Alexander McQueen exhibition last week which was absolutely amazing. Quite macabre at times but really showed his influences and was brilliantly displayed. You need to book ahead.
also went to the Sactchi galley ( spelling??), have been before but current exhibition was quite frankly rubbish!
oh, and the cafe at the V&A is pricey but has amaxing art deco type ceilings and rooms so is well worth a visit.

You could take her around Cork St and Dover St to the commercial galleries there?

i find Brick Lane just a bit tatty and crap.

V&A is fab -there's also the design museum and the brand museum which are interesting for a wander round.

You can do a street art guided tour around Shoreditch - my friends went with their teenagers and really enjoyed it

If it's this coming weekend try www.urbanart.co.uk in Brixton & Brixton Village is full of amazing eclectic cafes that any visiting teenager will love.

Yes to the v& a cafe, or this afternoon tea bus looks ace www.bbbakery.co.uk/afternoon-tea/afternoon-tea-bus-tour/ (but books up quickly).

The Leighton Museum is beautiful (though I don't think it's got a cafe). From there you could just about walk or take a bus to Sloane Sq to the Saatchi gallery too, for more contemporary stuff, and cafe there plus loads around there.

funny - having a convo at work abotu the V and A. Everyone said the McQueen thing aside its not a good visitor experience

Thank you all for your ideas! We will explore many of them. Thanks again.