Guidebook for London
Food Scene
Little Georgia Hackney
87 Goldsmiths RowTiko is an old friend
Buen Ayre
50 Broadway MarketIf you like meat
Poco
129A Pritchard's RdTapas, breakfast on Sundays
Pavilion Bakery
18 Broadway MarketBaked fresh every day. The coffee is good too.
Typing Room
Patriot SquarePosh nosh
It's still sort of a pub with a few regulars but the food and the clientele are now most definitely upmarket
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Marksman Public House
254 Hackney RdIt's still sort of a pub with a few regulars but the food and the clientele are now most definitely upmarket
OMBRA
1 Vyner StProper italian, busy and fun
Hackney Bureau
3 Mare StLunch
One of the Bethnal Green originals, this is a great place to go after a busy First Thursday in Vyner Street (see culture)
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Bistrotheque
23-27 Wadeson StOne of the Bethnal Green originals, this is a great place to go after a busy First Thursday in Vyner Street (see culture)
Authentic Chinese food served by authentically grump waiters. If you like tripe, tendons, pigs ears, huge portions and lots of chillies, this the place for you. They will deliver free to Star of the East if you're feeling really lazy. We have a takeaway menu.
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My Old Place
261 Bethnal Green RoadAuthentic Chinese food served by authentically grump waiters. If you like tripe, tendons, pigs ears, huge portions and lots of chillies, this the place for you. They will deliver free to Star of the East if you're feeling really lazy. We have a takeaway menu.
Cereal Killer Cafe
192a Brick LnHonestly, breakfast cereal
E5 Bakehouse
396 Mentmore TerraceTry the 'Hackney Wild'
Whether you go for a smoked salmon and cream cheese beigel or salt beef beigel you can be sure of a cheap and cheerful 24 hour snack. Popular with tourists, tramps, nightclubbers, taxi drivers and shift workers
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Beigel Bake
159 Brick LnWhether you go for a smoked salmon and cream cheese beigel or salt beef beigel you can be sure of a cheap and cheerful 24 hour snack. Popular with tourists, tramps, nightclubbers, taxi drivers and shift workers
Wonderfully creative, sparkling fresh and delightfully simple cuisine
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Ellory - Hackney, London
1 Westgate StreetWonderfully creative, sparkling fresh and delightfully simple cuisine
Franco Manca
52 Broadway MarketPizza
Cafe featured in countless movies, plenty of East End colour
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E Pellicci
332 Bethnal Green RdCafe featured in countless movies, plenty of East End colour
stylish and elegant, yet still retains a hint of grubbiness that suggests an authentic air and an underlying wild nature lurking behind the glimmer
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Wringer and Mangle
Sidworth Streetstylish and elegant, yet still retains a hint of grubbiness that suggests an authentic air and an underlying wild nature lurking behind the glimmer
The best curry in London. Our wedding feast was the first non-asian wedding they had ever done. Be prepared to queue
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Tayyabs
83-89 Fieldgate StThe best curry in London. Our wedding feast was the first non-asian wedding they had ever done. Be prepared to queue
The lobby of this stylish hotel is a great place to nurture a coffee for a couple of hours while you use their wifi
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Ace Hotel London
100 Shoreditch High StThe lobby of this stylish hotel is a great place to nurture a coffee for a couple of hours while you use their wifi
We try to get here every Friday for freshly cooked fish and chips
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Fish House
128 Lauriston RdWe try to get here every Friday for freshly cooked fish and chips
I've been going to this curry house since the 80s and it is now run by the son of the original owner, Mo
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Al-Amin
483 Cambridge Heath RdI've been going to this curry house since the 80s and it is now run by the son of the original owner, Mo
Anatolia Restaurant
251-253 Mare StKebabs done properly
Tre Viet Hackney
245-249 Mare StHigh quality vietnamese grub, no frills, busy
In a street of pretentious coffee bars this one takes the biscuit
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Climpson & Sons Café
67 Broadway MarketIn a street of pretentious coffee bars this one takes the biscuit
Incredible butcher where you can sit around the chopping block after closing and sample their delicious cuts of meat
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Hill & Szrok Master Butcher & Cookshop
60 Broadway MarketIncredible butcher where you can sit around the chopping block after closing and sample their delicious cuts of meat
Mr. Buckley's
277 Hackney RoadGreat cocktails
Hurwundeki
242 Cambridge Heath RdGet a cheap haircut and a tasty Korean lunch
Entertainment & Activities
Hackney City Farm
1a Goldsmiths RowSheep, goats and a donkey and a nice cafe
Arts & Culture
Museo dell'Infanzia del V&A
Cambridge Heath RoadThe dolls houses are famous
Galleria Whitechapel
77-82 Whitechapel High StInteresting shows, good bookshop
Museum of the Home
136 Kingsland RoadInteriors, and lovely garden
The Pickle Factory
13-14 The OvalGreat art film events
On the first Thursday of every month all the independent galleries in London hold special events and openings. Vyner Street is always particularly busy
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Vyner Street
Vyner StreetOn the first Thursday of every month all the independent galleries in London hold special events and openings. Vyner Street is always particularly busy
Laura Bartlett Gallery
4 Herald StreetWe always try to visit all the galleries in this street in one go
Nice gallery with consistently good exhibitions just around the corner from Herald Street where there are 4 other small galleries
Campoli Presti
223 Cambridge Heath RdNice gallery with consistently good exhibitions just around the corner from Herald Street where there are 4 other small galleries
Interesting modern art shows if you can persuade the grumpy curators to open the door for you. There are 3 other galleries in this street and one just around the corner on Cambridge Heath Road, so if you time it right it makes for worthwhile trip
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Maureen Paley
60 Three Colts LnInteresting modern art shows if you can persuade the grumpy curators to open the door for you. There are 3 other galleries in this street and one just around the corner on Cambridge Heath Road, so if you time it right it makes for worthwhile trip
Small selling gallery specialising in prints by Graffiti artists. Alternatively, you could just take a walk around the area with your camera
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Nelly Duff
156 Columbia RdSmall selling gallery specialising in prints by Graffiti artists. Alternatively, you could just take a walk around the area with your camera
Hidden behind this Georgian house is the remains of an amazing Victorian Synagogue. Unfortunately opening hours are very random
19 Princelet Street
19 Princelet StHidden behind this Georgian house is the remains of an amazing Victorian Synagogue. Unfortunately opening hours are very random
Robin Hood Gardens was completed in 1972 in Poplar, east London, by the Smithsons, who had already established themselves as two of the key protagonists of the so-called New Brutalism. Based on the concept of "streets in the sky", the estate comprises two concrete slab blocks arranged around a garden made of up raised mounds. Unlike nearby Balfon Tower Robin Hood Gardens is not listed and is scheduled for demolition imminently
Robin Hood Gardens
Woolmore StreetRobin Hood Gardens was completed in 1972 in Poplar, east London, by the Smithsons, who had already established themselves as two of the key protagonists of the so-called New Brutalism. Based on the concept of "streets in the sky", the estate comprises two concrete slab blocks arranged around a garden made of up raised mounds. Unlike nearby Balfon Tower Robin Hood Gardens is not listed and is scheduled for demolition imminently
Balfron Tower was designed by architect Ernő Goldfinger and is associated with the Brutalist style of 1960's architecture. Goldfinger himself was pleased with the design and moved into flat 130, on the 25th floor, for two months in 1968. He and his wife threw champagne parties to find out what the residents liked and disliked about his design. He applied what he learnt to his design for the similar and more famous Trellick Tower in West London.
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Balfron Tower
82 Saint Leonards RoadBalfron Tower was designed by architect Ernő Goldfinger and is associated with the Brutalist style of 1960's architecture. Goldfinger himself was pleased with the design and moved into flat 130, on the 25th floor, for two months in 1968. He and his wife threw champagne parties to find out what the residents liked and disliked about his design. He applied what he learnt to his design for the similar and more famous Trellick Tower in West London.
Hoxton Hall
130 Hoxton StVictorian Music hall with events, shows and activities
Beautifully preserved Victorian Music Hall. Check the website for performances
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Wilton's Music Hall
1 Graces AlyBeautifully preserved Victorian Music Hall. Check the website for performances
London Buddhist Centre
51 Roman RdFree meditation and Yoga classes
1960's modernist school building designed by Ernő Goldfinger. Our son North goes here.
Haggerston School
Weymouth Terrace1960's modernist school building designed by Ernő Goldfinger. Our son North goes here.
Interesting shows. You can combine with a walk along the canal and a visit to Victoria Miro next door. Open Sundays
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Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art
32 Fitzroy SquareInteresting shows. You can combine with a walk along the canal and a visit to Victoria Miro next door. Open Sundays
You can get here by walking along the canal. Huge beautiful warehouse space showing the best of Modern Art. Check out the canal side terrace at the back. Closed Sundays
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Victoria Miro Gallery
16 Wharf RdYou can get here by walking along the canal. Huge beautiful warehouse space showing the best of Modern Art. Check out the canal side terrace at the back. Closed Sundays
We go to the pantomime every year but there's comedy, drama and music too
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Hackney Empire
291 Mare StWe go to the pantomime every year but there's comedy, drama and music too
Shopping
Broadway Market
Broadway MarketFarmer's market every Saturday
Columbia Road Flower Market
Columbia RoadFlowers and plants and lots of people
This lovely shop is run by a couple of our former tenants and has mad magic plates and bowls, gifts and sardines in beautiful packaging
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A Portuguese Love Affair Limited
326 Hackney RdThis lovely shop is run by a couple of our former tenants and has mad magic plates and bowls, gifts and sardines in beautiful packaging
Brazilian Centre HACKNEY
223 Mare StSteak
Beautiful stationery, gifts, wrapping paper and cards
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Choosing Keeping
21 Tower StBeautiful stationery, gifts, wrapping paper and cards
Fairly average street market but worth going on a Saturday for 'Shades Caribbean Catering' van which is usually parked near the corner of Falkirk Street. Jerk Chicken, Curry Goat, Rice & Peas and, if you're lucky, Ackee & Saltfish
Hoxton Street Monster Supplies
159 Hoxton StFairly average street market but worth going on a Saturday for 'Shades Caribbean Catering' van which is usually parked near the corner of Falkirk Street. Jerk Chicken, Curry Goat, Rice & Peas and, if you're lucky, Ackee & Saltfish
Art books and a big selection of art and design magazibes
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Artwords Bookshop
20-22 Broadway MarketArt books and a big selection of art and design magazibes
Newmans Stationery
324 Bethnal Green RdStationery
Cowling & Wilcox Limited
112 Shoreditch High StArt supplies
Key cutting, rat poison, lightbulbs, garden rakes and any other miscellaneous hardware you might need. In the summer old Mr Bradbury still sits outside the shop but it's now run by a very friendly asian family
Bradburys
81-83 Broadway MarketKey cutting, rat poison, lightbulbs, garden rakes and any other miscellaneous hardware you might need. In the summer old Mr Bradbury still sits outside the shop but it's now run by a very friendly asian family
Slightly more off the beaten track than Broadway Market, there's always something new popping up here
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Netil Market
13-23 Westgate StSlightly more off the beaten track than Broadway Market, there's always something new popping up here
Every conceivable kind of fruit, veg, meat and fish at knock down prices. Take a big bag
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Ridley Road Market (Stop P) station
Every conceivable kind of fruit, veg, meat and fish at knock down prices. Take a big bag
Drinks & Nightlife
Satan's Whiskers
343 Cambridge Heath RdCocktails
Sebright Arms
31-35 Coate StUpcoming new bands and one-off showcase gigs
The Dove
24-28 Broadway MarketLots of Belgian beer, moules, frites, sausages
Located at the base of a disused gasworks off Hackney Road, this enormous hangar-style space is 6,000 square feet of fun and was one of the most impressive and exciting additions to London nightlife when it opened. A mix of ace one-off parties and regular events (such as its bleeding-edge Oval Space Music series) quickly marked OS as one of the most innovative venues around in terms of the DJs it booked: spacey techno, twisted electronica, alt hip hop and glitchy house are regularly spun by the top-notch list of DJs to play at Oval Space, and on-point events like Secretsundaze (regularly hosted at OS) give the venue another notch on its party belt. It also boasts one of the finest terrace spaces in London, fully utilsed for parties during summer months
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Oval Space
32 The OvalLocated at the base of a disused gasworks off Hackney Road, this enormous hangar-style space is 6,000 square feet of fun and was one of the most impressive and exciting additions to London nightlife when it opened. A mix of ace one-off parties and regular events (such as its bleeding-edge Oval Space Music series) quickly marked OS as one of the most innovative venues around in terms of the DJs it booked: spacey techno, twisted electronica, alt hip hop and glitchy house are regularly spun by the top-notch list of DJs to play at Oval Space, and on-point events like Secretsundaze (regularly hosted at OS) give the venue another notch on its party belt. It also boasts one of the finest terrace spaces in London, fully utilsed for parties during summer months
23 beers on tap and countless more in the fridfges that line one side of this railway arch
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Mother Kelly's
251 Paradise Row23 beers on tap and countless more in the fridfges that line one side of this railway arch
The Royal Oak
73 Columbia RdProper pub with hearty food and good ales and wines
This grade II listed pub is a fairly seedy strip joint by day but hosts Rock-a-billy nights every Saturday night from 12pm until 6am Sunday morning
Ye Olde Axe
69 Hackney RdThis grade II listed pub is a fairly seedy strip joint by day but hosts Rock-a-billy nights every Saturday night from 12pm until 6am Sunday morning
This place is very popular with artists and there's often something strange going on
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Bethnal Green Working Men's Club
42-46 Pollard RowThis place is very popular with artists and there's often something strange going on
Amazing little karaoke room upstairs. Every song you can imagine
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The Star of Bethnal Green
359 Bethnal Green RoadAmazing little karaoke room upstairs. Every song you can imagine
The Albion in Goldsmiths Row was one of the first football pubs in East London, and though named after West Bromwich Albion it attracts supporters from all over the country and overseas. It is a football pub for real football supporters
The Albion in Goldsmiths Row
94 Goldsmiths RowThe Albion in Goldsmiths Row was one of the first football pubs in East London, and though named after West Bromwich Albion it attracts supporters from all over the country and overseas. It is a football pub for real football supporters
Round Chapel
1D Glenarm RdEverything from Primary School Carol concerts, ballet and bike workshops to rock bands
Parks & Nature
Harvey, our dog, loves chasing squirrels in this park
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Parco Haggerston
Yorkton StreetHarvey, our dog, loves chasing squirrels in this park
Regents Canal
14 Orsman RoadTake a walk along the canal
In summer you can hire a boat and go rowing on the lake
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Pavilion Cafe
Old Ford RoadIn summer you can hire a boat and go rowing on the lake
You can have bbq's here when the weather's nice
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London Fields station
You can have bbq's here when the weather's nice
Elaborate new park built around the Olympic Stadium. You can get there from Stratford underground and overground, via the horrendous Westfield Shopping Centre, or you can walk there via Regents Canal, Victoria Park, and the still edgy warehouses of Hackney Wick
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Parco Olimpico di Londra
Elaborate new park built around the Olympic Stadium. You can get there from Stratford underground and overground, via the horrendous Westfield Shopping Centre, or you can walk there via Regents Canal, Victoria Park, and the still edgy warehouses of Hackney Wick
Essentials
Sainsbury's Local
17 Stroud Green RdEssentials