Guidebook for London
Drinks & Nightlife
There is a lovely big beer garden round the back, and the burger is very good :)
56 locals recommend
Old George
379 Bethnal Green RdThere is a lovely big beer garden round the back, and the burger is very good :)
The burgers here are famous – better than the Old George! It is also a live music venue downstairs and when there's a gig on there's always a good atmosphere
59 locals recommend
Sebright Arms
31-35 Coate StThe burgers here are famous – better than the Old George! It is also a live music venue downstairs and when there's a gig on there's always a good atmosphere
The Plough at Swan Wharf
60 Dace RdBest Sunday Lunch in London
Bethnal Green Working Men's Club
42-46 Pollard RowFun place with quirky nights...
Lovely beer garden after a walk up Broadway Market and through London Fields.
147 locals recommend
The Spurstowe Arms
68 Greenwood RdLovely beer garden after a walk up Broadway Market and through London Fields.
Recently refurbished (gentrification, *sigh*) pub at the bottom of Columbia Road, very friendly staff...
46 locals recommend
Birdcage
80 Columbia RdRecently refurbished (gentrification, *sigh*) pub at the bottom of Columbia Road, very friendly staff...
This was my old local – it's probably my favourite pub in London. It is the only pub in London run by a cat. Do not try and stroke the Landlord, he will have you barred!
61 locals recommend
The Pride of Spitalfields London
3 Heneage StThis was my old local – it's probably my favourite pub in London. It is the only pub in London run by a cat. Do not try and stroke the Landlord, he will have you barred!
Good pizza and interesting beer. Always different art on the walls. It's a bit smelly, but you get used to it after five minutes ;) Lots of charm, good place to make new friends.
38 locals recommend
Indo
133 Whitechapel RdGood pizza and interesting beer. Always different art on the walls. It's a bit smelly, but you get used to it after five minutes ;) Lots of charm, good place to make new friends.
Good burgers and an enormous psychedelic beer garden with massive fish in a pond in the back corner.
57 locals recommend
The Blind Beggar
337 Whitechapel RdGood burgers and an enormous psychedelic beer garden with massive fish in a pond in the back corner.
The food here is actually very good, but it's the roof terrace that wins it for me. A good local pub if you find yourself in Old Street
31 locals recommend
Old Fountain
3 Baldwin StThe food here is actually very good, but it's the roof terrace that wins it for me. A good local pub if you find yourself in Old Street
Good when it's raining, turns into a bit of a party on Saturday nights
56 locals recommend
The Star of Bethnal Green
359 Bethnal Green RoadGood when it's raining, turns into a bit of a party on Saturday nights
This pub is owned by Vice Magazine, so there's lots of pressure to be incredibly trendy. Upstairs there are often fun bands playing and you can have a bit of a boogie.
35 locals recommend
The Old Blue Last
38 Great Eastern StThis pub is owned by Vice Magazine, so there's lots of pressure to be incredibly trendy. Upstairs there are often fun bands playing and you can have a bit of a boogie.
Not been for a couple of years, but I remember this place being a fun and funky place for a couple of drinks
28 locals recommend
Phoenix Bar
138-139 Shoreditch High StreetNot been for a couple of years, but I remember this place being a fun and funky place for a couple of drinks
Upside-down plant pots in the roof. This is probably the epicentre of Shoreditch hipster?
27 locals recommend
No.1 Café The Old Shoreditch Station
1 Kingsland RdUpside-down plant pots in the roof. This is probably the epicentre of Shoreditch hipster?
Charming old pub with a lovely roof terrace overlooking East London.
179 locals recommend
The Red Lion
Crete Hall RoadCharming old pub with a lovely roof terrace overlooking East London.
Marksman Public House
254 Hackney RdLovely old pub, normally a great atmosphere too
Food Scene
Lovely local pizza restaurant at the top of Columbia Road. Incredibly good value!
47 locals recommend
Stringray Globe Cafe
109 Columbia RdLovely local pizza restaurant at the top of Columbia Road. Incredibly good value!
The staff here are very friendly – it's a proper old East London caff serving breakfast, brunch 'n' lunch.
160 locals recommend
E Pellicci
332 Bethnal Green RdThe staff here are very friendly – it's a proper old East London caff serving breakfast, brunch 'n' lunch.
Fuckoffee
429 Bethnal Green RdLovely atmosphere and very good coffee. Newspapers and comfy sofas :)
This is a butchers during the day that turns into a restaurant at night. Good wine and excellent food. Avoid if you're vegetarian!!
65 locals recommend
Hill & Szrok Master Butcher & Cookshop
60 Broadway MarketThis is a butchers during the day that turns into a restaurant at night. Good wine and excellent food. Avoid if you're vegetarian!!
Cute vegetarian cafe with lovely food and ever-changing art work on display
90 locals recommend
Gallery Cafe
21 Old Ford RdCute vegetarian cafe with lovely food and ever-changing art work on display
This charming restaurant has eclipsed the famous recording studios for many Londoners as the reason to visit... enormous portions – good place for sharing, and good value too
8 locals recommend
The Premises
209 Hackney RoadThis charming restaurant has eclipsed the famous recording studios for many Londoners as the reason to visit... enormous portions – good place for sharing, and good value too
My favourite place in London. Really good food, very informal and overlooking Hoxton Square
Ruby Restaurant Café Hoxton
8-9 Hoxton SquareMy favourite place in London. Really good food, very informal and overlooking Hoxton Square
A trip to East London wouldn't be complete without trying a smoked salmon and cream cheese beigel from this place – the one on the right!!
236 locals recommend
Beigel Bake
159 Brick LnA trip to East London wouldn't be complete without trying a smoked salmon and cream cheese beigel from this place – the one on the right!!
Walk down brick lane looking nonchalant and see what offer you get from the men outside... a good deal is two free pints and 25% off – but it is possible to get even better than this!
10 locals recommend
Aladin Indian Restaurant
132 Brick LnWalk down brick lane looking nonchalant and see what offer you get from the men outside... a good deal is two free pints and 25% off – but it is possible to get even better than this!
Best fish and chips in the world, but priced accordingly... Worth it ;)
131 locals recommend
Poppies Fish & Chips, Spitalfields
6-8 Hanbury StBest fish and chips in the world, but priced accordingly... Worth it ;)
Funky new co-working space with a very fancy restaurant in the front. The food is good, but is a bit pricey.
9 locals recommend
Second Home Spitalfields
68 Hanbury StFunky new co-working space with a very fancy restaurant in the front. The food is good, but is a bit pricey.
There are lots of Vietnamese on the Kingsland Road... BYOB and very good value!
77 locals recommend
Mien Tay
106-108 Kingsland RdThere are lots of Vietnamese on the Kingsland Road... BYOB and very good value!
Good Shisha, incredible kebabs. It is actually at the top of Mansford Street, the map has got it wrong!
Shisha Garden Grill
388 Hackney RdGood Shisha, incredible kebabs. It is actually at the top of Mansford Street, the map has got it wrong!
cool coffee shop on the Old Street roundabout. Perhaps a bit too cool?!
134 locals recommend
Shoreditch Grind
213 Old Stcool coffee shop on the Old Street roundabout. Perhaps a bit too cool?!
Just round the corner from my old office, this place is a proper greasy spoon and the staff are absolutely lovely
6 locals recommend
Shepherdess Cafe
221 City RdJust round the corner from my old office, this place is a proper greasy spoon and the staff are absolutely lovely
Cheep 'n' cheerful curry – good for a late night takeaway, always best to pop in and carry it home from this place, I don't think they deliver.
Curry 2000 London
357 Bethnal Green RdCheep 'n' cheerful curry – good for a late night takeaway, always best to pop in and carry it home from this place, I don't think they deliver.
Incredible Bombay cafe with a very different approach to Indian food. Absolutely exquisite.
475 locals recommend
Dishoom Shoreditch
7 Boundary StIncredible Bombay cafe with a very different approach to Indian food. Absolutely exquisite.
Tapas, quite smart – I've been a couple of times with people, it's not really my bag but I know it's lots of other people's!
139 locals recommend
Andina Shoreditch
60-62 Commercial StTapas, quite smart – I've been a couple of times with people, it's not really my bag but I know it's lots of other people's!
Sightseeing
Fascinating place offering a great insight into the English middle-classes over the centuries. Free!
326 locals recommend
Museum of the Home
136 Kingsland RoadFascinating place offering a great insight into the English middle-classes over the centuries. Free!
Beautiful big park, great for getting lost in on a sunny afternoon. Look out for the old balustrades from the old London Bridge at the Eastern Edge...
1666 locals recommend
Pavilion Cafe
Old Ford RoadBeautiful big park, great for getting lost in on a sunny afternoon. Look out for the old balustrades from the old London Bridge at the Eastern Edge...
Arts & Culture
There's a lovely cafe and always lots to see here after exploring Hackney Wick
63 locals recommend
Stour Space
7 Roach RdThere's a lovely cafe and always lots to see here after exploring Hackney Wick
Independent cinema. Look out for anything in Studio 5 – you get to sit on a sofa and have a proper drink watching your film. Also very good value. If you're going to do cinema, do it here.
244 locals recommend
Genesis Cinema
93-95 Mile End RdIndependent cinema. Look out for anything in Studio 5 – you get to sit on a sofa and have a proper drink watching your film. Also very good value. If you're going to do cinema, do it here.
Community-run space with a cinema and exhibitions. Worth popping in to see what's on
260 locals recommend
Rich Mix
35-47 Bethnal Green RdCommunity-run space with a cinema and exhibitions. Worth popping in to see what's on
Really cool gallery with lots of prints and originals of the street artists you'll see all around you...
15 locals recommend
Nelly Duff
156 Columbia RdReally cool gallery with lots of prints and originals of the street artists you'll see all around you...
Everything Else
An actual farm – you can go in for free and look at the chickens and goats and things. A bit smelly!
269 locals recommend
Hackney City Farm
1a Goldsmiths RowAn actual farm – you can go in for free and look at the chickens and goats and things. A bit smelly!
Shopping
Semi-private shop selling British Design classics. Buzz the buzzer. Play it cheeky and say you're staying in Ali's Air B'n'B (I built their website back in the day!)
Jasper Morrison Shop
24b Kingsland RdSemi-private shop selling British Design classics. Buzz the buzzer. Play it cheeky and say you're staying in Ali's Air B'n'B (I built their website back in the day!)
Essentials
E2 6PU
Teesdale StreetThis is a free outdoor gym!