Guidebook for Greater London
Food Scene
Rochelle Canteen is a brilliant British restaurant in a quiet square off the high street, with some of the most solid cooking in town. You’ll find it by wandering into Arnold Circus and looking for a small blue door marked ‘Rochelle School’. Ring the buzzer for the canteen and you’ll enter a hidden garden with a path leading to the restaurant itself. The menu is excellent (everything from a simple soup to a roast is fantastic) but the feeling of discovery is a huge part of Rochelle Canteen’s appeal. While the restaurant is known mostly for lunch service, it also opens in the evenings closer to the weekend, so you don’t have to take a day off to experience it.
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Rochelle Canteen
16 Playground GardensRochelle Canteen is a brilliant British restaurant in a quiet square off the high street, with some of the most solid cooking in town. You’ll find it by wandering into Arnold Circus and looking for a small blue door marked ‘Rochelle School’. Ring the buzzer for the canteen and you’ll enter a hidden garden with a path leading to the restaurant itself. The menu is excellent (everything from a simple soup to a roast is fantastic) but the feeling of discovery is a huge part of Rochelle Canteen’s appeal. While the restaurant is known mostly for lunch service, it also opens in the evenings closer to the weekend, so you don’t have to take a day off to experience it.
Lyle’s is a creative British restaurant that has been called literally one of the best restaurants in the world. It isn’t, but once you get past the hype, it’s actually a very nice place to sit and have lunch in Shoreditch. It works as a place to grab a glass of wine with a friend, or to dive into a full tasting menu. Speaking of which, we much prefer lunch here, when the full a la carte is available and you can try more of what’s good that day - evenings are tasting menu-only.
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Lyle's
56 Shoreditch High StLyle’s is a creative British restaurant that has been called literally one of the best restaurants in the world. It isn’t, but once you get past the hype, it’s actually a very nice place to sit and have lunch in Shoreditch. It works as a place to grab a glass of wine with a friend, or to dive into a full tasting menu. Speaking of which, we much prefer lunch here, when the full a la carte is available and you can try more of what’s good that day - evenings are tasting menu-only.
Every good neighbourhood needs an all-occasion kind of place where you can grab a casual breakfast, oysters and fizz before a big night out, or a low-key dinner. Located inside the Ace Hotel, Hoi Polloi is that kind of place, and looks like a very cool brasserie designed by Japanese architects. The food’s good, and the dining room is perfect for people watching and discussing things like gentrification and cereal cafes. It’s true that you can access it via the flower shop outside the hotel, but you can also access it via the hotel’s lobby like a normal person.
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Hoi Polloi
100 Shoreditch High StEvery good neighbourhood needs an all-occasion kind of place where you can grab a casual breakfast, oysters and fizz before a big night out, or a low-key dinner. Located inside the Ace Hotel, Hoi Polloi is that kind of place, and looks like a very cool brasserie designed by Japanese architects. The food’s good, and the dining room is perfect for people watching and discussing things like gentrification and cereal cafes. It’s true that you can access it via the flower shop outside the hotel, but you can also access it via the hotel’s lobby like a normal person.
Viet Grill is all about great Vietnamese food and fun cocktails in a cool environment. While we love Cay Tre’s location for sheer convenience (and because we’re lazy), eating here just feels like more of an occasion - sort of like a couples’ cheese and wine evening, or a colonoscopy. The basement dining room is moody and just a little bit noisy, so it’s a great option for groups looking for a boozy dinner before hitting the bar on the high street, and the upstairs is a little more civilised but still fun. The food covers the bases nicely - solid pho and cha la lot (minced pork wrapped in a leaf and fried) - but the specials are really where it’s at, so keep a look out for whatever’s good on
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Viet Grill
58 Kingsland RdViet Grill is all about great Vietnamese food and fun cocktails in a cool environment. While we love Cay Tre’s location for sheer convenience (and because we’re lazy), eating here just feels like more of an occasion - sort of like a couples’ cheese and wine evening, or a colonoscopy. The basement dining room is moody and just a little bit noisy, so it’s a great option for groups looking for a boozy dinner before hitting the bar on the high street, and the upstairs is a little more civilised but still fun. The food covers the bases nicely - solid pho and cha la lot (minced pork wrapped in a leaf and fried) - but the specials are really where it’s at, so keep a look out for whatever’s good on
Of all the Dishooms in town, this one’s probably our favourite, and not just because it’s the closest one to our flat. The service and Indian food is as good as we’ve come to expect, and while the queue is never as bad as some of the others, the verandah is what we love the most - it’s the perfect place to sit for the three days a year when the British summer kicks into full effect. The brunch is still one of the best in the area, but be prepared to get here early to beat the rush.
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Dishoom Shoreditch
7 Boundary StOf all the Dishooms in town, this one’s probably our favourite, and not just because it’s the closest one to our flat. The service and Indian food is as good as we’ve come to expect, and while the queue is never as bad as some of the others, the verandah is what we love the most - it’s the perfect place to sit for the three days a year when the British summer kicks into full effect. The brunch is still one of the best in the area, but be prepared to get here early to beat the rush.
The Clove Club is fine dining done East London style, which basically means a fancy feast without the typical stiff service and white tablecloths at more traditional restaurants. The food’s not only creative but also very good, and you’ll be seated with the sounds and smells of the open kitchen steps away. Be warned though - the full tasting menu is not only pricey, but a four-hour time commitment. If you’re serious about fine dining, The Clove Club’s worth it for the experience, as it’s some of the most interesting food in London at the moment. If you don’t want to commit, the adjacent bar is also excellent. It does a killer negroni, and is one of the more civilised places for a drink on Fr
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The Clove Club
380 Old StThe Clove Club is fine dining done East London style, which basically means a fancy feast without the typical stiff service and white tablecloths at more traditional restaurants. The food’s not only creative but also very good, and you’ll be seated with the sounds and smells of the open kitchen steps away. Be warned though - the full tasting menu is not only pricey, but a four-hour time commitment. If you’re serious about fine dining, The Clove Club’s worth it for the experience, as it’s some of the most interesting food in London at the moment. If you don’t want to commit, the adjacent bar is also excellent. It does a killer negroni, and is one of the more civilised places for a drink on Fr
Drinks & Nightlife
Situated right in amongst the lively hubbub that is Hoxton Square, this bar, kitchen and outdoor terrace is a hit with both the trendy Shoreditch crowd and lovers of live music. The bar serves up a good list of beers and cocktails, you can enjoy some food on the outdoor terrace and there's an endless flow of great live music from the most exciting emerging bands.
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Colours Hoxton
2-4 Hoxton SquareSituated right in amongst the lively hubbub that is Hoxton Square, this bar, kitchen and outdoor terrace is a hit with both the trendy Shoreditch crowd and lovers of live music. The bar serves up a good list of beers and cocktails, you can enjoy some food on the outdoor terrace and there's an endless flow of great live music from the most exciting emerging bands.
A discerning drinking spot rightly plonked at the top of many people's 'must visit' shortlists, Nightjar is an elusive bar close to Old Street. It's been showered with praise from all quarters down the years, acclaimed for serving masterful drinks against a soothing live jazz music backdrop.
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Nightjar
129 City RdA discerning drinking spot rightly plonked at the top of many people's 'must visit' shortlists, Nightjar is an elusive bar close to Old Street. It's been showered with praise from all quarters down the years, acclaimed for serving masterful drinks against a soothing live jazz music backdrop.
A thriving spot owned by none other than Gerry Calabrese, The Hoxton Pony combines unique cocktails with a striking interior design and a programme of DJs from across the globe. The seasonal thirty-strong cocktail card is truly a treat for all the senses, and with over 300 hand picked spirits jostling for position at the bar, top quality is a safe bet.
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The Hoxton Pony
104-108 Curtain RdA thriving spot owned by none other than Gerry Calabrese, The Hoxton Pony combines unique cocktails with a striking interior design and a programme of DJs from across the globe. The seasonal thirty-strong cocktail card is truly a treat for all the senses, and with over 300 hand picked spirits jostling for position at the bar, top quality is a safe bet.
Step through the giant opulent 'looking glass' and into a world of decadent debauchery, with mesmeric cocktails and eccentric entertainment in a lavish, cosy setting. This Hoxton bar has a sumptuous interior with moody subtle lighting, Louis XVI inspired furniture, brocade fabrics and other lovingly sourced vintage pieces.
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Looking Glass Cocktail Club
49 Hackney RoadStep through the giant opulent 'looking glass' and into a world of decadent debauchery, with mesmeric cocktails and eccentric entertainment in a lavish, cosy setting. This Hoxton bar has a sumptuous interior with moody subtle lighting, Louis XVI inspired furniture, brocade fabrics and other lovingly sourced vintage pieces.
Garnering rave reviews left, right and centre, it's no secret that Happiness Forgets is one of the best cocktail bars in London. You'll find this little beauty in a Hoxton Square basement; where high end cocktails come mixed up by incredibly talented mixologists who let the quality of their libations do the talking.
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Happiness Forgets
8-9 Hoxton SquareGarnering rave reviews left, right and centre, it's no secret that Happiness Forgets is one of the best cocktail bars in London. You'll find this little beauty in a Hoxton Square basement; where high end cocktails come mixed up by incredibly talented mixologists who let the quality of their libations do the talking.