The best restaurants in Shoreditch and Hackney right now
Despite what social media may tell you, the best restaurants in Shoreditch are more than just small sharing plates and low-intervention wine. The east London neighbourhood and its surrounding areas have some of the most exciting and best restaurants in the capital right now. You don't need to go far to find a Michelin-starred meal or a brilliant casual spot. From The Clove Club to buzzy nose-to-tail Italian manteca and Kingsland Road's ‘Pho Mile’ filled with family-run Vietnamese restaurants, there’s something for every taste and budget.
Shoreditch has a big enough food scene to focus on it by itself but we've also considered restaurants slightly further into Hackney, where we recommend places like the world’s first zero-waste restaurant Silo in Hackney Wick, London Fields' plant-based, hyper-seasonal restaurant Edit (one of our favourite vegan restaurants in London), vegetable-forward live-fire concept restaurant Acme Fire Cult in Dalston and Berber & Q in Haggerston.
MAY WE SUGGEST: The best Covent Garden restaurants right now
The best restaurants in Shoreditch and Hackney
TONY MAK1/23Singburi, Shoreditch
Children taking over a family-run restaurant is a tale as old as time, but not many have made our ears (and appetites) prick as much as cult-favourite Thai restaurant Singburi’s second coming. The original Singburi opened in east London’s Leytonstone around 25 years ago, keeping its humble roots and cementing itself as one of London’s most-loved Thai restaurants known for its bright, adventurous flavours and homey vibes – and quickly becoming one of London’s hardest reservations to score. Now, after his parents retired and closed shop, Sirichai Kularbwong has brought a refreshed, shinier Singburi to Shoreditch, teaming up with kitchen heavy hitters including chef Nick Molyviatis, the former head chef at London's Kiln in Soho and Oma as well as highly-loved Thai spots Plaza Khao Gaeng and Speedboat Bar.
Thankfully, and in a surprise to no one, Singburi 2.0 is a smash and I’m already keeping my eyes peeled on Opentable for another reservation. The new industrial space is certainly shinier and more modern, with terrazzo tiles and pastel pink and blue plates – and an online booking system (though there’s no promise for an easier reservation). There are also nods to Singburi’s past including the same blackboard at the front door, the original bright yellow signage now above the bar and a couple of Thai tourism posters of Mangosteen.
The food is also a perfect mix of old and new. The menu is sensationally edited for a “we’ll have one of everything” if you’re here as a table of four and includes a few old favourites like the stir-fried cabbage (and the Moo Krob is promised to return soon too) as well as brilliant new dishes. The fiery watermelon & strawberry salad is an absolute must-order, as is a more-ish radish, kohlrabi & chilli jam salad (it’s also one of the least spicy things on the menu for those wanting a respite). A tiger prawn cucumber curry, dill and lemongrass herbal sausage and beef mince ka prow were gobbled down speedily by me and my group. Paired with another new feature of the menu – wine and cocktails. Think: funky natural wines and Thai-inspired cocktails like lemongrass-infused Palomas. And the icing on the cake ('till the dessert menu arrives), after ordering 99.5% of the menu and a drink each, the bill also came to just under £40 each.
– Tal Dekel-Daks
Cuisine: Fiery Thai
Address: Unit 7, Montacute Yards, 185‑186 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6HU
What to order: You can't go wrong with ordering everything of this well-edited menu but don't skip the watermelon & strawberry salad, the radish, kohlrabi & chilli jam salad and the tiger prawn cucumber currysingburi.london or @singburi_E1 on Instagram
2/23Tatar Bunar, Shoreditch
Since opening in April of this year, there has been a distinct buzz around Tatar Bunar, a homely yet stylish Ukrainian restaurant from co-founders Alex Cooper and Anna Andriienko, with a menu strongly inspired by the food of Tatarbunary in the south of the country, where head chef Alex hails from. Tucked behind a small and unassuming wooden framed, café curtained frontage on Curtain Road, a step over the threshold immediately removes you from the concrete and congested traffic of Shoreditch and into a rustic world of rumpled linen, tapestry wall hangings and artisanal ceramic crockery; the interiors were designed by I Am Design. Sunlight streams into the secret garden at the rear; this is place to nab a table on a balmy summer's evening.
The menu is designed to share, but overall, portions are generous - this is especially true of the starters. To drink we tried a crisp, dry Ukrainian orange wine, which was housed in a delightful terracotta wine cooler throughout the meal, and went particularly well with the starter of fresh, unexpectedly peppery pickled tomatoes with lemon yoghurt. A must-try dish is the Bunar tartare, a twist on a classic steak tartare made with seared lamb and beef, topped with Ukrainian cheese, sprats mayo and capers, served with the restaurant's incredibly moreish, house-made onion bread.
- Address: 152 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3AT
- Website: https://www.sevenrooms.com
- Recommended dishes: Cabbage varenyk with smoked sour cream, Bessarabian wagyu beef, lamb and aubergine, Tatar Bunar crepes
- Times: Monday-Friday: 5pm-10.30pm, Saturday-Sunday 12pm-10.30pm
Ola Smit3/23The Culpeper, Spitalfields
A pub, a garden rooftop, a hotel… The Culpeper by Spitalfields has been a stalwart of Commercial Street for over 11 years for good reason. The team keeps things fresh and it's as much a perfect date night spot as it is a place to gather with a big group downstairs. The rooftop's latest iteration is a must-visit when the weather allows, with a lunch menu makeover focusing on the British woodland surrounding you (amid the city's towering skyline) – and many seasonal dishes cooked over the open fire grill in the greenhouse. If mother nature isn't on your side, head down a floor to the French bistro where equally locally sourced dishes can be found with a French twist – like Shallot Tarte Tatin or a Cote De Boeuf.
- Address: 40 Commercial St, London E1 6LP
- Website: theculpeper.com
- Recommended dishes: smoked mackerel pâté, fennel and dulse with toasted sourdough and burnt lemon chicken with garlic butter
- Times:
Rooftop lunch: Monday-Friday: 12-2.30pm, Saturday: 12-3.30pm
Pub food: 12pm-3pm
Restaurant: 6-10pm
Sunday kitchen (Both floors): 12pm-6pm
Benjamin McMahon4/23Oren, Dalston
Harissa Bloody Marys, labneh with marinated aubergine, stone-baked flatbread with za’atar… intimate Dalston restaurant Oren (a hop away from Hackney Downs park) brings comfort and flavour in equal measure. We particularly loved the ‘Slow Sunday’ sharing menu which is priced at £32 for a generous three courses – one of those being five small plates to share.
- Address: 89 Shacklewell Lane, Dalston, London, E8 2EB
- Website: orenlondon.com
- Recommended dishes: Beef short rib, stone-baked flatbread with za'atar and the chocolate mouse
- Times: Tuesday - Friday: 5 - 11pm, Saturday : 1 - 11pm, Sunday : 12 - 5pm, Monday : Closed
MAY WE SUGGEST: Oded Oren's easy hummus recipe
5/23Mambow, Clapton
‘Malaysian Heat + Juicy Wines’ is the name of the game at Chef Abby Lee's delightful and fiery modern Malay restaurant. We're not alone in our Mambow obsession here, what started as a street food stall in Peckham has made it north to a buzzing brick-and-mortar which gets cosy at any time of day. The menu is also tiny and fiery, and there's no bad dish to be had. I never skip the prawn toast and whichever Kerabu is on that day's menu (a 5-ingredient vegetable salad). On my latest visit that was a beautiful bavette steak salad with heirloom tomatoes, tallow mayo, sambal belacan & herb salad. Pair your dish with one of Mambow's playful cocktails or aforementioned juicy wines. Whisky lovers should try the Assam Teh made with Assam tea bourbon, condensed milk syrup, ginger and cocoa – if the meal's spices don't wake your senses this concoction certainly will.
– Tal Dekel-Daks
- Address: 78 Lower Clapton Rd, Lower Clapton, London E5 0RN
- Website: mambow.co.uk
- Recommended dishes: Prawn toast, wok-fried mussels, pork belly & rib soup and the beautiful Kerabu Daging, a bavette steak salad
- Times: Wednesday-Friday 17:30-22:30, Saturday 12:00-15:00, 17:30-22:30
6/23Sesta, Hackney
On the leafy, craft and boutique-dotted Wilton Way, Sesta is exactly the low-key, friendly and delicious neighbourhood wine bar and restaurant that is set to thrive in the area. Sesta stands where Pidgin used to be, and is the brainchild of two of its former team members; Drew Snaith, Pidgin's head chef, and Hannah Kowalski, Pidgin's general manager. Together the culinary duo have created a playful take on British and European classics in a space that feels relaxed and homely. For starters, we had an incredibly comforting beef ragu Yorkshire pudding with brown sauce & pickled shallot. Expect other concoctions like aged lamb shoulder and heart kofta with fermented chilli labneh and a pistachio rayu and Fish pie pancake with ranch on the seasonally changing menu. I'm still dreaming about the brown butter cake with caramel apples, mascarpone ice cream and thyme. – Tal Dekel-Daks
- Address: Sesta, 52 Wilton Way, London, E8 1BG
- Website: sesta.co.uk
- Recommended dishes: Beef ragu Yorkshire pudding, brown sauce & pickled shallot
- Times: Wednesday-Friday 18:30-23:00, Saturday-Sunday 12:30-14:30, 18:00-23:00
7/23Pophams, London Fields
Two words: croissant. pudding. These two words should be enough of a reason to venture up from London Fields park to one of London's best bakeries as they transform to a small plates pasta restaurant by night. On the Friday evening I visited, that was specifically a lemon poppy seed croissant pudding but depending on the season you can also find it as a sticky ginger croissant pudding topped with vanilla caramel and crème fraîche. Heaven. Yes, Pophams is known for its gorgeous baked good – and that beautifully translates to its simple Italian menu in the evenings. Not only for dessert, from the mini croissant cracker tartlets to the croutins in the Isle of Wight tomato panzanella and the sourdough, of course. The handmade pasta dishes are also some of the best I've had in London. The gnocchetti sardi with clams with sweet baby tomatoes brings Sardinia to Hackney. And it certainly does feel east London approved, the ice cold martini is made using East London liquor company gin, a splash of Lillet and generous garnishes of Nocellara olives. - Tal Dekel-Daks
- Address: 197 Richmond Rd, London E8 3NJ
- Website: pophamsbakery.com or @pophamsbakery on Instagram
- Recommended dishes: It may be a pasta restaurant by night but this place is famous for its baked goods so do yourself a favour and order as many of those as you can, from the bread to start to the croissant puds for dessert
- Times: Open from 18:00 Tuesday - Saturday
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8/23Bistro Freddie, Shoreditch
Hand-scrawled menus, white tablecloths, extra drippy white candles; Bistro Freddie very much feels like a classic French bistro – but don't be fooled. The new restaurant from the folks behind Crispin is currently one of London's most sought-after tables in town. With interiors designed by Jermaine Gallacher, the space half feels like stepping back into another decade in mittel Europe, and half too cool for school. The menu, devised by new head chef Alexandre Laforce Reynolds (ex-Eline), uses British produce to create a unique take on classic bistro dishes, paired with French wines and digestifs.
On our Saturday lunch visit, we started with the house sausage with brown BF sauce which comes deceivingly plain-looking on a small plate, though was my fellow diner's highlight of the entire meal. My highlight – and one not to be missed – is the flatbread. The handwritten menu changes often and you'll find different toppings for the flatbread (like Dorset snails or Boullaibaise). On this occasion, it was mussels, lovage, garlic and Comté and it was a beautifully buttery, flavourful, colourful and comforting dish. For mains, a perfectly medium rare Bavette came plated on a sea of peppercorn sauce which gave you enough for dunking the house-cut chips into while my fellow diner tucked into the pork tenderloin with sweet Soubise sauce. The chicken pie is what the restaurant is also famous for and comes big enough for two to share. Dessert was a large and airy sticky toffee pudding and my only regret is not toasting the afternoon's line-up with a calvados digestif. All the more reason to return. – Tal Dekel-Daks
Address: 4 Luke St, Greater, London EC2A 4PY
What to order: Do not skip the flatbreadVisit their website or follow them on Instagram @bistro_freddie
LANGLEY9/23Sune, Broadway Market at London Fields
There's a lot of top-notch competition when it comes to restaurants on Hackney's Broadway Market, which stretches from London Fields to the Regent's Canal. But newly opened Sune (pronounced Soon-er) is quickly making a name for itself as a leader of the pack. Opened by one of our favourite sommeliers Honey Spencer and her Noma: alumni partner Charlie Sims, Sune is everything that you want from a neighbourhood joint, a stylish set up with bags of comfort, a huge focus on hospitality – and of course brilliant food. Ex-Pidgin head chef Michael Robins (who's also cooked at Acme Fire Cult and Akoko) is at the helm of the kitchen and brings seasonal British food with a global twist, think smoked eel Caesar salad and homemade linguine vongole pasta with fried garlic and bottarga.
My meal began with Vermouth Soda (made with local vermouth), Carlingford oysters topped with Koji Mignonette and a must-order crispy potato cake topped with very Hackney-esque guindilla peppers and anchovies. A delicious seabass crudo came out looking like a nineties lava lamp with a bright red borscht and dill reduction followed next but it was the Beef Tartare & Croque Monsieur dish that made me want to immediately plan my next return. If you only order one thing make it this dish. The unexpected combination is favoured as a late-night snack by chefs in Montreal. The grilled pork chop with prawn and lemongrass sauce was cooked perfectly and dessert was a fragrant and warming pear tarte Tatin.– Tal Dekel-Daks
- Address: 129A Pritchard's Rd, London E2 9AP
- Website: sune.restaurant
- Recommended dishes: Do not leave without ordering the Beef Tartare & Croque Monsieur and crispy potato cake with guindilla and anchovies.
- Times:
Lunch Fri & Sat 12pm - 2.30pm
Dinner Weds-Sat 5.30pm - 10pm
Bar open until 11.30pm
10/23Llama Inn at The Hoxton Shoreditch
Chef Erik Ramirez brings his Pisco disco (aka much loved Peruvian-American restaurant) Llama Inn to The Hoxton's rooftop. The original Llama Inn opened in a quiet corner of Williamsburg in 2015, bringing a New York take on Peruvian cuisine with a buzzy dining room paired with cascading plants. This life-changing cuisine, sceney buzziness.- and cascading plants - have thankfully all made it across the pond. We particularly love the melt-in-your-mouth scallop ceviche (which my fellow diner said he'd ‘happily bathe in’ ), pork shoulder sliders (which you cannot, or should not, share) and absolutely beautiful and flavour-packed cabbage anticucho. The cocktail menu is just as thought-through with Peruvian and Japanese ingredients like Japanese whisky and Manzanilla Sherry shining through. It's a great place to come for date night or with a celebratory big group. – Tal Dekel-Daks
- Address: 81 Great Eastern St, Greater, London EC2A 3HU
- Website: thehoxton.com/london/shoreditch
- Recommended dishes: The scallop ceviche, pork shoulder sliders and cabbage anticucho are absolute musts. Martini fans should try the Chupetini, which also comes in mini form.
11/23Rochelle Canteen (and ICA)
The modern British dishes created by Melanie Arnold and Margot Henderson (wife of St John’s Fergus Henderson) embrace the trend for minimalism. Short descriptions and few ingredients, expertly prepared, reflect thoughtful sourcing and seasonality. Arnold & Henderson’s two restaurants, Rochelle Canteen and Rochelle ICA, housed in a converted Victorian school in east London and an art gallery on the Mall respectively, attract an art and fashion crowd who feast on straightforward dishes such as radishes and cod’s roe or quail with harissa. The simple white interiors, wooden tables and chairs keep the mood informal and the prices low. - Blanche Vaughan
- Address: 16 Playground Gardens, Shoreditch, London E2 7FA
- arnoldandhenderson.com
12/23Sohaila
The intimate Lebanese-influenced wine bar and restaurant opened by friends Nathalie Moukarzel & Meg Doherty is good in more ways than one. The food, inspired by Nathalie's grandmother's recipes, is delightful for starters (don't skip the spiced beef & ricotta meatballs or chilli butter labneh) but it's also the first restaurant to open under the restaurant arm of Fat Macy’s, a social enterprise that supports Londoners to move on from temporary accommodation through culinary and hospitality training. It's sharing plates and low-intervention wine at its finest and nicest.
- Address: 232 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6PJ
- sohailarestaurant.com
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13/23Smokestak
Oak-smoked, chargrilled, brined. It's barbecue heaven at Shoreditch stalwart Smokestak. Before Manteca, David Carter opened Smokestak in 2016 after he'd spent perfecting smoked brisket buns at festivals street-food pop-ups. And there's good reason the restaurant has kept its buzziness over eight years later. The open-fire kitchen which is the heart of the industrial space houses a very large smoker and it's here where trays of brisket and ribs, ox cheek, charred sweetcorn and coal-roasted aubergine are perfected. Each dish we tried was juicy, exciting and comforting.
- Address: 35 Sclater St, London E1 6LB
- Website: smokestak.co.uk
- Recommended dishes: Beyond the obvious choices like brisket, the gochujang wings with crispy shallots are a messy affair but 100% worth it. The charred greens, tahini, pomegranate, and roasted peanuts salad is also a delight.
- Times:
Mon-Thurs: 1200 - 1500 / 1730 - 2300
Fri: 1200 - 1500 / 1700 - 2300
Sat: 1200 - 2300
Sun: 1200 - 2200
14/23BAO Noodle Shop Shoreditch
Erchen Chang and siblings Wai Ting Chung and Shing Tat Chung are the trio behind London's burgeoning Taiwanese food scene, with five BAO restaurants around the capital so far. Around the corner from Shoreditch High Street Station, you'll find BAO Noodle Shop which is inspired by the beef noodle shops in Taiwan with a focus on heartwarming bowls of noodles (think slow-cooked beef cheek & short rib noodle), naturally, as well as as the namesake Bao buns and excellent snack choices. Those wanting to make a night of it can also book their karaoke room.
- Address: 1 Redchurch St, London E1 6JJ
- baolondon.com/restaurant
15/23Nest, Old Street
Beloved tiny Hackney restaurant Nest made the move to bigger digs in Shoreditch in October 2023. Taking over an impressive Victorian building next door to Shoreditch Town Hall (and next door to The Clove Club), more diners are now able to book in for a tasting menu or four-course set menu and experience the elegant and inventive British small plates from the trio behind much-loved Fenn in Fulham and Michelin-starred St Barts in Farringdon. As with the trio's other restaurants, the menu at Nest 2.0. veers towards all things British and seasonal, with one theme per season. My fellow diner and I visited during ‘game’ season, with grouse tea and a game liver parfait with beetroot meringue opening the evening's tasting menu (followed by a heavenly soda bread with cultured butter). It's a great addition to Shoreditch's restaurant scene, with tasting menu prices staying the same as Nest's previous iteration – £65, with a dedicated ‘one-region’ wine pairing for £55 and a four-course set menu for £40.
Address: 374-378 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT
nestfood.co.uk
Brian Dandridge16/23Counter 71
It would seem, based on a recent(ish) crop of restaurants popping up in Shoreditch – namely Brat, Leroy and the newly opened Counter 71 – that gone are the days of the miscellaneous foams and morsels of molecular gastronomy. The latter of these three is the brainchild of Joe Laker, the chef who until recently headed up the kitchen at the now-closed Fenn in Fulham. He puts the emphasis on ingredients – as few as possible – and the highest quality ingredients at that. The 16-cover restaurant on Nile Street only offers a tasting menu of refreshingly simple but sumptuous dishes made exclusively using UK produce.
- Address: Counter 71, 71 Nile St, London N1 7RD
- counter71.co.uk
17/23Smoking Goat
Smoking Goat has a cult status in London for its Thai dishes, which fuse tradition with modern Bangkok cooking. Clay pot dishes, grilled meat and seafood keep groups coming back again and again to the 100-cover space (the delicious duck laab is a must order).
- Address: 64 Shoreditch High St, London, E1 6JJ
- smokinggoatbar.com
Jean Cazals18/23The Clove Club
Named after the supper club that brought its three founders – Daniel Willis, Isaac Mchale and Johnny Smith – together, this modern British restaurant has been serving arguably the best tasting-menu in London since 2013. Seasonal ingredients sing in the Shoreditch dining room, and service is so impeccable that The Clove Club is more than deserving of its Michelin star. It’s one for a special occasion, rather than a midweek meal.
- Address: Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old St, Hackney, London EC1V 9LT
- thecloveclub.com
19/23Brat
Since Brat opened in 2018, Tomos Parry’s whole grilled turbot and Basque-inspired dishes (the burnt cheesecake is legendary) have put this Shoreditch restaurant firmly on the foodie map. Meat, fish and game are cooked over fire, and you will find plenty of seaweed, samphire and laverbread, too – a nod to Tomos’s Welsh roots. The first-floor dining room is large and busy, but fortunately you can book ahead. - Blanche Vaughan
- Address: 4 Redchurch St, Hackney, London E1 6JL
- bratrestaurant.com
20/23Sông Quê Café
Kingsland Road has a strong Vietnamese food scene, so much so that it's often referred to as ‘pho mile’. Stretching from Shoreditch High Street station to Hoxton, the area is brimming with authentic Vietnamese restaurants, supermarkets and cafes serving satisfying pho, banh xeo pancakes, bun cha and banh mi. Despite its understated look, Sông Quê has a longstanding reputation for consistently serving some of the best dishes on the mile, and it's definitely worth trying to get through them all at one point or another.
- Address: 134 Kingsland Road, London, E2 8DY
- songque.co.uk
21/23Lyle's
Lyle’s offers innovative and experimental plates in the industrial space of Shoreditch’s Tea Building. James Lowe’s delicate and exacting cooking frequently features game and foraged ingredients, always expertly sourced. There is a set menu in the evening, with lunchtime à la carte options including dishes such as mussels with cider and alexanders or mutton cooked over beechwood charcoal. This sophisticated cooking has maintained Lyle’s credentials as a food-world favourite. - BV
- Address: Tea Bldg, 56 Shoreditch High St, Hackney, London E1
- lyleslondon.com
22/23Lilienblum, Old Street
Tel Aviv chef Eyal Shani is known for his eccentric, unconventional menus. With over 40 restaurants around the world, of which two Miznon's opened in London last year, he opened a third, Lilienblum, which is a more upscale, full-service and larger space compared to the chef's cult casual pita chain, Miznon.
Address: 80 City Road, Shoreditch, London, EC2A 1AT
Lilienblum.co.uk
23/23manteca
A Shoreditch hot-spot embracing the whole animal: sourcing the highest quality meat, butchered by the chefs to make the most of every cut. There’s an in-house salumeria, wood-fired breads and hand-rolled pastas as well as superb Italian vegetable dishes and sturdy salads. Bold flavours in a buzzy atmosphere – but don't be too surprised if your waiter tries to move you in and out quickly on especially busy evenings.
- Address: 49-51 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3PT
- mantecarestaurant.co.uk
Dishes from £3-£19
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