East London is one of the capital’s coolest districts, with an up-and-coming culinary scene that will only leave you wanting more. Some of the finest hotspots in London can be found in the area, from local gems to MICHELIN-star dining and everything in between. Whether you’re looking for the perfect date night spot, a chilled hangout bar for cocktails, snacks and live music, or a family-friendly meal after a day of visiting Shoreditch and beyond, the best restaurants in East London await.
Explore sustainable dining at the world’s first zero waste restaurant and dig into hand-crafted pasta or ethically raised British beef for some of the best Sunday roasts in town. Celebrate a special occasion at an oyster bar helmed by a celebrity chef, and get ready for a date night to remember at a cosy bistro featuring an impressive French wine list. Featuring outstanding tasting menus, party vibes and picture-perfect settings, you’re sure to find something that tempts you.
Book a table at one of the best restaurants in East London on OpenTable for your next meal out today.
Read on for 11 of the best restaurants in East London
For one of the best award-winning restaurants in East London – visit St. JOHN Bread and Wine in Spitalfields
St. JOHN Bread and Wine offers a unique perspective on keeping things local, with a daily changing menu featuring the best indigenous products of the area. With something new to try every day, there’s every reason to keep coming back. Perhaps you’ll find crispy pig skin with radish and chicory or smoked cod’s roe with egg and cress – whatever’s on the menu, sharing is the order of the day, so you get to taste as much as possible. The dining style is informal, designed to encourage the sharing of both food and great conversation. With warm wood tones and tantalising aromas from the in-house bakery surrounding you while you eat, Bread and Wine feels like home. A home where waitstaff attend to your every need and you don’t have to lift a finger.
For sustainable seafood and ethically-raised beef steaks – head on out to Hawksmoor in Wood Wharf or Spitalfields
Hawksmoor in Wood Wharf and Hawksmoor in Spitalfields each embody the “Hawksmoor spirit” – an ambience that actively encourages you to let down your hair and have the best night possible. The waitstaff are friendly and knowledgeable, while the menu brings you the very best of British beef raised ethically, sustainable seafood and more. Take in the industrial-chic style of the exposed brick interior while you peruse that menu. Start with freshly shucked oysters or succulent Devon crab to whet the appetite. For the main, indulge with whole native lobster or a tender chateaubriand, the ideal sharer for a romantic night out. One of the best East London restaurants for Sunday roast served with Hawksmoor stuffing, a house specialty made with bone marrow and fresh herbs.
📍 Wood Wharf — Check availability
📍 Spitalfields — Check availability
For the best of British cooking complemented by fabulous French wines – book a table at Bistro Freddie in Shoreditch
A visit to Bistro Freddie, one of the best restaurants in East London, is a night out you won’t soon forget. This intimate restaurant is the perfect venue for date night, or for catching up with friends in warm and elegant surroundings. Chef Anna Sogaard crafts seasonal menus packed with the best of British produce and finished with an impressive French wine list, curated by sommelier Alex Price. Bistro Freddie serves lunch and dinner with a menu that’s always full of surprises. Think traditional British dishes with a twist. Perhaps a chicken velouté pie to share, or beer-battered monkfish with curry sauce might make an appearance. The wine is equally as important as the food. Take a memorable trip around France without leaving East London as you sample the best of the best from each region.
For one of the best sustainable restaurants in East London – pull up a chair at Silo London in Hackney
Silo London boasts the title of the world’s first ever zero waste restaurant. Inspired by artist Joost Bakker and the concept of “not having a bin”, Silo brings high-quality food and complete sustainability to the East London dining scene. Closed-loop cooking and natural farming are the name of the game at Silo. Choose between relaxing in the spacious open plan dining room and pulling up a stool at the counter around either the hearth or the kitchen. Dishes are served as part of a tasting menu, so you get to try a bit of everything being served that evening. Between 6 pm and 7 pm you can opt for the Shortlist – an abbreviated version of that night’s menu. Sample dishes include Old Spot char sui with salsa verde, tender wild rabbit with sourdough dim sum, or crunchy asparagus with fava miso and elderflower.
For one of the best Sunday roasts in East London – book at Blacklock in Canary Wharf and Shoreditch
A meat-lover’s paradise, Blacklock Canary Wharf and Blacklock Shoreditch bring you the very best of British steaks and chops, cooked simply over charcoal to perfection. As you might expect from a restaurant specialising in meat, the award-winning Sunday roasts are a highlight. During the week, try the pig’s head-on toast with Blacklock gravy to start, followed by your choice of cut of steak, dry-aged for up to 55 days, with a side of juicy beef dripping chips. All meat is sourced from Phillip Warren in Cornwall. The setting for Blacklock Shoreditch is an old furniture factory – the interior has been designed to reflect this. The chairs you’ll sit in as you dine are inspired by those that would have been made here in the 1940s and 1950s, with the same Crittall windows the workers gazed out of.
📍 Canary Wharf — Check availability
📍 Shoreditch — Check availability
For one of the best seafood restaurants in Shoreditch London – book your seat at Pearly Queen in Shoreditch
One of the best restaurants in Shoreditch, East London, under the guidance of executive chef Tom Brown (a finalist on the Great British Menu TV show) is Pearly Queen – one of London’s premier oyster bars. The vibe is relaxed with a touch of elegance and the drinks list features cocktails, mocktails and an impressive selection of top-shelf spirits and liqueurs. Try a Salty Dog with vodka, grapefruit, salt and Timur pepper to get you started and finish the evening with a 21-year aged Aberfeldy whisky. In between drinks, don’t forget to sample some of the delicious food on offer. Oysters are a house specialty, and you can find them served raw, grilled or pickled, with a range of accompaniments. Next up, perhaps some grilled cuttlefish with gooseberry hoisin, followed by half a native lobster with champagne, elderflower and caviar – indulge yourself.
For exceptional seasonal tasting menus – visit NEST in Shoreditch
NEST in Hackney, Shoreditch, brings you seasonal tasting menus in a beautiful Victorian setting. The expert chefs focus only on one meat per menu, creating some of the best dishes for that meat without distraction. With an eight-course tasting menu, be sure to skip lunch so you can try everything. The menu changes regularly and focuses on a different meat each month, so check before you book. Recent pork season dishes included pork faggot with mash and barbecue Tamworth with sunflower. Sister venue Restaurant St. Bart’s has a MICHELIN star and a MICHELIN green star – the only restaurant in London to achieve both. And coming soon in June 2024, you can also check out NEST Farmhouse in King’s Lynn – serving the same delicious food with panoramic views of the Norfolk countryside.
For one of the best Italian restaurants in East London – take a seat at Leo’s Restaurant and Bar in Clapton
One of the best Italian restaurants in East London has to be Leo’s Restaurant and Bar. A café, bar and restaurant all in one, any time of day is time for Leo’s. Sit back and sip your morning coffee in relaxed surroundings, crafted from beans sourced from some of Europe’s best roasters. Enjoy unfussy Italian staples cooked to perfection for lunch in the café, or head out on the town in the evening for dinner in the bar or dining room. The menu showcases the best of Sardinian cuisine, focusing on seasonal produce and a healthy respect for nature. Try the grilled asparagus with wild garlic and ricotta romagnola, a simple spaghetti with fresh lemon and bottarga, or a juicy and tender grilled saddle of lamb with a side of onion and tomato salad.
For one of the best gastropubs in East London – head to The Marksman in Hackney
The Marksman draws on the rich and diverse culinary history of the nation’s capital to bring you both bar food and restaurant food inspired by seasonal British produce. Warm wood tones with leather bring an old-style pub atmosphere, where everyone is your friend, but the food is too good to share. Pull up a stool at the bar for delicious snacks and your choice from the comprehensive drinks menu, featuring some of the best local beers, ciders and ales. In the cosy restaurant area, start your meal with a beef and barley bun with horseradish cream to whet the appetite. Moving on, try the cured sea trout with pickled cucumber and hen’s egg, or the grilled middle white chop with burnt pear mustard. For dessert, an indulgent chocolate mousse with hazelnuts and prunes, or a lighter clementine sorbet with Campari.
For some of the best pasta in London’s East End – choose Emilia’s Crafted Pasta in Canary Wharf, Aldgate or Tower Hill
Emilia’s Crafted Pasta is so good, you’ll be glad there are several venues to choose from. The best restaurants in East London can be found in Canary Wharf, Aldgate and Tower Hill, with a fourth venue in Marylebone. Experience the essence of Italy on your doorstep, with a focus on comfort food to warm the soul. Every strand of pasta is crafted in-house and made fresh each day, with gluten-free options available. Try the lush and creamy carbonara with your choice of pancetta or smoked salmon, homemade ravioli stuffed with juicy grass-fed lamb in a sage butter sauce, or the vegan pistachio and basil pesto sauce with sauteed cherry tomatoes – you won’t be disappointed. The drinks menu also brings you the best of Italy, with regional craft beers and wines, Italian-inspired cocktails and organic soft drinks from “Bel Paese” or “the beautiful country.”
📍 Canary Wharf — Check availability
📍 Aldgate — Check availability
📍 Tower Hill — Check availability
📍 Marylebone — Check availability
For one of the best party spots in London with live music and cocktails – head on over to The Blues Kitchen in Shoreditch
The Blues Kitchen in Shoreditch combines live blues and soul music with burgers and barbecue for a real down-home Southern experience. Enjoy live music every night of the week and, at the weekends, extend your evening with a club night on Fridays and Saturdays. No need to worry about calories as you can dance them all off before you even leave the building. And with London’s largest selection of whiskeys and ryes to wash things down with, you’ll never want to leave. Southern soul food is the order of the day at The Blues Bar. Menu options range from Szechuan chicken wings and popcorn squid to taco bowls, sweet potato curry and spicy jerk chicken. Burgers are a house specialty and come with almost any topping you can imagine, including Swiss cheese, house slaw and caramelised onions.
For butchers by day and cookshop by night kind-of-vibe – try something different at Hill and Szrok
For a truly unique dining experience, head on over to Hill and Szrok in Dalston. A butcher’s shop by day, this venue transforms in the evenings to a hyperlocal, intimate cookshop. The focus is on serving sustainable, prime cuts of meat sourced locally direct from small farmers. Not only does this ensure clear provenance and ensure the supply chain maintains the same values and ethics as the owners – it also benefits local farmers by cutting out the middleman and delivers cost savings to you the customer. All meat is organic, free-range and sourced seasonally. As a while-carcass butcher, Hill and Szrok train apprentices to use the entire animal, reducing waste and creating stunning recipes. While the menu changes regularly to reflect what’s in season, dishes to look out for include the poached egg with asparagus and roast chicken jus, the white pork pie and the oven-baked confit duck legs.
Some of the best restaurants in London can be found in the East End – from your favourite pub grub to MICHELIN-star meals there’s a menu to suit everyone. Relax in a serene café or enjoy live music performances and classic soul food. From seafood and steaks to indulgent pasta, whatever you fancy, you can find it in East London.
Book your table at one of the best restaurants in East London today on OpenTable.
Find out more about some of the best restaurants in other areas of London by giving these a read:
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- The best child-friendly restaurants in London the whole family will love
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- The best Sunday roasts in London for a memorable lunch out
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