London Restaurants - East London

Unit 8 Gillett St, London N16 8AZ

Head off Kingsland Road into buzzy Gillett Square and let your nose lead you to Ewart Drysdale's amazing jerk bbq spot. The big oil drum barbecues show you that this place means business - your only dilemma will be whether to opt for the jerk pork or chicken. Barbecue isn't the only thing on the menu here - if you fancy an ackee and saltfish patty or macaroni pie, that's on offer as well.

470 Kingsland Rd, London E8 4AE

Anywhere that survives in Dalston for more than a decade has to be celebrated and Brilliant Corners' winning mix of Japanese-inspired dishes and DJ sessions continues to draw people in. For the food, think izakaya-style drinking food, so sushi and sashimi take centre stage with a wider than expected plant-forward selection of dishes too. The cocktail list is similarly Japanese-inspired with a short classics offering.

89 Shacklewell Ln, London E8 2EB

Chef-owner Oded Oren's Shacklewell Lane restaurant features a menu of Middle Eastern-inspired dishes, served with an eye to seasonality and great local produce. So there might be West Country mussels with Moroccan chraime and pumpkin salad given a Tunisian twist. The hummus is unmissable.

10 Arcola St, London E8 2DN

The OG of the many Mangal spin-offs in Dalston, this ocakbasi started life as a teeny spot with a handful of tables and a charcoal grill. It's now expanded but the classic offering remains the same. Owner Ercan Cuce and his team serve up amazing kebabs and the best bread in an unassuming dining room that to this day doesn't have a booze licence, so bring your own.

70-74 Stoke Newington Rd, London N16 7XB

Former basement dive turned fully fledged restaurant and bar, Corrochio's is named after Guadalajara-born chef Daniel Corrochio who serves up an authentic day into night menu channelling Mexico's city's best taquerias. They also do a very popular Mexican take on brunch at the weekends and if you're just popping in for a drink, there's a separate CINCO agave bar downstairs.

374 Helmsley Pl, London E8 3SB

This is the second space for Tomos Parry's hit restaurant Brat, taking over the (covered) courtyard of the Climpson's Arch roastery. Expect a similar menu to the Shoreditch original - plenty of Galician steaks, grilled fish and lots of Basque influence throughout.

254 Hackney Road, London, E2 7SJ

This pub from two St John veterans, Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram is both one of Hackney's best pubs and best restaurants. Downstairs in the pub, make sure to get one of their excellent beef and barley buns, while upstairs it's an actual crime to leave without trying their brown butter & honey tart, one of London's best desserts. Their Sunday roasts are exceptional too.

13 Water Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5GX

Dishoom is based on Bombay cafe culture and their restaurants are always incredibly popular (so be prepared to queue at busy times). Their Canary Wharf restaurant has a standalone bar if you're popping in for a drink and a terrace overlooking the water too. As for the menu, all the hits are in place, including their amazing bacon naans.

6 Chancellor Passage, London E14 5EA

It’s all in the name with this restaurant, which features a six course tasting menu that changes every six weeks - so you're always sure of getting something completely new on a return visit. There's a special theme each time (Fish & Chip Shop and Hollywood have been past themes). It's run by Scottish chef Nico Simeone and this outpost has a separate bar and a terrace too.

195 Hackney Road, London E2 8JL

This is the East London expansion from the same people behind Moro (and the original Clerkenwell Morito). The restaurant draws influence from Southern Spain, North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean in a regularly changing small plates menu. The same approach can be seen in the wine list, which also roams the Med.

3 S Quay Square, London E14 9RU

The small Goodman group offers up one of the best steak experiences in London, and this Canary Wharf outpost is no exception. Their steak comes from farms both grass-fed in the Lake District and across the pond in Nebraska, and are aged on-site. It's a great place for a perfectly cooked steak but also has an impressive wine list, not to mention good private dining options.

Unit 7, The white building, 1st Floor,c/o CRATE Bar, Queen's Yard, London E9 5EN

This East London restaurant from Douglas McMaster is at the forefront of no-waste cooking (and restaurants) in London. McMaster has been involved in the no-waste initiative from the early days and has created a restaurant that both embraces the movement fully and showcases the excellent food that a no waste ethos can produce.

Crossrail Place, London E14 5AR

Pergola on the Wharf comes from the same people behind Pergola Paddington, The Prince and more. The decor is super floral, and although the focus is on drinks the menu features plenty of small bites such as truffle arancini and Peruvian chilli chicken skewers.

56 Dalston Lane, London E8 3AH

This Dalston restaurant has a modern take on Japanese and Italian food - resulting in a creative fusion menu that's inspired by both cuisines, while also pushing the envelope. They serve a 13-course Kaiseki menu which changes every five weeks to reflect the seasons, so there's a lot of opportunity for repeat visits.

221 Well St, London E9 6RG

Shankey's is a great neighbourhood restaurant serving up a particularly interesting mix of Irish and Indian-influenced dishes and drinks. Irish-born Eoghan is the cocktail genius behind the Celtic-infused cocktail list while chef Sacha Henry is responsible for a mix of small and sharing plates of Indian food.

177 Morning Ln, London E9 6LH

Head to Morning Lane if you want to see what the lovechild of a Japanese izakaya and British seasonal restaurant looks like. With a charcoal grill being the focus of the kitchen here, there's plenty of great produce being served on sticks. Tables are communal so you'll probably leave having made new friends.

211a Victoria Park Road, London E9 7JN

Bruno comes from Michael Sager, best known for Sager + Wilde, and it's a small neighbourhood wine bar in Victoria Park. With a supply of wines largely sourced from his own collection, there are over 200 to choose from and they're available to take away too. If you're stopping in, the food includes filled pretzels alongside baked Vacherin . Look out for chef residencies as well.

Unit 14, Canada Square, London E14 5AX

Karapincha is a Sri Lankan restaurant with a focus on street food-style dishes by twin sisters Vasanthini and Dharshini Perumal. Known for their street food pop-ups, this is their first permanent location, a homecoming after their initial stall in Canary Wharf. The menu features signature dishes like Devilled Chicken and Kothu Roti alongside a breakfast menu with options like ham-and-cheese-stuffed rotis.

12 Park Drive, London E14 9ZW

Mallow is from the people behind Mildreds, and this restaurant has a 100% plant-based brasserie-style menu. That menu features dishes like Spinach Dahi Puri and Aubergine Muhamammara Borek. The second Mallow, it's a much larger restaurant than the original and also features a big terrace. An all-day restaurant, it's handy for plant-based breakfasts too.

Unit 2, Reuters Plaza, London E14 5AJ

This is the Canary Wharf outpost for the all-day dining restaurant and bar group and - as you'd expect - they do a particularly great breakfast and brunch (unsurprising when they roast their own coffee at their North London roastery).

Netil House, 1 Westgate St, London E8 3RL

James Dye, co-owner of Frank’s Café and The Camberwell Arms, took over the old Bright space in Netil House, creating a music-centric wine bar and restaurant. Alongside the food, there's a vintage sound system, record shelves, and a DJ booth. it all transitions from coffee and sandwiches during the day to a wine-focused restaurant in the evenings.

107 Lower Clapton Rd, Lower Clapton, London E5 0NP

This is essentially the wine bar formerly known as P Franco, saved after once feared to be closing for good. The name may have changed but the management and ethos remain the same. Expect a focus on natural wines that are paired with some of London's more interesting chef residencies, all creating wonders from induction hobs at the back of the bar.

59 Chatsworth Rd, Lower Clapton, London E5 0LH

Leo's comes from the people behind Juliet's Quality Food in Tooting and this Clapton restaurant has them collaborating with ex-Bright chef Giuseppe Belvedere. An all-day bar and restaurant, it serves up a regularly changing menu that draws on Giuseppe’s Sardinian heritage, using the best possible produce from the British Isles and the continent.

1F Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PN

Run by the team that was once Hot 4 U, Papi sees chef Matthew Scott team up with Charlie Carr from Wingnut Wines. While also having a big focus on sustainability and zero-waste, it's key to point out that 'fun' is a big part of the vibe of the restaurant. Expect a regularly changing menu, great wines and a small bar downstairs too.

4 Stoke Newington Rd, London N16 7XN

This family-run Dalston ocakbasi was transformed into one of London's most exciting restaurants when ownership passed to the original owners' sons. Now you can expect thrilling modern Turkish food through an East London lens.

25-35 Fisherman’s Walk, London E14 4DH

Fairgame is billed as a "funfair for grown-ups" with lots of fairground games. It's also home to a great collection of food vendors too. At the time of writing, they're Dos Mas Tacos, Burger & Beyond and Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana - each of them well worth a visit. And yes, they might have some candyfloss too.

Unit 3, 75 Marsh Wall, Hampton Tower London E14 9WS

Zia Lucia are best known for their 48-hour-fermented pizza dough, available in traditional white flour, wholemeal, vegetable charcoal, and gluten-free. Choose a base and one of their toppings, from Margheritas through to Spicy Burrata.

10 Newfoundland Place, London E14 4BH

M Restaurants are primarily about steak, grills and particularly wagyu cuts. On top of that, each of the M Restaurants has a specific identity and here in Canary Wharf, the specialities are Provencal food. But whatever you do, try not to miss the wagyu.

2 Westgate St, London E8 3RN

This double business sees Sichuan’s fiery chicken buns upstairs while downstairs is the latest outpost of the much-loved Dumpling Shack.

Town Hall Hotel, Patriot Square, London E2 9NF

Elis is the second restaurant in the Town Hall Hotel in Benthal Green from the two-Michelin-starred Da Terra team. Inspired by chef Rafael Cagali, the menu takes its inspiration from his Brazilian/Italian heritage.