The main dining room at Tiella
Is it fair to say that Tiella is hot right now?
Honestly, Tiella couldn't be more of the moment. Chef and co-owner Dara Klein has really got her finger on the pulse of what London wants right now and as a result, it's one of the hardest to secure restaurant bookings in London at the moment. So we called in a favour to get ourselves in the door for an early supper on a rainy Saturday evening to see just what all the fuss was about.
What can you tell us about it?
This Hackney trattoria and bar comes via Italy and New Zealand, which is where Dara grew up. And she's got the perfect business partner with her childhood friend Ry Jessup. He's also one of the founders of The Plimsoll, so he knows a thing or two about where Londoners like to go. Being a modern London trattoria, the food might be Italian-based, but the produce is very much British-slanted.
Where is it?
You'll find it on the corner of Columbia Road and Ropley Street, off Hackney Road (it's the block behind The Marksman). The nearest stations are Hoxton and Bethnal Green.
Look out for the rather lovely stained glass Tiella sign on the door...
Where should we meet friends for a drink first?
As it's almost behind The Marksman, that's always a good bet. It's also very close to both Blinds and Equal Parts, if it's a cocktail you fancy first.
And where should we sit?
Tiella is split into two parts. The bar is for walk-ins only, and that's all counter dining. There are a few spaces for two on either side of the door, which we think would be very good for people-watching. In the main room itself, it's more standard table seating, so better for groups.
The bar area with counter dining
What's on the menu?
The menu's a traditional affair, so some of what we were eating had only been added to it that day. But, in blissful contrast to some of the more complicated menus we've been seeing in London recently, this is brief and to the point. We're talking antipasti, primi, secondi and dolci. Here's what we tried to give you an idea.
Ricotta di Romagna with Calabrian chilli and honey (£12)
Steak tartare with pane carasau £14) - a confident hand with the seasoning here, which we like.
Trie with cime di rapa and pangrattato (£18) - new to the menu on the night we came, this is a Puglian ribbon-style pasta which was served up with Italian greens and a fabulously crunchy pangrattato.
Chicken Milanese (£27) - not only an absolute whopper of a dish, but those slivers of apple, fennel and celery were the perfect foil for the chicken.
Maria Pia's polpette, served with bread (£24) - this may have been the dish that pushed us over the edge, but we couldn't not order Dara's family recipe, could we?
Room for dessert?
Quite honestly, at this point, we didn't have room, but we soldiered on (tiny violin) and ordered what seemed like it would be the lightest option.
Bay leaf panna cotta with Campari rhubarb (£10) - a dish that summed up Tiella on a plate, using the best of what's in season right now in Britain for an Italian classic. No notes.
What about drink?
The wine list uses Dara's wine-importing dad as a starting point, and as you might imagine, leans towards Italian wines. While you could treat yourself to a lovely bottle of Barolo for £81, we had the house white at £27 for a 500ml carafe. It was a natural Veneto wine from the Zanovello family and extremely drinkable.
We'd also like to give a callout to the cocktails, too. The list here is a tight one, but we particularly liked its seasonality.
Left to right: Espresso martini and blood orange margarita (both £12).
Anything else we should know?
Unlike a lot of places in London right now, the portions in Tiella are like its hospitality, very generous. We over-ordered and ended up taking home doggy bags which had been so beautifully shaped into swans that another diner asked what it was we'd ordered. Bear this in mind.
Also, it looks like there are plenty of tables outside, so come the spring and summer, it should be easier to get a table here.
Overall thoughts:
We stupidly never made it to Dara's residency at The Compton Arms, so we were determined to fix that mistake when she opened Tiella in Hackney. And we're now so very glad we did. Not only is the food really good, but the staff are little rays of sunshine, which is much needed when Londoners have barely seen the sun in 2026. Go hungry, bring a greedy friend and enjoy!
More about Tiella Trattoria & Bar
Where is it? 109 Columbia Road, London E2 7RL
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @tiella_trattoria
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Tiella. Prices correct at time of publication.
Subscribe to be the first to get the news from Hot Dinners
