When it comes to restaurants, most neighbourhoods can’t hold a candle to Hackney Wick. And those that can probably don’t have a canal, a pioneering zero-waste fine-diner, a brewery you can kayak to, and a restaurant in a floating barge that older than powered flight.
Basically, candles or not, the culinary landscape here is on fire, and these are the hotspots fuelling those flames…
INIS | ANGLO-IRISH FOOD ON FISH ISLAND
Pronounced ‘inish’, it’s actually the Irish word for island, and just to really complete the poetic image it also happens to be sitting on the water too, at the exact point where the arrow-straight canal cuts into the lazy elbow of the River Lee. The place itself is a casual & rather elegantly minimalist cafe, with a menu from chef Craig Johnson (formerly of Arbutus and The Corner Room), packed with British-Irish dishes that all lean heavily into the philosophy of low-waste and sustainability.
Address: 13 Rookwood Way, Fish Island, E3 2XT | Booking page
–
WICKED FISH | QUALITY SEAFOOD, CASUAL SPACE
There aren’t many car parks where you can get lobster & chips – but the Hackney Wick outpost of Wicked Fish is one of them. You’ll find it in the Queen’s Yard car park, and as well as the aforementioned fancy crustacean, you can also get grilled oysters, fish & chips, huge burgers, Polish-style hot dogs, and chips coated in truffle oil & melted cheddar.
Address: Queens Yard, White Post Ln, E9 5EN | No bookings
–
BARGE EAST | GREAT FOOD ON AN ANCIENT BARGE
A 125 year old Dutch cargo barge moored up on the Hackney riviera, serving small plates of such impressive elegance, you’d never think they were being assembled in a kitchen the size of a captain’s cabin. Throw in a great Sunday Roast, and a slick bar operation that spills out into the banks of the canal, and you’ve got a truly excellent venue…
Address: Sweetwater Mooring, River Lee, White Post Lane, E9 5EN | Booking page
–
HACKNEY BRIDGE | A CANAL-SIDE FOOD & DRINKS HUB
Hackney Bridge isn’t actually a Bridge. And it’s in Hackney Wick, if we’re getting technical. But the rest of the name checks out. It’s a gigantic food and drinks hub by the team behind London Bridge’s Vinegar Yard, which aims to offer a space that celebrates the local community with a collective of street food stalls, bars, independent retailers, work spaces and event spaces. Expect 192 sq.ft of food traders, bars, live music, and more…
Address: Units 1-28, Echo Building, E Bay Ln, London E15 2SJ | Booking page
–
SLICE CLUB | FOR EXCELLENT PIZZA
There aren’t many by-the-slice pizza joints in London, mainly because a single slice of pizza doesn’t seem like a huge amount of food. But at Slice Club they pull them from gigantic 18-inch pizzas. Yes, these are New York-style dough discs, made with a deeply American disregard for moderation and an unfettered joy in flavour and taste. And what’s more, it means you can carb-load in increments, and try several different toppings. The space is casual, there’s a table football table, a multitude of sports-screens, and plenty of beer.
Address: Oslo House, 11 Prince Edward Rd, E9 5LX | No bookings
–
LUCIAS | TOP-TIER MEXICAN
London may have a thriving Mexican scene these days, but that’s kind of what makes a place like Lucia’s all the more special – because it manages to stand out from a crowd that’s brimming with talent, money and flavour, and do it without any fancy gimmicks or big financial backing. Just great cooking, a buzzing atmosphere, and a real sense of fun…
Address: 43 Whitepost Lane, Hackney Wick, E9 5EN | No bookings
–
SILO | HYPER-SUSTAINABLE FINE DINING
Everything at Silo has been designed with sustainability in mind – the crockery’s made from recycled glass; the dining counters are all upcycled plastic; even the lampshades are made from a kind of mushroom. And the food? It was one of the first restaurants to adopt the zero waste philosophy, and it has absolutely nailed it. Expect highly creative, perfectly executed fine dining. Perhaps ironically, it’s one of the most original places out there.
Address: Unit 7, Queens Yard, Hackney Wick, E9 5EN | Booking page
–
CRATE | PIZZA IN A BREWERY
CRATE is one of London’s best breweries, perched right on the waterside of the River Lea. In that brewery taproom you can get yourself an excellent beer, and a great pizza to go with it (although if you want something fancier, you can get upstairs to Silo). But the best bit is the canal-side terrace where you can savour the fruits of their labours in the warmer months.
Address: Unit 14, Queens Yard, Hackney Wick, E9 5EN | Booking page
Looking to make an evening of it? Here’s a great Hackney Wick date night…