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WHERE TO EAT: SHOREDITCH
Once our go-to for a dirty night out (think Cargo, the Old Blue Last and Horse & Groom, when 3am with our heads out the cab sounded like the best way to spend the night), but much like Jason Derulo's vocals, our priorities have been well and truly tuned and Shoreditch is now our safe space for a full day of eating and drinking. This arty east London neighbourhood is full of history and character, with plenty of authentic street food, romantic date night spots and everything in between. Here is our extensive guide to eating around the area.
One of our favourite restaurant spots in London, let alone Shoreditch. It’s as perfect for birthday celebrations and catch-ups as it is for intimate date night, with the soft spotlights, smooth wooden curves and natural tones creating a closeness. The menu celebrates nose-to-tail Italian cooking with produce that changes with the seasons, creating rich and memorable dishes from small plates, to pastas, to the meaty mains. The pastas are so good we have always taken those as a main, which helps when mains can be a little on the spenny side (from £28). Please though, and we can’t stress this enough, book a table upstairs for the natural light and best vibes, as downstairs feels a bit Kady Heron eating in the loos.
LEROY
This relaxed wine bar and restaurant opened its doors back in 2018 and we're shocked we've only just discovered it this year. Their interiors are dressed down with panelled walls, simple artworks and a marble bar lined with cushioned leather stools, whislt the start of the show is the open kitchen allowing you to watch the chefs at work. Servers choose the playlist from the wide collection of vinals whist we chose our wine from their well curated list. Food is simple and well done, our favourites were the deconstructed lasagne and the pork chop with charred cabbage.
Once a seedy east-end boozer, the space is now taken over by a smoky Thai restaurant that is lively with a great atmosphere. The menu is however not for the fainthearted. We had the 'hot chicken' which is one of the hottest things we’ve ever eaten. The open kitchen brings the theatre of Bangkok, inspired by the buzzy street food markets while the tall crittal windows is remniscent of trendy downtown warehouse, and just as laidback a vibe. This spot is great for mixed groups with their easy sharing plates and lengthy dining tables.
Concealed behind a corregated iron door off Brick Lane, you’ll find this trendy wine bar lit only by moon orb lighting and dripping candles on each table. With monthly rotating resident chefs, natural wines and a vibey soundcloud playlist, it fits in perfectly with the millennial Shoreditch scene. Prepare to queue if you haven't made a resrevation as this little place gets booked and busy.
Palm Springs meets East London, the duo we never knew we needed. Pink terrazzo tiles, rattan chairs and a live DJ on weekends makes this our new favourite picture-perfect spot to celebrate and catch up. What the view lacks in London landmarks it makes up for in stylish interiors and elegant cocktails.
The latest restaurant to grace the Hoxton Hotel’s rooftop is this bright and open Peruvian overlooking east London’s backstreets. The interiors are everything you would expect from a Soho House design team-collab, with the scalloped lamp shades, earthy tones and hanging indoor plants giving it away. Out on the terrace, diners can enjoy the good weather in summer and winter months alike. Featuring toasted corn kernels (concha) and red onions as signature accents across most dishes, standouts from the lunch menu include their fresh and spicy tiger’s milk into which you dip a side of bitsize crispy squid, their street food-style miso charred cabbage with a crispy shell of popped quinoa and of course, the whole seabass baked in banana leaf. With a concise natural wine list and cocktails that are full of character by name and taste, we couldn’t ask for much more in a rooftop spot. Now also serving Sunday Brunch which we are very keen to go back for.
This70's mood-lit speakeasy, dimly lit with high gloss lamps, is hidden in the basement of One Hundered Shoreditch hotel, offering cosy booths, intimate seating and a low-key breezeblock bar showcasing their laidback approach. It's the perfect spot for catching up over cocktails and a bar snacks menu influenced by their resident guest chefs.
FRIENDS OF OURS
This is one our favourite brunch spots for something a little different. Where a poached egg on toast is the Zara basic, the Friends Of Ours menu has the Zara TRF pieces oozing with print and texture and colour. Friends of Ours has a dynamic seasonal menu packed with classic dishes with a twist such as their salmon kedgeree and japanese benedict that keeps you checking back for their latest flavours.
The first of the Big Mama Group to grace the UK and the least gimicky in our eyes. It is our comfort chain restaurant, our guilty pleasure. It is easy, everyone knows the menu so it's great for even the fussiest of eaters. We have only ever enjoyed a leisurely lunch here in the main room, but have eyed up the sexier space downstairs that they tease through a luxe red curtain for more of an evening vibe.
BOUNDARY BRASSERIE
Located down Shoreditch’s trendy Redchurch Street and only 10 minutes from Columbia Road Flower Market, this relaxed brasserie is great for a long lunch. It has recently undergone a complete revamp, think green marble tables, panelled walls and furniture in an all-round natural palette to create a warm and cosy atmosphere. Feed up on a homely menu of British classics including cottage pie, cornfed chicken and grilled fish and head upstairs for relaxed drinks on the rooftop, which we talk more about in our London rooftop round-up.
While most tapas places in london are rustic chic, bibo is boujee and modern with bar-top and banquette seating. Their bold terracotta courtyard is also not to be missed when things get a little warmer and not necessarily drier either, thanks to their retractable roof *swoons in brit*. Our must-orders have to be the meaty brioche buns and octopus paella with squid ink, not one for a cheesy smile after.
This unassuming peruvian restaurant clearly likes to be kept a hidden gem (what the 'A' sign has to do with Pachamama remains a mystery to us). One thing is for sure, the small plates and vibe is lively and fun and easy.
Right when you think you’ve made a wrong turn down a dark alley, you find your next candle-lit, bare-brick, 25-seats-tops spot for date night. Dominated by bar seating and limited group tables, it is the perfect intimate Italian bolthole serving simple but interesting small plates.
When you’re looking for a place to carry on the night but don't know where to turn, we head to the Hoxton Hotel Bar and Grill for lively drinks in the lobby. Finish your night with an obligatory drunken photobooth photoshoot.
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