The streets of Hackney are grey, but the good kind. They’re the grey of the city’s rich textile history, when the only pops of colour would come from the silk ribbons and woollen goods produced by the factories along the River Lea. They’re the grey of a blank canvas begging to be scribbled on by an artist yearning to express themselves on the bricks of the streets they grew up on. They’re the grey of London. And if you’re looking to get a feel of what east London is about, spending some time in Hackney is an excellent way to do that.
It’s no secret that the borough has undergone a lot of change over the years. The once-arable Roman farmlands – which supplied the city of Londinium with its essential fruits and vegetables – is now more widely known as a destination for arts, culture, hospitality and nightlife. The sprawling green spaces of London Fields and Victoria Park are surrounded by well-preserved Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing, whereas in nearby Dalston, large housing estates have been joined by newly developed gated communities. The Dalston strip, centred around Kingsland High Street and stretching along Kingsland Road, is peppered with live music venues and busy bars, from legendary LGBTQ+ venue Dalston Superstore to the wonderfully sticky Shacklewell Arms. Mosey up to Clapton and you’ll find where all the Hackney hellraisers have moved with their young families, bolstering independent bookshops like Pages of Hackney and the vibrant Sunday market on Chatsworth Road. Hackney is an area that, for better or worse, is constantly on the move.
Although it’s easy to peg it as an area home to “young creatives” and Instagram meme-makers, doing so barely scratches the surface of Hackney and the people who live in it. The area has a rich cultural diversity, with well-established Turkish and Kurdish-speaking communities, many tight-knit Vietnamese and Orthodox Jewish communities, an extremely diverse Caribbean community and many newer communities formed of people from around the world. We know that properly understanding an area can take a lifetime, sometimes two, but these recommendations will help you get a quick hit of what makes Hackney great.
It’s no secret that the borough has undergone a lot of change over the years. The once-arable Roman farmlands – which supplied the city of Londinium with its essential fruits and vegetables – is now more widely known as a destination for arts, culture, hospitality and nightlife. The sprawling green spaces of London Fields and Victoria Park are surrounded by well-preserved Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing, whereas in nearby Dalston, large housing estates have been joined by newly developed gated communities. The Dalston strip, centred around Kingsland High Street and stretching along Kingsland Road, is peppered with live music venues and busy bars, from legendary LGBTQ+ venue Dalston Superstore to the wonderfully sticky Shacklewell Arms. Mosey up to Clapton and you’ll find where all the Hackney hellraisers have moved with their young families, bolstering independent bookshops like Pages of Hackney and the vibrant Sunday market on Chatsworth Road. Hackney is an area that, for better or worse, is constantly on the move.
Although it’s easy to peg it as an area home to “young creatives” and Instagram meme-makers, doing so barely scratches the surface of Hackney and the people who live in it. The area has a rich cultural diversity, with well-established Turkish and Kurdish-speaking communities, many tight-knit Vietnamese and Orthodox Jewish communities, an extremely diverse Caribbean community and many newer communities formed of people from around the world. We know that properly understanding an area can take a lifetime, sometimes two, but these recommendations will help you get a quick hit of what makes Hackney great.
A City Studio room at Kingsland Locke
For something more cosy, the Rose and Crown is a pub and boutique guesthouse on Stoke Newington Church Street that delivers A-grade hospitality in a Grade-II listed building. The pub has real log fires and real ale on cask, while the bedrooms range from simple singles to deluxe doubles. The pub is located within spitting distance of the bucolic Clissold Park – and it’s right next to the Finsbury Park tube and Stoke Newington overground stations, making it an ideal spot for getting into and around London.
Where to stay
If you want to be right in the thick of the action, then Kingsland Locke should be on your radar. Located on a lively stretch of Kingsland High Street, the rooms in this self-billed “aparthotel” give you the best opportunity to find out what living in a flat in Dalston is like beyond getting on OpenRent and finding a flatshare. Stay in one of Kingsland Locke’s studio flats and you’ll have easy access to a gym and co-working space, and a fully fitted-out kitchen for when you fancy cooking up some of the fresh produce you picked up from Ridley Road Market.For something more cosy, the Rose and Crown is a pub and boutique guesthouse on Stoke Newington Church Street that delivers A-grade hospitality in a Grade-II listed building. The pub has real log fires and real ale on cask, while the bedrooms range from simple singles to deluxe doubles. The pub is located within spitting distance of the bucolic Clissold Park – and it’s right next to the Finsbury Park tube and Stoke Newington overground stations, making it an ideal spot for getting into and around London.
The Hoxton Shoreditch lobby space
Arty types should head to The Hoxton, Shoreditch. The hotel has been open since 2006 and – located in a part of the city buzzing with shops, restaurants, pubs and nightclubs – is an excellent option for anyone who likes to stay up late. Rooms are slickly designed and, from the smallest to the largest, are kitted out with parquet floors, large mirrors to expand the space and industrial details that nod to the area’s history.
Arty types should head to The Hoxton, Shoreditch. The hotel has been open since 2006 and – located in a part of the city buzzing with shops, restaurants, pubs and nightclubs – is an excellent option for anyone who likes to stay up late. Rooms are slickly designed and, from the smallest to the largest, are kitted out with parquet floors, large mirrors to expand the space and industrial details that nod to the area’s history.
Where to eat
Food is a big part of what makes Hackney tick, and there’s no shortage of quality options. Entering the hustle and bustle of Broadway Market on the weekend comes highly recommended, and for a quick lunch when you’re there, head to Koya Ko: it’s a cosy, casual spot specialising in slurpable udon and hearty donburi. You can either sit and get stuck into a restorative broth or make the most of Koya Ko’s standing bar and engage in the Japanese tradition of tachigui (standing while dining). Got carried away at the pub post-lunch and need a reliable dinner? Hill & Szrok is the move. A whole-carcass butcher by day and a “cookshop” by night, it always delivers a memorable eating experience. The steaks and the rest of the meat are, as you’d expect, cooked impeccably, but there is plenty of impressive technical prowess on show, with dishes like flamed mackerel with a spiced rhubarb sauce, and nectarine gazpacho with ricotta and cucumber making appearances on the daily changing menu.
Chef Abby Lee in the kitchen at Malaysian eatery Mambow
Turkish is the second most likely first language for Hackney residents after English, and a trip to Dalston isn’t complete without a visit to at least one ocakbaşı. For a one-two combination of old and new, try to eat at Mangal 1 and Mangal 2. The former is a classic ocakbaşı – a bustling BYOB on Arcola Street that’s been serving juicy, charcoal-kissed adana and yogurtlu kebabs to residents for over 30 years. The latter, which is currently run by Ferhat Dirik under the culinary influence of his brother Sertaç Dirik, offers a taste of what modern Turkish food is all about. Think rich cull yaw köfte served with a blob of grilled apple purée, or a whole grilled mackerel with samphire and bone butter. The Dirik boys pay their dues to Turkish tradition while focusing on seasonality, quality suppliers and magpie-ing from various global culinary trends to create a dining experience that’s uniquely east London. More old-meets-new eats can be found at Miga, a family-run modern Korean restaurant on Mare Street, and Lower Clapton Road’s Mambow – a Malaysian eatery where chef Abby Lee serves spicy food and juicy wines.
Turkish is the second most likely first language for Hackney residents after English, and a trip to Dalston isn’t complete without a visit to at least one ocakbaşı. For a one-two combination of old and new, try to eat at Mangal 1 and Mangal 2. The former is a classic ocakbaşı – a bustling BYOB on Arcola Street that’s been serving juicy, charcoal-kissed adana and yogurtlu kebabs to residents for over 30 years. The latter, which is currently run by Ferhat Dirik under the culinary influence of his brother Sertaç Dirik, offers a taste of what modern Turkish food is all about. Think rich cull yaw köfte served with a blob of grilled apple purée, or a whole grilled mackerel with samphire and bone butter. The Dirik boys pay their dues to Turkish tradition while focusing on seasonality, quality suppliers and magpie-ing from various global culinary trends to create a dining experience that’s uniquely east London. More old-meets-new eats can be found at Miga, a family-run modern Korean restaurant on Mare Street, and Lower Clapton Road’s Mambow – a Malaysian eatery where chef Abby Lee serves spicy food and juicy wines.
Planque, left, and oysters at The Prince Arthur | Credit: Will Scott
Where to drink
Thirsty? Of course you are. And, luckily for you, Hackney is home to several watering holes where you can wet your whistle. There’s killer food in a comfortable environment to be found at The Prince Arthur and The Duke of Richmond, and perfectly fired pizzas and a buzzy garden at The Spurstowe Arms. Other pubs in the postcode that might hit the spot include the charmingly shabby-chic The Prince George on Parkholme Road and The Cock Tavern, with its impressive range of microbrewery craft beers.
Skin-contact wines and good food at Sesta | Credit: Giulia Savorelli
If you’re more of a wine bar person, you’ll be equally spoilt for choice. Planque in Haggerston is a wine-drinkers’ clubhouse that serves an à la carte menu of French-leaning dishes alongside an extraordinary selection of small-scale and low-intervention wines. Sager + Wilde on Hackney Road is tailormade for a romantic date night, with its bijou, candlelit setting, while newcomer Sesta is a fashionable spot to sip skin-contact wine and dip into delicious snacks like ’nduja scotch olives and beef ragù-laden Yorkshire puddings. No matter where you spend the day, ending the night at Ridley Road Market Bar with a cold can of Red Stripe in your hand is a non-negotiable.
If you’re more of a wine bar person, you’ll be equally spoilt for choice. Planque in Haggerston is a wine-drinkers’ clubhouse that serves an à la carte menu of French-leaning dishes alongside an extraordinary selection of small-scale and low-intervention wines. Sager + Wilde on Hackney Road is tailormade for a romantic date night, with its bijou, candlelit setting, while newcomer Sesta is a fashionable spot to sip skin-contact wine and dip into delicious snacks like ’nduja scotch olives and beef ragù-laden Yorkshire puddings. No matter where you spend the day, ending the night at Ridley Road Market Bar with a cold can of Red Stripe in your hand is a non-negotiable.
St John at Hackney, left, and Hackney Wick overground station
A prime example of the geometric shapes and angles of art deco architecture, EartH (Evolutionary Arts Hackney) is an arts space nestled smack-bang in the middle of Dalston. Although it started life as the Savoy Cinema in 1936 – hence the art deco vibe – it's now a multidisciplinary venue with a 750-capacity theatre and a separate 1,200-capacity events space where comedy nights, concerts, intimate club nights, immersive experiences and various other creative experiments take place. Whatever you’re into, it’s fairly likely there’ll be something on at EartH that floats your boat. If there isn’t, simply mosey down to Cafe Oto and see what they’ve got programmed. Running live music events seven nights a week, Cafe Oto is a staple of the east London music scene and a must-visit for crate diggers looking to discover talented new musicians and attain aux cable bragging rights for the foreseeable future.
What to do
Going to church might not be the first thing on your agenda, but Hackney Church is an essential venue for events and live music. Officially known as St John at Hackney, the church has undergone a significant facelift to help it better serve the local community – its stacked arts and cultural programme sees it host everyone from contemporary composers to pop stars, poets and saxophonists.A prime example of the geometric shapes and angles of art deco architecture, EartH (Evolutionary Arts Hackney) is an arts space nestled smack-bang in the middle of Dalston. Although it started life as the Savoy Cinema in 1936 – hence the art deco vibe – it's now a multidisciplinary venue with a 750-capacity theatre and a separate 1,200-capacity events space where comedy nights, concerts, intimate club nights, immersive experiences and various other creative experiments take place. Whatever you’re into, it’s fairly likely there’ll be something on at EartH that floats your boat. If there isn’t, simply mosey down to Cafe Oto and see what they’ve got programmed. Running live music events seven nights a week, Cafe Oto is a staple of the east London music scene and a must-visit for crate diggers looking to discover talented new musicians and attain aux cable bragging rights for the foreseeable future.
EartH arts space, Dalston
The Hackney Empire has been described as "the most beautiful theatre in London", and that’s reason enough to pay this historic venue – which over its 120-year history has been a music hall, TV studio, bingo hall and theatre – a visit. For fans of the avant-garde, The Yard Theatre offers an off-beat selection of performances that cross genres and boundaries while challenging audience expectations at a relatively affordable price. If you’ve got children with you who aren’t particularly up for having their expectations challenged, then the award-winning Young V&A is somewhere you and the family can happily kill a few hours. There’s a bit of something for everyone.
The Hackney Empire has been described as "the most beautiful theatre in London", and that’s reason enough to pay this historic venue – which over its 120-year history has been a music hall, TV studio, bingo hall and theatre – a visit. For fans of the avant-garde, The Yard Theatre offers an off-beat selection of performances that cross genres and boundaries while challenging audience expectations at a relatively affordable price. If you’ve got children with you who aren’t particularly up for having their expectations challenged, then the award-winning Young V&A is somewhere you and the family can happily kill a few hours. There’s a bit of something for everyone.
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