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We've compiled the best of the best in East London - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Eschew the myriad copy-and-paste curry houses of Brick Lane and opt instead for this broom cupboard–size Spitalfields restaurant serving flawless small-plate Indian cuisine. The charming waitstaff is happy to offer guidance when it comes to the menu, with its highly original takes on authentic flavor combinations from the subcontinent.
Established in 1952, this East London staple strikes a balance between a 1950s American-style diner and a traditional British fish-and-chip shop, with a bright, vibrant retro interior and efficient service. There's a wide variety of fish suppers on the menu, including whole lemon sole, all caught daily and arriving via the City's Billingsgate fish market. If fish-and-chips isn't your thing, try the free-range rotisserie chicken, served with chips and gravy, for a traditional British twist.
You'll need some help finding this East End fashionista headquarters located down a side alley in happening Bethnal Green. Once inside, check out the striking loft dining space and bar in their postindustrial chic setting, before polishing off light French and English dishes. Choices range from steak tartare and Croque Madame to cod and clams and Longhorn beef with red wine sauce. Be sure to catch the resident pianist at weekend brunch, camping up everything from Katy Perry to Girls Aloud on the baby grand. The Cockatoo is the downstairs performance space, serving up the same menu as the main restaurant along with cabaret.
You'll feel like quite the foodie insider once you finally track down the quirky Rochelle Canteen, founded by Melanie Arnold and Margot Henderson, two doyennes of the London food scene. It's set in a former bike shed at the Victorian-era Rochelle School—ring the buzzer next to a blue door, go through the "Boys" entrance, and enter the long white canteen, where you'll enjoy gloriously understated British fare ranging from monkfish liver parfait and crab apple jelly to beef and pickled walnut pie. Bump along with the Frieze London art crowd and enjoy braised chard with ricotta on toast, or go for a dessert such as poached quince with chocolate sauce and praline or a velvety custard tart.
