Hidden Gems of East London

Posted by Guest on Jul 19, 2010 in Groupon News | 0 comments

Introducing our very first guest blogger, Libby Andrews, who has been uncovering the healthy side to London’s restaurants and markets ever since she moved here from Florida a year or so ago. Libby runs a fantastic food blog, where she posts about food in London and around the world, offering a great insight into all things healthy and delicious. She’ll tell you better herself:

RAVENOUS | Libby Andrews is a Floridian food blogger who lives and works in London. She prefers the street food stalls at the markets in London to any restaurant in the city, but she still manages to find a way to fit in sit-down dining every now and then. With an interest in working out and knowledge of health and nutrition, Libby balances a healthy diet and going to the gym with indulging at all of London’s best bars and restaurants. As a guest blogger to GROUPON, Libby will give a look into the hidden foodie gems in the capital, the best places to eat out (and what to order!) to maintain a healthy waistline, where to eat on a budget and more.

The hidden tastes of East London

I don’t need tell you that East London is the new hot spot – the coolest area of town – the place to “see and be seen”, because surely you already dine and drink at Bistrotheque, Pizza East, The Albion and many more painfully trendy establishments in Shoreditch and Hackney. Instead, how about a look into the less well-known restaurants in and around my neighbourhood – the places in the east end which have character, good food, friendly service and usually work for a more modest budget.

Campania Gastronomica – Columbia Road, Tower Hamlets:

This is a lovely Italian restaurant at the end of Columbia Road, which also serves coffee and croissants out of a side window on the weekends. It is usually quite busy on Sundays when the flower market is on, but the rest of the week you can easily get a table. The menu changes often and the best time to go is during breakfast for the Italian version of eggs and bacon: prosciutto, eggs, rocket and fresh baked olive bread. Authentic pasta and pizzas and delicious meat and cheese plates are offered for lunch and dinner. Despite the madness of even a Sunday afternoon at Campania, the servers are all very friendly and fast. It’s not the cheapest place to eat but at least for about 12 pounds a pop for breakfast you don’t feel like you’ve been robbed.

Towpath – Shoreditch N1:

I get the feeling this is becoming less of a secret but its not-so-convenient location will hopefully keep it hidden for a while. Located along the towpath of Regent’s Canal, this is a small café with seats under a roof which look out onto the canal, along the path or on a floating dining room! They serve fresh cakes, delicious lemonade and coffees, and depending on the day they may do a large vat of paella for all or a small lunch menu to choose from. I’m not sure how it will work in the winter but at less than 10 pounds it makes for a great place to dine al fresco and enjoy the East London surroundings this summer.

Pera – Shoreditch E1:

There are plenty of Turkish joints to choose from in East London, especially in Dalston, but if you’re looking for a decent kebab, fast service and a great price, give Pera a try. For those who work in Shoreditch, Pera offers a daily lunch special of about 6 pounds for a kebab with plenty of rice and veggies, flatbread, dips and a drink. At night, the prices go up by about 2-3 pounds, but the portions are bigger and they even throw in a rice pudding for dessert.

The Hackney Pearl – Hackney E9 (Hackney Pearl Website)

It may be a bit out of the way, but that’s part of its charm. This café is very chilled out, inexpensive, and great for tasty homemade food and delicious cocktails on Sunday afternoon. Throw in a game of scrabble and some healthy menu choices and you’ve got The Hackney Pearl where you’ll find dishes like lamb fritters, baked mackerel and cous cous and one of the best bloody marys East London has to offer.