Best Restaurants in East London, UK: A Foodies Path
One of the most exciting food destinations in the UK, East London combines hip eateries, old-school pubs, and flavours from across the world. Michelin-starred fine dining or a budget meal in cozy little cafés; street food on a budget or plant-based gourmet creations: restaurants in East London (UK) offer a little something for everyone.
From cheap eats to special occasion dining, we’ve got it all in this definitive guide to some of the best restaurants in East London.
Eat Your Way Through East London: A Culinary Guide
East London has an enriched and diverse culinary landscape, showcasing an array of old-school British bows, modern European fare, and flavors from all over the world. Here’s how food lovers converge on this area:
✅ Desi to Pizza — Endless food options from Indian curry to artisanal pizza.
✅ Swanky & Hipster Bistros: Lots of restaurants with interesting décor and inventive menus.
✅ Historic Food Markets – Including Brick Lane, Broadway Market, and Columbia Road.
✅ Michelin-Starred & Cheap Eats — From cheap street food to fine dining.
Top UK Restaurants in East London
The Clove Club – Michelin Star British Fine Dining
📍 Location: Shoreditch
⭐ Cuisine: Modern British
💰 Price Range: ££££
The Clove Club is a Michelin-starred restaurant located in Shoreditch, London, known for its modern British cuisine that highlights seasonal ingredients. Look for beautifully rendered plates of raw Orkney scallops, roast duck and buttermilk fried chicken.
Dishoom — Popular Bombay-Esque Eateries
📍 Location: Shoreditch
⭐ Cuisine: Indian
💰 Price Range: ££
Dishoom is one of London’s most popular Indian restaurants, offering Irani café inspired dishes. Menu highlights include the Bacon Naan Roll, House Black Daal and Chicken Ruby Curry.
Lyle’s — Seasonal British With a Minimalist Touch
📍 Location: Shoreditch
⭐ Cuisine: British, Modern European
💰 Price Range: £££
Lyle’s is a Michelin-starred restaurant in East London that was built on simple but elegantly refined menus driven by the seasons. The restaurant features minimal design and an ever-evolving menu that showcases the finest of British produce.
Morito – Original Spanish & Mediterranean Tapas
📍 Location: Hackney Road
⭐ Cuisine: Spanish, Mediterranean
💰 Price Range: ££
Morito offers authentic Spanish tapas with Moorish and Mediterranean influences. Don’t miss the grilled octopus, jamón croquetas and charred aubergine with labneh.
The Marksman – Classic British Gastropub
📍 Location: Hackney
⭐ Cuisine: British, Gastropub
💰 Price Range: ££
Located near the perennial standards, Purnell’s is a Michelin-starred gastropub with hearty British comfort food that the chef puts a culinary twist on. Sample their signature Brown Butter & Honey Tart, Sunday Roast, or Beef & Barley Bun.
(East London, 2-4 Stars) The Best Asian Restaurants
Som Saa – Real Deal Thai
📍 Location: Spitalfields
⭐ Cuisine: Thai
💰 Price Range: ££
Som Saa serves regional Thai cuisine with bold flavors and lauded spice cookery. Signature dishes include grilled pork neck, green papaya salad and whole deep-fried sea bass.
Uyghur Restaurant — Northwest Chinese Goldmine
📍 Location: Walthamstow
⭐ Cuisine: Uyghur, Chinese
💰 Price Range: £
This family-owned restaurant focuses on Uyghur fare, serving lamb skewers, hand-pulled noodles and spicy cumin beef.
Italian Restaurants in East London We’d Get Lost (or Lose Our Plate) In
Campania & Jones – Italian Comfort Food Done Right
📍 Location: Bethnal Green
⭐ Cuisine: Italian
💰 Price Range: ££
This is a cozy Italian spot making rustic and home-style Italian fare like homemade pasta, long-simmered ragu and fresh burrata with tomatoes.
Oren – Modern Mediterranean with an Israeli Twist
📍 Location: Dalston
⭐ Cuisine: Mediterranean, Israeli
💰 Price Range: £££
Oren is a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant with Middle Eastern influences that offers charcoal-grilled meats, fresh seafood and homemade hummus.
Top Vegan & Vegetarian Places to Eat in East London
100% Vegan Pub: The Spread Eagle
📍 Location: Hackney
⭐ Cuisine: Vegan, British
💰 Price Range: ££
The Spread Eagle is London’s first all-vegan pub, serving plant-based interpretations of classic British food, like its version of fish & chips, made with vegan substitute, and meat-free Sunday roasts.
Genesis – Vegan Street Food & Burgers
📍 Location: Shoreditch
⭐ Cuisine: Vegan, Street Food
💰 Price Range: ££
Genesis offers 100% plant-based fast food like vegan burgers, tacos and loaded fries.
The Best Affordable Dining Options in East London
Beigel Bake- Iconic 24/7 Bagel Shop
📍 Location: Brick Lane
⭐ Cuisine: Jewish, British
💰 Price Range: £
This legendary bagel shop is known for its salt beef bagels, smoked salmon bagels, and fresh cream cheese bagels. Open around the clock, it’s a late-night-snack gotta-do.
Roti King – Malaysian Street Food
📍 Location: Dalston
⭐ Cuisine: Malaysian
💰 Price Range: £
Roti King dishes out the finest roti canai in London, along with rich, punchy curries.
Top Seafood & Fine Dining near East London
Cornerstone – Luxe Seafood Dining Experience
📍 Location: Hackney Wick
⭐ Cuisine: Seafood
💰 Price Range: ££££
Cornerstone is a Michelin-starred seafood restaurant, acclaimed for its adroit plating and forceful flavors. Dishes to try: cured salmon, crab crumpets, grilled turbot.
Brat — Wood-Fired Grilled Meats & Seafood
📍 Location: Shoreditch
⭐ Cuisine: Spanish, British
💰 Price Range: £££
Brat is a Michelin-starred restaurant known for its wood-fired grilled meats, whole turbot and seasonal small plates.
Conclusion — The Best Restaurants in East London
East London is a gastronomic playground, offering a wide range of dining options from high-end, Michelin-starred establishments to casual street food and inexpensive options for the budget-conscious eater.
🍽 For Fine Dining: The Clove Club, Lyle’s, Cornerstone
🍕 For Italian & Mediterranean: Campania & Jones, Oren
✨ For Processes by which to Spice: Som Saa, Uyghur Restaurant
🥦 For Vegan & Vegetarian: The Spread Eagle, Genesis
🍔 For Budget Eats: Beigel Bake, Roti King
💡 What is your favorite restaurant in East London? Let us know in the comments!
