Where to drink
Morgan Arms
It’s possible to get a little flustered when you walk out of Mile End tube station. The busy traffic and racing speed of life can all seem a bit much. Put another way, it’s not the most picturesque place. But cross the road and weave between the buildings in front of you and you’ll find an altogether quieter and more distinguished side to the area. At the heart of this is the Morgan Arms. Set on the corner, this large, open plan pub is probably one of the most inviting sights in east London on a cold winter’s night. Their five hand-pulled ales are always on the change and are backed up by a selection of local and foreign craft beers. It’s a really friendly crowd and if you’re hungry, don’t hesitate – the food is terrific.
43 Morgan St, E3 5AA
www.morganarmsbow.com/
East London Liquor Co
If you love gin – and let’s face it, most people do these days – then congratulations because you’ve just stumbled on east London’s gin mecca. Set up to reflect the city’s long lost historic past with all things juniper, ELLC are not just a bar, they’re also a distillery. Creating three main gins and vodka on site, they also make their own rum and are working on producing their own whisky too. So when you arrive at their bar (where you can see the stills in the back), you can be sure that these guys know what they’re talking about. What’s nice though is that they’re not snobby about it. They’re lovers of all things boozy and they’ll happily use any of their wide range of spirits to create you just the right cocktail.
Unit GF1, 221 Grove Rd, E3 5SN
eastlondonliquorcompany.com/
The Victoria
For anyone who’s ever been to Camden’s best kept secret (the Somers Town Coffee House) and loved every aspect of their shabby chic decor, get ready for a terrific surprise. The Victoria is her baby sister. Set up as part pub, part restaurant; this groovy little venue is a little like that crazy aunt who doesn’t know quite how to dress, and yet never fails to greet you with anything less than a huge, cheery smile. The drinks are varied, ranging from ales to wine to everything inbetween. While the breakfasts are also well worth a visit. Even if it’s not for you, it makes a handy stop between Mile End tube station and Victoria Park.
110 Grove Rd, E3 5TH
www.thevicmileend.co.uk
Where to eat
Empress
A gastropub of the highest order, The Empress is all about the local produce. Getting their bread baked fresh nearby, their meat comes from the incredible Ginger Pig butchers, even their coffee is roasted around the corner. The result is a menu that oozes charm and flavour. And it’s hardly not wasted on an ambitious and exciting menu either. The decor sits somewhere between stark modern and comfortably traditional. Hard to pin down exactly but inviting nonetheless. Come by for a pint and a pork pie or indulge in their Sunday lunch with all the trimmings. Either way you’ll find it a struggle to get up and leave when the time comes.
130 Lauriston Rd, E9 7LH
empresse9.co.uk/
Greedy Cow
Yes, we know, there are a lot of burger places in London these days. Arguably too many. But before you write off Greedy Cow as another dude-food merchant, know this: they serve the kinds of burgers you’ve never had before. We’re talking boar, camel even kangaroo. And the great thing is it’s not just a novelty, to these guys it’s about broadening your horizons and trying new things. Burgers, steaks, wings and ribs all litter their appetising menu with all the spice and flavour of their delicious complimentary sauces. The restaurant itself is equally inviting and the kind of place you’re more than happy to settle into for a few hours.
2 Grove Rd, E3 5AX
greedycow.com/
The Crown
More of a pub than a restaurant really – at least downstairs – but we still love coming here for a spot of lunch or dinner. Set right on the corner, looking out over Victoria Park, this is the kind of place you come with friends or a loved one to settle right in for the evening. They serve pretty standard gastropub fare but it’s all done really well and has a large and exciting wine list to match. Being a pub they’ve also got good beers to choose from and if you’re lucky enough to come by on a hot day, there’s a little roof terrace up top. Inexpensive and wholly satisfactory, it may follow in a usual London mould but it still ticks all the right boxes.
23 Grove Rd, E3 5SN
www.thecrownbow.co.uk/
What to do
Victoria Park
As one of east London’s largest and most famous parks, Victoria Park is very much the centrepoint of Hackney and Tower Hamlets. Known affectionately as Vicky Park to the locals, this large green expanse is a great place to while away a sunny afternoon. They’ve got tennis courts, a boating lake, cricket nets and a huge playground or the kids. Also, because two sides of the park are bordered by the Regent’s and Hertford Union Canals, it’s not a bad place to cycle around either. For the less athletically inclined, there are even a few pubs and cafes dotted about – if you keep your eyes peeled.
The Bow Brook, E3 5TB
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/leisure_and_culture/parks_and_open_spaces/victoria_park/victoria_park.aspx
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park
It sounds a bit creepy to suggest wandering around a cemetery, but as many Londoners will attest, a lot of the city’s graveyards double as some of its most serene green spaces. Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park was opened in 1841 and walking around it, you can feel every year of it. Quiet, mysterious and – dare we say it – spiritual, the park is now a nature reserve where local flora and fauna have come to flourish. For anyone concerned that they may interrupt a funeral on their visit, don’t worry. The cemetery stopped accepting new burials over 20 years ago. It’ll just be you the and the animals.
Southern Grove, E3 4PX
www.fothcp.org/
Ragged Schools Museum
If you’ve never heard of Dr Barnardo (or the charity set up in his name), let us fill you in. He was one of London’s great philanthropists; a man you dedicated his life to helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds (which in 1877 was most of them). The Ragged School Museum is built on the site of his Copperfield Road Ragged School and now serves as a memorial to all the great things he did (and the terrible things those children had to endure). Opened in 1990, the museum is largely visited by local schoolkids but don’t let it stop you (or the family) dropping by. It offers some really fascinating insight.
46-50 Copperfield Rd, E3 4RR
www.raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk/
