The best of Hackney

Hackney is known as a millennial hot spot with copious restaurants, cafes and uniquely themed bars. From green spaces to bustling coffee shops, we’ve created a guide of the best places to explore in the famous London borough.

Eat and drink  

Hermanos Columbian Coffee Roasters

Image: @hermanoscolombiancoffee

#FLODown: Travelling might be off the cards for the moment, but you can still experience the taste of South America by walking down to Broadway Market and visiting Hermanos Columbian Coffee Roasters. Offering all your favourites, you can kickstart your day with a freshly roasted Americano or indulge in a foamy afternoon latte.

Location: Broadway Market, Hackney

Nearest station: London Fields or Cambridge Heath

Website: hermanoscoffeeroasters.com

Victoria Park Market

Image: Victoria Park Market

#FLODown: Enjoy food from across the globe whilst exploring the food market at Victoria Park, a great place for spotting cute dogs in jumpers and getting some fresh air. Offering everything from noodles to halloumi wraps to Malaysian street food, you’ll find something tasty to try whilst you stroll around the lake. Plus, you can purchase seasonal fruit and veg as well as freshly baked bread, cakes and biscuits.

Location: Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets

Nearest station: Homerton, Hackney Wick, Mile End, Cambridge Heath, London Fields

Webite: victoriaparkmarket.com

Gloria Trattoria

Image: @bigmamma.uk

#FLODown: A cool, sophisticated eatery located right in the centre of Shoreditch; Gloria Trattoria is the perfect place to catch up with friends. It’s famous for its delectable selection of pizzas, so might we recommend Gloria’s Pasta Al Tartufo, a blend of house special fresh Mafalda, black Molise truffle, mascarpone and button mushrooms. Follow your main with the Incomparable Lemon Pie. Or, even better, take a friend and you can have two desserts and share – we also recommend the Torta Al Cioccolato!

Location: 54- 56 Great Eastern Street

Nearest station: Shoreditch High Street

Website: bigmammagroup.com

The Dusty Knuckle Bakery

Image: @thedustyknuckle

#FLODown: Had enough of home baking? Did you kill your sourdough starter between lockdown two and three? The Dusty Knuckle Bakery provides freshly baked pastries and bread including sourdough, rye and sunflower loaves. If you’ve got some of time on your hands, the Bakery also has a café which serves a range of delicious sandwiches and soups.

By buying from the bakery, you’ll be supporting a social enterprise that trains young offenders in baking, helping them to rebuild their lives and learn a profession.

Location: Abbots Street, Dalston

Nearest station: Dalston Junction/ Dalston Kingsland station 

Website: www.thedustyknuckle.com

Temple of Seitan

Image: @templeofseitan

#FLODown: For mouth-watering vegan food, try Temple of Seitan. Offering classic burgers with vegan replacements, this eatery is perfect for those wanting to do their bit to help the planet. We recommend the popcorn bites and the Temple Spicy burger! Perfect for those participating in Veganuary.

 Location: 9 Morning Lane

Nearest station: Hackney Central

Website: templeofseitan.co.uk

Paper and Cup

#FLODown: Paper and Cup is a not-for-profit social enterprise which supports homeless people in East London. Selling coffee, cakes and tasty treats, this café is the perfect place to get stuck into a book, particularly as they offer a range of second hand books to purchase so it doesn’t matter if you forgot to bring one!

Location: 18 Calvert Avenue, Shoreditch

Nearest station: Shoreditch High Street 

Website: paperandcup.co.uk

Things to do

Regent’s Canal

Image: Ben Garratt

#FLODown: Why not spend an afternoon ambling down Regent’s Canal? It’s over 200 years old and runs from the Paddington Canal all the way to the River Thames. A popular spot for cyclists and walkers, there are a number of cafés near the banks of the canal which are perfect for people-watching. The canal is eight miles in length so the walk is a great way to get your daily exercise in.

Location: We advise you walk from Angel Station

Nearest station: Angel, Chalk Farm, St John’s Wood, Warwick Avenue, Camden Town 

Artwords Bookshop

Image: @artswordsbookshop

#FLODown: Looking for the perfect gift for an artistic friend? Or simply looking for a new read? The Artwords Bookshop has a great selection of publications including new releases and books on photography, fashion and architecture. (It’s also opposite Hermanos Columbian Coffee Roasters, so you can pick up a book and enjoy it with a delicious coffee).

Location: Broadway Market, Hackney

Nearest station: London Fields or Cambridge Heath

Website: artwords.co.uk

Abney Park

 #FLODown: Located in Stoke Newington, Abney Park is one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ garden cemeteries of London. The park is home to the graves of people who were considered dissenters in the early 1800s and was originally laid out as an arboretum. Hackney Council took over the cemetery in the 1970s after the company that owned it went into administration and have since transformed it into a tranquil spot surrounded by greenery. To explore the park, you can download an audio walk or a written guide.

Location: Stoke Newington

Nearest station: Shoreditch High Street

Audio tour or written guide: abneypark.org

Hackney Museum

Image: @hackneymuseum

#FLODown: Get an insight into Hackney’s rich history by visiting the Hackney Museum. You’ll find photography exhibitions exploring the area in the 1980s as well as a range of objects including sculptures from Sierra Leone and artwork from artists including Margarita Gluzberg and Paul Needham. The museum is currently closed due to COVID, but once it is open, check out the ‘Hackney’s Got Style: Celebrating the History and Impact of African and Caribbean Fashion and Hair’ exhibition – not to be missed!

Location: Reading Lane

Nearest station: Hackney Central or London Fields

Website: hackney-museum