east London restaurants

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for… restaurants are back! While we have to wait until next month to dine indoors, many London eateries have worked hard to transform their outdoor spaces, big or small, and lift our spirits again.

With such promising sunny days throughout April, there’s no better time to support your old favourites or try somewhere new. Just be sure to wrap up warm (especially for dinner), stay safe and be a gracious guest – there’s nothing more soul-destroying for restaurants than a no-show.

Here are some of the best terraces for a celebratory meal to remember…

The Berkeley Beach Huts

The Berkeley brings the nostalgic glamour of the Great British seaside to Belgravia for spring/summer with its glorious rainbow-coloured, stripey Berkeley Beach Huts. Inspired by iconic foodie seafronts such as Whitstable, Southwold and Padstow, fresh seafood and fun retro classics take centre stage.

Catch up with friends and family over magnificent seafood platters, grilled langoustines and five star fish and chips, alongside lighter bites such as brioche lobster rolls, plaice butties and crispy squid.

Leave room for dessert to enjoy a selection of ice cream sandwiches, ‘make a mess’ Eton Mess and best of all, a ‘Gourmet 99’ with no less than four chocolate flakes and ‘add your own’ toppings. Wash it all down with the finest British wines, maritime-inspired cocktails and shandies.

If you don’t managed to snag a highly-coveted beach hut, you can still soak up the seaside atmosphere on the surrounding terrace and counter. A trip to the beach has never been so luxurious!

Seabird

What could be more decadent post-lockdown than working your way through London’s longest oyster list with a bottle of Champagne and panoramic views over the city? Seabird – the photogenic rooftop restaurant on the fourteenth floor of The Hoxton Southwark – has a fabulous terrace and a summery sea-to-table menu.

Nestle on a rattan sofa among the tropical palms and take in the beach club vibes over Spanish and Portuguese plates like Squid ink rice, Iberico pork presa, Scallop ceviche and the famous Octopus roll. Don’t miss the traditional Torrija and Manchego cheesecake for dessert and plenty of frozen Caipirinhas.

Brat at Climpson’s Arch

Brat is set to continue its hugely successful residency at Climpson’s Arch, the London Fields coffee roastery, throughout 2021. Michelin-starred chef Tomos Parry celebrates the ritualistic simplicity of fire, bringing his Basque-inspired open fire grilling techniques to the marquee-covered courtyard.

Expect signature sharing dishes such as Whole roasted turbot, Crab with hay butter and wood fired breads, not forgetting that heavenly Burnt cheesecake.

The Tramshed Project

The Tramshed Project was created by Dominic Cools-Lartigue during lockdown as a place to eat, work and build on the spirit of community with wellness classes, chef residencies and cultural events.

It’s a new chapter for the grade II listed Tramshed building in Shoreditch, taking the baton from former restaurateur Mark Hix and replacing the iconic Damien Hirst Cock and Bull sculpture with new artworks from the Zabludowicz Collection. It also has a delightful terrace seating up to 50 on the pedestrianised Garden Walk.

Chef Andrew Clarke’s spring menu is an absolute joy with dishes including Fried calcots with Ogleshield fondue and hot sauce, Slow-roast lamb shoulder with potato and anchovy boulangère and Grilled baby chicken with baby leeks, lemon and aioli. Definitely a reason to stop by Shoreditch this spring.

Towpath Cafe

Take it easy with a casual lunch overlooking Regent’s Canal at Hackney favourite Towpath Cafe. Lori De Mori and Laura Jackson’s petite waterside cafe is the perfect spot to catch some sun and with a no-booking policy, there’s hope of scoring a table if you arrive at the right time.

You can look forward to grazing on rustic sharing plates of brown shrimp and kohlrabi, crispy lamb with houmous and caramelised onion and the much-loved grilled cheese sandwich with quince jam.

Circolo Popolare

Eating truffle straight from the copper pan in a secret garden sounds like the ideal way to emerge from lockdown. Big Mamma’s boistrous Sicilian trattoria Circolo Popolare has the prettiest terrace in Fitzrovia with colourful parasols and twinkling fairy lights.

Start with a big burrata, crocchetta and cured meats and follow with an indulgent grilled tagliata and spaghetti cacio e pepe served straight from the percorino wheel. Dessert is also a must with a classic Tiramisu, giant profiteroles or Instagram-famous lemon meringue pie.

If you loved Big Mamma’s Napoli Gang delivery service, you’ll have even more fun at the restaurant.

Have you started eating out in London again? Where have you booked for your grand return?

Going past Vyner Street on the bus every day, I noticed a few signs of activity in a disused building on the corner. One day there were a few tables and chairs, then people sitting inside, then a paper sign decreeing the name Ombra, then a crowd of people eating and drinking in the mysterious new opening.

At first, I thought it was another Hackney pop up, but it turns out Ombra is a petite new restaurant serving up authentic Venetian dishes and cicchetti and is very much here for good.

Perched on the side of Regent’s Canal in the former Alma Enterprises contemporary art gallery (and before that, possibly a factory), Ombra looks more like an extension of the Vyner Street art spaces than a restaurant.

Inside, it’s filled with simple wooden second-hand furniture and glossy hot pink, blue and yellow tables by artist Russell Bamber and features an authentic Italian bar. It feels like a graphic design studio, but with Negronis and pasta!

The chalkboard features four daily specials and we were immediately tempted by Homemade Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce (£5). Other traditional Venetian dishes included Burrata Pugliese, Ham and Melon and Broccoli and Potato Salad.

The set-up is informal and typically Italian – a sugar paper place mat with a fork and spoon were casually slung down before the food came out. A nice touch was the decorative glass decanters of water and large continental beer glasses filled with napkins.

Head Chef and co-founder Andrea Michelon prepared our spaghetti and brought it out himself, greeting us with quick ‘buongiorno‘. The spaghetti was cooked al dente and the sauce was made with slow-roasted tomatoes and garnished with fresh basil.

It was subtle and hearty with no acidity and the portion size was generous for a late-lunch. I couldn’t help smothering it in freshly-grated parmesan cheese and every mouthful was a delight.

If you come to Ombra in the evening or just fancy a boozy afternoon, try a traditional Venetian spritz, a fine Italian wine or a digestif at the bar – their selection includes Aperol, Campari and Sailor Jerry’s.

Vegetables are sourced locally while artisan bread comes from the nearby E5 Bakehouse and meat is bought in from The Ginger Pig in Victoria Park.

Our bill came to just £15 for two, including a service charge, which is exceptionally good for the quality and amount of spaghetti. The menu changes daily, so I’m dying to go back and work my way through the dishes, as research into Venetian cuisine, of course!

Ombra, 1 Vyner Street, London, E2 9DG.

All photos by Cherie City.

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