You’ve made it to London—to the hippest borough, in fact—and now comes the task of finding where to eat in Shoreditch.
Here’s the thing: Shoreditch is at the heart of the London food scene, and it can be extremely overwhelming trying to decide where to dine in the area with dishes inspired from all over the globe, served in an array of restaurants, cafes, diners, and even containers! Luckily for you, we’re here to steer you in the right direction.
1. Dishoom
Dishoom is THE place for that British Indian twist. If you can be bothered to drag yourself out of bed early enough for breakfast (believe us, you’ll want to) then get your chops around their bacon naan, Dishoom’s take on the nationally cherished bacon butty. Their chais are also bottomless, so have as many as you like!
Slept through your morning alarm? Fear not—their lunch & dinner offerings are just as mouthwatering. The murgh malai is quite possibly the most succulent chicken in the whole of London. Make sure you order some daal on the side, too.
2. Poppie’s
Fish & chips are a must when visiting anywhere in the UK. Apparently there are eight chippies to every McDonalds, who knew! Poppie’s have a snug restaurant on Hanbury Street, where the walls are lined in vintage adverts & the waitresses serve in cute retro uniforms. You might even catch the owner, Pops, who started his career at just 11 years old when he used to cut up newspapers in a local chippie that were used to wrap up customers’ fish & chips.
No time to sit down & eat? You can order from their takeaway counter and feel proper British walking down the street eating chips wrapped in newspaper. Just like the good old days.
3. Soft Serve Society
For those of you with a sweet tooth, you can get your sugar fix from the Soft Serve Society, also found in Boxpark. Have your camera phones ready as they don’t come much more Instagrammable than this!
If you’re looking for the prettiest, then go for the Cloud 9, which comes with a pink fluffy berry-flavored candy floss on top, or in the opposite millennial direction, order their gray charcoal coconut ice cream on a black cone. You could always go big or go home and get yourself one of their mini freakshakes topped with the likes of Oreos, popcorn and cornflakes.
4. Brick Lane Curry
There’s been many a debate over exactly which curry house on Brick Lane is the best, but the real fun is finding the best deal.
Nearly every restaurant will have a representative outside to entice you in when you walk past. They’ll offer you lucrative deals such as a curry, rice and naan for around £18 per person. The trick is to not go for their first deal, because they will keep adding extras, as well as reduce the price, until you eventually end up with all of the above plus a starter, poppadoms and a drink each, too, for around £15pp, sometimes even less!
Most of the establishments are family-run and have been cooking up curries for years, so you know you’re going to get something good.
5. MEATmission
You’ll find MEATmission snuggled inside an old Christian missionary, decorated with colorful stained glass windows. There’s even a photo booth inside a confessional box! The lights are low in here and there are rolls of kitchen tissue on every table, and for good reason as you’re likely to get messy, very messy.
They mainly serve big, fat, juicy burgers, topped with a variety of cheese, sauce, salad and other extras, such as egg or bacon. With the first bite it oozes out making a deliciously sticky monstrosity all over your hands, so make sure to keep that kitchen roll at arm’s length!
Don’t let their name deceive you as they have some amazing vegetarian & vegan offerings, like the Burgaloo, a house-made spiced potato, beetroot & black bean patty, or their plant-based chili dog. Visit before 3 p.m. Monday–Friday and you can treat yourself to a £10 lunch of any burger, fries & a soda!
6. Dinerama
Eating out with a big group can be super annoying. Tom wants pizza, Sarah’s craving burgers, and Laura will only settle for tacos right now.
Dinerama is the place to be when the gang can’t agree. It’s a hip, fully covered, street food market spread across two levels. There’s Fundi for Tom’s pizza needs, Sarah can get sorted at Tucka Burger, Laura can take her pick of tacos, nachos and burritos at Club Mexicana, and you, well you could go for steamed buns at Yum Bun, or why not try some poutine from the Raclette Brothers.
7. The Blues Kitchen
Like your chicken wings with a side of live music? Head to the Blues Kitchen on Curtain Road where you can stuff your face with big juicy burgers, before hitting the dancefloor to a James Brown tribute. They also serve a mean brunch, including the huevos rancheros, which is basically a breakfast fajita, with eggs, chorizo and pico de gallo salsa, and then why not wash it all down with a thick, creamy milkshake. For a couple of quid extra, you can add a shot of your favorite whiskey—they’ve got the largest collection of bourbon to choose from in London!
