There is more to Shoreditch eateries than simply hipster stereotypes. You'll discover some of the best restaurants in the city in London's hippest neighborhood, including Michelin-starred restaurants and modern trattorias.
Some of London's top eateries, including Michelin-starred locations, fiery Thai street food, and discreet supper clubs, can be found in Hipster Headquarters Shoreditch. It might be challenging to keep up with the constant influx of Shoreditch eateries because there are a lot of new establishments emerging and different options already available.
We have put up a comprehensive list of the top restaurants in Shoreditch for 2023 to aid our beloved native Londoners and adventurous tourists in finding the best tables. Shoreditch offers a restaurant for every occasion, whether you want to meet up with a friend over cuisine with Basque influences at Brat or enjoy the sunshine in the garden of Rochelle Canteen.
We’ve been out and about visiting some of the best local hotspots #shoreditch and the #city has to offer for the upcoming launch of our @studioashby collection 👀 Here’s a little #behindthescenes at one of ten #Michelin Starred restaurants within a 20-minute walk #BiBoShoreditch pic.twitter.com/7dQIDFB29H
— One Crown Place (@one_crownplace) August 10, 2022
Without further ado, here are Condé Nast Traveller's top recommendations for Shoreditch eateries. Join our gourmet newsletter to learn more about the most recent restaurant openings in Shoreditch and London.
Activities in London's Shoreditch
1. Cycene
The newest Blue Mountain School project by James and Christie Brown is called Cycene, which is Old English for "kitchen." The addition of the 15-seat restaurant completes the two-story, lovingly renovated townhouse that was once home to Michelin-starred Mos and has exhibition rooms, a ceramics archive, and a library that examines the work and process of artists.
Drinks and the initial course are served as you arrive, and then you are led upstairs to the kitchen and main dining area. With its dim lighting, wood-paneled walls, handcrafted ceramics, and sophisticated sound system, this transitional place encourages reflection and tranquility, allowing you to leave the hectic city streets behind and prepare for the adventure that lies ahead.
Chef de cuisine Theo Clench (formerly of Akoko and Portland) guides you through 10 meals with ease. The meal skillfully brings out the best flavor in the most basic ingredients, creating a comforting yet unique supper. Seared with hot charcoal, meaty, hand-dived Isle of Skye scallops are served with sea truffle and schrenkii, while flawlessly cooked turbot is served with fluffy Japanese milk bread to sop up the sauce. Oysters are slow-cooked for an hour. The delicious duck is the star of the show and is sourced and cooked with the highest care and devotion. We decided to combine the meal with a half-and-half beverages pairing (half wine, half alcohol-free pairings), which gives each dish a tremendous richness without going overboard with alcohol. We enjoyed the kombuchas. It's a kind gesture that perfectly captures what the Cycene team is working on creating a setting and experience that puts food front and center and leaves you feeling completely inspired. Port Amber
Price: £££
Address: 9 Chance St, London E2 7JB, Cycene
2. Bibo
The renowned Andalusian chef's first location in the United Kingdom
The main restaurant of the Curtain hotel, Red Rooster, owned by Harlem chef Marcus Samuelsson, was shut down when the hotel went into lockdown and never reopened. The hotel is once again known as the Mondrian, and Andalusian Dani Garca, the chef who announced in 2018 that he was leaving his Marbella restaurant just three weeks after it achieved the highest honor of three Michelin stars, has taken over the lower-level dining room. Like any Spanish restaurant worth making a reservation at, the menu begins with tapas. There are the traditional dishes, such as the pleasantly stodgy pan con tomate, the smoky chorizo brioche with a delicate quail's egg, and the flaky cod fritters with a pungent aioli. The second course is a ración, which in Spain is a little larger meal served after tapas. Here, raciones contain beef cecina, a cured meat that has been smoked or salted, with a sour truffle vinaigrette and acidic payoyo cheese. Huge paellas with lobster, octopus, or rib-eye are served for the table to enjoy. The burger we suggest the most is one with a large, juicy patty covered in creamy DG sauce that runs down the side of the substantial bread. Our recommendation for dessert is the Basque cheesecake; it won't appeal to everyone but is still worth a try. It is topped with shaved Parmesan. James Sarah
Address: 45 Curtain Road, BiBo, Mondrian Shoreditch, London, EC2A 3PT
3. Boundary
A popular restaurant featuring inventive drinks and crowd-pleasing dishes
The boundary is not a new restaurant in East London. With its location at the intersection of Boundary Street and Red Church Street, it has long been a well-liked stopping place for East End vistas, sunny cocktails, and Mediterranean food on the rooftop, for large pastries, brunch favorites, and deli nibbles at Albion downstairs. The lively pub and brasserie that now stands in Albion's place serve different meals throughout the day, from breakfast avocado toast to late-night steak and fries. During the warmer months, the inside is warm and inviting, while throughout the summer, customers stream out onto the kerbside terrace. Seven house drinks have been named after the seven deadly sins; the "Wrath" is a hot margarita that won't let you down, while the "Sloth" is a terrific spin on a traditional negroni with a gentle taste of nutmeg and cherry. Freshest Devon scallops are served with warm, chewy bread and whipped salty butter, then anchovy, lemon, and basil oil-dressed anchovies. Flaky Cornish fish and sea veggies are topped in a beurre blanc for the main course, which is yet another deft balancing of butter and salt. It was so excellent that we had to restrain ourselves from licking the dish. With the chocolate mousse for dessert or another decadent cocktail, you can put off going home a bit longer. Allard, Sarah
Boundary, 2-4 Boundary St, London, England, E2 7DD
4. The Light Bar
Resurrecting a storied structure in East London
The recently renovated Light Bar, a historic Victorian power station turned Noughties rave venue, is located away from the chaos of Old Street. Chef Johnnie Collins runs the open kitchen in the high location, which has three stories of glazed brick and industrial windows. He focuses on strong seasonal sharing meals, which are modern British recipes with East Asian and Italian influences. Before attempting more substantial small meals, start with yakitori sticks such as Swaledale chicken thigh with preserved yuzu and tropea onion, soft monkfish with black sesame, and pressed pig belly with red glaze. Even though everyone else in the restaurant seemed to order the half-roast chicken with curry sauce and fries, we chose a dish of crab cappelletti with brown crab chili butter. The distinctive Light Negroni, which pays homage to the days of raves at the original Light Bar, is made with suze, Amores mezcal, Cocchi Americano, and orange bitters. The cocktail selection has been painstakingly crafted and inspired by prior events in the region. A mash-up of flavors and styles may have a lot going on, but does it work? Yes. In an area that already glows with premier gastronomic places, it shines brightly. Kathy Sohn
The Light Bar is located at 233 Shoreditch High Street in London, E1 6PJ.
5. Casa do Frango
A bright, spiced-Piri-Piri patch extends to east London
The name Casa do Frango, which translates to "the chicken house," greatly understates what is taking place. The menu begins with a selection of shared plates, including chewy potato bread served warm with whipped butter and chunky salt flakes, smoky grilled chorizo, and spicy Piri-Piri prawns. The house half chicken, coated with Casa do Frango's distinctive Piri Piri sauce, is the only option for the main course. Charred on the exterior and juicy on the inside, it's ideal for tearing into with a group. Fill up on the sides, especially the African rice, which had soft plantains and crunchy chicken skin. Get the Pastel de Nata, just like the Portuguese do, for dessert. A Sandeman white port and tonic is a very refreshing way to start, and it comes filled with mint and orange peel. The cocktail menu is just as Portuguese-spiced as the food. If you squint hard enough, these crowd-pleasing dishes and cheery drinks will give you the impression that you are in Lisbon. James Sarah
Casa Do Frango is located at 2 King John Court, EC2A 3EZ.
6. Padella
East London gets the great spaghetti in London.
Borough Market's renowned pasta restaurant's second location has thrilled consumers who were turned off by long wait times. Grab a stool at the counter and watch the cooks prepare the famed worm-like pici cacio e pepe and colorful pappardelle with eight-hour beef-shin ragu in this polished concrete establishment behind The Curtain hotel on Phipp Street. On the menu are also dishes like tagliarini with Dorset crab, chili, and lemon, and cavatelli with 'nduja and mascarpone. Best part? There will only be virtual lines; enter your name in advance on the Walk-In app and show up when your table is ready to avoid the actual lines.
Postal code: EC2A 4PS in Hackney, London for Padella, 1 Phipp Street
7. Smoking Goat
Shoreditch offers genuine South-East Asian cuisine.
With an open kitchen filled with charcoal smoke and a hip, youthful clientele, chef Ben Chapman's third Thai-spiced hotspot (his first iteration of Smoking Goat on Denmark Street closed in January 2018 and Kiln on Brewer Street is currently operating). Spice doesn't frighten Chapman. The burning heat of a delectable duck laab could cause your cheeks to perspire (a side order of the rich, lardo-fried rice helps cool things a little). Even if you don't often enjoy getting your fingers sticky, the milder fish-sauce wings are a must-order, and the steamed wild mussels come with naam jim, a sweet chili dipping sauce. As you wait for a table, you may spend some time at the bar getting familiar with the Thai-inspired drinks (think tequila mandarin and lime, bourbon and lemongrass, and rye and green chili). Teresa Joyce
Address: 64 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JJ, Smoking Goat
8. St. Leonards
Cooking that is simple and primitive gains a polished edge.
St. Leonards is ideal for long, leisurely dinners with friends or family, where dishes are decadent and the dining atmosphere is just as essential as the meal itself. It is bright and grown-up and has a large open wood fire for cooking. The date is placed at the top of the succinct, carefully picked menu as a statement of seasonality and freshness, and everything is designed to be shared. From the little meals that are served from the ice bar as soon as they are prepared to the filling dishes grilled on the wood grill. We sampled hefty portions of delectably fresh salmon and sea bass atop thin slices of charred kohlrabi (a wild, surprisingly sweet cabbage). The addition of unusual ingredients to traditional recipes works, as seen in the serving of burrata with cocoa beans, razor clams with peas, and raw mackerel with wild dandelion. Even while the seafood is wonderful and good, even the main dishes are superior. The choice is a 60-day-aged longhorn sirloin, but there are also lamb chops served with peach and pickled mustard, black bream with fennel and lemon, and lamb chops grilled over an open fire. The rum baba with smoked pineapple, topped with black treacle and anise ice cream and drenched in enough rum to serve as the ideal nightcap, is the highlight dessert. James Sarah
Location: 70 Leonard Street, St. Leonards, London, EC2A 4QX
9. Lahpet
Burmese genius in East London
Lahpet has followed the ideal trajectory for a successful London restaurant start-up, from a stall on foodies' favorite Maltby Street to a pop-up beneath railway arches to a permanent brick-and-mortar establishment close to bustling Brick Lane. Start the meal with the light and crispy Mandalay fritters, which are served with a pungent tamarind dip and are made of ginger and kidney beans. When we went, the hot ginger gin thohk salad was the meal that customers deemed to be the most genuine. Traditional dishes include thick and sour mohinga (fish chowder) and Shan noodles with ground chicken and mustard greens are also available (like a Burmese bolognese). Dan informs you that modernized meals like hake masala with charred lime and lemongrass rösti and slow-cooked lamb wrapped in those unexpectedly excellent tea leaves with a creamy sauce intended for licking the plate clean won't be available in your native country. Choose the Lahpet Sour, which contains gin, Campari, citrus, Earl Grey, and strawberry jam, from the bar that runs down one side of the restaurant. Visit us for delectable dishes prepared by a charming, young staff featuring unique, fresh flavors. Ingrid McBride
Lahpet is located at 58 Bethnal Green Road in London, England, E1 6JW.
10. Filthy Bones
A Saturday night with filthy meat and a filthy soundtrack
Amazingly, anybody finds Dirty Bones considering that it's hidden inside the same Grade II-listed structure as Beach Blanket Babylon (even Deliveroo drivers struggle). Get a variety of items to share for the best experience at this restaurant, which specializes in outrageously calorie-dense comfort food and good times. Baby back ribs, cheesy truffle fries, and a fantastic sticky beef short rib are must-haves. You won't want dessert, we promise. Still sensitive from the previous night? There is no better Bloody Mary than the one here, which is served with sour cream Pringles around the edge. For live music and an introduction to hip hop that covers its funk and soul beginnings and the Golden Era, go near the end of the week. Judith Lubbock
Address: 1 Club Row, Shoreditch, London E1, Dirty Bones
11. Popolo
An amalgam of Italian, Spanish, and Moroccan cuisine in the heart of Shoreditch
You don't say no when a five-time world kickboxing champion turned chef with a crooked nose and a sly smile suggests you try his favorite dish on the menu. Small-plates, Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in Shoreditch owned by Jon Lawson has rapidly become a favorite hangout for locals. Try that meal Jon wants you to try. a labneh, chickpea, chili, and olive snack. With a surprising saline impact from the deep-fried olive that erupts on your tongue, it is rich, silky, and crispy at the same time. And that is only the beginning. The menu's primary focus is Italian, with elements from Spain and the Middle East, thus freshly prepared pasta is a standout. The best dish, though, is saved for last: burnt-honey panna cotta with strawberries, which has the ideal wobbling and a faint thyme flavor. Don't waste your time pretending to share out of politeness. Ingrid McBride
The Popolo restaurant at 26 Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3DU
12. Smokestak
Hot barbeque restaurant off Brick Lane
You may have noticed Smokestak lines winding through food markets all across the capital, and the aroma of grilled meat in all its gloriousness is hard to forget. A few years ago, the food truck built its restaurant right off Brick Lane. Chef-patron David Carter, who formerly worked for Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's before relocating to Texas and investing in a 4.5-ton smoker to perfect the art of grilling, is the driving force behind the restaurant. Old favorites have been updated for the modern palate on the smoke-fueled menu, including mouthwateringly tender brisket buns with pickled red chili and thick-cut pig ribs with pickled cucumber. There are smoked girolles with bread dripping with meat, pastrami with pickles and sour cabbage, and hot-smoked fish with rye and creamy horseradish among the menu items. Vegans are not forgotten; dishes like roasted aubergines with scorched honey and cashews and salt-baked beets with goat cheese and hazelnuts are as remarkable. Go to the cellar bar instead of your table since it offers the same drink selection but a gloomier atmosphere and is lighted by candles. A. Riley-Smith, Alice
Smokestak is located at 35 Sclater Street in Shoreditch, London E1.
13. Sagardi
Like the Basque food that Granny used to prepare on Curtain Road
The popular Basque Country restaurant company, which has carved itself a niche for its straightforward, traditional food, is now open in Europe for the first time outside of Spain. As you go into this Shoreditch location, the butcher shop is the first thing you notice because of the enormous sides of beef hanging behind the glass. A standout Spanish heirloom tomato salad features four different types of tomatoes, including yellow, pink, ruby, and claret-colored ones, and is dressed in olive oil, white-wine vinegar, and green chilies. Before moving on to the steak, it's worth taking a look at the rest of the menu. It features hefty portions of morcilla (black pudding), which is made with rice and is lighter and more crumbly than its UK cousin. The txuletón cut of cider house steak is served in neat slices next to the bone, fire-grilled, succulent, and pink (take it home to make a meaty stock). To drink, you can ask the bartender to make you a big G&T at your table, or you can pick a tasty Tempranillo from the huge wine rack that runs along the back wall. It is a genuine flavor of the Basque region in East London. Ingrid McBride
Sagardi, 95 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, London EC2, is the address.
14. Brat
The solo effort with Basque accents from pioneering chef Kitty Fisher's
You may understandably ask why Brat escaped your attention in the past. The excellent cuisine taking place just above is concealed by the understated awning, chalkboard menu, and gloomy stairway. And as evidence, within six months after launching Brat, chef Tomos Parry, renowned as the proprietor of Mayfair's Kitty Fisher's, earned a Michelin star. The cuisine, which is basque-inspired and built around the blazing wood-fired oven and grills, is named after the ancient English term for turbot (one of the must-order trademark dishes). The scorched cheesecake and the charred anchovy sandwiches are two standout items; eat them with a bottle of sherry.
Read the entire review in our compilation of London's top eateries.
In London, E1 6JL, at 4 Redchurch St.
15. Gloria
A kitsch interpretation of a classic trattoria by the Big Mamma Gang
Gloria on Great Eastern Street is London's first taste of The Big Mamma Group's humorous and colorful twist on a traditional Italian trattoria. The Big Mamma Group's extremely Instagrammable eateries made them major news in Paris before they even opened Gloria. Everything about this restaurant is large and bold, from the massive menu to the beverages served in giant kitsch mugs to the towering lemon meringue pie you've probably seen on social media. Still, gimmicks included, the atmosphere is great for a party and the cuisine lives up to the promise.
Location: 54-56 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3QR, for Gloria
16. Daffodil Mulligan
From Irish great chef Richard Corrigan, a brilliant destination
The most recent endeavor of Richard Corrigan is very dissimilar to his swanky, marble-edged eateries in Piccadilly and Mayfair. For foreigners, the bar's vintage black-and-red Guinness tap brings back memories, but this is hardly a Gaelic gastropub. In the open kitchen, the chefs' whites stand out against the orange flames of the wood-fired oven. In the raw bar, huge scallop shells, gnarled oysters, and plump pink langoustines are lined up. Along with the seafood-heavy beginnings, there are also meaty alternatives to savor. The crubeens, an inventive take on traditional Irish pigs' feet that are served with a pot of Coleman's mustard, are one such dish. The main courses are equally hearty: baked back of sole with chestnut shavings, tart black grapes, cavolo nero, and bright smiles of squash (many of the vegetables come from Corrigan's farm in Ireland). Sirloin steak, slices of pink laid out in a cast-iron dish, with chimichurri béarnaise sauce and chunky chips. After that, take a short break since you ought to sample some pudding. This cuisine has a lot of flavors and deserves to be popular (next time: whole-baked lobster with kimchi). Moreover, the craic isn't half awful. Ingrid McBride
Daffodil Mulligan is located at 70-74 City Road in London, EC1Y 2BJ.
17. The Clove Club
The open kitchen at Shoreditch Town Hall frequently appears on lists of the top 50 restaurants in the world. The restaurant, which Isaac McHale opened in 2013, has a casual atmosphere (especially in the bar, which serves smaller plates), a five-course, constantly-changing menu with unexpectedly delicious pairings like leek and oysters, caramel ice cream and barley, and roast beef that could save the Empire.
The Clove Club is located at 380 Old Street in Shoreditch, London EC2.
18. Rochelle Canteen
A final redoubt stubbornly hangs onto the Shoreditch ideals of the recent past: artiness, eccentricity, and a purposeful withdrawal from the mainstream melee in a neighborhood that is becoming more and more overrun by mammon vertiginous developments, exclusive members clubs, and pounding hotel bars. It's the Rochelle Canteen, a charming small eatery located on the magnificent Boundary Estate, the location of London's first social housing, and housed in a former bike shed. The Rochelle, which serves as the staff canteen for area artists, isn't exactly in a convenient location, but the reward is worth the effort. English contemporary decor with Ercol throughout is subtle and egalitarian. And the food fits in well. Melanie Arnold and Margot Henderson, the business's owners, take a straightforward, sincere approach without fetishizing its simplicity. Although the menu is always changing, we had a superbly seasoned steak tartare and a hearty fish stew with chickpeas and rouille.
Address: 16 Playground Gardens, London E2 7FA, Rochelle Canteen
19. Lyle's
A memorable-tasting meal
The first solo business of chef James Lowe draws largely from his time spent working at Noma, St. John Bread and Wine, and the Ten Bells supper club. Every evening, Lowe serves four meals with a few entertaining additions. A few crushed Jersey Royals and a buttery whey froth accompany the brill on the plate. Although Tom Adams (of Pitt Cue) provides the pork, wild pea blossoms are collected in East London. A Welsh Black collar may be coupled with apple mustard and dandelion. A second cheese course from Neal's Yard, the best artisan dairy in London, is an option. Then for dessert, the baked cream with rhubarb almost shines, bringing back memories of childhood candy stores. People who want an à la carte menu should visit Lyle's for lunch if they don't like fixed menus. Teresa Joyce
Address: 56 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JJ, Lyle's Tea Building
20. Apothecary
The perfect Japanese mini plates for every occasion
The punchy drinks and delectable Asian dishes are served at this late-night bar and restaurant with a late-night izakaya vibe on Friday and Saturday nights to the music of a live DJ. The 24-hour hotspot Apothecary East is located immediately off Great Eastern Street. Throughout the week, some stop by for a quick, elegant lunch, while on the weekends, a bottomless brunch attracts a party crowd. In the evenings, it's a perfect location to bring the parents or reserve for a laid-back dinner with friends. Exposed brick walls, dark green leather seats, towering palms, and a U-shaped bar that can be seen from the street attract those searching for a late-night beverage. The interiors are modern and urban.
The 20 best Shoreditch restaurants, chosen by our editors https://t.co/rw7SOSiFK3 pic.twitter.com/yezfl0kNBG
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Traditional Japanese culinary techniques are used in the open kitchen to prepare meals. The made-to-share menu consists of sushi, bao buns, skewers roasted over a robata grill, and Japanese snacks. Edamame with salt is a must to start, and we advise setting out one or two sushi rolls. We like the smoked pork belly from the hirata buns menu since it was tender and overflowing with gochujang and lime mayo. We advise choosing the house special from the grill, which consists of three skewers of chicken thigh, sweet potato, and pig belly. It's difficult to pick favorites among the sides, but standouts were the miso-glazed aubergine, prawn tempura, karaage fried chicken, and smoky tender stem broccoli. Toby Knight
Address: 36 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3PG, Apothecary East