East London is home to some of the most creative neighbourhoods in London. From picturesque parks to a buzzing nightlife scene, it's easily one of the most exciting places to call home.
Here's a rundown of some of East London's best bits, from hotspots to hidden gems.
Parks
East London is home to a lot of green space. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is right by UCL East, and yes, you can still go down the ArcelorMittal Orbit slide. Victoria Park is another massive park, and London Fields and Haggerston Park are also great spaces. Many of our teams train at Hackney Marshes, which is good news if you’re sporty. Also, if you want to go for a walk, run or cycle, you have the Regent's Canal at your disposal. You can even find a few city farms around here – Spitalfields City Farm has some very friendly goats.
Food
You’ll never be short for choice for food markets here. At the weekend, head to Victoria Park or Broadway Market for their amazing food markets. Brick Lane also has a great choice of street food at weekends. To get your food fix all week round, you can’t go wrong with Spitalfields Market.
Hackney Wick
Hackney Wick, a vibrant area in East London, offers a variety of drinking spots that known for its creative and artistic vibe. Some key places to check out are:
- Crate Brewery: A student favorite, this brewery offers a range of craft beers and delicious pizzas, all in a cool canal-side setting.
- Number 90 Bar & Kitchen: This trendy spot provides a mix of craft cocktails, beers, and a diverse food menu, along with regular DJ sets and live music.
- Howling Hops Brewery: Known for its tank-fresh beers, this brewery offers a relaxed atmosphere and communal tables, perfect for socializing.
- Grow Hackney: An eco-friendly bar with a focus on sustainability, Grow hosts live music, DJ nights, and various cultural events, making it a dynamic place to hang out.
Nightlife
People from all over London flock to East London for its nightlife scene. Dalston Superstore is one of London's best LGBTQ+ venues, a bar and club in one. Other great club venues include Oslo Hackney (Friday is y2k night), Colours Hoxton, Colour Factory, Village Underground... we could go on forever.
If you're taking the tube and heading further into central, make sure to check out Roof East, the rooftop bar situated on top of Stratford Shopping Centre, opposite Stratford station. Roof East is a great location to go for food and drinks or enjoy their rooftop cinema and eclectic events. You can also take part in: Crazy Golf, Archery, Batting Cages and Glitter Bowls, to name a few.
Shopping
One of the things Stratford is known most for is Westfield, the largest shopping mall in Europe. Make sure you go armed with your Unidays or TOTUM card to access all of the discounts on offer across their shops!
If you're looking for good thrift stores, head to Hackney Central or Dalston.
Brick Lane is London's vintage haven - they have everything from curated designer vintage to some seriously good bargains, including a £10 and under vintage basement and the famous Brick Lane Vintage Market, with too many vendors to count.
Activities
Fan of table tennis? Head to Bat & Ball. Want to beat your friends at video games while eating pizza? Four Quarters in Hackney Wick is where to go. There’s even a bar where you can hit baseballs – Home Run House in Westfield Stratford. In the summer, London Fields Lido is a must. Lee Valley ice rink is also nearby too.
Culture
If there's a home for live music in London, you'll find that in East. There are up-and-coming artists playing Monday through Sunday, and certain bigger artists have been known to play more intimate gigs around here. Many of its venues are on the Dice app, where you can find loads of gigs to go to - many of them free. Here are a few suggestions..
There's also a lot of art going on here. Whitechapel Gallery is a hidden gem, a gallery with free entry and some of the most exciting modern art on display in London right now. Brick Lane is a must-go for street art, as is Hackney Wick.
There’s also a few great independent cinemas showing films both new and old – Rio Cinema in Dalston, Genesis in Stepney Green (who have extra cheap tickets on Mondays) and The Castle Cinema in Homerton.