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Put the kettle on!
ST KATHARINE'S & WAPPING
The hidden gems of Tower Hamlets, St Katharine Docks and Wapping are both packed with interesting places to eat, drink, shop and visit.
Water in London isn’t an unusual thing – not only does it rain a lot here but the city is built on a whopping great river but did you know that there’s an actual marina here where you can moor your boat? St Katharine Docks, which lies just a few minutes away from the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, is Central London’s only marina boasting 185 berths and a calendar of nautical events, including a classic boat festival, a floating film festival and regular paddleboarding sessions.
Once a commercial dock that made up part of the Port of London in the 19th and early 20th centuries, welcoming cargo like wine, spices, perfumes, tea and rum into London, St Kats was badly damaged by bombs during World War II meaning much of the area lay derelict until the 1970s until redevelopment started. Now St Kats and Wapping are both home to office and residential buildings as well as an array of shops, bars, cafes and restaurants.
Given its proximity to the City and to tourist attractions like the Tower of London, it’s not surprising that there are a fair few chain restaurants in this part of town, but there are a few independent spots and little gems here too. Emilia’s Crafted Pasta is one of the best fresh pasta joints in London, White Mulberries is an award-winning coffee shop and there’s the Dickens Inn, housed in an 18th-century warehouse complete with timber-framed balconies and hanging baskets. There’s plenty to see and do in St Katharine’s and Wapping.
There’s no better place to get your shots off than White Mulberries. The coffee shop serves up a damn good cuppa joe and their brunch is pretty spot on too. With all their goodies made in-house or delivered from local bakeries, it’s all super fresh and totally Instagrammable.
THE MELUSINE
From the same duo behind the (now closed) Greek Larder, Theodore Kyriakou and Wade Munford, The Melusine is a seafood restaurant centred around a menu of exceptional quality fish and shellfish. Located inside the Grade II-listed Ivory House, the restaurant is bright and airy, with an open kitchen that serves up the likes of grilled cuttlefish, new season lamb, garlic flower tzatziki, chickpeas and capers; whole octopus tentacle, fava, capers, mesclun leaves and citrus dressing; crab risotto with melon seeds and fennel top; taramasalata, breakfast radishes, watercress, and squid ink shallots; and a raw selection including rock and native oysters, clams and crab.
Slurp Noodles is a sure thing if you’re looking for South East Asian street food in London. There’s a great mix of authentic small and larger dishes on the menu, including quail egg fried wontons, fried tofu with sweet chilli peanut sauce and various meats with rice (char siu pork, Hainan chicken and braised pork leg). Of course, there are noodles too, choose from banmian with char siu pork and wonton, ho fun noodle soup, five spice noodle soup with pork or beef, clear noodle soup with roasted pork or clear noodle soup with chicken. Small side note, their website is a bit… dodgy – head to their Insta instead.
THE COFFEE BOX IN THE PARK
This mini, mobile coffee shop is serving up *very* good coffee, muffins, croissants and daily sandwich specials from Tuesdays to Saturdays. They use artisanal Colombian coffee in their range of drinks, which include iced lattes and Americanos, cappuccinos, macchiatos, chai lattes and more. This is just what your morning walk through Wapping Woods needed.
Fresh, reasonably priced decent pasta is what Emilia’s Crafted Pasta is all about. Serving up old-school traditional family recipes that have been passed down the generations, expect fresh dishes that tick all the boxes. And if you can’t decide that 4-hour slow-cooked bolognese pappardelle is a must. Top food paired with a relaxed atmosphere makes Emilia’s the ideal place to get your pasta fix.
As the name suggests, Bravas Tapas is all about the tapas! The independent restaurant has a proper family-run vibe and is perfect for date night. With candles, Modern Basque small plates, Spanish cocktails and an outdoor terrace you might even forget you’re in London…
Kilikya’s is a proper Turkish restaurant – plus, the customer service is spot on. Serving up set lunch & evening menus, alongside an a la carte menu, there’s something for everyone and every budget. From the falafel to the mixed İskender kebap and the sea bream to courgette fritters, you really won’t go wrong with a Turkish feast here.
The Dickens Inn is a pretty special pub. Housed in an 18th-century warehouse – think timber framed balconies and hanging baskets – it’s the perfect place to grab a pint, and once you’ve had a few too many there’s some pretty bangin’ pizza to chow down on too; their 15″ x 23″ beast is legendary! Oh, and there are two HUGE beer gardens, perfect for that summer sun.
Honest Burgers are now all over the shop, serving up meaty goodness near you. When it comes to their burgers, don’t miss their classic cheeseburger with dry-aged beef, red onion relish, lettuce and either Red Leicester, Mature Cheddar or Stilton. Or, if you’re a smashed burger mega fan, their ‘Smashed by Honest’ burger (complete with American cheese, white onion, pickles and brown butter mustard mayo) is a very solid choice. All their burgers come with rosemary salted chips too, so just add in a side of onion rings and bacon ketchup and you’re good to go.
URBAN BARISTAS
Urban Baristas have locations all over the city, but Wapping was officially their first sit-in cafe and where they started serving up their Aussie brunch when the site launched back in 2017. As well as a comprehensive selection of specialty coffees, you can grab smoothies, something from the ‘avo toast bar’ and a range of brunch dishes at the weekend.
WAPPING DOCKLANDS MARKET
The Wapping Docklands Market is open every Saturday, located along the edge of the Shadwell Basin. As well as stalls packed with fresh produce, there are indie brands selling specialty coffee, flowers, wellness products, fresh bread, cheese, craft German beers, wine, cocktails and more. Plus, there’s seating for up to 100 people, live music and a range of street food vendors so you can really make a day of it.
BISTRO BARDOT
Located in a historic, 19th-century pub, Bistro Bardot (as the name suggests) is a bistro serving up a menu of classic French dishes. The pub sits just next to Wapping Gardens, so they have a pretty idyllic terrace complete with tasselled umbrellas and plenty of greenery. Indoors, the renovated interior is chic and welcoming, with deep teal walls and candlelit tables. Expect to find the likes of duck & pistachio paté en croute, escargot, ratatouille, beef bourguignon and a selection of French cheeses on the menu. They’re open in the evenings most days, but on Sundays, they offer a breakfast menu as well as a bottomless brunch option, so you can sip on Bloody Marys for 60 minutes straight while you tuck into some eggs royale.
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