Looking for the best restaurants in St Katharine Docks? We’ve got you covered.
St Katharine Docks has gone from a commercial dock in the 19th and 20th centuries where goods like spices, rum, perfumes, tea and wine landed in London to a derelict area with bombed-out warehouses after the Second World War to a shiny redeveloped waterside neighbourhood, complete with Central London’s only marina.
As a bustling tourist spot as well as home to office workers and residents, it’s not surprising that cafes, restaurants and bars have sprung up at St Kats. If you’re after something quick and reliable, there are plenty of well-known chain restaurants to choose from – have dim sum at Ping Pong, French classics at Cote or pizza at Zizzi.
However it’s worth branching out away from the familiar names as there are some gems to be found in St Kats. Emilia’s Crafted Pasta knocks up some of the best fresh pasta in London with old-school traditional family dishes, like 4-hour slow-cooked bolognese pappardelle, on the menu. If you want a Turkish feast, Kilikya’s serves up everything from falafel to sea bream to iskender kebab. When you’re by the water though you just can’t beat seafood and that’s exactly what The Melusine does with a menu full of the freshest fish and shellfish from across the British coast.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
14th May – 16th June 2024
Read moreSign up to our drops & get us in your inbox.
We’ll be in your inbox every Wednesday at 11:30am.
Put the kettle on!
