After announcing a sabbatical at the end of last year, cult Thai restaurant Singburi has now relocated from Leytonstone to Shoreditch. Chef Sirichai Kularbwong has teamed up with chef Nick Molyviatis (who was the founding chef at Kiln and who helped launched OMA) and Alexander Gkikas (co-founder of Catalyst Cafe and Roastery), to open Singburi 2.0 inside the new Montacute Yards development close to Shoreditch High Street station. The menu is reminiscent of the blackboard at the Leytonstone restaurant, with dishes like Dill & Lemongrass Pork Sausage; Wild Ginger Chicken Thigh; Prawn & Betel Leaf Southern Curry; Mussels, Tomato & Sweet Basil; and Smoked Pork Belly & Green Peppercorn. There’s also a bar at this Singburi, pouring a rotating selections of wine (all available by the glass) from a list curated with the help of Ancestral Wine, and cocktails like clarified Bloody Marys and makrut lime leaf Gimlets.
"I love spicy food, so Singburi is an obvious favourite. I’m thrilled they’ve found a new home in Shoreditch. Fingers crossed they have the grilled pork neck or moo krob on the menu."
After running a series of pop-ups and residences, Andrea Asciuti opened a permanent 081 Pizzeria restaurant in Peckham in 2023 and it quickly became one of south London’s go-to pizza joints – it was even listed as one of the 50 Top Pizzas in Europe. Two years later, he added a second in Shoreditch. Neapolitan pizza and Naples-inspired tapas is the name of the game, with pizzas like the Napoli RMX (tomato, burrata, anchovies, olives & capers), the Maradona (smoked mozzarella, Italian sausage & wild broccoli), and the Parmigiana (tomato, mozzarella, fried aubergines & parmesan) on the menu alongside arancini, deep-fried aubergine balls, croquettes and pistachio doughnuts for pud.
"The best Neapolitan pizza in London, and the polar opposite of our own style. It works perfectly as a kind of pizza palate cleanser for me."
Founded by Charles Ganem and Samuel Nataf in Pigalle in 2019, Dumbo quickly won over Parisians with its take on the smashburger and its stripped-back aesthetic. Having grown to four sites in Paris, Charles and Samuel went international by opening a location in Shoreditch. Like its Parisian sisters, the London Dumbo has the same understated, functional design and simple menu of cheeseburgers (made with HG Walter meat) and veggie burgers made with artisan potato brioche buns, American cheese, onions and pickles; french fries; and chicken nuggets. The whole vibe isn’t dissimilar to Supernova, which went viral when it launched in Soho, and Dumbo looks to have gone down well too.
"Just across the street. Perfect when I’m craving a burger, and the wait is usually much shorter than you’d expect."
"Just down the road from the shop. Great Guinness and excellent chicken and chips. If you’re lucky, you might even snag a last-minute table at One Club Row upstairs."
If we could dress head to toe in threads from Goodhood we would – they stock all our fave brands including Wood Wood, Vans, Aries, Nanushka, YMC and Norse Projects. And once your wardrobe is full, it’s worth checking out their homeware selection, including Hay, Ferm Living and Cold Picnic, and picking up some Aesop goodies OBVS.
"Brilliant for discovering brands you might not know yet. A go-to for a great piece for yourself or an easy present for a friend."
"Excellent pies for sharing, arguably the best steak tartare in London, and a great wine list."
The Hoxton, Shoreditch is the original east end design hotel, having been on the block since 2006. The hotel has 211 rooms, which are compact but perfect for city stays, and with a restaurant and lobby below that’s buzzing 24/7 there’s really no reason to be in your room other than to sleep. The rooms all come with free breakfast bag, water and a mini fridge to stock with booze from the lobby shop at supermarket prices although we’d recommend checking out the avo on toast for breakfast – it’s our fave avo in London. Be sure to check out the cultural events programme whilst you’re there too and really submerse yourself in the local culture.
"A place I have a great relationship with. I love their restaurant concepts, the location is spot on, and the rooms are always excellent."
Mr Lyan, aka cocktail maestro Ryan Chetiyawardana, is back in East London (he opened his first bar White Lyan in the neighbourhood back in 2013) with Seed Library. The bar is in the basement of One Hundred Shoreditch and is decked out in warm orange and red upholstery and wood panelling. There’s lo-fi, analogue approach to drinks, taking inspo from classic cocktails and alternative flavours and ingredients, which means drinks like the Curry Leaf Stonefence (using curry leaf to bring out the greener side of white rum), the Perilla Gin & Tonic (using perilla seed to add green and nutty notes to the bitter sweet cocktail) and the Sancho Leaf Martini (adding the floral spice of szechuan leaf to contrast with the cold gin or vodka).
"The best cocktails in the city. It’s the perfect spot to unwind after a shift."
E Pellicci has been serving the good people of East London for over 100 years, so you can bet they know what they’re doing when it comes to feeding the hungry and the hungover. It’s classic caff grub, the portions are big, they serve breakfasts all day long and the fry-up will cost you less than a tenner. It’s closed on Sundays though, so don’t caught out.
"The energy and the breakfast are unmatched, in my opinion. Always worth the queue."
WatchHouse have set the standards for modern coffee, making it one of our fave places to enjoy a brew in town. Born in Bermondsey (inside a former shelter, or watch house, for men guarding the graveyard of St Mary Magdalen’s Church) the biz has now several houses across London, plus a roastery on Maltby Street, all serving the speciality stuff. Many of them do food too, including baked goods, eggs, pancakes and other brunch dishes.
"Consistently the tastiest coffee around. I drink mine black, so you really notice the balance and depth."
