My dowsing rod, trained to detect great coffee shops, was twitching in excitement when I was…read morewalking down a residential street in Stoke Newington. There - on the corner of Shakespeare Walk and Allen Road, did I detect a shop that actually not featured a sign, but that oozed with coziness and a promise of good coffee and food. Sure enough, when I walked inside I was greeted with the smell of freshly ground coffee and wafts of toasted bread made its way to my nostrils. I appreciated the loaves of fresh bread on the counter, but being on the way to Broadway Market I decided to hold off on a purchase just yet. Instead, I went for a simple Americano to take-away. I really enjoyed this little trip over here and promised to be back soon again. All the other patrons looked very satisfied: reading the weekend edition of the Guardian while nibbling away on something delicious or chatting with a friend in a corner of the store...it all looked so comforting and if I hadn't had my dog waiting for me outside, I would've definitely prolonged my stay here ;-) Still, I wonder what's up with not displaying their name on the outside of the store?

I was super excited when we found this cute little vegan cafe in Stokey. We went for breakfast and…read moreordered some yummy and also reasonably priced sanwiches/toasties and nutritious juices - all freshly prepared. There are newspapers, magazines, and books to browse in while you have your coffee. Bodega 50 has three large tables only but as it's not on a high street, it's easy to find a place to sit on a Saturday morning.

Okay so this cute little pizzeria is right next door to The Shakesphere and will probably be…read moreoverlooked by most. But never judge a book by its cover! The pizzas here are amazing, cooked in about 15 minutes, they use fresh ingredients, thin but soft bases and are outstanding value for money. They do a veggie special with fresh rocket on the top which is to die for. Don't eat in, go next door, grab yourself a pint to go with this pizza. Or if you're like me, walk in on your way home from work and eat it in front of the TV. The best way to slob out after a hard day at work. Think about the diet tomorrow hey?!

I'm originally a New Yorker and this is the only place I have eaten pizza at (in London) that…read moredoesn't make me regret it. I haven't had any of the pastas or anything else. Just plain margharita pizzas, as pizza should be. And I just found out they deliver to where I live, which is double bonus, and it's cheap as well. If you buy one, you get a second half off. Update - No they don't deliver to where I live. Their website is bogus and doesn't actually order pizza even though it takes your CC details and sends you a confirmation email. Avoid.

I am so fortunate to have this as my local pub. It's truly a gastro pub as the food is absolutely…read moredelicious. I had the rump of lamb with kale, walnuts and celriac grastin. Followed up with the toffee apple crumble with cream. The ambience is warm, mature and comforting. People playing games, nice conversations over wine, wait staff are nice and friendly.

Scored "1" on food hygiene rating! Deeply Concerned -- Hygiene Rating Hidden!! Stopped by Beyti on…read moreGreen Lanes recently, curious to try it for the first time. We noticed there was no food hygiene rating displayed, which immediately raised a red flag. When we asked about it, the staff said they "didn't know"--even after we pointed out that it's a legal requirement. We looked it up ourselves and found they currently have a Food Hygiene Rating of 1 (as of February 2025). The fact that this wasn't disclosed--and that they wouldn't admit it even when asked--is incredibly concerning. Transparency matters when it comes to food safety. Would recommend caution until they address this properly.

Absolutely glad we came here to eat. Don't let the huge take away menu fool you. Quality was great…read more Chicken was juicy and lamb wasn't too gamey. Taste was good and was cooked right there on the grill where you can see it. Portions were good and the side salad that comes with the main was nice and fresh. Price, can't complain at all! Meat mains mostly under £10...can't find much of that around town. Dips= delicious. The bread that comes with the dips are thicker styled bread, but it's suuper fluffy and soft. BYOB, which is awesome. Cash only. Saw many people having to go run to the nearest ATM. Really nice staff. Will be back again.

Looking for a chill place to have a good conversation complemented with a satisfying meal? Then…read morelook no further...Sömine is what you are searching for! We were on our way to another restaurant up the street and we all decided we could no longer be bothered with walking, that's when Sömine appeared in the distance. We decided to gamble and eat here instead. This is when laziness actually is beneficial. The staff here is so friendly and funny. You were served with the complementary items and given recommendations based on our eating preferences. My fellow veg heads we can eat here! They have several items on the menu that cater to vegetarian boundaries (vegan I'm not so sure). I forget the name of what I ordered but it was almost like a meatless and pastaless lasagna. It was de-lish-us! The place is a bit small with the tables fairly close to each other, so be careful when moving around. Luckily for us, there was one other party there so we had room to stretch our limbs. I would definitely recommend this place

I have to admit, it's been ages since I last ventured out to Dalston...even though it is supposed…read moreto be the new hipster central! And given that I was practically a novice to this area, I whipped out my phone to consult the opinion of my fellow Yelpers as to where they suggest a starving bloke should find consolidation for his stomach. Sömine popped near the top of the list with overwhelmingly good reviews - amongst others, one by Lizzie G, whose reviews are generally superb! I walked along Kingsland Road, with its mixture of ethnic supermarkets, trashy clothing stores and fried-chicken shops. But the further North you go (towards Stoke Newington), the more the area seems to become "cool", as you can find hip restaurants and coffee shops for the yuppies and hipsters that slowly, but surely seem to "gentrify" this area. Sömine is as low-key as it gets - in fact, it resembles a cheap cafeteria of my long-gone university days. But let's turn to the food for a minute: they mostly offer stews, which are on display already from the outside. The guy behind the counter explained to me the various flavours/ingredients and in the end decided on a vegetarian stew and a stew with minced lamb and aubergine. He ladled them both on a soup-plate and on the side he served me some pickled vegetables and rice. (I specifically asked for the rice to be served on a separate plate.) What I liked best about my dining-experience here was watching the kitchen ladies making Turkish raviolis right there in the restaurant (see photo). For some reason, this act of making food right here and there, made me believe that all their food is made with a similar passion...

Great food and nice friendly service. I had the Haddock Hash. Great variety of items and a good…read morevalue. I think two people could share along with a pita and green labne appetizer. We sat outside because more room for the baby which was nice. I would go back!

Great service and atmosphere. The food was excellent. They even do a kids tray for my 4 year old…read moregranddaughter. Very impressed.

When I'm in England and get tired of bland English pub food, i always visit Thai Cafe. Great food…read moreand service.

I can't believe I've lived in London since like 2007 and I only found out about Thai Cafe this…read moreyear. I feel like an absolute fucking bellend tbh, spending all my time in fucking yumyums (which has the world's stupidest name and is only fun coz they have those tables that sink into the floor but half the time they don't let you sit in them anyway) when this absolute solid gold TREASURE is one minute round the corner. Anyway, the window seat is right next to some cute fairy lights and flowers and shit. As per usual I embarrassed my dining partner - 2015 Elite Yelper, Luke Y - by announcing that if this was a tinder date he would definitely be getting laid. BE WARNED THOUGH - romantic as it is, that table is draughty as fuck whenever anyone goes out for a cigarette. The food is the most authentic Thai I've had outside of actual Thailand. We ordered like the fat fucks that we are, and had fish cakes, chicken satay, squid and some kind of stir fried pork. I also rate their masaman curry and kanom jeeb dumplings more highly than I can express in words, and their homemade ice creams are fleek af too plus they do cool flavours like coconut and pandan. Your whole experience here is going to be heightened immeasurably by the cuteness of the tiny Thai grandma that serves the food. I just want to kiss her all over her jolly little face. She brings you these little spearmint chewy sweets with your bill that instantly take on the exact texture of pre-chewed chewing gum when you eat them. Maybe they are chewing gum? Either way, I swallow, but that's enough about my personal life LOL. All in all, it's an A+ experience every time. Big up Thai Cafe, I love you.

The Indian food in this pub was amazing. The chicken tiki is not to be missed. Probably one of the…read morebest surprises of pubs in the area.

I decided to come by here on my recent whirlwind 3 night trip to London in December, just because…read morethey had a vegetarian (and, sometimes) vegan option for their Sunday roast dinners. I was a little confused by their ordering process, not realizing that you had to go up to the bar to place your food orders, which the waitstaff will then bring to your table. Being a bar and all, they had an impressive selection of beers and ciders, and, if I can recall correctly, at least 5 different types of roasts available for dinner. I opted for their vegetarian roast, which consisted of some sort of soy and carrot mixture. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect a Sunday roast to be, but after getting my food, I immediately realized that it was like a Thanksgiving day meal back home in the states. I had roasted potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce with my veggie roast, which are pretty standard to a Thanksgiving day meal. The Yorkshire puddings, however, was what made it distinctly English. It's a bit out of the way from Central London, but I think this place is worth visiting if you're hankering for some sort of Sunday roast. Fun, friendly staff in a divey kind of bar setting. Prices were also reasonable and the portions were huge. All the right components for a good meal and dining experience, if you ask me.

Stumbled upon this place for brunch completely by chance, the place my friends and I were headed to…read morewound up being closed and a lady on the street recommended this one instead. Super cute and quaint, I had the chorizo egg bake with focaccia and chai latte both of which were fantastic in my opinion. Our server was also very nice. A lovely option for brunch if you're in the area!

A super cool, small café serving good coffee and food offerings. The Bircher, their vegan dish, is…read moresimple but delicious. Definitely hit the spot with its fruit sweetness and variety of textures. The staff were chill. Loved this local spot.

Two-year-old BP & WP is a funky, little resto offering up Spanish cuisine. Not being too…read morewell-versed in the food of Spain, I couldn't exactly tell you from which region(s) the food hails. Tapas, side dishes and larger shared plates make up the menu. Vegetarians and Pescatarians will not go hungry here. And, of course, meat eaters will be pleased with the selection. I was angling for the leg of lamb (meant for 2-3 persons), but my dining companions were not keen. The space is narrow, candle-lit and, on the night we dined, filled with patrons. There are two 2-tops out front and a short bar accommodating approx. four diners. 2-tops, four-tops and, at least, one larger table fill the floor. Behind the bar I spied beer, wine, port, and some spirits. Our fare was tasty & attractively arranged. We had anchovies (warning: the vinegar hit the back of our throats and made our eyes water), black rice with squid, tortilla with a ramekin of aioli, broad beans with ham and a sauteed spinach side. The last two dishes were garnished with roasted garlic clove. The service was friendly, informative and, considering how busy the resto was, not terribly slow. My tiny quibble would have been the shape of the wine glasses. They resembled a, sort of, wide-mouthed, stout cylinder, if that makes sense. It made for a bit of an awkward grip-n-sip when one drank. Raucous music reminiscent of Les Negres Vertes played over the loud speakers and made for a peppy, upbeat dining experience that I much enjoyed.

Stoke Newington has Turkish cafes, great Indian food, sushi, hot salt beef bagels, fish and chips,…read moreand a bunch of pubs. Now, thanks to Black Pig with White Pearls it also has Spanish tapas. I was a regular patron of the restaurant which used to inhabit the space so I was curious to see what the new owners had done with it. The decor is what you could call Spanish hipster; black walls and simple tables are embellished with candelabras and cardboard bull heads wearing pearls. It manages to be spare, striking, and yet homey at the same time. The people who run it are relaxed and friendly so the whole atmosphere is really pleasant. Yeah yeah, but how was the food? Delicious! We shared five plates and a dessert, all of which were tasty. The padron peppers with sea salt were perfectly done, the lamb dish was tender and flavourful, and the croquetas were light and rich at the same time. If you're interested in going, make a reservation! They were able to seat us at the bar, but you might not be so lucky. It's pricy enough so that I won't be going very often, but the next time I want to have a slightly more special meal, I'll be sure to call ahead. I might even wear pearls.