Having read so many reviews from trusted yelpers, I was keen to visit the TPA myself as their star rating varied greatly. I was here for a yelp event, but arrived early so that I could check the TPA out for myself. It is set off the Kingsland Road directly on the edge of the canal. It's a very modern spacious loft looking type of bar, that also acts a bistro/restaurant/gallery. They seem to have lots of things going on most nights of the week. There were plenty of areas and rooms that can be used for private venues, including a large gallery upstairs. Our party of 30 manage to sit and dine comfortably in the gallery space with plenty of room to spare. It appeared that they are focused on cocktails, with a limited selection of draft beers. I went for a pint of Brahma, a Brazilian beer that I first encounted in Rio. It was nice and cold. It was a ltlle shy of £5, so not on the cheap side. The outdoor bar area appeared to be closed, so I sat outside by the canal. Very nice. The staff were plentyful and helpful. I'm not sure about the unisex toilet though. The food was very good. I had three courses and enjoyed all of them. They make a really good burger, which was big enough for me not to complete. The TPA has a nice atmosphere. I should imagine it is rammed at the weekends though. read more

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Ok, so that one perfect day I had on location at TPA? An outlier. A 5-star outlier that I've not been able to achieve again. I've been back 3x since and each and every time the service is so scattered it's barely passable. What is the deal here guys? It feels like opening day, yet it's far from it. The space is so beautiful and gorgeous, and yet in almost every other facet it falls short. It's like they are all shocked when people show up to eat. Everyone seems overwhelmed and unorganized. The brunch menu is super short (now that the Yolk pop-up has passed) and boring. I expect better from a cafe of this calibre. I can get better food at much smaller places and with better service. The porridge and bap were both cold on arrival and my coffee never arrived, but showed up on the bill. Please don't forget my coffee (after being reminded twice) then put it on the bill where I then have to awkwardly ask you to remove it. Seriously -- amateur hour over here, on repeat. I just can't. It was probably my last visit today. TPA is like a really attractive person with very little going on upstairs. read more

Awesome place to visit along the canal - great view and nice decor. This place is a bit confusing to find but a pretty walk along the canal. I was greeted by friendly staff and seated as it wasn't too busy. White wine was good and managed 3 courses which were all good - starter & mains were the best. Beautiful presentation and efficient service. Delicious asparagus and egg starter, gorgeously cooked rib eye and chips and to finish a chocolate fondant which was a little dry. Would definitely return as they seem to hold interesting events. Their brunch menu also looks to die for! read more

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Type The Proud Archivist's postcode into your phone and it will lure you into a big black hole. We tried to find it on a Friday. No luck. We returned on the Saturday and, with a little more perseverance, we finally found it. Jolly glad we did as well. Loved the place so much, we came back again the very next day. It's a beautiful space, very modern, with various areas - for eating, drinking, foosball, perusing their art exhibitions, catching some comedy or even a film screening. We went along for the Out of This World Weekender in December, where we caught a bunch of super cool sci-fi movies. It was a great introduction to the venue. I'm looking forward to going back in the summer - The Proud Archivist sits along the canal and has beautiful views that I'm sure will only be improved by a spot of sunshine. Come and join us! And so you don't have to spend an age wandering the streets like we did, making sure you check out these directions... http://www.theproudarchivist.co.uk/find-us/ read more

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Really love the location as it's right off the canal so views are lovely and has a relaxed atmosphere. I went to a Yelp event here but came early with a friend for a drink on the side terrace. Nice selection of drinks alcoholic and non. I had fresh squeezed lemonade which may have been a seasonal special as it came out of a big jug with a tap (reminded me of the states). Service was friendly although not super speedy. On the terrace were benched tables which seemed a bit big for the space and quite awkward to get in and out of - apart from that the breeze in this area and spot was perfect for an after work catch up. Upstairs there was a library theme with shelves organised by colour - it was nice. I had steak and chips which hit the spot perfectly (good portions) and the steak was nice quality. The chocolate cake came with a fruity cream/sorbet and it was delicious. read more

Proud East - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - London, XGL

Being everything to everyone seldom works for an independent business, but it's surely worked in The Proud Archivist's favor. This attractive venue on Regent's Canal is a restaurant/bar/gallery/event & workshop space that intrigues rather than intimidates, designed with a flow of space that makes sense. TPA's vibe is casual hipster, fitting perfectly with its Haggerston surroundings. I went for the 1st time today with a friend on lovely, warm and sunny Sunday afternoon. We went for drinks and snagged an al fresco table next to the canal (that's why you came, yes?.) The modern, creative atmosphere, the well-selected music, the stylish clientele, the gorgeous view of Regent's Canal, the prime East End people-watching--- it all worked wonderfully. I was a bit stunned that many reviews on Yelp and Time Out weren't as flattering...then I realized the gripes were with the food and service (I didn't have the food, and to prevent spoiling my adoration for this place, probably won't). This is one of my new favorites. [Easy to find: once you spot the canal area outside of Haggerston Station, keep straight and you'll see it on the right, immediately after a small- and pretty- basin area.] read more

Right, so we didn't get food, but for just coffees and sitting canal-side while there's live music, you have to give it more than two stars! Maybe the food situation is a different story but we had lovely service and atmosphere which was perfect for a stop on our canal walk on a Sunday afternoon. I'd definitely go back now that I know this is down here and I'll be bringing the weekend papers and a clear agenda to kill some time. read more

Really bad service, nobody to guide you to a table, nobody to take your order. We had to seek for a waiter by ourself. And the best is that this waiter tell us that we need to be inside to order before 9pm cause the terrasse will be closed and five minutes later, once inside, he tell us that the kitchen is closed at 9pm. Vraiment mauvais service, personne pour vous guider vers une table, personne pour prendre votre commande. Nous avons dû chercher un serveur par nous-mêmes. Et le mieux c'est que ce serveur nous dit qu'il faut être à l'intérieur pour commander avant 21h car la terrasse sera fermée et cinq minutes plus tard, une fois à l'intérieur, il nous dit que la cuisine est fermée à 21h. read more

Been here twice now. Long story short, love the space but hate the food, and service still needs some brushing up too. My first visit was with fellow yelper Mario R. This was around lunchtime on a Tuesday, and some sort of event for mothers with babies happened to be going on. So basically it was me, Mario, and about 15 yummy/non-yummy mummies and their babies :-) Mario went for the breakfast option with pancakes, which was decent. I ordered a flat white and the chorizo & chicken sandwich, which was terribly bland, and served with an equally unspectacular salad. But the biggest problem was at the end of the meal; our waiter was perfectly fine throughout, but charged for an extra salad. This didn't end up being a big deal, as he amended the bill, but this basically demonstrated that either he wasn't completely familiar with the menu (he told us that sandwiches come with a salad or coleslaw), or that there was a typo on the menu itself (I double checked and it said all sandwiches served with a side and coleslaw). So even though we didn't have to pay anything extra, we did have to wait quite a while for a manager to amend the bill, and we were left feeling as though we had done something wrong when we hadn't. Second visit was even more of a flop. I certainly had no plans of eating at the Proud Archivist again, but was happy to come for drinks, as it does have some lovely outdoor seating by the canal. I warned my friends not to order food here, but--surprise surprise--they did anyway. Why doesn't anyone listen to me?!! Anyway, one friend had soup which looked mediocre, and the other went for a sandwich, which seemed to be a veggie version of the one I tried on my previous visit. Wait, I take that back. Veg... and GLASS!! Yes, that's right, my poor friend bit into her sandwich only to find a piece of glass in it! We were all perplexed as to how glass could possibly wind up in food. Obviously we alerted the waitress, who proceeded to take a good look for herself (no, we weren't lying about the glass...) and after apologising, simply brought out a cookie and removed the sandwich from our bill. If I had found glass in my sandwich, I certainly would have made a bigger deal out of of it (could've potentially even taken legal action against the establishment...), but I guess my friend is nicer than me and just wanted to leave it. But I feel I must inform you all of this incident, and advise you to definitely check for glass and who knows what else if you ever choose to dine here! So you might ask, why am I awarding a somewhat generous three stars after the glass incident? I do so because I feel the Proud Archivist does have great potential to improve, and love having such an aesthetically beautiful and airy space so close to home. But Proud Archivist, for the love of god, please make sure glass is never in anyone's food ever again! read more

Proud East - Interior - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - London, XGL

Love love love this place! It's a gallery, no wait - it's a restaurant, nooo it's a bar, no I've got it! It's definitely a theatre! The truth is, The Proud Archivist is anything you want it to be. You can hire it out for an event, you can go along for a nice cup of tea or a seriously good cocktail, you can even go and check out the latest upcoming film/art/comedy - it really is the venue of all tricks and trades. Having personally met the owner, Hector, a few times now - I can honestly say he's one of the most enthusiastic venue owners I have ever met (and I've met a lot). His passion and vision for TPA being a venue of culture and inspiration is undeniable and you honestly believe that when you're there. In addition, it's located in Haggerston (yes, it's East! Don't moan!) by the canal which is just wonderful in summer! A real must. A few pointers: 1. Sadly it shuts at 10:30pm so don't think you'll be having a late one. 2. The bar staff can be a tad slow at times but they're working on it. 3. Definitely check out their multi-coloured light room if you can - who wouldn't want a room that changes colours?! 4. Want a unique location for an open event. The Library is the spot for you. read more

I can only imagine trying to categorise this venue on Yelp was a total b*tch, as it's pretty much everything and anything. Gallery, hire venue, cafe, bar, yoga studio... There's a lot of things on offer here and it's commendable. For me personally though, it tries too hard to do it all and is somewhat pricey for the area, and if you come here for a drink there's nothing in particular to pick this place above others. Go for sure if it's a nice day by the canal or you need a good workspace etc. But for drinks and food? Try somewhere else! read more

Nice place for coffee and breakfast/lunch by the Regent's canal in Haggerston area. Their is both indoor & outdoor space to be sitted. The full english breakfast as well as the coffee were brilliant. A bit overpriced though. read more

Proud East - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - London, XGL

Oh, my.... What a nice place ! Right by the canal, it's got a hipster crowd that suits the trendy staff, spacious sitting area, delicious food and drinks, and interesting exhibits ! read more

The Proud Archivist a funky little place looking over the canal. We went there on a PandaPay trial night with a great group of people. They have photography on all the wall combined with other funky deco. Fabulous idea! The menu is very simple though brilliant. Very clean and direct. Thumbs up! So the food: Gourmet Bread - was great with olive oil and more than enough to go around. Steak and Chips is what I ordered for the main course. It was presented wonderfully and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The Staff. Extremely friendly and personable Overall A great find by my girlfriend. A great place for either a group of good friends or a couple. Great presentation of food. read more

We love hanging out with our little one at the Proud Archivist. Check out Tots Tunes every other Saturday. Followed by a lovely brunch at their weekend residency YOLK. A must do for all hipster parents who want to keep their cool and their kids entertained. read more

This place is good for a drink but I wouldn't advise it for brunch. Currently they have a pop-up kitchen looking after their brunch and what's on offer is very limited. Which could be ok if the good was really good but it's just OK. Two eggs Benedict served in a big plate with no salad or other garnish even if just for a bit of decoration does not give a good first impression. Eggs were also too undercooked and they overdone it on the pepper sprinkles. We had the eggs Benedict and the avocado in sourdough bread with duck eggs and I must say the duck eggs had a better serving. The tea was good and served in a nice container with actual tea leafs rather than bags but I was highly disappointed with my coffee! Not only coffee was not of great quality and a bit burned, but the soya milk used is the cheap type that curdles with hot drinks which is very disappointing to get at a coffee shop. It does also have an interesting exhibition space and I must say I do like the space right by the canal but definitely not I sending to have brunch or coffee here again. Fine for drinks as they do have a pretty good bar and staff is friendly. read more

This place could have such potential. It's a gorgeously large space, overlooking the canal. What's there not to love? But my advice on a sunny day in Haggerston is not to go inside, but instead head to the nearest off licence, grab a bottle and sit on the banks by the canal outside the Proud Archivist. The whole experience would be less frustrating for you. Sorry to give a moany review but there's so much to moan about here. And I wanted to like it, I really did. Service took an age. Inexplicable as there weren't that many people waiting at the bar. I was told when I finally was met with a server that maybe I should sit down and try table service instead as it would be quicker, which made no sense being at the front of the bar at that point. On a second occasion after waiting for another crazily long time, the waitress took my order, then spent a painful ten minutes looking for a specific bottle of wine in the fridge. Only to realise after that it was not my order she was preparing, instead she's completely forgotten it and is now putting the dishes away. On top of that we were told there were no cocktails available. Only one person knows how to make them and he's sick. Also no one knew how to use the Cake bill splitting app, that they have available for online payment. And lastly the food menu is just too expensive for what is essentially a bar and not a posh restaurant. £14 for a burger and £8 for a starter isn't appropriate. They need more bar snacks and light bites on their menus. Alas there weren't even any nachos that Baya C recommended so heartily in her review. I have to add in the interest of fairness, that it was one of the server's first days in the job. But to be honest as Colleen C puts it, it feels like it's a perpetual first day for The Proud Archivist.It gets two stars because of its looks. I'd love for it to redeem itself, and get better as it could be a lovely canal side spot. So prove me wrong TPA and improve. read more

Tasty but slow, at least when busy. This place has an enviable location on Regent's Canal between Hoxton and Dalston, with a large and interesting industrial space. We showed up on a Saturday hoping for a small lunch, but only the brunch menu was being served, so no sandwiches or small bites. The place was packed. We ordered anyway, and the resulting one-egg benedict was very good and the French Toast was delicious. This is a good thing, because it took about 35 minutes to arrive, which almost knocked this review down to 3 stars. There were a variety of staff wandering around, but it was difficult to tell whom we should be dealing with. The server who eventually helped us was very pleasant, though. We're moving very close by soon, so I'm sure we'll be back, and we'll see if the next visit brings the average up or down. I also have to try the coffee to see whether it warrants addition to my London Coffee list. read more

Pros: location on the canal. Decent coffee. Cons: terrible service. Took longer pay than to drink my espresso. Literally watched people leave bc service was so slow. Too bad poor service ruins such a nice spot. read more

Trendy bar/resturant/gallery/event space/art shop. This place has so much to offer! It's situated in a beautiful setting right next to Regents Canal. I spend most Monday evenings here watching the weekly short film festival, Conclave. A brilliant way to start the week. Besides the Monday film evening they also offer a wide range of other events from illustration workshops to live comedy. read more

Cafe, restaurant and art gallery all in one. They have a number of different shows, programs and events in any given week. Modern and by all means a hispster haven. The food is pretty good, but to be honest what attracts me to this cute little canal cafe most is sitting in the sun on the weekend with good friends or a good book and enjoying a lazy morning. Cute place for a quick bite or cup of coffee on a sunny day. Try window or outside seats! read more

Have long been a fan of The Proud Archivist - mostly for the incredible use of space (it doubles up as a yoga studio/gallery/theatre space!) and because the communal tables make it a great place to hang out with friends. I've had delicious food there (lunch is all about generous portions of freshly tossed salads and breakfast or brunch gives way to the perfectly cooked eggs benedict and pastries), but service can be (and usually is) quite slow. It's great for weekends if you're relaxing and hanging around, but not if you're hangry and in a rush! read more

Absolutely terrible. Slow service and completely over-priced food. £10 for a small lonely burger on a big empty plate (fries must be ordered as a side) and the chefs just 'forgot' to put the cheese in but with no apology once it was pointed out. Decided not to pay the full 'optional' service fee and was asked by the waitress to pay the .25p we were short, even though we hadn't got what we ordered. Great spot on the canal, a real shame the dining experience is so poor! read more

Nice place ruined with a really slow and bad service. The waitresses are going around without idea of what they are doing. read more

I really like the place. Came with friends for lunch and the weather happened to be the most beautiful London day this year, so perhaps that altered my perception of the Proud Archivist. Or it could have been the nice conversation with friends, who knows? But the location on the canal is dreamy. The lunch menu had a range from burgers to brunch type options, depending on what time you rolled out of bed and how much you feel like eating in the mid afternoon. Really yummy homemade lemonade is a must while my friend enjoyed her mojito. We had great service. And I love how they hold artistic events in the restaurant and post events happening in the area. I love the creative vibe. Though the one thing where I did a double take was that the male & female toilets are in the same room, except that the stalls are designated. That may be off putting for some, though when I was there, I never saw a guy in there. Nice place, I thought it was adorable and I would go back! read more

TPA is super blah, and I don't use the word blah lightly. The lunchtime food selection is tiny and pricey and takes forever and a half to get done. Like, I have excel sheets to finish people. read more

It's a mixed feeling I have for this place. The canal affords it a riparian advantage not a lot of other watering holes can match. It's a good place to bring someone who doesn't have a lot of canal experience. But the drinks aren't especially cheap, and for the money, on a casual summer evening, why not just bring your own? Also putting me off was the strange girl who... it seemed... was trying to hawk a mobile phone app? She sort of looked like she was working there, but not really because she wasn't taking orders, just asking if we'd used the app yet. Very strange. read more

Came here for the secret theartre and was blown away. Great space for a great idea. The bar has a good selection of meantime beers on tap and the wine selection is well thought out and very reasonable read more

What a great place, the location is fantastic just along the canal and around the corner from the ever so trendy Kingsland Road, it is a little hard to find but well worth it especially in the sunshine. The space inside is really good, it has an upstairs section that it uses for events (I was part of the Yelp event), the bad thing is although they can section off the upstairs, there are no bathrooms up there so you have to go around the bar (but that's not a big deal). The food was good, the linguine was a little on the bland side, but the cheese on it was really tasty and I loved the Eton Mess, it was the perfect summer dessert. Although my first time here, this is only 25 mins from my work so will definitely be heading back again to sample more of their drinks menu. read more

This is a really fun space by the canal for a pint or a quick bite. They also have a gallery and private space for hire but I've only ever visited the bar / restaurant. They have some outside space which is quite pleasant when it's warmer, a good selection of alcohol and the burger is very good. (Skip the wedges though, they were gross). I will probably be back. It's a great place to spend a few hours drinking. read more

The interior is just fantastic! I also love that they have a gallery. Really great ambiance, especially considering its location facing the canal (and an adjacent basin). Food was alright. Highlight of the evening: a panna cotta with strawberries, honey, and mint that seriously looked (not sure how deliberately) like a caprese salad. read more

Overall a very good experience on a sunny day by the river. The food (Sunday roast) was good - the beef seemed better to me as the pork was quite fatty- the coctail average but the service was quite slow on a Sunday afternoon. read more

Proud East - Pork belly sunday roast- very good but fatty - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - London, XGL

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I live around the corner from this place and have been many times for food and drinks. I always come back hoping it will have improved, but it is always a disappointment, so this will probably be my last visit now. The location on the canal is lovely and they have lots of events, including Russell Brand's weekly talks which I've been to. They are very good at marketing themselves on social media - but it is not the reality. The amount of times I have seen something on Twitter or Instagram and then go in to the Proud Archivist only to find the staff have no idea what I'm talking about, or they're not serving that dish, or Yolk (amazing breakfast pop up in the kitchen) aren't actually here today, is a joke. Most of the staff in general, seem to lack any knowledge or basic training. There are so many great bars and restaurants in Haggerston, go somewhere else. At least until this place pulls it's act together. read more

Brilliant venue by the canal. The pool tables are great and the food and drink its pretty good too. Nice venue to spend the day chilling out read more

Perhaps we were here on an off day. Eggs Benedict had concrete hard muffins with the explanation that they were baked "fresh yesterday" the pulled pork was a weird tomato thing that came with a coleslaw (or plain boiled cabbage) and wouldn't have looked out of place in Latvia. The staff were nice and helpful though but the food was very average. It's got great potential, canal side as it is, and had lost of seats on a Monday lunchtime. Definite hipster crowd vibe thing going on, but guys, you need to get your food right... read more

This is a pricey restaurant with a small and familiar menu (hamburgers, pork belly - gastro pub fare). Its selling point is that it overlooks Regents Canal, which is by far its best asset. The dinner was a disaster for us - slow service, a lukewarm main course, followed by a mint tea served in a bizarre kettle that exploded over my Mrs., scalding her hands. When we asked for the tea to be taken off the bill, an interminable fuss ensued - eventually an unapologetic manager came over to tell us the food couldn't possibly have been lukewarm and implied that it was our fault that the kettle had exploded. He offered no reduction or goodwill gesture other than an invitation to one of their events, which as far as I can tell are free anyway! By the time we left, we had been there for 2 1/2 hours, about 45 minutes of which had been taken up with taking the wretched £2.80 mint tea off the bill! If you desperately want to visit the place, just go for a drink. If you want dinner there are now so many good restaurants in East London, all of which beat the Proud Archivist on price, food and (their non-existent) service, that you really have no reason to go anywhere near it. read more

Went there for a spoken word night and thought the venue was beautiful. The space is open and bright and the location is gorgeous (and convenient). The staff were lovely, and very helpful. The drinks were lush, they even provided us with a themed cocktail for the night which was gorgeous. Although I didn't eat there I got massive food envy from peeking at the next tables food. Will definitely be back there soon. read more

Went for a walk on my lunch, and found this hidden on the banks for Regent's Canal. Came back the next day with friends for brunch, I was very impressed with the service and the food we had was amazing. Would love to return for drinks as the cocktails look delicious! read more

Really like this place, pretty location and laidback area. I've never eaten here but it looks pretty good and I love the vibe so I deffo want to try it some time. Nice space all around, and nice views. read more

Love this place! Great spot right by the canal, with a fantastic selection of food and drink - make sure you try the piri piri chicken with their own home made sauce. The best thing for me though is the Pool Tournament they have on their American style tables. Such a laugh there, it's free and you can win a £200 tab too, something you don't come across often!! read more