London Restaurants - East London

593 High Rd Leytonstone, London E11 4PA

This small, family-run Thai spot in Leytonstone has become one of the city's best restaurants. From its regularly changing specials board and friendly, chaotic service to its legendarily good moo krob, people really love Singburi. It's genuinely worth crossing to the furthest regions of North East London from wherever you live.

165 Lower Clapton Rd, Lower Clapton, London E5 8EQ

This is a family-run Chinese dumpling house and sake bar that started as a pop-up and has become hugely popular in Clapton (it also has a sister site in Victoria Park). The specialities are their hand-rolled dumplings made fresh every day. Alongside those dumplings, there's a big range of sake from small family-run Japanese breweries.

58 Evering Rd, Lower Clapton, London N16 7SR

Bake Street has achieved almost legendary status, primarily for its weekend brunch menu. That's when they put their Nashville fried chicken sandwich on the menu which has become one of London's cult dishes (along with their creme brulee cookies). To those add lamb birria tacos and more. Good luck in grabbing a table (there are no reservations and they only have outside seating).

42 De Beauvoir Cres, London N1 5SB

This little cafe down on the canal in Hackney is one of London's best waterside spots. Run by Laura Jackson and Lori de Mori the food is always seasonal and delicious and, because there's no booking, landing a table here feels very much like winning in life.

1 Corbridge Cres, London E2 9DS

Gabriel Waterhouse's Water House Project started as a supper club before becoming a pop-up restaurant and then finding this permanent location. Sticking to the supperclub roots, there's a monthly-changing tasting menu, with a bit of Nordic influence throughout.

1a Bayford Street London E8 3SE

Facing Heaven is Julian Denis' sequel to Mao Chow, moving just around the corner from the previous restaurant. The vegan menu takes influences from Cantonese, Yunnan and Shaanxi cuisines as well as adding in a few Puerto-Rican, American and Portuguese flavours into the mix. They have hot pots at the weekend too.

134 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8DY

Song Que is an excellent Vietnamese restaurant on Kingsland Road's strong Vietnamese food scene. Expect authentic cuisine with excellent pho and banh mi, which underlines its longstanding great reputation. If you're looking for the best Vietnamese food in London, this should be on your list.

374-378 Old St, London EC1V 9LT

Nest offers a set, regularly changing menu of small plates with a strong focus on provenance and local, British suppliers. Sustainability is also a big thing here and the wine list concentrates on low/no intervention.

197 Richmond Rd, London E8 3NJ

While the original Pophams is mainly a bakery and cafe, this, their second, also functions as a restaurant. So while you can still buy their bread and pastries here, there's the added draw of the pasta restaurant, with all the pasta made fresh in-house. It should go without saying that the desserts are pretty great as well.

68 Dalston Ln, London E8 3AH

All-day Hackney restaurant Little Duck - The Picklery comes from the same people behind Rawduck and Ducksoup. It's part shop and cafe and they're proud of their fermented food and drink (as the name gives away). On the menu, expect small plates that see those pickles put into action, with a focus on sharing.

23 Ezra St, London E2 7RH

Campania & Jones serves up Southern Italian food in Hackney, with pasta made fresh daily in its beautiful rustic-looking restaurant. The food is authentic Italian, the portions are generous and it's one of the most popular restaurant near Columbia Road. There's a daily changing menu, so you can always find something new to try.

158 Sandringham Rd, Clapton, London E8 2HS

Casa Fofo saw ex-Pidgin chef Adolfo De Cecco opening his own place in Clapton, carrying on the same approach of a single tasting menu that makes the most of seasonal and local ingredients. He and his team are clearly doing something right as they've been given a star by Michelin.

20 Sidworth Street, London E8 3SD

Andy Beynon's London Fields restaurant is all about opening up the kitchen experience. That starts with a huge counter that you gather around for a truly unique tasting menu experience (with a focus on seafood).

316 Queensbridge Road, Hackney, London E8 3NH

This is Tom Oldroyd's Hackney pub and dining room, serving up a European menu using British produce. The Cornish crab chip butty is a must, as is the Duke burger (or the veggie Duchess alternative) but it's generally worth trying as much of the menu as you can. Look out for special deals on Wednesdays and Fridays and a great Sunday lunch.

390 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AA

This is the original restaurant from Carl Clarke and David Wolanski and still the best. The fried chicken is among the best in London, the szechuan aubergine is one of our favourite dishes and the sours are still excellent, affordable cocktails. There's a great bar space in the basement too.

205 Richmond Rd, London E8 3NJ

Lardo is an East London restaurant with what they call a contemporary Italian menu. In practice that means some of London's best pizza, with regularly changing specials on the menu too. Alongside those are antipasti and a wine list that focuses on low-intervention wines.

322-324 Acton Mews, London E8 4EA

Taking two railway arches in Haggerston, Planque is a wine bar, restaurant, members' club and store, with a key focus on natural and low intervention wines. And most importantly it has Seb Myers (ex P Franco and Chiltern Firehouse) running the kitchen and serving up a modern take on French food.

396 Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PH

A longstanding hit near to London Fields, E5 Bakehouse is not only one of London's best bakeries, they're one of the best cafes in the area. They have daily breakfasts and sandwiches or toasties at lunch but the weekend brunches are where it's really at.

Abbot St, London E8 3DP

One of London's great bakeries, The Dusty Knuckle is best known for its impeccable sourdough - particular the potato variety. That sourdough is used to make amazing sandwiches here, but there are also salads pastries and more. There are a few seats inside, but on a good day you'll want a seat outside in the yard. Look out for their evening events too where you might be able to grab a pizza.

262 Hackney Rd, London E2 7SJ

Dom's Subs have quickly gained a reputation as being the creators of some of London's very best sandwiches. They serve up improbably huge stuffed house-baked semolina rolls with excellent meaty and veggy options to take away. It's very much a grab and go spot, but perfect for a takeaway lunch (or even better, delivery).

51B Chatsworth Rd, Lower Clapton, London E5 0LH

People's Choice offers pitch perfect Caribbean in Hackney, with some of London's best jerk chicken and lamb chops on offer alongside saltfish patties and lots more. It's takeaway (or delivery) only and has built up a deservedly stellar reputation locally.

50 Broadway Market, London E8 4QJ

This traditional Argentine grill is from Buenos Aires-raised John Rattagan who has brought a bit of his home to the streets of Hackney. Steaks from the parrillada grill.are at the heart of the menu, alongside mixed grills, carpaccio, empanadas, sweetbreads and plenty of Argentine wines.

429 Green Lanes, London N4 1HA

The Dusty Knuckle's original Dalston bakery and cafe space is stupidly popular - with queues round the block at the weekends. This is their second outpost, with more of the great potato sourdough, pastries, sandwiches and more. Plus it's a pizzeria in the evenings.

1 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DJ

BAO have mastered the art of the bao bun - now they've moved onto noodles, with beef noodles being the key draw at this Shoreditch restaurant. But worry not - bao buns are available too.

20 International Way, London E20 1FD

This Stratford restaurant comes from chef Patrick Powell, previously Head Chef at the Chiltern Firehouse. The restaurant takes up a whole floor of The Stratford, with a contemporary-style fine-dining menu (as well as a more informal menu for the bar and extensive terrace).

120 Morning Lane, London E9 6LH

The P Franco team took over the former Legs restaurant on Morning Lane with an all counter dining and drinking space. Expect a yakitori-inspired menu with lots of skewers.

11-17 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 8BH

It's taken millions to transform the old Savoy Cinema into a modern arts space and the restaurant is every bit as ambitious with former St John executive chef Chris Gillard running things. Expect a menu of modern British cuisine.

Town Hall Hotel, Patriot Square, London E2 9NF

Rafael Cagali is the chef who teamed up with Singaporean hotelier Peng Loh for this Brazilian/South American and Italian influenced restaurant. It's the kind of international melting pot story that makes London's restaurant scene so great. Michelin clearly agree - they gave it a star in its first year. Tasting menus can sometimes be an ordeal, but here there's a great deal of humour, making a trip to Bethnal Green to try Da Terra's inspired dishes a must.

33 Downham Rd, De Beauvoir Town, London N1 5AA

Popular neighbourhood steakhouse Beef & Brew have expanded- taking their well-priced steaks and wide range of beers to Haggerston.

40 Marsh Wall, Isle of Dogs, London E14 9TP

This bar and restaurant is at the top of the Novotel Canary Wharf - with the restaurants on 37, bar on 38 and terrace on 39. In charge of the food is Robert Manea, who was previously at L'Aterier de Joel Robuchon, and he's put together a European menu with a particular focus on using local British produce.