Guide by Vana

Where to eat in Bethnal Green

9 places to eat in Bethnal Green, each one on the Guide on merit.

1. 

   Bad Boy Pizzeria

   Pizza · European

   Two-time National Pizza of the Year, now slinging slices from a Bethnal Green home.

   The plain cheese slice is the benchmark order; get it before anything fancier.

2. 

   Bistrotheque

   French restaurant · European

   A hard-to-find converted warehouse on a Bethnal Green backstreet, no sign, French-British bistro food and a cabaret downstairs. Twenty years on, still the creative set's room.

   Book the weekend brunch and ask about cabaret nights downstairs.

3. 

   Burnt Arches

   Bakery & restaurant

   The Burnt team's railway-arch bakery and canteen, brunch by day and dinner four nights a week.

   The pistachio croissant is the signature bake, and dinner runs just four nights a week.

4. 

   Clara's

   Deli & wine bar · European

   Part deli, part wine bar, an easy all-day room on Bethnal Green Road.

   Drop in for coffee and Dusty Knuckle bakes from 8am, then come back after dark for the wine bar.

5. 

   HOKO Bakery

   Bakery

   A Cantonese bakery from the team behind Hoko Hong Kong Cafe, baking everything on site in full view. The menu took a year to develop and includes Hong Kong egg tarts, Ovaltine cream buns, soft milk bread, and char siu buns. For anyone after proper Hong Kong bakery goods in Bethnal Green.

6. 

   Rogue Sarnies

   Sandwiches · European

   A dedicated sandwich shop from the Rogue crew, and one of the hottest tickets going.

   Go early; the old site sold out of sarnies every day.

7. 

   Rogues

   Natural wine & small plates · European

   A pop-up that earned its room, now in the Michelin Guide. Small plates, natural wine, no fuss.

   Ask which plates are asterisked and let them build it into a tasting run.

8. 

   Story Deli

   Pizza restaurant · European

   Yeast-free pizzas on a base thin enough to argue about, built from certified organic ingredients. Thirty covers, cash only, and a room assembled out of scrubbed wood and salvage. It won the global pizza category at the Chowzter awards.

   Bring cash and check the address before you set off. Three former sites are still circulating on listings pages.

9. 

   Tempo

   Asian small plates · Asian

   Eric Wan's Southeast Asian small plates and natural wine, with seasoning that does the talking.

   Sit at the bar facing the open kitchen, and do not skip the green chilli prawn toast.