Shoreditch, A guide to one of London’s coolest neighbourhoods.

Shoreditch has come a long way since its famed Jack the Ripper days in the 19th Century. The area is now a buzzing, bright and colourful neighbourhood filled with street art and cool cafes and bars,

How to get there:

Liverpool Street station and Shoreditch High Street station.

Where to stay:

For the ultimate experience stay at the Hoxton Hotel. A combination of cool luxury and budget “where it counts”.

Where to eat:

Breakfast/Brunch
Cereal Killer Cafe
With over 120 different types of cereal, 30 different milks and over 20 different toppings you will be sure to find something to suit your taste buds.

Dishoom
A huge industrial style restaurant serving breakfast with flavours of Bombay. Dinners are amazing here as well.

The Book Club
Located in a Victorian warehouse this two level restaurant offers breakfast by day and nightclub by night.

Brick Lane Beigel Bake
The best bagel I have ever had. And they should know what they are doing, having been open since 1977.
Best part is they are open 24 hours. Line up for a cream cheese bagel, or those with gherkins. You won’t be disappointed.

The Breakfast Club
Arrive early to beat the queue. These guys know how to do a good hearty breakfast. Check out their website too, it’s a lot of fun.

Lunch/Dinner

Ottolenghi
A new location has opened in Spitafields, and it was the first place we went to on our latest trip to London. Great way to get over jet lag with a healthy meal (ignore the cocktails!)

Tramshed
The philosophy is simple. Chicken or Steak to share. However, with Mark Hix as chef you know it won’t be as simple as that. You also get to dine under Damien Hirst artwork.

Hoxton Grill
Part of the Hoxton Hotel, the restaurant is a contemporary all American grill.

Beach Blanket Babylon
Very cool interior and a little more laid back than its Notting Hill branch. You can also host your own roast for 5 -18 guests.

Shampan Brick Lane
One of my all time favourite curry houses on Brick Lane

Merchants Tavern
A former Victorian warehouse serving classic French, Italian and Spanish cuisine.

Where to Drink

The Shoreditch
A fun bar/nightclub with 50s styled decor and serves their cocktails out of fish bowls and other cool toys.

Queen of Hoxton
I love it here. Super cute rooftop bar with great views over London and even better cocktails.

Lounge Lover
A baroque style bar with dim colourful lights. You must sit to order your drinks in one of the cool kitsch lounges, or round tables, available for bigger groups. Dinner is also available, and it is wise to book in advance.

The Rooftop at Boundary
A little classier and fantastic for some summer cocktails to watch the sun go down. The rooftop is also open during winter, and blankets and heaters are provided under a new weatherproof roof.

The Vintage Emporium and Tea room – 14 Bacon St, Shadwell, London E1 6LF
A cute vintage, Victorian-styled tea room, which also houses a retro boutique selling vintage clothing and home accessories

Something sweet

Dark Sugars Chocolate
I sampled some of these on my most recent trip to London and OMG they were amazing. The combination of “dark” and “chocolate” usually doesn’t have the same impact as “milk chocolate” does on me, but these handmade chocolates with their rich unusual flavour had me wanting more. A lot more. The cocoa is something else. Chocolate tasting truffles? Vodka and Orange chocolate? I will take it all.

What to do

Spitafields Markets
A large indoor market. It is extremely touristy nowadays but still worth a mention if you are in this area.

Bricklane markets on a weekend
Great to people watch, browse through the vintage clothing, or soak up the bustling atmosphere.

Shoreditch street art tour
The streets of Shoreditch are filled with graffiti and street art. If you want to learn more about each artist, or where the best areas are to see, join one of these tours.

Box Park 
Markets located in old shipping containers, stocking high street fashion as well as original pieces. They also hold events during the summer, so it’s worth checking out their website in advance.

Hot Tub cinema
Depending what time of the year you are in London, you must see a movie in a hot tub.

 

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