This part of the city is sprawling in geography, and splintered in its identity. East London is a diverse mix of gentrification, hipsterfication, social deprivation and creative experimentation.
Suits may be creeping into Shoreditch these days, but you can still barter a curry deal and BYO (bring your own) drinks for a night in Brick Lane. One of the area’s best cheapo eateries—the 24-hour Beigel Bake—is nestled here, perfect for late-night snacking and Sunday market meandering.
Hackney is home to 100s of galleries, lots of pop-ups and microbreweries. If ever there is a new trend in London, it probably started in carpark in Hackney Wick or under a railway arch in London Fields.
Rising rents are pushing a lot creative types and flat-sharers further afield to places like Leyton and Walthamstow, with its leafy village, William Morris Gallery and neon-flooded palace of light creations, God’s Own Junkyard.
But if the tidal wave of ‘taches gets too much, the old East End still survives in areas like Wapping, Shadwell and Limehouse where you can seek out old-school pie & mash with a non-artisanal price tag.
