Best Restaurants in Hackney: my favourite places to book right now
Hackney is one of the most exciting places to eat in London right now. Not because it follows the same restaurant trends as everywhere else. Instead, it feels more varied, more characterful and far more interesting than that. One night, you can sit down to a refined tasting menu. The next, you can squeeze into a lively neighbourhood spot for exceptional pasta, bold Malaysian cooking or smoky sharing plates with a glass of wine.
That is what makes Hackney such a strong dining destination. It does not feel formulaic. It feels full of places with personality.
This is my edit of the best restaurants in Hackney right now. These are the places I would highlight for quality, atmosphere and a real sense of place. Some are polished enough for a special occasion. Others are more relaxed. However, all of them help show why Hackney remains one of the best areas in East London for eating out.
Why Hackney is one of the best places to eat in East London
One of the best things about Hackney is that the restaurant scene still feels rooted in the neighbourhood. Even the most stylish dining rooms usually feel personal rather than overly polished or corporate. As a result, the best restaurants in Hackney often come with real identity. That might be in the cooking, the room, the mood or simply the kind of crowd they attract.
Importantly, no two great Hackney restaurants feel quite the same. Some are calm and elegant. Others are louder, moodier and more energetic. Some focus on seasonal produce and precise cooking. Others are all about comfort, warmth and big flavour. Together, they create one of the most compelling food scenes in London.
My pick of the best restaurants in Hackney
Tiella, Columbia Road
If I had to start this list with one restaurant that feels especially exciting right now, it would be Tiella. It has quickly become one of Hackney’s standout bookings, and for good reason. The room feels warm and lively, while the food has the sort of confidence that makes dinner feel like a proper occasion.
What I like most about Tiella is that it feels stylish without losing warmth. It has the energy of somewhere current, yet it still feels grounded in the simple pleasure of eating very well. If you are looking for one of the best Italian restaurants in Hackney, this is a brilliant place to begin.
Mambow, Clapton
Mambow is one of the most distinctive restaurants in Hackney and one of the easiest to recommend. It feels vibrant, expressive and full of personality. Better still, it manages to feel exciting without becoming self-conscious.
For me, this is one of the places that captures what Hackney does best. The cooking feels modern, but the experience still feels welcoming. There is real flavour, real energy and a strong sense of identity. If you want a restaurant in Clapton that stands out from the usual East London favourites, Mambow is a superb choice.
Café Cecilia, Hackney Road
Café Cecilia has become one of those restaurants that now feels essential to Hackney. It has a quiet confidence that makes it feel timeless rather than trend-led. The canal-side setting adds to the appeal, and the whole place has an understated elegance that works just as well for lunch as it does for dinner.
This is one of my favourite types of Hackney restaurant. It is polished, but never flashy. Cool, but not in a forced way. Instead, it lets the atmosphere and the quality of the cooking do the talking. If you want somewhere refined in East London, Café Cecilia is one of the strongest options around.
Miga, Hackney
Miga is one of those restaurants that feels both personal and memorable. It has warmth, generosity and plenty of flavour, which means it offers more than just a good meal. It feels like somewhere people genuinely return to.
That matters in Hackney, where new openings often attract the loudest attention. The restaurants with lasting appeal are usually the ones that combine quality with comfort, and Miga does exactly that. If you are looking for one of the best Korean restaurants in Hackney, this is a standout.
Angelina, Dalston
Angelina remains one of the most distinctive special occasion restaurants in Hackney. It feels elegant, original and carefully considered. This is not a casual, last-minute booking. Instead, it is somewhere you choose when you want the meal itself to shape the evening.
What makes Angelina so appealing is that it feels polished without becoming cold. It is inventive, yet still inviting. In many ways, it reflects Hackney at its best: confident, contemporary and just a little unexpected.
Casa Fofō, Clapton
For a more elevated dinner, Casa Fofō is one of Hackney’s strongest choices. It has the kind of precision and ambition that makes it ideal for a celebration, yet it still feels connected to the neighbourhood around it.
That balance is part of the appeal. The best restaurants in Hackney are not simply the most fashionable. They are the ones that deliver a real experience. Casa Fofō does exactly that. It feels thoughtful, modern and worthy of a longer, slower evening.
Oren, Dalston
Oren is one of the best restaurants in Hackney for a lively dinner with sharing plates and plenty of flavour. It has the kind of atmosphere that works brilliantly for a date, a catch-up with friends or a relaxed celebration.
There is something very easy to recommend about Oren. It has quality, but it never feels stiff. It has energy, but it still feels welcoming. In a borough full of good places to eat, that balance makes a difference.
Sesta, Wilton Way
Sesta feels like a very good example of where Hackney dining is right now. It is stylish, chef-led and contemporary, but it still retains a sense of ease. That makes it especially appealing if you want somewhere modern and produce-focused without tipping into anything too formal.
This is the sort of restaurant that fits perfectly into East London in 2026. It feels current, but not overdone. Relaxed, but still considered. If that sounds like your ideal Hackney dinner, Sesta is worth knowing.
Acme Fire Cult, Dalston
Not every great Hackney restaurant has to be softly lit and quietly polished. Acme Fire Cult is proof of that. It is smoky, bold and full of character, offering a more playful side of the local dining scene.
This is one of the best restaurants in Hackney when you want dinner to feel social and full of energy. If you like fire-led cooking, a more informal atmosphere and somewhere with real personality, Acme Fire Cult is a very good call.
Café Kowloon, London Fields
Café Kowloon brings a more current, nightlife-adjacent feel to Hackney dining. It feels atmospheric, youthful and slightly under the radar, which is a large part of the appeal. This is not the place for quiet refinement. Instead, it is where you go when you want dinner with a little more edge.
Hackney has always done this kind of place well. Restaurants here often blur the line between food, atmosphere and culture, and Café Kowloon fits that mood perfectly.
Behind, London Fields
If you are after a more destination-style dinner in Hackney, Behind stands out. This is one of the borough’s strongest options when you want the meal to feel more immersive and occasion-led.
What I like about including Behind here is that it shows the full range of Hackney’s food scene. This part of London is not only about laid-back neighbourhood charm. It can also deliver serious fine dining when it wants to.
Albers, De Beauvoir
Albers is one of the quieter names on this list, but that is exactly why it deserves a place. A good Hackney restaurant guide should not only focus on the loudest or most hyped bookings. It should also include the places that feel genuinely stylish, enjoyable and worth knowing.
For me, Albers represents the more understated side of local dining. It is thoughtful, relaxed and consistently appealing. Sometimes that kind of recommendation is even more useful than the obvious headline name.
Best restaurants in Hackney by mood
Best for date night in Hackney
For date night, I would look first at Tiella, Café Cecilia and Angelina. Tiella feels warm and lively. Café Cecilia feels quietly elegant. Angelina feels more polished and occasion-led. Each offers a different kind of evening, but all three work beautifully.
Best for a special occasion
For something more elevated, Casa Fofō and Behind are two of the strongest choices in Hackney. Both feel considered, memorable and ideal for a longer dinner. Angelina also fits well here if you want something refined and a little more distinctive.
Best casual restaurants in Hackney
If you want somewhere more relaxed, Miga, Oren, Acme Fire Cult and Café Kowloon are all excellent options. They each bring different energy, but all feel easy to recommend for a less formal dinner out in East London.
Best neighbourhood restaurants in Hackney
Café Cecilia, Miga and Tiella all have that neighbourhood quality that makes a place feel especially appealing. They are stylish and widely admired, yet they still feel rooted in Hackney rather than built around hype alone.
Final thoughts on where to eat in Hackney
The best restaurants in Hackney reflect exactly what makes this borough so appealing. They are creative, but not soulless. Stylish, but still warm. Ambitious, but often relaxed enough to feel genuinely welcoming.
That is why Hackney remains one of the most exciting places to eat in London. You are not just booking a meal here. More often than not, you are stepping into somewhere with a real point of view, strong atmosphere and a sense of place.
If I were narrowing this list down to a few essential bookings, I would start with Tiella, Mambow, Café Cecilia, Miga and Angelina. Together, they capture the range, quality and personality that make Hackney’s restaurant scene so strong right now.
FAQ
What are the best restaurants in Hackney?
Some of the best restaurants in Hackney include Tiella, Mambow, Café Cecilia, Miga, Angelina, Casa Fofō, Oren and Behind. Together, they offer a mix of neighbourhood charm, standout cooking and special occasion appeal.
Where should I go for dinner in Hackney?
That depends on the kind of evening you want. For a date night, Tiella and Café Cecilia are excellent. For a special occasion, Casa Fofō, Behind and Angelina are strong choices. For something more relaxed, try Oren, Miga or Acme Fire Cult.
Are there good restaurants in Dalston and Clapton?
Yes. Dalston and Clapton are home to some of the best restaurants in Hackney, including Angelina, Oren, Mambow and Casa Fofō.
What is Hackney known for food-wise?
Hackney is known for its creative and varied dining scene. You will find everything from modern European cooking to Korean, Malaysian, Italian and fire-led menus, often in stylish neighbourhood settings.
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