13 cool things to do in Dalston
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Kristin PerersFUEL UP ON FERMENTS
One of the new businesses that cheered up a ho-hum strip of Dalston Lane, Little Duck The Picklery is a kitchen and wine bar that's big on brining. The restaurant space doubles as the team's pickling workshop where they make seasonal ferments (from hispi and jalapeño kimchi to celeriac and apple kraut) and rustle up cocktails with a kick of drinking vinegar.
Address: Little Duck The Picklery, 68 Dalston Lane, London E8 3AH
Telephone: +44 20 7249 9177
Website: littleduckpicklery.co.ukGET THE EAST LONDON LOOK
Sydney-born designer Louise Markey has fused the laid-back seaside vibes of Bondi and Biarritz in her primary-coloured collections. For summer, her LF Markey brand peddles towelling T-shirt and shorts combos in London-bus red and sunflower yellow, while her signature boilersuits are the Dalston fashion pack's go-to all year round.
Address: LF Markey, 58 Dalston Lane, London E8 3AH
Telephone: +44 20 3862 5391
Website: lfmarkey.com
SIP A TASTE OF MEXICO
Tequila expert Deano Moncrieffe and his partner Emma Murphy are behind Mexican-inspired Hacha bar on Kingsland Road, one of the best bars in London. They've won awards for their deceptively clear Mirror Margaritas. But there are also 25 agave-based spirits to sip on (although not all at once), served in tasting flights with snacks to bring out the subtle flavours of each one.
Address: Hacha Agaveria, 378 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AA
Telephone: +44 20 3489 7576
Website: hachabar.comREDUCE YOUR WINE FOOTPRINT
Weino Bib is a brilliant little taproom and deli with sustainability at its core. Slash the carbon footprint of your wine habit by coming here to refill old bottles with great-value, mostly natural wines from lesser-known producers (it sells the St John house white by the box). The shelves at the back are packed with colourful tins of Portuguese sardines, jars of Italian olives and bags of paella rice. And don't miss the brownies by master baker Shebah.
Address: 39 Balls Pond Road, Dalston, London N1 4BW
Telephone: +44 20 7254 6123
Website: weinobib.co.uk
Alastair Philip WiperGo to the movies
There has been a cinema on this prominent corner since the Kingsland Palace started showing silent films in 1909. More than 100 years later, the striking Art Deco Rio Cinema is still one of the best independent cinemas in London. After a successful fundraising campaign, it opened a smaller second screen at the end of 2017 and both show a mix of Hollywood hits, arthouse, classics and documentaries.
Address: Rio Cinema, 107 Kingsland High St, London E8 2PB
Telephone: +44 20 7241 9410
Website: riocinema.org.ukHave dinner with Gilbert & George
Dalston has no shortage of excellent Turkish restaurants, but if you want to dine with a pair of local celebrities, get a table at Mangal 2 and you could end up sitting near Gilbert and George (the artist duo eat supper here every night without fail). If that isn't a recommendation for how good the food is, we don't know what is.
Address: Mangal 2, 4 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 8BH
Telephone: +44 20 7254 7888
Website: mangal2.com
Benjamin McmahonDo some underground drinking
Ruby's is the most charming of all the many basement dive bars in Dalston. Look for the old cinema sign and duck into the doorway below for the best drinks around. At the bottom of the stairs, head left for the original cocktail bar, which has exposed bricks, intimate small tables and atmospheric low lighting (perfect for a date), or turn right for the glamorous larger lounge where there's dancing, drinking and debauchery until late.
Address: Ruby's, 76 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 7XB
Telephone: +44 20 7923 3966Royally indulge your sweet tooth
A tiny bakery serving California-inspired treats just north of London Fields, Violet Cakes has been on locals’ radars for a while, with its gooey salted-caramel blondies and sea-salt hot chocolate. Now, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have put this squat little café on the map. Owner Claire Ptak baked the royal wedding cake (butter cream and elderflower, if you’re interested) in 2018, bringing half of London east to see what all the fuss is about. Head upstairs to the pared-back seating area or, if it’s sunny, grab a table outside and soak up the buzzy vibe of one of London’s hippest little enclaves.
Address: Violet Cakes, 47 Wilton Way, London E8 3ED
Telephone: +44 20 7275 8360
Website: violetcakes.com
Witness cocktail wizardry
There are plenty of watering holes in Dalston but only one offers you a wish with your drink. It's a small, transparent petal which arrives when you order at Untitled, the minimalist bar of mixology master Tony Conigliaro; let it dissolve on your tongue as a palate cleanser before trying one of the complicated cocktails. Don't be put off by ingredients such as white clay, soft chalk, beeswax and dark oak: the ambitious combinations are surprisingly delicious. There's also a sparse menu of similarly intriguing Japanese dishes.
Address: Untitled, 538 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AH
Telephone:+44 7841 022924
Website: untitled-bar.com
Pick up a loaf
Down a graffitied lane just off Dalston Junction, Dusty Knuckle sells seriously good sourdough. Not only does it employ young people from difficult backgrounds as the brilliant bakers, but it also serves delicious sandwiches, pastries, salads and coffee.
**Address:**Dusty Knuckle, Abbot Street Car Park, London E8 3DP
Telephone:+44 20 3903 7598
Website: thedustyknuckle.comDiscover 27 free London activities
Muse over a macchiato
Even if you don't know her by name, you'll recognise Tina. She was originally painted in the 1960s by artist JH Lynch and now her face is so reproduced her sultry image can be found in every vintage furniture shop around. She's also the inspiration behind Tina We Salute You, a cute little corner café a few streets off the main drag, which makes good coffee and tasty bagels and is the perfect sunny spot to read the weekend papers.
**Address:**Tina We Salute You, 47 King Henry's Walk, London N1 4NH
Telephone:+44 20 3119 0047
Website:tinawesaluteyou.com
Jon DevoStock up on succulents
Forget the desert, the homes of east London must have one of the world's most dense concentration of cacti per square mile. To feed the growing demand, boutique plant shop Prick has sprung up selling a small but stylish array of beautiful spiky little critters, terracotta pots, plant food and cute cacti-related books, cards and pens.
Address: Prick, 492 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AE
Telephone: +44 8746 5416143
Website: prickldn.com
Throw plates around
Any meal is enhanced by a beautiful plate, and there are none more stylish than the pared-back designs of Danish potter Skandihus. Treat yourself to some striped monochrome espresso cups, speckled bowls or asymmetric salt and pepper pots. Or if you're feeling creative, sign up for one of the 12-week ceramic courses to try hand building, throwing on the wheel and glazing your own creations.
Address: Skandihus (studio visits by appointment only), 90 De Beauvoir Road, London N1 4EN
Telephone:+44 7789 874147
Website: skandihus.co.ukLike this? Now read:
Things to do in London this weekend
Benjamin McmahonRuby's bar in Dalston
Cured duck with liquorice teriyaki, herb salad with marinated tofu, crispy kale and dried figs, baked miso with root vegetables, lamb brioche and kinoko katsu sandwich at Untitled Bar, Dalston
Jon DevoPlants from Prick, Dalston
Violin cocktail at Untitled Bar, Dalston
The Dusty Knuckle Bakery, Dalston
Benjamin McmahonRuby's Dalston
Mark BlowerRio cinema, Dalston
SkandiHus pottery, Dalston