5 Places Not To Be Missed In Victoria Park
Victoria Park and its surrounding streets, just north of Mile End, is a delightful haunt and not just if you’re budding hipster who cycles a fixed gear and has facial hair to rival that of Brian Blessed. With its cute coffee bars, lively pubs and sparky, East End charm, it’s one of London’s hidden gems. Have a gander at our guide to the best places to eat, drink and chill here.
Best Place for Breakfast: Zealand Road Coffee 
What: East London’s answer to Central Perk
Why: This gorgeous café on Roman Road offers some of the best homemade grub we’ve ever come across. From traditional favourites like the good ole bacon sarny to everyone’s new favourite avocado on toast with a dusting of chilli flakes, this is the perfect place to read the paper and watch the world go by on a lazy Saturday.
Where: 391 Roman Road, E3 5QS
Website: (So cool that it doesn’t have its own website!)
Best Place for Coffee: Loafing
What: Your one-stop shop for a caffeinated pick-me-up
Why: This kitsch coffee shop, located in Victoria Village on the north side of the park, is the place for coffee. With its bohemian décor (the place is COVERED in bizarre knickknacks and peculiar trinkets!) and mellow jazz music, you can grab a latte and chill for 5minutes before you brave your soul-destroying commute. They also serve the most incredible raspberry and white chocolate cupcakes so if they don’t perk you up then nothing will.
Where: 79 Lauriston Road, E9 7HJ
Website: www.loafing.co.uk
Best Place to go with Friends: The Lauriston
What: Victoria Park’s best pub
Why: With the Lauriston, expect the unexpected! From the outside, it’s a bog standard pub. Step over the threshold and you’re immediately greeted by something else. Live music, a disco ball and more fairy lights than you can shake a stick at are just some of the delights in store! As well as serving some of the best local beers and ales, the pub also serves a delicious range of stone-baked pizzas, fresh from their traditional pizza oven – the perfect food to share with mates at the end of a long day.
Where: 162 Victoria Park Road, E9 7JN
Website: www.thelauriston.com
Best Place for Dinner: The Empress
What: Sophisticated, upmarket dining in the heart of the East End
Why: This high-ceilinged, Victorian beauty serves a modern British menu that’s full of flavour and really quite special. With a Michelin star chef at the helm in the kitchen and incredible food sourced from its next door neighbours (including meat from the Ginger Pig butchers over the road!), you’d be hard pushed to find anywhere east of the City that does a better steak. What’s more, its quaint outdoor terrace is great for those long, summer nights. The Empress is not to be missed!
Where: 130 Lauriston Road, E9 7LH
Website: www.empresse9.co.uk
Best Place to Hang Out: Victoria Park
What: The star attraction
Why: Leafy, spacious and green, Victoria Park itself is a brilliant place to lounge in the sun with a Solero. Play Frisbee, have a BBQ, rent a pedalo at the Boating Lake or listen to live music at LoveBox or Field Day, both of which are held in Vicky Park over the summer. Our favourite pastime is sitting on one of the park’s benches with a book and watching guys on roller blades fail miserably at performing silly stunts. Nothing like a good bit of schadenfreude!
Where: Grove Road, Bow, E3 5TB
Website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk
