How to Live Like a Local in: Dalston
Dalston is now often considered the new Shoreditch – an attractive mix of community, culture and cool. Nightlife is up there with the best (and latest) in London, street food is well and truly alive and buzzing and wherever you roam, you’re never more than a few steps from great jerk chicken. As usual, this isn’t extensive (there are far too many good places for that) but here are our choices for how to do Dalston, the local way.
POND Dalston
Hawaiian Warehouse Dining
We reviewed it back in October, and are still ranting about POND. Through a lively square with locals playing dominoes and a blaring jukebox you’ll find the warehouse that is home to the best (only?!) Asian-Hawaiian food in London. Locally sourced ingredients contribute to poke, maki and grilled veg. If catfish is on the specials menu, get it. It’s amazing. The cocktails are great too.
Where: Unit G2, Stamford Works, 3 Gillett Street, Dalston N16 8JH
Website: www.pond-dalston.com
Rudie's
Real Jamaican Jerk
Think Dalston dining and you probably think Caribbean. More polished than other offerings, Rudie’s know how to do good jerk. Available at different levels of spice, depending on how confident you are feeling, the jerk ketchup middle level was more than enough to give us a good kick. Challenge you to resist taking a photo of the wooden light/tree feature in the middle of the room.
Where: 50 Stoke Newington Road, Dalston, N16 7XB
Website: www.rudieslondon.com
The Dusty Knuckle Bakery
Feel Good Bakery
The Dusty Knuckle is not only up there with the best names for a bakery we’ve ever heard, it also has heart. A social enterprise offering employment to youngsters, they also have workshops so you can have your very own dusty knuckles. Easy to overlook, the shipping container in which the magic happens serves filled foccacia and iced coffee making it a handy little lunch spot whilst true locals can swing by for a loaf to last them the weekend.
Where: Abbott Street Car Park, (off Kingsland Road), Dalston, E8 3DP
Website: www.thedustyknuckle.com
Pamela
Lousiana Dining, With a Hint of Pamela Anderson
Yep, that’s Pamela Anderson they’re referring to. Whilst we doubt Pammy would ever make an appearance in Dalston, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t – the understated bar/restaurant has Decatur heading up the kitchen, bringing London a taste of Louisiana. That means an American take on retro classics; pork balls, ‘beer cheese’ and buffalo wings, all under the watchful eye of retro Pammy posters on the walls.
Where: 428 Kingsland Road, Dalston, E8 4AA
Website: www.pamelabar.com
Dalston Yard
International Street Food
OK, this is one place that is not a local secret – Dalston Yard is well and truly a selling point of venturing to E8. The current Street Feast residency has brought with it 16 street food traders and 12 bars, including Bleecker Street Burger, Kimchinary and Hanoi Kitchen. Get down before 7pm for free entry (still just £3 after) and make sure you have an empty stomach.
Where: Dalston Yard, Hartwell Street, Dalston, E8 3DU
Website: www.streetfeastlondon.com
Mangal 1
Authentic Turkish Dining
Turkish restaurant Mangal 1 is in hot competition with the confusingly titled Mangal 2 (just down the road) so you’ll find locals disagreeing about their favourite. Each to their own, Mangal numero uno is all about the food. Kebabs galore, the restaurant is like a true local with friendly staff, efficient service, BYOB and – the best bit – delicious food.
Where: 10 Arcola Street, Dalston, E8 2DJ
Website: www.mangal1.com
Tina, We Salute You
Iconic Cafe
Having started life as a cupcake stall at UpMarket just off Brick Lane, Tina We Salute You is now one of Dalston’s iconic cafes. Alongside good coffee you’ll find the likes of American style pancakes, cinnamon toast, avocado and chilli and poached eggs. If you’re wondering who Tina is, she’s arguably the most popular of sixties artist J.H Lynch’s prints – take a look.
Where: 47 King Henry’s Walk, Dalston, N1 4NH
Website: www.tinawesaluteyou.com
Dalston Roof Park
Sky High
For those looking to get high in Dalston then we suggest Dalston Roof Park…clearly we’re talking about heights. The only rooftop garden in Dalston it’s nestled between the Victorian buildings, giving views of London’s iconic skyline. Once a forgotten space, the garden is now home to a whole host of events and pop-ups including the likes of sunrise yoga, rooftop parties and food residencies – currently you’ll find Bonnes Frites there!
Where: Dalston Roof Park 18 Ashwin Street, Dalston, E8 3DL
Website: www.bootstrapcompany.com
Rio Cinema
A Dalston Institution
When it comes to watching films in Dalston it’s all about The Rio, an independent art deco cinema housed in a Grade II listed building and an iconic Dalston landmark in itself – TFL have even renamed the bus stop outside ‘Rio Cinema.’ They’re all about the traditional cinema experience so you’ll find red velvet seats and long red curtains over the screen. Alongside current releases they show arthouses too and you won’t find bland generic food and drink, it all comes from local suppliers like Crate Brewery and Black Vanilla.
Where: 107 Kingsland High Street, Dalston, E8 2PB
Website: www.riocinema.org.uk
Voodoo Ray's
New York Pizza
It’s 2am on a Saturday night and you fancy something to mop up the beer – forget the greasy kebab, what you need is a slice of Voodoo Ray’s pizza. They make giant 22” New York style pizzas and serve them by the slice, apparently two is equivalent to an 11” pizza…but it’s ok because it’s only 2 slices, well that’s what we tell ourselves anyway. Toppings include the likes of the Rubenesque – salt beef, sauerkraut, emmental, Russian dressing and mozzarella and the King Tubby – fennel and chilli sausage, Cavolo Nero, tomatoes, caramelised onions and mozzarella. We’ll take both.
Where: 95 Kingsland High Street, Dalston, E8 2PB
Website: www.voodoorays.com
Towpath Cafe
Hidden Cafe
Finding a home in old storage units, the Towpath Café might not look like much, but this a real case of don’t judge a book by its cover. Wander down to the canal, grab a seat in the sun and while away the hours drinking coffee, eating brunch and watching the cyclists and swans.
Where: 36 De Beauvoir Crescent, Dalston, N1
Website: www.towpathcafe.wordpress.com
