Unique eats in quirky East London cafes
London is famous for its excellent restaurant scene, even more so recently with the addition of some of the top names in the business. Take Le Chabanais, for example, who could possibly have something negative to say about a city chosen as the second home of the Le Chateaubriand team? As an aside, we were slightly amused to find the following text in the small print of the restaurant’s website: “Disclaimer: Le Chabanais London has nothing to do with the early 20th Century erotic establishment with the same name in Paris.”
French erotica or no French erotica, there is something to suit every taste when it comes to dining in London. For those times when fine dining isn’t quite what you’re looking for, how about one of these rather quirky cafes instead?
If you were one of those children who was constantly in trouble for scribbling on walls (yes, Susan has one of these), the Canvas Café is your spiritual home. Not only are you allowed to draw on the walls, you are positively encouraged to do so. Serving as both a creative venue and a café, the Canvas Café has an impressive number of workshops and events taking place and, of course, an equally impressive menu to accompany them. The Canvas Café wants to be your Happy Place and we think you should give it a chance.
42 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL Telephone: 020 7018 1020
This one is particularly quirky as you’re not actually a diner when you visit; you pay a tiny amount of rent instead, making you a micro-tenant. Pay 5p a minute to take up your space in Ziferblat, then help yourself to food and drink, including unlimited peanut butter on toast. Temporary residents will also be given access to books to read and records to play, so it’s more like hanging out in a very cool den than visiting a café. We suspect this is very much a Marmitey “love it or loathe it” kind of place, but it has to be worth a try.
388 Old Street, London, EC1V 9LT Telephone: 07984 693 440
Why not make London’s only 3D printing café the venue for your next coffee with friends? Not only will you be served an excellent latte, you’ll be encouraged to indulge in a spot of brainstorming to come up with a great idea for the 3D printer. You can also choose to have your own items printed or laser-engraved while you’re there. How about having your iPhone, iPad or Macbook iTattooed?
1 Kingsland Road, London, E2 8AA Telephone: 07706 254 893
If you would love a cat but can’t have one due to landlord restrictions or a partner with allergies, why not pop down to Lady Dinah’s for a coffee and a cuddle with one of the café’s 12 cats? From cat yoga sessions to all manner of cat-related paraphernalia, Lady Dinah’s is definitely the place to be for cat lovers in London. Oh, if you can drag yourself away from your new favourite moggy for a while, they serve high teas and cream teas too.
152-154 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 6DG Telephone: 020 7729 0953
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