Hackney Pearl
11 Prince Edward Road, Hackney, London E9 5LX
This really is a pearl of a restaurant, shining in an otherwise fairly undistinguished part of the borough. Glass fronted and with elegant modern furnishings, it serves seasonal food, with a menu that changes regularly. As well as soups and panini for weekday lunches, they do a more sophisticated menu for weekend lunches and evenings, combining modern British and Mediterranean styles. One of the cooler outposts in Hackney Wick, they also host a short summer film festival. Plus there’s regular ‘poetry at the Pearl’, and the classiest cocktail hour in the area.