The Royal Oak, London E2

When I was living in London I was an Eastender. I have been one for nearly ten years and I love most of what the streets of Bethnal Green, Brick Lane, Shoreditch, Hackney, etc. have to offer. In spite of the recent changes that have brought a number of new bars, restaurants and other venues to the area, the East End has always had a relative paucity of good places to eat a proper meal. There are of course some notable exceptions. One of my favorite spots is the The Royal Oak, on Columbia Road, E2.

The Royal Oak is a typical english pub cum upstairs restaurant. The place is scruffy with old chairs and unmatching tables. The bar is round and in the middle of the place; there’s a even scruffier courtyard area. The place is usually packed with cool locals. And it gets crazy on Sundays because of the flower market on Columbia Rd.

The food is good, much better than your typical local pub. Homelettes, meat platters, burger or steak sandwiches and some fish based dishes, awesome chunky chips. The atmosphere is super friendly but relaxed. I like to go there on Saturdays for early lunch with my papers and laptop. Sometimes for a mid-week pint or glass of red wine.

The restaurant upstairs is great, the menu is similar to the pub’s but more complete with a good selection of first and second courses. The meat and the wine are superb and there’s always some minor or local celebrity that can be spotted. The service is really good and the atmosphere happy and vibrant, perfect for a small group of friends seeking good times.