With a plethora of restaurants in trendy Hackney, it can be hard to know what to choose – that is until you come upon the food paradise that is Boxpark. This permanent pop-up mall is home to a wide range of restaurants and cafés. Here’s Culture Trip’s pick of the best.
Nosteagia
Food Stall, Japanese, Chinese, Asian
If you want to try a dessert you’ve never had before, head here. Nosteagia specialises in Asian desserts such as bubble waffles and bubble tea, which come in every flavour under the sun. The bubble waffle originated in Hong Kong and is a puffy waffle reminiscent of bubble wrap, which comes encased in a cone stuffed with fruit, sauces, sweets and ice cream. Nosteagia is a great spot to try these puddings.
The fact that Biff’s Jack Shack describes themselves as the purveyors of “filthy vegan junk food” and their hashtag is #veganAF tells you pretty much everything you need to know about this spot. They serve different variations of fried jackfruit, a fruit that has the vague texture of pulled pork but is, of course, vegan. Jackfruit is moulded into wings, burgers and chilli – all standard variations of the usual types of trendy junk food, just vegan versions. It’s a bit obnoxious but undeniably necessary in this vegan-friendly age – and it’s quite delicious.
Believe it or not, the rich, squidgy doughnuts at Dum Dum are actually low-fat, without preservatives and baked rather than fried. While still not a type of health food, they’re definitely lower in calories than the average doughnuts. Best of all, the flavours are top-notch and include crème brûlée and the Zebra, comprising layers of croissant dough and chocolate buttercream and topped with chocolate ganache.
Pizzeria, Restaurant, Food Stall, Italian, American
Voodoo Ray's | Courtesy of Voodoo Ray's
There aren’t many places you can get pizza by the slice in London, which makes Voodoo Ray’s a rarity. It’s gourmet pizza, but cool. Their pizzas have toppings that are fun and unusual, such as the Rubenesque (salt beef, sauerkraut, emmental, Russian dressing) and the Green Velvet (artichoke hearts, green olives, sunblush tomatoes). As it’s open late, it’s a favourite spot of Shoreditch revellers. They also do a great frozen margarita, should that be the vibe you’re after.
