A cafe crawl – Old Street/ Hackney Road

I feel bad for neglecting my blog of late (due to lounging on a beach in Greece) so am doing a ‘bumper’ blog post today with details of a rather decadent cafe crawl from Old Street station down Hackney Road towards east London.

This may seem like a bit of an odd route, so I’ll let you in on my inspiration: the number 55 bus. I get this bus, on this route, every day at 8am and then again at 5.30pm. I spend the 20 minutes it takes to get from Pritchard’s Road to Old Street, not only wedged under someone’s armpit, but staring out the window as an abundance of cafes speed by.

Given my never-ending cafe curiosity, you can appreciate that it’s about as much as I can do to not leap off the bus everyday to sample their delights. So, today I decided to boycott the bus and walk, stopping off to have a quick nose in each one and make a note of it for you. I will return to each and every one in due course for a full review, but for now, here’s a little taster:

Shoreditch Grind
213 Old Street
London EC1V 9NR
(Exit 8, Old Street Tube)

Website

Only opened in June, this trendy street-side coffee bar does caffeine, cake, pastries, gourmet sandwiches and salads at surprisingly affordable prices.

Full review here.

Foodhall
374-378 Old Street
London EC1V 9LT

Mouth-watering delicatessen and deli, I only don’t stop by here on a daily basis because the prices are a little steep. Cosy cafe at the back serves roasts on a Sunday and other lunch options daily.

Review coming soon.

The Old Shoreditch Station
1 Kingsland Road
London E2 8AA

Website

This cafe/bar inhabits an old station. With a ‘focus on great coffee during the daytimes and on whiskeys, wines and specialty beers in the night-times,’ you’ll be lucky to find a seat past 6pm.

Review coming soon.

Long White Cloud
151 Hackney Road
London E2 8JL

Website

Badging itself as ‘Cafe, Gallery and Retail space’, this kiwi-export serves brunch and lunch in true Antipodean style.

Full review here.

The Premises 
209 Hackney Road
London E2 8JL

Website

Attached to the music studio of the same name, the Premises does traditional English breakfasts (including a vegie option), lunches and Turkish dishes – an odd combination perhaps? We’ll see.
Review coming soon.

Esoteria Espresso Bar 
276 Hackney Road
London E2 7SJ

Website

Coffee, cakes, tarts, savoury muffins, mini pies, bircher muesli and salads, this tiny cafe right on Hackney Road is popular for breakfast due to its convenient takeaway window.

Review coming soon.

Frizzante Café 
Hackney City Farm
1a Goldsmiths Row
London E2 8QA

Website

Italian cafe/restaurant located on site at Hackney City Farm. Italian coffee, cakes, and a big Farm breakfast sit alongside their Mediterranean themed menu.

Review coming soon.