If there’s one thing I’ve learned after eight years of living in Walthamstow, it’s this: never underestimate E17.
I’m turning 45 next month, and I’ve now lived here longer than I’ve continuously lived anywhere else. That’s exactly 17.7777% of my life. And despite London’s habit of tempting you elsewhere, I have zero plans of leaving.
There are plenty of reasons why. The wetlands. The parks. The diversity. The creativity. The sense of community. The transport links that make getting almost anywhere ridiculously easy. And then there’s the food.
Apparently, Walthamstow’s earliest recorded name in the Domesday Book means “the place of welcome.” I feel like the council should use that fact more to promote the neighbourhood, don’t you think? But maybe they should share the spots that I’m about to share with you below; there’s so much to love here and so much deliciousness to be found.
For coffee
A friend once told me that he didn’t want to move to Walthamstow because he wanted to live “in a neighbourhood where [he] could get a good flat white within five minute’s walk from [his] house.” Well, Greg, have I got news for you! Within a five-minute walk from my house, I like to get my coffees from Suba Bakery (they also sell incredible single-origin beans and have occasional coffee tasting events), Cronera, and Incoming Coffee.
For a bakery
We have so many I don’t even know where to begin so I’ll just say this: run, don’t walk to (doctor and former St. John pastry chef) Hai Lin Leung’s Lucky Yu Bakery, which she runs out of a hatch on the side of her home near Lloyd Park. Check Instagram for timings, pre-orders and day-of specials. Lucky you, indeed.
Another baked good delight is the weekend (Friday and Saturday)-only khachapuri from Cronera Coffee. Owner Dmitri is from Tbilisi, Georgia and I wish his deliciously cheesy breads were available daily; happily, his walnut rolls are.
For a proper pub
I love the The Queens Arms . It was the first place (other than the hospital) that my son ever went to; he was six days old. And it remains one of my favorite spots—for drinks in the sun with friends, for meals when the in-laws are in town, and for nights when all my kid wants is mac ‘n cheese and all I want is fish and chips.
However, the pub with the best food in E17 is most definitely The Raglan. It’s really spectacular. An Irish-Indian culinary mashup? WHO KNEW?! The team at The Raglan, apparently. Masala-spiced spuds with your Sunday roast and a perfect pour of Guinness? Sold! I’m simultaneously sad and lucky that it’s a few minutes too far for me and my family to get to on a more regular basis. (It’s also a favourite of Andi Oliver, which tells you everything you need to know.)
For dinner
The Lacy Nook. Hands down. (Though also, see above: The Raglan). We’ve been eating Elena’s Balkan (and Balkan-inspired food) ever since we spotted her slinging beef cevapi flatbread sandwiches from a flat-top grill in front of The Anchor & Hope on the banks of the River Lea eight years ago. Love the food. Love the atmosphere. Love it all.
I also love Etles Uyghur Restaurant., but I actually love Muku’s Hot Pot, their sibling restaurant across the street, even more. A longtime devotee of a large cauldron of bubbling Sichuan hot pot and the communal joy that accompanies such a mealtime experience, I was initially skeptical of Muku’s individual hot pots. Boy, do I stand corrected. Muku’s is incredible and an incredible value, especially when they run their kids’ and holiday discounts.
For takeaway/delivery, though, you can’t beat Raya Asian Street Food. Roti. Rendang. Char Kwai Teow. Yes, please.
For food & drink shopping
And if it’s Sunday, there’s a very good chance you’ll find me wandering around the High Street Farmers’ Market with a coffee in one hand and
I’m a sucker for Eat 17 and Bora & Sons on Orford Road for everyday essentials, fancy treats, and fruit and vegetables. The International Supermarket near St. James Street is my go-to for, well, “international” ingredients. Delight Wedlinka on Hoe Street has an extremely impressive and delicious selection of Polish sausages, meats and perogies. And I try not to ever miss the Sunday Farmer’s Market on the High Street.
For wine
For tipples, Mikey and his team at Home Tipple on Orford Road always have spot-on wine recommendations. I also love Gnarly Vines because they sell Georgian wine and have a secret garden at the back of the shop; plus, who doesn’t love the combination of a delivery pizza from Yard Sale and a bottle of Pheasant’s Tears saperavi in a secret garden?
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