Lady’s 15 East London Neighborhoods You’ll Love Discovering

Today I want to share my east London neighborhoods guide with you. The East End of the UK capital is full of great areas to explore, some of which are the trendiest parts of London right now. From hip Hackney to contemporary Canary Wharf, there’s a place to fit your personality. I’ve included a map, too.

East London Neighborhoods

I’ve published a lot of blog posts about different areas of London. I’ve written about pretty London neighborhoods and under-the-radar London neighborhoods. I’ve even put together a London neighborhoods map.

But today I want to focus on east London neighborhoods and bring you my favorite parts of the East End.

Whether you like street art or street markets, heritage buildings or cutting-edge architecture, there’s a part of east London for you. Read on for my favorites.

1. Shoreditch

Since it’s one of the best-known east London neighborhoods, I’ll start with Shoreditch. This area has some of the top bars, restaurants, and nightlife in London, and it’s a great place to start exploring the East End.

From Shoreditch High Street to Great Eastern Street, Redchurch Street to Rivington Street, this part of the UK capital is full of life, street art, and all things cool.

If you want to discover the area, my Shoreditch walks and maps can help.

2. Spitalfields

Just south of Shoreditch, Spitalfields is another of my favorite east London neighborhoods. From the goods for sale at Old Spitalfields Market to the street art around Brick Lane, this area is bursting with color.

Spitalfields also has great side streets to explore. Puma Court and Princelet Street are two of my favorites. The 18th-century Huguenot silk weavers’ houses on the latter are beautiful.

If you want to explore more of the area, I’ve published a self-guided walk in Spitalfields and an east London street art tour of Spitalfields and Shoreditch you can do.

3. Walthamstow

Up north, Walthamstow is one of the best east London neighborhoods for living like a local.

This area is home to great restaurants, a famous neon art store, and the William Morris Gallery, a museum dedicated to the life and works of the famous English Arts and Crafts Movement designer.

Walthamstow also has beautiful streets and a mix of heritage buildings and contemporary shops and workshops. Add to that the area’s wetlands, and it offers something for every mood.

4. Whitechapel

Back towards Spitalfields, Whitechapel is a great east London neighborhood for its blend of history and culture. Everything from the Royal London Hospital Museum to the East London Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre is here.

Add to that the famous Whitechapel Market with its vibrant fabrics and the Whitechapel Gallery with its art exhibitions, there’s a lot to take in.

A blend of contemporary cafes and famous no-frills Southeast Asian restaurants rounds out the scene in Whitechapel.

5. Wapping

Adjacent to Whitechapel, Wapping is another of the best east London neighborhoods.

This riverside area is home to some of the most historic pubs in London. They sit alongside heritage dock warehouse conversions and the one-of-a-kind Wilton’s Music Hall.

Wapping is also home to the Ornamental Canal and historic clipper ships. Wapping High Street has great shops and cafes, and Tobacco Dock hosts events throughout the year.

6. Stoke Newington

Next on my list of the best east London neighborhoods is Stoke Newington. This is a great local area with fun restaurants, cafes, and shops.

Stoke Newington is also home to Clissold Park, a green space that dates back to the days of William the Conqueror’s Domesday Book in the 11th century. It’s a great place for a walk in the area.

7. Canary Wharf

Back by the Thames, Canary Wharf is famous for its sea of skyscrapers. This area has reinvented itself in recent decades as a financial hub.

But hiding among the steel and glass are landmarks like Billingsgate Market, the Museum of London Docklands, and The Gun, one of the most historic riverside pubs in London. The area is worth a visit for its mix of old and new.

8. Hackney Wick

Speaking of new, Hackney Wick is one of London’s trendiest areas. This east London neighborhood is known for its nightlife scene and hip vibe.

Sitting along the Lee Navigation canal, Hackney Wick is full of artists’ studios in converted industrial spaces, independent breweries, and cool cafes. It’s just the place to channel your inner hipster.

9. Stratford

Right by Hackney Wick, Stratford is known for its shopping mall, the Westfield Stratford City. It has a lot of shops and restaurants, and it’s a popular place to go in east London.

Right by the mall, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is a sporting complex that features a mix of stadiums built for the London 2012 Olympics, and parks, waterways, and playgrounds.

10. Dalston

Dalston is another of the most famous east London neighborhoods. Its heart lies in Kingsland Road, which is known for everything from great Vietnamese restaurants to cool cocktail bars.

Ridley Road is another highlight of Dalston. Ridley Road Market has produce and home goods for sale, and it’s a great place to get into the local spirit.

11. Hoxton

Back by Shoreditch, Hoxton is another of the best-known east London neighborhoods. From the wide expanse of Shoreditch Park to famous contemporary art galleries and cool bars, the area has a lot to discover.

Hoxton Street Market is the oldest of its kind in Hackney. It sells food, handicrafts, clothing, and other goods every Saturday.

12. Hackney

And speaking of Hackney, it’s one of my favorite east London neighborhoods. This huge area is home to everything from London Fields park to National Trust London properties like Sutton House, the oldest domestic building in the area.

Chatsworth Road Market and Broadway Market are two local favorites for food and vintage goods, Netil Market has great bagels and other delicious finds, and the Columbia Road Flower Market is famous for its blooms.

Add to that bars under railway arches, great nightlife, inventive restaurants, cool cafes, and the sprawling expanse of Victoria Park, and Hackney is hard to beat.

13. Bethnal Green

Not far from Hackney, Bethnal Green is a popular east London neighborhood to live in.

Home to the Young V&A and Bethnal Green Gardens, it offers everything from culture to green spaces and trendy East End restaurants and bars.

Bethnal Green Road has lots of places to eat and drink, and the railway arches on Paradise Row are full of hip restaurants.

14. Haggerston

Located next to Dalston, Haggerston is equally loaded with cool cocktail bars and cafes. From Kingsland Road to Great Cambridge Street, there are plenty of places to fall in love with.

Add to that the Regent’s Canal Towpath and railway arches teeming with hip eateries, and this east London neighborhood has a lot to discover.

15. Limehouse

Back on the Thames, Limehouse is a popular east London neighborhood to live in. This historic dockland area has lots of converted warehouses, and Limehouse Basin is home to a marina.

Heritage pubs like The Grapes date back to the 16th century, and modern ones like The Narrow by Gordon Ramsay are popular with food lovers.

East London Neighborhoods Map

East London Neighborhoods

I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to east London neighborhoods and that it’s inspired you to get out and see more of the city.

The East End has a lot going for it, and it’s changing all the time. It’s worth going back over and over to see what’s new.

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