At the crossroads of the City, Canary Wharf and the Olympic Park you'll find Mile End and Bow — the bustling residential heartland of the East End. Once gritty and rough around the edges — OK, still gritty and rough around the edges — the area has picked up in recent years with new places to eat, drink and shop joining the existing arts venues, charming parks and squares. While the likes of Nandos, Tesco and Starbucks have all started to muscle-in on the area, there's plenty of other places to head to if you're after genuine local experiences.
Since 1937, pies have been served at this shop on Roman Road, each one hand-made in their in-house bakery using a recipe passed down through three generations.
Hidden away down a narrow passageway linking Grove Hall Park to Bow Road, Carmelite Cafe serves up brunches, lunches and great Nude Espresso coffee.
All Londoners love a good park - a small grassy saviour rescuing us from grey high rises and dulcet tones of traffic. So if you're searching for a break from it all in the East End, the Mile End Arts Park certainly hits the spot. Named after the pavilion alongside it, the Arts Park is part of a larger 79 acre stretch running alongside Regent's Canal. It was created on former industrial land left devastated by the World War II bombings and leads up to Victoria Park on the route from Mile End Road. A great place to feed the ducks, relax by the water and even pop down with a picnic if the weather allows.
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