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.
The Palm Tree is a pub that definitely doesn't give a shit. No matter the year, month, time of day or season the pub is dark and moody, with wooden paneling, golden wallpaper and thick velour curtains lit only by dim red lighting. It's a proper East London boozer and it's not trying to be anything else, plus rumour has it, it's Bill Murray's favourite East End haunt, so what's not to like? The Palm Tree stands alone just beside Regents Canal — it can't, and shouldn't, be missed. Predictably, it's a cash only bar.
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