Located conveniently 2 minutes from Hackney Wick Station lies The Hackney Pearl – an unassuming local eatery in the heart of trendy Hackney. From outside the cafe look’s modest; a combination of benches and colourful furniture provide the seating for a mixture of trendy locals and young families enjoying The Saturday lunch-time sun.
Upon entering you realise why so many of Hackney’s locals feel at home here and return time and time again. The staff are friendly and warm, there are no uniforms and nobody is rushing. Too many places these days have lost that personal touch, with over-worked staff rushing around the restaurant floor somewhere between a fast walk and slow trot which naturally transmits a ‘hurried’ ambiance to the customer. Not once did I see a member of staff at The Hackney Pearl rushed or panicked, instead they were slowly going about their jobs in a laid back but efficient manner.
The Hackney Pearl is not pretentious and nor does it intend to be, it prides itself on being a happy, cosy local with good food, good drink and friendly staff. It’s a very simple mission statement and one which they deliver on in every aspect.
Moving onto the food we were presented with a menu attached to a clip board. I was told by our waiter that they change the menu not once, but TWICE daily and this is down to the fact that all ingredients are sourced locally each morning.
I ordered from the sandwich menu; pastrami, jarlsberg and sauerkraut on sourdough (£6) whilst my friend had French toast served with Bacon, Maple Syrup and Peach (£8.) The sandwich was fresh and tasted great and had the perfect amount of sauerkraut (sour cabbage) to give it an exciting twist. The French Toast was presented beautifully and all the ingredients complimented each other well, we noticed several people around us also ordering this and it was clear why!
As well as great, fresh food the Hackney Wick also offer a nice selection of cocktails and beers making this trendy cafe the perfect spot for a few drinks in the evening! We were treated to a spontaneous art performance from some creative locals and was told by our waiter that these random and quirky pop-ups are not an irregular occurrence!
So if it’s fresh local food in a welcoming laid back atmosphere you’re after in one of the capitals artistic hubs, The Hackney Pearl is the place for you!
You can visit The Hackney Pearl at 11 Prince Edward Road, E9 5XL. http://www.thehackneypearl.com/
