Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in East London

OpenTable

Updated July 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best ambiance in East London? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

The Water House Project

4.9

4.9 (76)

£41 and over

British

Bethnal Green

About the restaurant

The Water House Project is open for dinner Wednesday - Saturday 7pm and lunch on Saturday & Sunday at 1pm.

Founded by Chef Gabriel Waterhouse and Patricia Wakaimba, each service comprises exclusively of a single tasting menu with guests served at the same time. For this reason we require all guests to arrive on time. Our doors are open 15 minutes before if you wish to arrive early.

If you have any dietary requirements these must be noted during the booking process or emailed to us 48 hours before hand. If you are making a group reservation please note the requirements of your entire group. For group bookings larger than 6 people, please email us on enquiries@thewaterhouseproject.com

Seasons Discovery Menu – £90
11 servings

Alcoholic pairings - £55
Non alcoholic pairings - £40

Available: Wednesday at 7pm, Saturday & Sunday lunch at 1pm

Seasons Signature Menu – £115
15 servings

Alcoholic pairings - £65
Non alcoholic pairings - £50

Available: Thursday – Saturday at 7pm

Top review

MarcVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Top 3 restaurants in London. Great for any occasion

City Spice - Brick Lane

4.9

4.9 (1245)

£25 and under

Indian

Spitalfields

About the restaurant

As seen on BBC TV, ITV and on the Evening Standard:

We pride ourselves on our award-winning Indian food, great customer service, and a truly luxurious atmosphere in the heart of Brick Lane. Our Michelin-inspired menu has a distinctive Bengali twist, and our expert vegan curry menu is second to none.

From classic dishes to signature creations, we’ve won a host of awards for our Indian food including the Best Restaurant in London 2016. Looking for the best curry on Brick Lane? Take a look at our meat and vegan menu at City Spice.

Below we have listed just some of our achievements as a proud stalwart for hearty, family-infused Indian cooking in London

AWARDS:

OpenTable Top 10 Indian Restaurants in London
BCA Chef of the Year 2021 (Meat category)
AFA Best Restaurant in London 2019
BCA Best Vegan Restaurant 2018
BCA Best Indian Restaurant 2017 and 2018
Currylife Best Indian Restaurant 2016

MEDIA FEATURES:

BBC3 and BBC News
ITV News
Evening Standard
Metro
Timeout
The Guardian

Top review

laporte

Dined 7 days ago

Cozy place, delicious curry, and service with a smile.

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Experience

LRF: City Spice 3 Course Offer! Over 60% Off!

Experience

THALI THALI! Grab a Thali Platter! (Upto 45% off)

B E H I N D

4.9

4.9 (115)

£41 and over

British

Hackney

About the restaurant

Welcome to BEHIND. We are an intimate 1 Michelin star fish-focused tasting menu restaurant run by chef Andy Beynon. Situated on the edge of London Fields, Hackney, BEHIND has 18 kitchen-table seats for lunch and dinner sittings, as well as a relaxed wine bar.

BEHIND is Andy Beynon’s first restaurant, opened in October 2020. After just 20 days’ trading it was awarded its first Michelin Star. Andy spent 15 years working in some of the best Michelin star restaurants in the country, including with chefs Claude Bosi, Phil Howard and Michael Wignall.

Top review

Ziad

Dined on Jul 1, 2025

One of London's best restaurants, definitely from my top 5

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Experience

Krug in the Kitchen at BEHIND

INIS

4.9

4.9 (121)

£25 and under

Irish

Hackney Wick

About the restaurant

Relaxed and friendly local set on the canal towpath on Fish Island, East London. Serving a seasonal menu of British and Irish food, coffee and drinks. Dog friendly. Outdoor seating.

Open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and Sunday lunch. Evenings from Summer.

Top review

Bob

Dined 4 days ago

Great experience! Lovely Guinness cake and very friendly staff

Smiths Restaurant Wapping

4.9

4.9 (8162)

£41 and over

Seafood

Wapping

About the restaurant

Smith's of Wapping is located on the River Thames with fantastic views of Tower Bridge and The Shard.
Smith's, famous for fish, was initially established in 1958 and today offers fine dining facilities.

We are now open from 12pm until 230pm for lunch and 5.30pm until 11pm (last seating time is 9pm) on Monday to Thursday.

Friday dinner starts at 6pm until 11pm (last seating is 9.30pm).

Saturday dinner starts at 5.30pm until 11pm (last seating is 945pm)

On Sundays we are open from 12pm until 3.30pm for Lunch
And 6pm until 10pm (last seating time 8.30pm) for Dinner.

Should you not find the time that you are looking for, please contact the restaurant directly as there may be availability.

Top review

Theresa

Dined 2 days ago

Server was extremely knowledgeable on the menu. Really friendly and polite and happy

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Popular dish

Apple Tart

Popular dish

Smith's Classic Prawn Cocktail

Popular dish

Large Brixham Dover Sole

Little Duck The Picklery

4.7

4.7 (149)

£41 and over

European

Dalston

About the restaurant

A restaurant, wine bar and fermenting kitchen - we're open for lunch Wednesdays to Sundays and dinner all week.

Our menu changes monthly and our cooking is simple and seasonal. It's here we make all our seasonal ferments, pickles and drinks - all of which you can buy ready jarred from our fridge.

Our large kitchen counter is the centrepiece, and you’re invited to grab a seat, order something to eat and enjoy the workings of life in our kitchen. In the evening, the lights go down, dinner is served and you can enjoy wines by the glass and bottle from our ever-changing list of natural and biodynamic wines.

Top review

candice

Dined 4 days ago

A feast, a treat, and a wonderful experience. Every dish was absolutely delicious and the staff are incredibly hospitable. Highly recommend.

Leo's Restaurant & Bar

4.6

4.6 (196)

£26 to £40

Regional Italian (Sardinia)

Homerton

About the restaurant

We are an Italian cafe, bar & restaurant on Chatsworth Road, Clapton.

We are open for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and a special Set Sunday Lunch every week.

Bookings can be made for Dinner & Saturday or Sunday Lunch only.

We do not take bookings for Breakfast or Lunch in the cafe so feel free to walk in.

Walk-ins for dinner are always welcome in the bar but reservations are necessary for the dining room.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 7 days ago

this restaurant is incredible from the food to the service.

Dalla

4.8

4.8 (83)

£26 to £40

Italian

Homerton

About the restaurant

A new neighbourhood Italian restaurant in Hackney, E9.

Home-style cooking from Mitchell Damota and Gianmarco Leone.

Interiors by Spazio Leone, in collaboration with Sicilian designer Oscar Piccolo.

Top review

irene

Dined 4 days ago

Amazing quality food from starters to desserts. Nostalagic and modern at the same time, a special place to go back to.

El Ganso Cafe

4.7

4.7 (18)

£26 to £40

Spanish

Hackney

About the restaurant

Opened in 2014, El Ganso (The Goose) is a Spanish Restaurant with renowned chef Marcelo Sánchez Cabrera at the helm.

Located on Broadway Market, a chic down-to-earth hang out in Hackney, East London, it is an intimate and relaxed setting offering Modern Spanish Tapas, carefully crafted wine list, ‘Square Mile‘ specialty coffee and a kick-ass breakfast/brunch menu using the most authentic ingredients and cooking style.

Our aim is that once you walk in, you feel like you have travelled to Spain and met with a warm and welcoming environment to enjoy our true Mediterranean flavours.

Why not join us to experience what we have to offer while watching the world go by in the best corner of fabulous Broadway Market.

Can’t wait to see you “Nos vemos pronto amigos”

Top review

BarbaraVIP

Dined on May 26, 2025

Great food and wine served in a fun atmosphere. Excellent selection of tapas, all very tasty. Service was friendly and professional.

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Experience

Breakfast & Brunch Menu at El Ganso Cafe

Experience

Express Lunch Set Menu

Lahpet Shoreditch

4.7

4.7 (11)

£25 and under

Burmese

Bethnal Green

About the restaurant

Lahpet is one of London’s only restaurants to specialise in authentic Burmese cooking.
Aiming to shine a light on this relatively untapped cuisine, Lahpet has been popularising the flavours of Myanmar by presenting its guests with regional specialities and Burmese staple dishes with a hint of refinement and contemporary flair.

Founders, Dan & head chef Zaw, both have Burmese heritage and are the driving forces behind the concept which was cultivated and received critical acclaim at its hackney warehouse site during 2017.

Lahpet’s first permanent site opened in Shoreditch in 2018 and was followed by a second in London’s West End in 2022; its most recent site, Lahpet Larder, opened in Bermondsey in 2024.

Top review

Karon

Dined on Jun 23, 2025

Food is amazing, and the service is great too! Will definitely come back.

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