O perfil de lucyloves

This placed is such an amazing hidden gem. Well, hidden from me anyway, but definitely not from the hordes of people who packed the place throughout the evening. Looks like a kebab shop from the front but then you walk back through into a much larger room that is full of locals who have come for the huge portions of delicious traditional greek dishes. We ordered the set menu option which was 36 pounds for 2, which sounds pricey but the ammount of food you get for this is staggering. Plates and plates of mixed mezze to start, then onto the gorgeous fish and seafood course, then finally when you think you might burst a mixed meat platter that is amazing. Had a really good night here and will definitely come back with an appetite.

This old school independent cinema is a real gem on the slightly shabby Dalston Kingsland Road. With one screen in a giant auditorium with gorgeous art deco decoration you feel like you’re watching your film in a different time. Nice staff and good snacks etc that you would expect from any cinema, but with bags more personality than the usual multiplex experience. Highly recommended.

I had a take-away from here the other day and it was delicious and not expensive. In total we had a lamb biriyani, saag prawn with basmati rice, chicken passanda with plain naan and a peshwari naan and the bill was £20 (there's a take-away discount)
Mine was the lamb biriyani and it was gorgeous: tender meat, good flavour and not too oily. The lovely staff also threw in a complementary bottle of kingfisher beer for good measure. Great place, will definitely be going back for more.

Really lovely European style cafe/restaurant on Stoke Newington's buzzing Church Street. Particular favourite for me are their massive sandwiches, their chocolate brownies and excellent coffee too. There's a very pretty conservatory type area at the back of the cafe which I prefer to the seating area at the front. Not a cheap as chips place but good value for money and friendly service.

Gastro pub extraordinaire, The Prince serves gorgeous food in beautifully decorated surroundings. Down a little back street in Stoke Newington this is always a popular choice and is usually packed, but if you want some peace they do have a private room you can book for your group if you're eating. My friend once went there on a night when they didn't have any beer in the whole pub (!) which I'm sure was a one off but if it does happen again they have an excellent selection of wines. I have heard that their Sunday roasts are spectacular so that will be my next visit.

Incredibly brightly coloured Mexican restaurant at the High Street end of Stoke Newington's Church St. I love the vibrant decoration and the staff are very smiley too. We went during happy hour which meant 2-for-1 Margaritas (a big plus) and I think they also had a happy hour offer on Mexican beer. We ordered nachos to share, but quickly got order envy when the next table got their burritos which looked delicious, so next time that's what I'll order to go with my bargain margaritas.

This is a great little (actually deceptively spacious) local pub with friendly staff and a great juke box. Out back there is a conservatory like area with sofas which leads through to the back room which has a pool table. They also have a good sized beer garden and some tables outside at the front of the pub.

After a recent refurbishment this big local pub is better than ever. Thankfully they didn't go down the identikit gastro pub redecoration route and The Salisbury is still as full of charm and character as ever. Good venue for meeting up with groups as there are quite a few big tables. There's also a newly added covered smoking terrace and look out for the swinging hook game on the wall - hours of tipsy fun.

This is one of my favourite local pubs in the area, although as it is such a well loved local it can sometimes feel a bit like walking into a private club. However it is a very friendly crowd and you'll be chatting away with the bar staff and playing with the pub cat in no time. I think this is a perfect cold weather pub as it feels very snug and cosy and they have a good real ale selection you can work though as you wait out the winter months.

This is my favourite local shop in Cambridge. They have good fresh produce and an amazing array of spices and interesting bits and pieces from all over the place. They also have a great deli at the back of the shop and I LOVE their samosas, I actually dream about them now I live in London. The guys who run it work really hard to make this a community hub and are always helpful and friendly.