Peter Gordon is one of the most influential chefs working in the UK today. Known for his ability to effortlessly combine flavours, ingredients and techniques from different cuisines onto one plate, he’s the godfather of fusion cooking – something you can experience at his celebrated The Providores and Tapa Room restaurant in Marylebone.
He’s also been a Hackney resident for the past six years, a borough which is known for its eclectic food scene. We were thrilled to mooch around the area with Peter to discover his favourite places to visit, and help spread the word about just how good Hackney’s restaurants, shops and cafés are.
When it came to choosing which businesses to include we had to cut Peter’s list down quite a bit, but he was very keen to mention Mangal 2 – a Turkish ocakbasi serving incredible kebabs; the Michelin-starred Ellory; Oklava (although this could technically be classed as Shoreditch rather than Hackney); Climpsons Coffee and many others. It just goes to show how rich Hackney’s food and drink scene is.
‘Hackney is such a big borough, but you can find little clusters of food businesses all over it,’ says Peter. ‘I love the neighbourhood I live in, near London Fields and Broadway Market, and these are some (but not all!) of the best restaurants and shops I like to visit.’