Exploring Stoke Newington

If you stop any London hipster and ask him where he’d love to live, the answer will be simple: Stoke Newington – or Stokey, as they call it.

Sleepy-hangovered youngsters lazily hang around in the streets, especially in the trendy Church Street, packed with independent restaurants, cafés and shops. Most of them are vintage and/or design boutiques packed with amazing objects and prints. Unfortunately the prices aren’t that cheap.

We stopped at The Blue Legume for a quick lunch. The café is absolutely lovely, the Cappuccino was great but the food just ok.

Don’t forget to pay a visit to The Cobbled Yard, a small area in Bouverie Road where you’ll satisfy your antiques craving.

Find some time for the Cemetery too, Abney Park. Since it is also a natural reserve, its athmosphere is magic.

Its history is pretty unique too, since most of the dissidents of 18th Century were buried here. I read a curious story about a lion tamer who, after a long career with his dangerous kittens died for a flu… while visiting a giraffe in an English farm! (And isn’t it ironic/don’t you think…).

The pain of Stoke Newington is that it’s so badly connected so, unless you find a direct bus, if it’s a sunny day I advice you to take the Overground until Dalston Kingsland then walk, so that you will enjoy both Dalston and Stoke Newington.

Since that was my first trip ever to the neighborhood, but I plan to come back there soon, if you have any tips they’ll be highly appreciated!

Stoke Newington, Church Street (Borough of Hackney) – map

How to get there: Overground, Dalston Kingsland stop (then a 15 minutes walk) or bus

Here you find some info on restaurants, cafés, shops and pubs.

I especially liked Search and Rescue, Olive loves Alfie, Strut, The Restoration, Pelicans and Parrots, Farleigh Place