The best cafés in Hackney

This small food and drink spot in De Beauvoir serves artisanal treats from small independent suppliers, focusing on seasonal treats and snacks. The menu is crafted using ingredients that the deli is famous for, alongside a daily changing menu of specials. Enjoy dishes like smashed avo with pickled carrots, toasted seeds and coriander cress on sourdough, and sweetcorn fritters with a poached egg, feta, spring onions, watercress, and tomato relish.

Pophams began as a bakery reimagining classic viennoiserie and has since grown into a mini empire with multiple locations and even its own homeware line. Known for both traditional and boldly inventive pastries, as well as quality coffee and hearty lunch options, it continues to draw daily queues to its Hackney cafés. 

215 Hackney is a cosy coffee shop located moments from the breath-taking Abney Park Cemetery, a lovely spot to wander around with a coffee in hand. The café serves a menu of Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine and coffee, ensuring the produce they use is sourced as locally as possible. The best bit? The owners have committed to donating 20% of all profits made to Warchild, a charity that helps children affected by wars worldwide.

The Snapery East is the customer-facing shop of The Snapery Bakery, long trusted by top-tier London restaurants for its artisan bread and pastries. This popular café in Hackney features a sunny courtyard and offers a daily menu of breakfast and lunch options alongside its signature baked goods.

Climpson & Sons is a speciality coffee roaster that came about due to a desire to bring quality coffee to London. Their snazzy Hackney café in Broadway Market offers fresh pastries and filled focaccias from The Dusty Knuckle bakery, all made with produce sourced from local businesses.

Wilton Way Deli & Wines is a popular delicatessen, wine bar, and café in Hackney, serving a variety of local and international products in a trendy space. Pick up all the cupboard essentials, like pasta, olive oil, meat and fish, or sit and enjoy a coffee, sandwich or salad. Sibling venue Fran's down the road also operates as a café by day, serving a similar but different menu, then turns into a trattoria-style space in the evening.

This organic bakery is set across three railway arches in the heart of Hackney. They use locally-sourced ingredients for all of their homemade bakes, including bread made with heritage wheat, pastries, cookies, and other sweet treats. They serve light lunch fare during the day, along with hot drinks, and even host sourdough and pizza-making classes. 

Proclaiming "brunch is king" and vowing to banish hangovers, this legendary Hackney caff doesn't shy away from indulgence. Their no-holds-barred approach has won them a loyal following, with diners lining up for hearty house hashes, loaded pork muffins, and the crowd-favourite “bucket of bacon.” Vegetarians are well looked after too, with options like the beetroot and sweet potato hash holding their own.

Thingy Cafe is a calming sanctuary down a quiet street in Hackney Wick. You'll probably notice their lush garden before you spot the actual café building; it's set amongst luscious greenery with scattered tables for al fresco coffee and cake in the summer sunshine. You can enjoy a hot bite to eat, like homemade soup, focaccia sandwiches, and home-baked sweet treats, and they also host a range of events like comedy nights and more.

Set between bright graffitied walls and colourful murals, you'll find an ethical coffee shop. Everything served at this independent Hackney café is ethically sourced and fair trade, including coffee from Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, and Sumatra, all roasted in Sussex for optimum freshness. The excellent coffee is accompanied by delicious vegan and vegetarian food, including their famous “Beefy” Burgers.

This creative space is set inside the old Clapton Tram Depot, where they serve breakfast and lunch fare along with coffee, juices, wines, beers and more. The trendy East London-style setting is bright and features parquet flooring, exposed brickwork, lush hanging plants, and old beams, making it the perfect spot for a video or photoshoot. They sell plants, fresh fruit and veg, and groceries as well.

The Sheds are multi-functioning spaces made by creatives for creatives. Comprising a coffee shop, wine deli, photography studios, and co-working spaces, they offer everything you need to get the creative juices flowing, including affordable desk rental and event spaces for like-minded people to get together and work.

This quaint Hackney café in the village-like Well Street Market serves classic breakfast and lunch fare in a cosy, stylish setting. You can expect to see dishes like baked eggs, loaded baps, and fresh pastries on the menu, accompanied by good coffee and juices. They also host a variety of pop-up events and dinners by local chefs, which are well worth looking out for.

Originating in Japan, % Arabica has grown into a global coffee brand driven by its founder's love for travel, quality coffee, and minimalist design. Their flagship London coffee shop in Hackney, ideally situated near Broadway Market, invites you for a curated coffee experience where beans are roasted on-site. Customers can even select their preferred beans for a personalised brew.

Despite accolades from celebrities like Keira Knightley and Tracey Ullman, Towpath remains a down-to-earth canalside café rather than a glitzy hotspot. With exclusively alfresco seating, it's a seasonal favourite for good coffee and unfussy dishes where quality produce can live its best life. From breakfast through to dinner, it offers comforting food with a touch of elegance – and the schadenfreude of watching weary runners jog by as you tuck into your plate.