15 Foodie Treats That Will Tempt You To Walthamstow

The last stop on the Victoria line, but the first stop for food.

1. Chilli Bacon Jam at Eat 17

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The peculiar-sounding but brilliant chilli bacon jam made by Eat 17 is one of Walthamstow's major culinary highlights. Not only is the Eat 17 restaurant itself wonderful, but their chilli bacon jam is next level.

Up your burger game at home by taking a pot or two of bacon jam home and you can hibernate for the winter.

2. Seafood Paella for two at Orford Saloon

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The Orford Saloon is the ideal laid-back date night venue and you can pretend that you're on a Spanish holiday for the evening, if you'd like.

The paella is very generous and full of juicy fish, prawns and mussels – a great choice if you don't mind rolling up your sleeves and getting a little messy in the process.

3. Lahmacun at The Nag's Head

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A meaty Turkish extravaganza of a pizza, the Lahmacun is a hearty dinner for when you're really in the mood for tucking in and waddling home with a food belly. Although it's carby and comforting the yoghurt, cucumber and mint on top of the minced lamb keep it fresh-tasting.

Influenced by the Turkish community in nearby Green Lanes, the Nag's Head menu is full of other unusual dishes that lift it above normal pub grub. There is a big, pretty garden at the back so it's a handy place to know about on sunny evenings.

4. Morbier Cheese at Froth and Rind

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Dairy delights at Froth and Rind are so abundant that it's almost impossible to know what to choose. At any given time they have between 20-30 cheeses on display, with a cheese room opening soon so that they can stock even more, and mature the cheese on the premises.

There is a lot attention to detail in choosing the stock here – these people really love cheese. The Morbier is a fairly safe bet to start with. Its velvety texture, edible ash centre mild flavour make it a crowdpleaser.

5. Carrot, Date and Almond Salad at Bestowed Kitchen

Bestowed Kitchen

Feel-good pop up Bestowed Kitchen make zingy, aromatic salads that will keep your five-a-day count well-topped up. Their salads are full of creativity without being too fussy. Discovering Bestowed Kitchen is a great excuse to stop grappling with the Deliciously Ella cookbook, and just get someone to make your health food for you.

Bestowed Kitchen appear at various markets so you just need to check in advance to see where they'll be setting up shop next.

6. Eels and Mash at L Manze

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Even if you're not a social media enthusiast, you'll find it hard to resist Instagramming this Grade II-listed pie and mash shop. With the original 1929 decor, it's worth going in just to look around and have a cup of tea.

However try to embrace your adventurous spirit and order the jellied eels and mash. If you can't quite manage to get through the eels you can at least enjoy the smooth, rich mash with 'liquor' – a parsely gravy.

7. Amaretto Coffee at William Morris Gallery

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Coffee fans will be suitably impressed by very east London micro-roastery Nude Espresso's East Espresso Blend, and all its strongly scented guises.

Popular whatever the weather, on weekdays the William Morris Tea Room is somewhere that you can spend hours in peace working or relaxing, but on the weekends it's usually a little busy to sit around long. With its floor to ceiling windows, it's a really uplifting place to be, and a dash of Amaretto in the coffee helps to put a spring in your step. Then it's off for a stroll around Lloyd Park.

8. Beef and Guinness Sausage at East London Sausage Company

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Handmade sausages from the East London Sausage Company are worthy local delicacies. Stock up on the classics, such as the Salamini (pork and sea salt), or the more adventurous Napolitano (pork with chilies, pepper, garlic and fennel) for satisfying easy cooking at home.

Rich and tasty, you probably shouldn't eat them all the time or you'll get gout, but they definitely make good treats that you won't find at the supermarket.

9. Peppe's Stonebaked Pizza at Ye Olde Rose and Crown

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Get the weekend off to a cracking, cost-effective start on Friday night with a £10 slap up pizza.

Outside Ye Olde Rose and Crown on Hoe Street, Peppe's outdoor oven offers a very casual grab a slice and go option, which is widely used to line the stomach before heading into the pub for a long evening of drinking. There can be a bit of a queue for the pizza, but it's great quality – thin and crispy.

10. Smoked Salmon Bagel at The Village Kitchen

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Saturday mornings were made for trips to The Village Kitchen for a delicious bagel. Run by super friendly Spiros, who has been owner chef since 1997, he prides himself on a comfy, quiet atmosphere at his all-day restaurant.

It's informal enough to make you feel as though you’re eating at a friend’s house – a friend who is really, really good at cooking.

11. A Sunday Roast at Queen's Arms

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Autumn on the horizon is a great excuse to hunker down with a big serving of beef and a fluffy Yorkshire pudding. Settle in with one of the sumptuous roasts on a big Queen's Arms big sofa and let the afternoon roll on.

It's easy to see why this place has a great reputation – a thoughtful wine list, really flavoursome roasts, and sweet-natured staff make it a cosy pub to while away a Sunday.

12. King of Hearts at Wild Card Brewery

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No east London neighbourhood is complete without its own microbrewery. Beer enthusiasts should head over to Wild Card where they make The King of Hearts, a smooth blonde beer, and The Queen of Diamonds, a complex, refreshing IPA.

They're delicious too – it's not just the novelty of having a Walthamstow beer that makes Wild Card special. The Dough Bro pizzas being cooked outside add to the party atmosphere at the bar. You can buy beers to take home too.

13. Tea Time at Aura Rosa

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There are times to eat sensibly, but an afternoon tea at Aura Rosa isn't one of them. Owned by a former pastry chef for Marco Pierrer White and Michel Roux Jr. this place is serious about its scones and tarts.

Everything is quaintly presented, giving the place a "tea at a great aunt's house" feel – in a good way. However, this is one experimental and cool great aunt, with a Spanish twist on the savoury part of the tea. Empanadas with chorizo and potato, pulled pork with Manchego, and an iced shot of horchata make it a very novel tea time experience.

14. Damson Gin Martini at Mother's Ruin

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At Mother's Ruin you get sensational cocktails in unexpected circumstances. A former munitions factory by a railway track it is now the site of a very friendly, well-stocked new bar.

The damson gin martini – made with Caorunn gin, their own award-winning damson gin and bitters, which they make onsite – is crisp and delicate as a martini should be. Choose from around 40 gin and tonics if the 15 cocktails don't appeal. It's only open on the weekend, so Friday to Sunday. You can buy their sloe gin and damson gin to take home too.

15. Cornish Plaice at The Chequers

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Fresh fish from Cornwall makes a big difference to a pub menu, as The Chequers well know. Avoid all the battered stuff and get a paired-down whole plaice instead.

If you're feeling too virtuous getting grilled fish, you can make get one of their rich side dishes – like the moreish mac and cheese.