Around the Block: Shoreditch guide

Decorative image — Around the Block: A local guide to Shoreditch
If you're looking to get to know Shoreditch a little better, start here. From coffee shops and restaurants to fitness studios and local favourites, these are the places we keep coming back to.

Fitness at Frame

‘Get your dopamine hit this way,’ reads the sign outside Frame – the fitness studios tucked under the railway arches in New Inn Yard. Classes are categorised by mood, from ‘Happy High’ and ‘Strong AF’, to ‘Find Your Energy’ and ‘Calm The F*ck Down’, with reformer pilates, dance cardio and yin yoga among the array of sessions on offer.

Caffeine kicks at Flying Horse

Inspired by the local food scene, Shoreditch Flying Horse offers a deliciously diverse brunch menu alongside its well-established coffee selection. ‘My favourite dish is our Mexican breakfast,’ founder Phillip Way tells us. ‘I travelled through Central America taking photos of all my breakfasts and combined my favourite elements to create it. You should try it!’ You certainly should. The heaving plate of scrambled eggs, avocado, refried beans and pico de gallo does not disappoint.

Iconic eats at Beigel Bake

or many London hotspots, the social media limelight comes and goes as quickly as the TikTok videos that make them famous. But when you’ve been a Brick Lane institution for over 50 years like Beigel Bake, you sense the Instagram photographers are here to stay. The signature salt beef bagel is ram-packed with succulent cuts and the go-to order for first timers. When they ask if you’d like gherkins or mustard, say ‘both’.

Music and merch at Rough Trade East

If you think shopping for music in person has died out, Rough Trade East is here to prove you wrong. The independent retailer’s flagship store is a paradise for CD and vinyl aficionados, and with an array of other merchandise and an in-shop cafe bar, you don’t have to be a collector to enjoy this atmospheric converted brewery. Keep an eye on their event listings too, as gigs and panel talks are staged every night of the week.

Elegant eats at Lina Stores

Located at the foot of an imposing Victorian building on Shoreditch High Street, Lina Stores has such a stunning interior you’d happily visit even if they didn’t offer mouth-watering handmade pasta and an irresistible drinks menu. Fortunately, they have both. After admiring the art-adorned brick walls and towering stone pillars, we recommend indulging in the Tagliolini al Tartufo, a creamy, peppery, black truffle delight. Finish off the evening with a cocktail – Cristina and her colleagues will find just the tipple for your taste.

Cocktails with character at Hidden Grooves

While Shoreditch has plenty of great pubs for after-work drinks, for something refined, head to Hidden Grooves - the cocktail bar and ‘HiFi Hideaway’ on Curtain Road. Crisp but unobtrusive music ripples across the venue from high fidelity speakers, spinning some of the myriad of records which decorate the walls. We loved the theatre of Medusa’s Kiss, a cocktail served under a giant foam bubble reminiscent of the serpentine goddess, but our favourite order was the tropical Punk Punch, created by resident mixologist Emmanuel (pictured).

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