My all-time favourite place. Whitewashed ex-smokehouse where Fergus Henderson pioneered the resurgent interest in offal dishes. The restaurant is brilliantly unfussy, retaining lots of the smokehouse’s original features, and the food very British, making St. JOHN something of a London institution. The restaurant has a winery and bakery.

This is one of the only platforms on the London Underground that is not bombarded with billboard advertising. It's a reminder to myself of how an uncluttered environment can give you so much more room to think.

Sager & Wilde is a small wine bar on Hackney Road, close to many other amazing places on Hackney and Columbia Road. The perfect place for an aperitif or a nightcap.

Specialising in photography & fashion books and magazines, this independent shop can be a goldmine for rare and out of print books. Also if you’re lucky you’ll meet Otis, the lovely pug-cross resident.

Classic independent cinema in the heart of Dalston. Good vibes and films. Support your local cinema!