Welcome to Love London , a guide created to make your visit to
Inside, you’ll find ideas to help you explore east London and, most importantly, sample some of the flavours and experiences this vibrant area has to offer
IMMERSE YOURSELF
Fame Academy offers visitors the chance to try out all the trappings of celebrity under Excel’s roof Pages 12-15
GO EXPLORING
Walk or run along The Line, see sculptures and discover a part of east London few get to experience Pages 30-34
FINE DINING
Kokin in Stratford boasts a chef with a Michelin star CV and a passion for cooking with fire and smoke Pages 24-29
PLACES TO PLAY
Whether it’s curling, shuffleboard, darts or fairground sideshows, east London has a venue celebrating it Pages 20-23
Love London is produced by east London journalists from Wharf Life newspaper, working in partnership with Excel London to help visitors discover the many attractions that can be found in this amazing part of the capital...
Opening up
Having launched its extension earlier this year, Excel London CEO Jeremy Rees reflects on the opportunity for growth and the benefits the Elizabeth Line has brought to the area Pages 04-07
Full of flavour
Royal Docks is undergoing massive regeneration and already there are gems to be found including noted chef Cyrus Todiwala’s celebrated Café Spice Namaste Pages 08-11
Sounds around
Enjoy live entertainment while you dine? We take a look at three venues in Canary Wharf – now minutes from Excel by public transport – that offer packed programmes of musical performers Pages 16-19
Excel London’s proximity to Canary Wharf and frictionless connections across the capital are proving popular with event orgaisers from across the globe
How connectivity – thanks to the Elizabeth Line – and a blockbuster expansion, make Excel London a truly compelling destination
by Jon Massey
People of greater seniority, plus time, results in events that do more for those attending and their organisers. It’s this equation that underpins the expansion of Excel London in Royal Docks and the reason it’s already proving popular with brands from across the world.
Opened earlier this summer, the new facility saw immediate activity, hosting Formula E as its debut.
Built by Canary Wharfbased McLaren Construction, the extra 25,000sq m of space boosts the venue’s overall capacity by 25% to 125,000sq m. That’s golden acreage for organisers to use, especially with the Elizabeth Line working as a major artery to deliver an ever increasing flow of people to the venue.
Since it started running – and now everyone’s become familiar with it – our visitor numbers have risen 20%, dwell time has gone up by 20% and there are substantially more senior people from organisations coming to events here,” said
Jeremy Rees, CEO of Excel London.
“The data is now backing up what we’ve been observing. If we’re in the business of connecting people, we’re doing that with an audience that’s a fifth bigger, is more senior and for a period of time that’s 20% longer. That multiplier effect is very substantial.”
With such positive figures as a foundation, it’s perhaps little wonder that an enhanced Excel is proving very popular following the introduction of the new facilities.
The extension includes an expanded international convention centre – allowing the venue to compete to host some of the largest congresses in Europe –as well as new exhibition halls, conference spaces and meeting rooms.
It is part of a wider £350million investment programme in London’s business and tourism economy by venue owner ADNEC Group.
Our customers are saying the extension transforms the way they can use Excel,” said Jeremy. “There are 37 rooms, you can have 7,000 to continued on Page 6
Page 4
8,000 delegates in the new space alone in a very cost-effective and efficient way. By using its external terraces, organisers can also create more of an emotional impact.
“Around 60% of our corporate market is now coming out of the USA – large tech, pharma and life sciences events. It’s exactly for them that we have built this facility.
“The encouraging trend is that they like it, they’re booking it and they’re going to be bringing tens of thousands of people to London for the first time.
“The market is speaking, everyone is moving forward with intent and the space is already getting booked up. It will be fascinating to see what happens over the coming months.
“Our owners in Abu Dhabi are wholeheartedly committed to investing in the experience economy in London. They’re extraordinarily proud of what’s been achieved so far. Opening the extension was definitely a history-making moment.”
There’s a wider story here, however. While greater provision of facilities at the venue is good news for Excel, its owners and their clients, the benefits extend well beyond its walls.
The new facility is a very substantive step forward in terms of regular employment and profile for the area and I think the halo effect will continue to ripple through the estate and further afield into Newham and the surrounding boroughs,” said Jeremy. “It’s an increasingly attractive proposition to invest in hospitality and the experience economy in and around Excel.
“When you look at Canary Wharf and London City Airport, the wealth building agenda in Newham and beyond with the GLA, there is a really coherent strategy to maximise the experience for visitors and the returns of investors and investees in London.
“There’s a real sweet spot at the moment and there are big players investing heavily in infrastructure – we’re one of those – to make sure, as
In terms of driving a more vibrant estate, Immerse LDN brings life to these spaces
Jeremy
Rees, Excel London
a city, we stay ahead of the game compared to our European competitors.
“We’re already leading Europe and, globally, with this new facility, we are very much in the top percentile of venues that have everything to offer – exhibition and convention space, amazing transportation as well as fantastic hospitality offerings.
“My sense is that, until the next venue is completed in a tier one city, Excel is the place to come to.
“It’s fashionable, practical and commercially resonant for everyone that uses it. This new extension allows us to present a new kind of space that’s not existed in London before – it’s genuinely transformational for the city.”
Excel, of course, isn’t standing still. Future plans include investment in its digital infrastructure, its hospitality offering and outside areas.
This will build on the success of Immerse LDN, a series of chapters on the edge of the dock that have been generating a steady stream of visitors to immersive attractions celebrating
Immerse LDN at Excel is drawing around 6,000 visitors each day to east London with its multitude of attractions
Images by Excel London
the likes of Formula 1, Pompeii, Friends and Squid Game.
There are regularly around 6,000 people a day visiting these and they’re here for a very different purpose than those coming to events at Excel,” said Jeremy.
“They are coming to be entertained, for fun, for enjoyment and they’re bringing their families.
“It means bars and restaurants can build really quite compelling business cases to locate here with consistent trade flowing though on a daily and weekly basis. It’s not just Monday-Friday, it’s also the weekends and extends into the evenings too. In terms of driving a more vibrant estate, it brings life to these spaces consistently.
“I believe London has deserved more substantive, more modern and flexible infrastructure and it now has that. We all need to work very closely together to attract more inbound business, which ultimately creates a substantial effect throughout the visitor economy, advantaging so many of our businesses and organisations.”
expansion increases the venue’s size by 25%
Below, CEO Jeremy Rees says the Elizabeth Line means the venue is getting more visitors of greater
The Royal Docks is an area that is undergoing a huge transformation, a once-in-a-generation change as the area’s industrial infrastructure is repurposed to serve the needs of Londoners in 2025 and beyond
Every day, new people arrive in the area whether they are coming to east London to live, work, meet or simply explore this evolving landscape and all it has to offer
The ideas on these pages are aimed at sparking your local curiosity...
Heroica Lounge
London is truly a world city, with diverse communities from all over the globe. Heroica Lounge is a bar and pizzeria on the edge of Royal Victoria Dock, that typifies this vibrant mix.
Housed in a 1980s tour bus, that once took tourists round Hong Kong, the restaurant is owned by Colombians and serves Italian cuisine at a former British port that was once the busiest facility of its kind in the world.
It’s named to honour the city of Cartegena, famed for its pivotal role in the battle for independence from Spain. Great value, the bus serves
Get more ideas Pages 10-11
wood-fired pizzas, sharing platters and salads inside or outside the vehicle. Visitors can expect plenty of graffiti -style decoration celebrating the venue’s South American routes.
It’s a great stop-off for anyone exploring the area around the dock on foot.
Get there from Excel Heroica Lounge is located beside Western Gateway, a pleasant 10-minute stroll along Royal Victoria Dock from Excel London’s western entrance. You can’t miss it, it’s a big red bus with tables outside...
Expect to pay Pizzas cost between £11.50 and £20. A pint of beer is about £7.50.
Reason to visit You can sit on the top deck. Isn’t that all the thrill anyone could wish for? heroicalounge.com
Images by Heroica Lounge
Eat - Waterfront Street Kitchen & Bar
Ideally placed for visitors to Immerse LDN and Excel London, Waterfront Street Kitchen & Bar is well named for its dockside location overlooking the water.
Located amid the five attractions at the immersive hub, this venue offers a place to take time out and unwind. Inside, visitors will find an eclectic menu with classic dishes such as Fish And Chips and Caesar Salad sitting alongside Chicken Katsu, burgers, pizzas and fries. Mains are around £15. There’s also a fully stocked bar and plenty of seating inside and out.
Waterfront can also be hired for receptions and events. The venue is located a short walk from Custom House station offering connections to central London via the Elizabeth Line and DLR. waterfrontkitchenldn.co.uk
Discover - Sunborn London Yacht Hotel
No visit to Excel is complete without visiting the dockside to the south of the venue and Sunborn London Yacht Hotel offers something a bit different.
Visitors can choose to stay on board the vessel itself, with a wide variety of rooms and suites available.
Those who aren’t guests at the hotel can also take time out in the Lands End restaurant and the Sundown Bar which both offer high-end hospitality with views over the docks.
The venue, which has been designed in tribute to superyacht style, also offers afternoon teas for £40 per person.
You can find out more about Sunborn’s facilities, including its festive and New Year’s Eve offerings, or make a booking direct via its website. sunbornhotels.com
Head chef Cyrus Todiwala owns Café Spice Namaste at Royal Albert Wharf in E16
Image by James Perrin / jamesperrin.com
Café Spice Namaste
Any visitor to east London, Excel or the Royal Docks should consider placing this on their list.
Café Spice Namaste is the current culinary home of noted chef Cyrus Todiwala OBE and his wife Pervin who runs operations. The couple relocated after their celebrated restaurant in Aldgate’s Prescot Street was forced to close by a property development, finding a new home further east.
Cyrus – one half of TV’s The Incredible Spice Men – has been recognised for his cooking with the original site holding a Bib Gourmand longer than any other establishment to feature in the Michelin Guide.
Today, the Royal Albert Wharf restaurant offers a warm, cosy welcome to visitors and a growing number of local residents as the area regenerates.
Located at the head of Royal Albert Dock with wide-ranging views across the water, the menu is filled with dishes inspired by Cyrus’ heritage.
The food is a variety of Indian cuisine, not stuck to any one region or area, though we do have an emphasis on my own style of cooking which is Parsee and we do a lot of Goan food because of my background working there for several years,” said Cyrus Todiwala.
“We try to bring in as much of the sub-continent as possible.”
Café Spice Namaste is unquestionably a hidden gem. Located in a rarely visited, residential part of Docklands this is a destination for discerning visitors and those keen to experience flavours not found anywhere else in the capital.
Whether it’s the zing of a Green Papaya And Mango Salad with a twist of sour tamarind, the sweet stickiness of Barbary Cured Duck Breast In Soy Ginger Honey or the dry heat of Parsee Lamb Dhaansaak packed with puréed lentils, there’s value, spice and skill on every single plate from the kitchen.
Get there from Excel Café Spice Namaste is located at Royal Albert Wharf at the eastern edge of Royal Docks. From Prince Regent station at the eastern end of Excel, catch the DLR to Gallions Reach (seven minutes) and you’ll be a five-minute walk from the restaurant.
Expect to pay Café Spice Namaste specialises in small plate dining with dishes ranging from £5 to £24. A Tasting menu is also available for £75.
Reason to visit
While our favourite dish is Goan Prawn Curry with unpolished red rice, the Shank Of Lamb Parsee Style (pictured) is a show-stopper. Simmered gently in a tomato-based sauce it’s flavoured with whole spices and is a real treat. cafespice.co.uk
Stay - Novotel
London Excel
Located about a minute’s walk from Excel London and Custom House station, this 257-room hotel offers four-star luxury and a range of facilities for guests.
Visitors to Novotel London Excel can expect free WiFi, private parking, a gym, a sauna and sleek, well-appointed rooms. Overlooking Royal Victoria Dock, the venue’s Upper Deck restaurant and bar offer a relaxed atmosphere to rest and refuel. novotel.accor.com
Stay - Crowne Plaza London Docklands
The 210-bedroom Crowne Plaza London Docklands is within easy walking distance of Royal Victoria and Custom House stations as well as Excel London itself. Facilities include drinking and dining at the Fremantle Bar And Kitchen, a swimming pool and health club and an extensive suite of meeting rooms for events. This four-star establishment offers quiet accommodation with great transport links. cpdocklands.co.uk
Stay - Aloft London Excel
It’s impossible to stay closer to Excel London than at this four-star, 252-room hotel.
Essentially part of the exhibition and convention centre’s campus, Aloft London Excel is located at the venue’s eastern end, close to Prince Regent DLR station.
The hotel features chic, modern rooms, free WiFi, a pool, a gym and sauna plus the Docksider restaurant and the Forge Excel London bar. marriott.com
Image by Cafe Spice Namaste
Shank Of Lamb at Café Spice Namaste
by Jon Massey
Fame Factory at Excel London, the latest immersive experience to open at the venue’s waterside quintet of spaces, Immerse LDN, turns out to be a sophisticated bombardment of a celebrity simulator.
Ticket holders pick their character, sip a glass of fizz (optional) in the Entourage bar, then head off to board their flights to guaranteed renown. From there, its up to an extensive cast of actors to create and reinforce that fantasy over the course of an hour as a blizzard of scenes unfold.
The attraction itself has been created by live events and broadcast outfit Done+Dusted, with one of the production company’s partners, Hamish Hamilton, at the helm. It’s fair to say he’s a man who knows his subject.
My background is as a television director specialising in live events,” he said. “Over the years I’ve directed the Oscars, Superbowl events, the Brits and the Emmys – I’ve been immersed in this world of celebrity and red carpets.
“One day, when I was on a red carpet, I realised it was a surreal experience – I never thought I would be doing this when I was growing up in Blackpool. I also thought it would be great to give everyone the experience of being famous for 15 minutes.
“Simply put, that was the genesis of Fame Factory, although that 15 minutes has now become an hour.
“I love immersive theatre –the best show I’ve ever been to was You Me Bum Bum Train,
which was a life-changing experience for me. I saw the first one in east London and I just loved the immersion.
Everybody understands fame, likes attention, likes to feel special and that’s what Fame Factory is
Hamish Hamilton, Done+Dusted
“It got me thinking about how we could create something that would be a lot of fun and which would bring people together – something universal. Everybody understands fame, likes attention, likes to feel special, likes being fussed over, and that’s what this Fame Factory is all about. It’s really simple – you come down and have an hour of fun, feel great and get to be everything you’ve always
wanted to be. It’s a series of scenes you experience on sets with actors.
“Some rooms are passive – where information comes at you – others are less so. You might be asked questions or have the opportunity to participate by posing for a photoshoot or making a video.
“People might think that’s not for them, but everyone who has come through has said it’s been amazing – the actors are really kind and you see some of the quietest people just come alive.”
continued on Page 10
How a trip to Fame
Factory turns everyone into a celebrity
The Last Days Of Pompeii: The Immersive Exhibition
Newly arrived at Immerse LDN, The Last Days Of Pompeii transports visitors back to 79 AD, blending dramatic storytelling with cuttingedge technology to bring the doomed Roman city to life.
Highlights include a a 360-degree digital experience, a seated VR adventure, a trip into the metaverse and interactive installations – all helping tell the story of Vesuvius’ eruption. Booking until March 2026, tickets start at £27. pompeii-experience.com
The Friends Experience: The One In London
Step into the heart of everyone’s favourite TV show with this immersive experience.
The One In London promises a taste of New York City and neverbefore-seen activations including “London, Baby!” and Friends Station.
Visitors are invited to dive into recreated sets – dance in front of the famous fountain, peep through the iconic purple door, play foosball at Joey and Chandler’s and take a selfie on the couch at Central Perk. Currently booking into January, tickets start at £26.50 friendstheexperience.com
from Page 8
While there’s plenty of glitz and glam, the experience is far from a straight puff piece for the world of celebrity.
We definitely poke fun at fame and its characteristics, and at those who perhaps place too much emphasis on it,” said Hamish.
“The experience is not a wafer-thin glorification of fame – there’s a lot of humour and stupidity, and you’re asked to laugh at yourself, at the situations and at the banality of it.
“In the bar are many assets with captions attached to them which illuminate some bizarre celebrity mishaps that I’ve been adjacent to over the years.
“We also include downfalls, because there’s definitely a darker side to celebrity and we explore that. In the end, fame is entirely constructed.
Rockstar, rapper, influencer, film start, Fame Factory is the place to explore these roles
“Some of the characters you meet in the experience are part of this construct. There are many people who are famous because they are magnificently talented.
“Some put those talents to good use while others maybe not so. But being famous is also a talent in itself – you don’t need to be as talented as you are famous.
“There are gifted artists and there are celebrities –they’re not the same thing.”
A lot rests on the technical side of the show, which runs in parallel with the experience.
Guests are filmed and snapped as they progress through the scenes with that content used to decorate and enrich the story.
My favourite part is actually when people see what we’ve done with what we’ve shot, using all the production values you’d expect – collating it, blending it and layering it with music to create a narrative,” said Hamish.
“People often sit there going ‘OMG’. Then they’re asking how we did what we did. Quite often the shows I’m involved with directing are ‘one and done’.
“Those have budget constraints, time constraints and commercial imperatives. They’re very stressful but,
Walk the red carpet, star in photoshoots and take a seat on the talk show sofa
Squid Game: The Experience
You’ve seen Squid Game on Netflix, now play it in real life.
Participants choose their roles before jumping into a blizzard of scenes on a unique journey into the world of fame
once you put them out into the world, that’s it.
“With Fame Factory it’s amazing to sit in the bar and hear how groups coming through the experience felt – which scenes they liked and why.
“This is a living, breathing organism – every show you do is different. It’s genuinely immersive, genuinely interactive, and there are an infinite number of permutations to the show.
“The guests might pick a character to play but they set the scene and direct their own role so it’s never the same twice.
“In the end, it’s not my show or Done+Dusted’s. We’ve laid the groundwork but people weave their own narratives through the storylines and the sets.”
The experience ends with a dedicated awards ceremony for each group in the Entourage bar where participants can also access free and paid-for content created during the show. An extensive range of merchandise is also available for those who like to wear their celebrity on their sleeves. Tickets start at £25. fame-factory.com
Battle through five intense challenges inspired by the show – crack the code in Memory Steps, aim true in Marbles, survive a blind tug-of-war in The Rope Game, dash past Young-Hee in Red Light, Green Light and land on the right shape before the signal ends in Round And Round.
Then unwind at the Korean-inspired night market. Tickets from £28 squidgameexperienceuk.com
Elvis Evolution: The Immersive Experience
Elvis Evolution is a brand new, first-of-its-kind experience, celebrating the life and work of Elvis Presley.
Combining cuttingedge digital technology, live actors and musicians, audiences are invited to relive the King’s iconic moments from the unique perspective of his childhood friend, Sam Bell. This high-energy homage promises an unforgettable night where guests will feel like they’re stepping into Elvis’ blue suede shoes... Tickets start at £68, booking into December elvisevolution.com
Boisdale features an eclectic line-up of acts with a special focus on blues, soul jazz and funk
You can find full gig listings online
Boisdale Of Canary Wharf
Nowhere else in the world is quite like this Scottish restaurant, bar and live music venue, which is spread serenely over two floors overlooking Cabot Square at the heart of the east London business district.
Upstairs, the most extensive whisky bar in Europe lines one wall with tables arranged on luxurious Persian rugs for more formal dining in front of Boisdale’s main stage.
Find more sounds around Page 18
Boisdale Of Canary Wharf brings together all the things its owner – one Ranald Macdonald – is passionate about. Essentially its oxblood red walls and golden columns house a temple to whisky, cigars, fine food and live music.
The first floor bar and heated terrace have a more casual feel, ideal for guests seeking an informal place to catch up in comfort. This level is also home to the venue’s walk-in humidor and cigar tasting room with drinks available from the Hine Bar.
Championing produce from around the British Isles, diners can expect a full selection of steaks, Scottish smoked salmon and, naturally, the finest haggis in east London.
The venue hosts live music with a special emphasis on soul, jazz, funk and blues, most nights of the week, welcoming a diverse range of artists and performers onto its stage.
The bar downstairs also regularly puts on DJ nights with late night entertainment until 2am on selected dates.
The final facet to this gem of a destination is its flexibility as a venue for private hire, offering many different spaces for parties and events and a total capacity of up to 250 for a seated dinner
Get there from Excel
From Custom House station, Canary Wharf is only three minutes away via the Elizabeth Line, with the venue about five minutes’ walk into the business estate’s Cabot Place shopping mall.
Expect to pay Boisdale offers a very wide range of dining options including set lunches and dinner-and-a-show deals. When dining a la carte in the evening, main courses cost around £26. Full details are available online.
Cigar prices start around the £16.90 mark and the standard price of a pint of beer is £8.50.
Reason to visit
While there are so very many reasons to visit Boisdale – the sublime, intimate nature of
East London has a proud tradition of live music combined with hospitality and Canary Wharf now offers a great selection of fantastic venues to enjoy a wide variety of sounds while you drink, dine and relax
Boisdale Of Canary Wharf is generously spread over two floors overlooking Cabot Square. The venue offers drinking, dining and private hire options
its gigs, the extensive wine and whisky offering, to name just two – one of the quirkier options on the menu is a real winner.
Sit downstairs and order a Scottish Pizza (£16-£18.50), with toppings such as smoked salmon or haggis – all made with produce from north of the border. boisdale.co.uk
The venue serves up a vast range of food, drink and live music as well as hosting a cigar tasting room on its lower level
Images supplied by Boisdale
STAY OVER
Vertus Edit
Opened to offer visitors to Canary Wharf stays of one night or anything up to six months, this aparthotel is split over two brick buildings in the middle of Union Square.
Vertus Edit offers suites in three sizes, each with cooking facilities in-room. There are also a range of amenities, including a top floor lounge and co-working space, on-site.
The accommodation is located on the east of the estate, about 10 minutes’ walk from the Jubilee line. vertusedit.thisisvertus.com
STAY OVER
Tribe London
This pet-friendly fourstar hotel has become very popular with visitors to east London.
Tribe London is located on Water Street in Canary Wharf’s Wood Wharf district and offers a wide variety of accommodation, drinking and dining at Feels Like June (above) on the ground floor and discounted access to the Third Space club in the same building. The hotel is located within easy walking distance of Canary Wharf’s three stations and a wealth of bars and restaurants. tribehotels.com
Amazing Grace
The sound is, indeed, sweet at Canary Wharf’s latest opening.
Amazing Grace is a live music venue, restaurant and bar located on the lower levels of 12 Bank Street – a rippling silver structure set in the middle of Eden Dock.
Offering a packed programme of free entertainment, this deceptively large establishment is a chameleon of a place hosting vibrant cabaret brunches, live acoustic performers and late night DJs.
Get there from Excel
The venue is within easy walking distance of all Canary Wharf’s stations, with the quickest connection to Excel London via the Elizabeth Line in three minutes, direct.
Expect to pay Amazing Grace’s menu is all about small plates and sharing platters, both filled with Asian-inspired flavours.
Big Easy
For a decade, this barbecue and lobstershack has kept things simple on the very top floor of the Elizabeth Line station in Canary Wharf.
Stroll past below Big Easy on West India Quay and you’ll often catch the powerful strains of its dependable, rock solid live electric blues bands cranking out the glorious misery.
Great for big groups, fancy dining this ain’t, staying true to the pit culture of the Deep South. The venue – which is festooned with ropes, dangling light bulbs and tables– keeps things informal and welcoming with plenty of bourbon and craft beer to help wash down the smoked meats and seafood. There’s an excellent terrace too.
Get there from Excel
As it’s located in the Elizabeth Line station itself (albeit up several floors from the trains), the only sensible route is to head to Custom House
Expect to pay less than £10 for the former and about £35 for the latter. A pint of beer costs £7.60 or £5 during happy hour on weekdays from 3pm-6pm.
Reason to visit
Aside from being on the cutting edge of what Canary Wharf has to offer, Amazing Grace features beautiful, swirling wall projections that offer musical visualisation while performers do their thing.
amazinggraceldn.com
station, hop on and wait three minutes to arrive.
Expect to pay
There are far too many options to list here in detail, but guests can expect to pay between £17.90 and £30.50 for a barbecue platter.
Reason to visit
Go for the smoked meats, but stay for the heart-rending blues licks and a smattering of country tunes to boot. bigeasy.co.uk
Amazing Grace is located at 12 Bank Street, above
Big Easy is easy to spot in Canary Wharf
STEP IN TO THE SPOTLIGHT
Part of Immerse LDN on Excel’s Waterfront,Fame Factory is a 60-minute walk-through adventure! You’ll be guided by a full cast of actors playing agents, directors, stylists, fans, and paparazzi as you move through 11 spectacular sets: boarding your private jet, walking the red carpet, posing for a magazine cover, starring on a talk show, and even taking home your own personalised digital content.
Whether it’s fun with friends and family, team outings or kids parties, Fame Factory is a fast-paced, high-energy, joy-filled journey where performance, personality and fun collide!
PLACES TO ONE THREE TWO
Fairgame Flight Club Clays
Enormously popular since opening in Canary Wharf, Fairgame recently opened a second venue at One New Change in the City and shows no signs of slowing down.
The concept is simple. Guests play a number of digitally enabled fairground-themed games such as shoot-the-hoop, whack-a-mole and target shooting to win points. Each is played twice, with the contests lasting about a minute.
Live leaderboards for the group keep everyone in touch with how they’re doing as they pit their skills against one another.
The venues also boast bars and street food vendors for those seeking refreshment or simply a break from the mayhem.
The Wharf venue is closest to Excel London via the Elizabeth Line and is easily spotted thanks to the giant inflatable duck in the dock right outside wearefairgame.com
Arrive at Clays in Canary Wharf or Moorgate and guests can enjoy the heft and weight of real, decommissioned shotguns as they take on a series of virtual challenges.
Wired up and fitted with feedback devices to give shooters the feel of pulling the trigger, these venues offer a fun, safe way to blast away at targets while indulging in some top notch hospitality.
Former east London policeman, Jon Calabrese – who happens to be the son of celebrated bartender Salvatore Calabrese – leads the team behind that offering with a special focus on cocktails featuring clarified milk. Both locations are easily accessible from Excel London via the Elizabeth Line. Pegs are available for group and private hire at all of the brand’s venues. clays.bar
Arguably the one that started it all, this digitally enhanced darts venue opened in 2015 with 13 oches and hasn’t looked back.
Flight Club’s system turns its dart boards into fully interactive games machines, allowing groups to play and compete effortlessly.
Social darts sessions start from £10 per person at its Shoreditch base making it an affordable option for groups of friends or colleagues.
Sticking with the mantra that simplicity is best, groups can expect a food and drink offering heavy on pizza paddles, Prosecco and small plates designed for sharing. Mains cost around £16-£18 each.
The venue is a short walk from Liverpool Street Station – about nine minutes from Excel London on the Elizabeth Line – on the corner of Worship Street and City Road. This venue gets very busy and booking ahead is always advised.
flightclubdarts.com
Find more playgrounds Pages 22-23
In recent years, east London has been at the forefront of a new trend – venues that offer ways to compete while enjoying food and drink with friends... venues
Images by Fairgame / Clays / Flight Club
Electric Shuffle
Essentially what the team behind Flight Club did next, Electric Shuffle is a full digitally enabled version of classic shufflebaord.
Guests play as normal while motion capture technology translates their shots into data, enabling people to participate in a number of different games. The brand’s Canary Wharf venue boasts electricity-themed decor and remains one of the area’s most distinctive establishments. As with Flight Club, slots start at £10 per person with groups of two to 32 welcome.
Those seeking refreshment can opt from an extensive menu of sharing plates and pizzas as well as platters for groups to graze on.
The venue is available for private hire with a capacity of up to 350 guests and private and semi-private areas for smaller groups.
Those traveling from Excel London are best placed to catch the Elizabeth Line from Custom House station. Electric Shuffle is located in North Colonnade, four minutes from Canary Wharf’s stations. electricshuffle.com
Marceline is known for its Gallic cooking and rich flavours
The Curling Club
The very latest pop-up to arrive in Canary Wharf is a collaboration between French restaurant Marceline and The Curling Club
In place until February 28, guests will be able to glide stones along five specially installed rinks with pay and play sessions starting at £15 per person.
A range of packages, featuring the venue’s French cuisine are also available with an hour of curling, a meal and a drink costing £45. Premium options and corporate packages can also be booked.
Since opening, floating restaurant and bar Marceline has established a dedicated following on the Wharf with its classic Gallic dishes.
Located on a barge moored off Wood Wharf’s Water Street, it’s also the perfect venue to stop off at after visiting Whale On The Wharf (Skyscraper), a colossal art installation resembling an aquatic mammal leaping from the dock.
Those travelling from Excel London should catch the Elizabeth Line to Canary Wharf and walk a few minutes. thecurlingclub.com
The Canary Wharf venue boasts decor inspired by electricity
Electric Shuffle features two floors of digitally enabled shuffleboard tables that use motion capture tech to transform the games that are playable
The Curling Club is based at Marceline, a floating French restaurant off Water Street
Below, Whale On The Wharf
Images by Electric Shuffle
Images by The Curling Club
London serves some of the best food in the world, with the eastern districts of the capital now home to a diverse range of dining options
Chefs looking to make their mark are increasingly choosing this part of the city as a base, responding to a wave of wider regeneration with all its vibrancy and freshness
Whether
you’re looking for an intimate dinner, to entertain clients or simply to savour a personal experience, these are the venues to seek out during your stay
by Jon Massey
The calm interior of Kokin – a restaurant recently opened on the seventh floor of The Stratford hotel in E20 – somewhat belies the elemental forces at work in its kitchen.
The soft light that streams through full height glazing falls on the gentle greens and greys of its furnishings.
There’s a lot of exposed wood and playful music in the air. But sit with chef Daisuke Shimoyama for a while and it quickly becomes clear this is a place of contradictions.
It’s a space tailored to fine dining, but one he’s determined to make accessible and welcoming to locals.
His food is exacting, but honed on primal flames, smoke and charcoal. He’s softly spoken and polite, but there’s passion smouldering beneath the surface.
I started working in my uncle’s restaurant in Kanagawa, Japan, when I was 13 years old, washing dishes,” said Daisuke, whose family were widely involved in the hospitality sector,
selling kitchen equipment.
“In the beginning I wasn’t really interested in cooking. I watched my uncle and my family making food, but I was more into playing computer games.
“At the start I didn’t like working in the restaurant.
“My uncle was very strict and would wake me at 6am to go to the fish market. I didn’t like the smell, but gradually I got used to it.
“Then a few years later, I found myself really beginning to enjoy it. I went on to work in many different kinds of restaurant – big hotels, small places – and when I was 27
years old, I joined Ryugin in Tokyo, which completely changed the way I thought about everything.”
Now recognised by Michelin with a maximum three stars, Ryugin had Daisuke working gruelling shifts that would begin on Saturday mornings and finish on Sunday evenings.
He relished it. While on this fresh path, he immersed himself in Kappou and Kaiseki cuisine, mastering intricate techniques such as processing massive eels and filleting poisonous puffer fish.
He also trained as a professional sake sommelier, before
Image by Kokin
setting out to explore the world.
That journey eventually led him to London where, 14 years ago, he joined Michelin-starred Umu in Mayfair as sous-chef, before rising to become the restaurant’s head chef.
I learnt a lot, working in Japan – not just about food, but also about mindset,” said Daisuke. “While I was at Umu, I also decided to pursue my own vision of street food on my days off via a venture in Brick Lane.
“This was selling Japanese comfort food, katsu, tempura and rice and I did that for six years, before launching my own restaurant, Hannah, at County Hall in central London.”
The venue combined a wide range of influences from Daisuke’s experiences growing up in rural Gunma to his time in Tokyo and London.
I really loved cooking there,” he said. “But we were serving Omakase tasting menus at £125 or £185 for eight or 11 courses. continued on Page 28
Chef Daisuke Shimoyama recently opened Kokin at The Stratford hotel in east London
Image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
Kokin serves up picture-perfect food with a particular emphasis on fire and smoke
Image by Kokin
from Page 24
“Sometimes that can take three hours. It’s wonderful, but it’s a commitment. With this opportunity at The Stratford, I really want to make something more approachable.
“I’ve completely changed my style again – it’s something I’ve always done, actually. Kokin serves food that’s in some ways similar to Hannah, but it’s more approachable and here I’m using fire and charcoal as ingredients in the cooking.
“These are primitive things. For me, fire reminds me of when I was a child, it’s full of memories. It really adds something aromatic to the food. We’ve only recently opened, so there hasn’t really been time yet, but I want to be out on the floor talking to guests at their tables about the food – I love to make customers happy.
“I want this to be a place where local people feel comfortable coming and to welcome them as friends. Of course, business is important, but community is essential.”
As for the food, dishes are available a la carte or via set lunch menus.
There’s a strong focus on seafood, but with the smoke of apple and cherry wood running throughout the creations.
There’s a clear drive to offer twists and unexpected combinations to keep everything fresh too.
“We serve bluefin tuna from Portugal, for example,” said Daisuke. “In fine dining, chefs generally only use otoro, the fatty belly of the fish.
“But we also present akami, leaner cuts and chutoro, which both offer different, subtle flavours.
“We’re also using the kama, the collar of the fish, cooked for around three hours at a low temperature – it’s similar to a steak in some ways and comes bone-in.
“I want to introduce people to unusual cuts – we also deep-fry the tail.”
Ably supported by longterm colleague, Shukyee Chow, Daisuke and the team are as quietly stoked as their fires to welcome as many
Using fire in this way gives greater depth to the dishes. I’m always working with the smoke and heat and watching because every piece of fish is different and needs to be carefully observed
Daisuke Shimoyama, Kokin
people through Kokin’s doors as possible.
The restaurant takes its name from the Japanese terms for past and present – an intentional reference to the comparatively “primitive” fire that sears its way through the venue’s menu and the modern techniques found in its dishes.
We have many modern pieces of kitchen equipment in the restaurant world – convection ovens, for example,” said Daisuke.
“It’s very easy for chefs, there’s no need to spend three hours cooking something on a flame.
“But using fire in this way, for me, gives greater depth to the dishes. I’m always working with the smoke and the heat and watching because every piece of fish is different and needs to be carefully observed.”
Kokin is located at The Stratford hotel in Stratford. The restaurant is open from noon-2pm for lunch and from 5pm-10pm for dinner from
Kokin’s focus is on seafood and cooking delicate dishes using fire and smoke to impart subtle flavours to the carefully sourced ingredients
Tuesday to Sunday and is closed on Mondays. Booking ahead is advised.
Get there from Excel Hop on the DLR at Custom House, take the service to Canning Town and change to a DLR train to Stratford International. The Stratford is right opposite the station and Kokin is found on the seventh floor.
Expect to pay
Kokin serves a range of woodfired dishes, sashimi and sushi. Main courses mostly cost between £18 and £36 a la carte. Lunch set menus (from noon-2pm) cost between £26 and £38 or roughly double for wagyu beef.
Reason to visit
Kokin delivers exceptional cuisine at very reasonable prices given the level of skill in its kitchen.
The food is expertly presented, rich in flavour and a talking point for those seeking a venue to impress contacts or loved ones. kokin.co.uk
Kokin is located on the seventh floor of The Stratford building in east London
Images by Kokin / Jon Massey
TRY THESE TOO
Roka
Arguably the best restaurant in Canary Wharf, this venue serves up an exquisite blend of sushi and sashimi dishes alongside meats cooked on the open robata grill.
Everything about Roka speaks to quality, whether it’s the measured, exacting service, the rich woods of the establishment’s interior or the gentle, welcoming lighting.
Located in Canary Wharf’s Park Pavilion overlooking Canada Square, the venue features a well respected cocktail bar, a main dining room and a terrace.
As the area began to enhance and polish its hospitality offering, Roka was one of a wave of venues to open in 2009 and thoroughly deserves its longevity.
With an extraordinary array of flavours to explore it really is tough to make a recommendation, but the
Hawksmoor
Kricket
Black Cod marinated in yuzu miso (£39.50) has been on the menu since day one for a reason.
Get there from Excel
The venue is close to all Canary Wharf’s stations. Take the Elizabeth Line in three minutes from Custom House.
Expect to pay
There are a multitude of ways to dine at Roka, but those seeking to truly indulge should opt for the tasting menu at £88 per person.
Reason to visit
Despite the complexity of its dishes, there’s always a simplicity to the experience of dining at Roka. Try to go for its early dinner or lunch set menus, which are excellent value, as is its decadent weekend brunch offering. rokarestaurant.com
For a true taste of British produce, it has to be Hawksmoor. The closest branch to Excel London is in Canary Wharf (three minutes via the Elizabeth Line), located on a barge off Water Street.
Steak is front and centre here – and it comes expertly cooked – but there’s plenty of choice, especially with a menu of excellent, generous starters. Try the Devon Crab On Toast (£19.30) or the Bone Marrow And Onions on sourdough (£12) before moving onto a steak (£27£57). It’s also worth checking out the cocktails. thehawksmoor.com
There’s something about Kricket. Step off the Elizabeth Line, walk west along the dock and you’ll find an elegant, minimalist temple to Indian flavours, tucked back from the water.
Inside the theme is rich reds and translucent saffron hangings, dividing up a restaurant that hums with life and spice. Go with a party of four and order A Taste Of Kricket for an astonishingly well priced £47 per person and watch as the table is filled with treats. Afterwards check out Soma, a hidden cocktail bar next door. kricket.co.uk - soma.london
Image by Kricket
Image by Hawksmoor
Experty grilled beef at Roka
Image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
by Jon Massey
When visiting new places, many of us wish to experience something beyond the famous sights and the recommendations of mainstream guidebooks.
The Line is an art trail in east London, loosely following the path of the River Lea and offering visitors a chance to see a different side of the city away from the crowds
Perfect for walkers on a journey of exploration, those staying nearby might also use its landmarks as part of a running route.
What’s involved?
Today The Line showcases 19 artworks north of the Thames. It stretches between the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford and Royal Victoria Dock, with a further five artworks now included south of the river on Greenwich Peninsula. These are easily accessible via the Thames Cable Car.
Tell me more
The Line was opened in 2015 by gallerist Megan Piper and regeneration expert Clive Dutton, following a period of crowdfunding, unveiling a series of monumental sculptures along east London’s waterways.
The route was extended into the Olympic Park in 2020 and a digital guide was also created in partnership with Bloomberg Connects for visitors, offering more information about the artworks on show and the areas they’ve been placed in.
In 2022, three new artworks were commissioned and installed, with more development planned in the future.
What will I see?
In addition to works by the likes of Anish Kapoor, Anthony Gormley, Laura Ford, Abigail Fallis, Zineb Sedira and Mahtab Hussain, The Line offers visitors much more than just a trail to follow.
Its route along the River Lea runs through a part of east London that’s undergoing enormous change and its path is one of discovery through both the area’s history and its future.
continued on Page 34
Images by The Line
Anthony Gormley’s Quantum Cloud, 2000
Above, Laura Ford’s Bird Boy (Without A Tail), 2011
Eva Rothschild’s Living Spring, 2011
Anish Kapoor’s ArcelorMittal Orbit, 2021
Zineb Sedira’s Dreams Are A Language Made Of Images, 2025
or run
ALONG THE
Visitors to this part of the capital have an opportunity to get off the tourist beat and discover London’s second major waterway. The River Lea has a fascinating history and is best explored on foot...
Walk
to Cody Dock in Canning Town from Excel and you’ll see local artist Madge Gill’s Nature In Mind stretching over the tidal waters
One of the key landmarks to look out for along the River Lea is Cody Dock, an ecological regeneration project close to Star Lane DLR station
by
Image
Jon Massey
Visitors to the area will find themselves in the likes of Canning Town, Sugar House Island, Three Mills and the Olympic Park itself –bordering vibrant Fish Island and Hackney Wick. All boast places to eat, drink, sights to see and stories to discover. Sometimes these are related to the sculptures of The Line, sometimes not. But all are worth dipping into.
Give me a highlight From Royal Docks head through Canning Town and up to Star Lane before taking a left back towards the River Lea.
There you’ll find ecological regeneration project Cody Dock – a remarkable enclave of creativity and environmental activism that’s taken on stewardship of the tidal river. Arching across the water, on a utility bridge, is an artwork entitled Nature In Mind.
Created by self-taught east London artist Madge Gill, this red yellow and black installation celebrates her intricate, meticulous drawing skills – an activity she used as a coping mechanism for her mental turmoil.
How about a goal?
If you’re after a truly epic journey, make your end point Barge East – a beautiful floating restaurant on an old dutch barge located on the edge of the Olympic Park opposite Hackney Wick. The food is sublime, the ship cosy – but book ahead to make sure you don’t miss out. bargeeast.com
Just one more thing For refreshment on the journey, Jim And Tonic – a distillery, bar, event space and restaurant at Sugar House Island is well worth a visit. Located right beside the water, this is a place to relax but also to learn, with distillery tours and tasting sessions available. jimandtoniceast.com
How do I find out more?
Full details of The Line can be found on the trail’s website including maps and audio guides. All are free to access. the-line.org
Scan this code to access The Line’s map and plan your east London walking or running routes
Mahtab Hussain’s Please Take a Seat, 2025 and, right, Abigail Fallis’ DNA DL90, 2003
Top target: Barge East is moored on the edge of the Olympic Park
Sculptural images by The Line
Image by Matt Grayson
Rasheed Araeen’s Untitled The Line, 2025
DISCOVER THE VIBRANT AREAS AROUND EXCEL AND BEYOND...
