The East London dining scene is now more vibrant than ever and there’s a host of new restaurants opening up post-pandemic. New to join the East London dining scene in Penny Squares Restaurant. Located a few minutes’ walk from Liverpool Street, in the eclectic and vibrant heart of the city, this restaurant reflects its historic surroundings.
Inspired by the international flavours of London’s East End neighbourhoods, Penny Squares offers a modern British cuisine centred on tastes that define the area, rich with spice and flavour.
Table of Contents
The Decor
Penny Squares is located inside Canopy by Hilton London City Hotel. The restaurant isn’t simply an add-on to the hotel; it’s a huge, well-built facility with a bar, lounge, and lots of eating space.
The interior design of both Penny Squares and the wider hotel reflects the area’s historic textile industry, including floral patterns and woven fabrics. Penny Squares, in particular, incorporates design elements such as industrial lighting, embroidered curtains and wooden features.
The Menu
Inspired by the international flavours of London’s vibrant east-end neighbourhoods, the menu at Penny Squares offers a delicious range of modern British cuisine: a fresh take on the tastes that define the area, rich with spice and flavour.
The Executive Chef, Walid Farag, has previously worked at big-name hotels including The Lanesborough, Conrad St. James Hotel, Corinthia Hotel. He is championing dishes made with local and sustainable ingredients, thus the menu is always adapting to the seasons.
Penny Squares serves baba ghanoush with sesame breadsticks, lemon garlic tahini with pita bread, and hazelnut harissa with cornbread.
This flavorful appetizer whetted our thirst for more.
Small meals include zaatar braised beef cheek and Madras octopus (Madras spiced octopus, curried sweet potato, tomato and chilli).
There’s also chaat masala flavoured cauliflower and slow-roasted fowl (Baharat spices, confit leg, bulgur wheat, maple charred peppers).
Main Course at Penny Squares Restaurant
Main courses include crusted rack of lamb with ras el hanout spices, pearl barley, and hibiscus sauce; grilled Scottish fish marinated in tamarind sauce, coconut dahl, baby squid, and curry oil; and grilled vegetable moussaka with nutmeg cream and harissa sauce.
This innovative blend of spices and cuisines may seem jarring at first, but once sampled it is delicious. Indeed, its unique combinations such as squid and curry oil work together really well.
Expert Conclusion:
The combination of flavours and ingredients at Penny Squares Restaurant is astounding, and the flavours breath-taking. I was really impressed with how well the seemingly odd pairings of flavours actually produce fantastic results.
Furthermore, Penny Squares celebrates the different cultures who arrived, remained, and made this region what it is today.
As a homage to our wonderful city, Penny Squares is worth a try.
- Website: www.pennysquaresrestaurant.co.uk
- IG: @pennysqaurresrestaurant
There is an abundance of restaurants in London that provide various mixes of the most traditional British cuisines. Check out our review of The Residency restaurant and the Mayfair Chippy in London as an example; it will undoubtedly be interesting!
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✔️ Overall Rating – 8/10
📍Aldgate
🚇 Aldgate East
💰 ££
🌿 Vegetarian option available.
👨🍳 Our Expert: Snita Pandoria
Food Writer & Fine Dining Specialist
