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For great value Thai food the Siam Café is hard to beat. The décor is simple to say the least and during the day it's a traditional café serving vast quantities of English breakfasts. The evening menu though is something else entirely. Crispy wonton and succulent steamed dumplings are so light you just want to keep eating them. Main course red and green curries, noodles and stir-fries are all equally delicious and you can bring your own booze to keep costs to a minimum, making the Siam Café great value for money.

Set in the heart of Hackney, directly adjacent to the Hackney empire, the Old Ship Pub is a modern take on classic British cuisine with the inn staying true to its original concept of serving a varied and wholesome menu despite its recent change in look and design. The food is authentic, sourced from specific farmers throughout the UK, with this extending to the beers and wines as well.

The menu is fresh and changes periodically, with old dishes mingling with the new, reflecting the general nature of the clientele. The dishes mirror contemporary British cuisine with the tapas menu of Suffolk pork pie, Brixham fish cakes with lemon mayo, and a selection of British artisan cheeses with piccalilli. The à la carte menu includes roasted pork belly with mashed potato and apple blossom, steak and ox kidney pudding and fine beans, with specialities like beef and real ale pie. The substantial wine list offers guests an option to either relax with a bottle of wine, a pint of ale or one of the special British cocktails.

A relatively new entrant to Italian fine dining, The Pepenero, is a restaurant and pizzeria situated in East London's dynamic Royal Docklands. With walnut floors, subdued lighting, rich vibrant fabrics and floor to ceiling windows, the restaurant lets diners have a warm and leisurely meal in an ambience that is contemporary without being too austere. The classic Italian fare is made from the freshest locally sourced ingredients with a number of house specialities adding that extra variety.

Diners can feast on meals with dishes such as caprese, comprising of sliced beef tomato with mozzarella and basil dressing; calamari fritti with deep fried squid and tartar sauce; pollo sorpresa or chicken kiev and scaloppini valdostana, veal escallops with ham and mozzarella cheese in a white wine sauce. The pizzas which are based on traditional Neapolitan fare, consist of Quattro formaggi with four varieties of cheese and biancaneve, mozzarella with dolcette cheese, salame rocket and fresh sliced tomatoes.

The meticulously sourced and extensive wine list complements the meal perfectly.