The best restaurants in Walthamstow

Uyghur cuisine is a curious blend of influences – Chinese, Middle Eastern, Persian – all facilitated by the historical to-ing and fro-ing along the Silk Road. Four thousand-odd miles to the west, on a quietish stretch of Walthamstow’s Hoe Street, is Etles: a small, family-run Uyghur restaurant. The trad dishes are the ones to go for, like the fantastic ganbian chaomian: a huge, steaming plate of deliciously chewy hand-pulled noodles studded with veal and garnished with sesame seeds. Kidney kebabs made for a great side, smoky from the grill and generously seasoned with chilli flakes. There's also a lot of offal on the menu, for fans of marinated cow’s stomach. They don’t sell booze, so do nip to the off licence first.

Technically in Leytonstone, but it's worth the extra travel from E17, Singburi is a tiny family-run Thai café that's constantly packed to the rafters. Staples like pad thai and massaman are fantastic, but take a look at the chalked-up specials board. A dish of squid practically melted into its tangy dressing; the sauce of a soft-shell crab curry, rich and silky like a South East Asian lobster bisque, had us lapping gracelessly from the bowl once we’d finished cracking and prising. Don't forget the BYO policy. Shop-bought wine and beer litters Singburi’s tabletops and gives the place a boozy buzz.

Taro is a vision. Taking over the historic L Manze Pie & Mash Shop and keeping the vintage fixtures and fittings intact, this Japanese restaurant is quite unlike anything else around. Load up on gyoza, tempura and karaage fried chicken, or plump for one of their many brilliant bento boxes, ramen or yakisoba noodles. A treat. 

That there aren't way more bougie cafes in Walthamstow is a mystery to us, but Dudley's on Wood Street more than fits the bill (not least because during the summer they host yoga and meditation sessions). Corn fritters, folded eggs, mushrooms on toast and banana bread are the brekkie, brunch and lunch specials, and at weekends the Bloody Marys and mimosa hit the menu to help with any residual hangovers.

Seek out Unit 38 in the snug Wood Street Indoor Market, and you'll find culty vegan deli, pickle house and bar The Coven of Wiches. Every sarnie is perfectly plant-based, and you'll even get the likes of a cold cuts sandwich on hot rye, as well as their version of a reuben, and a super-stacked club sandwich. Pure wichcraft.

A second branch of the Caribbean food and rum cocktails chain, here you'll find jerk wings, plantain fritters, coconut peppered prawns – and that's just for starters. The charcoal grill is where BBQ chicken, beef rib and fish of the day is cooked up. They also do a sweet and savoury Caribbean afternoon tea. 

Moving from its original home in Walthamstow's Wood Street Market hasn't stopped Homies on Donkeys from being one of London's most authentic and downright delicious taco spots. Run by Tijuana-raised Sandra Bello and Erik Bautista, this Leytonstone spot is proudly cutlery-free. Here you eat with your hands; pairs of perfect carnitas, chicken barbacoa, birria or steak tacos, with sublime sides of roasted jalapenos or refried beans. Decoration is as intense and eye-opening as the flavours. Really, really great stuff. 

A family-run Palestinian bakery with an all-day Arabic brunch, Hiba Taboun on Wood Street's Golden Parade is a cosy local spot worth seeking out. The brunch is all about eggs, mezze and falafel, but we're just as happy popping in for a take-out mana’eesh flatbread topped with za'atar.

A fun and friendly taproom from Exale Brewery on the Blackhorse Beer Mile in Walthamstow, with a weekly changing menu of pints. A must-order though, is the bright orange Krankie sour, which might remind you a touch of a certain Scottish soft drink... When it comes to food, it's always good and rotating kitchen residents will make you want to stay all night – previous talents include haggis supremos Auld Hag, and Black Cactus BBQ doing impressive things with meat and fire, with National Burger Awards champions Whole Beast – taking over in November 2024. 

The cheese and jalepeno swirl from Wood Street Bakery might just be the most famous pastry in all of E17. This artisan patisserie also does a fine line in banana bread and pastel de natas, with everything baked on site. Founded by pastry chef Jennifer Moseley, it opened back in 2021, taking over an old Percy Ingle's bakery site. Very, very cute.

A sourdough pizza joint that also has branches in Clapton, Hoxton, Hammersmith, Deptford and Bethnal Green, Sodo is the kind of friendly neighbourhood parlour that it's impossible not to visit every couple of weeks. Sure, the names might border on the annoying (Jon Bon Chovy, anyone?), but the Wicker Man, with tomato, mozzarella, pepperoni, nduja, mascarpone & scotch bonnet chilli honey is fabulous enough to make up for it.

The great Gokyüzü restaurant group has now set up shop in Walthamstow’s Mall shopping centre. It’s a noisy, hard-floored, two-level restaurant, decked out in latticed screens and the chain’s signature teal. You might describe the vibe as ‘Turkish Nando’s’. Turkish hospitality abides: bread and tarator is immediately served upon arrival, along with condiments of garlic yogurt and ‘ajvar’ sauce made with red bell peppers and oil. The menu plays it very straight: hot mezze, cold mezze, pide and a long list of grilled chicken and lamb dishes.

A sweet little sourdough bakery and artisan coffee shop in Walthamstow's Grade II listed Central Parade. Grab a loaf and settle in for lunch of the house toastie with tomato relish, cheddar and red leicester, or soup, wraps and salads. Then wash it down with a Mozzo coffee. 

The third branch of Yard Sale, where pizza is served fresh from the oven in either 12" or 18" stone-baked sourdough rounds. Toppings range from classic margherita to the crowd-pleasing TSB with tenderstem broccoli, parmesan and pine nuts. They peddle gluten-free bases and fully vegan toppings too. There are 12 branches spread far and wide across London – from Clapton to Tottenham, and with the latest outposts in Hither Green and Tufnell Park – so you’re never too far from one of their sublime pies.