Top things to do in East London: week of 6 April

East London week. The good stuff is east this week and west London is going to have to cope. Here is the run.

Monday — Shoreditch slow start

Mondays in Shoreditch are weirdly fine for a quiet drink. Sager + Wilde does a wine flight that is worth the £25. If you want a bit more energy, Newspeak House sometimes runs informal Monday hacks where engineers from places like Anthropic, Mercor and Cursor wander in to break their own demos. Free if you turn up early.

If a film is more your speed, the Genesis in Mile End is a properly good independent cinema and Mondays are dead enough that you can pick any seat.

Tuesday — meetups

Tuesday is meetup night in east London. Pick one of: a React meetup at a Hackney Wick studio, an AI engineering meetup at a startup off Old Street, or a design meetup at a Shoreditch agency. They all have free pizza, none of them have particularly memorable food, and at least one will lead to a job offer if you stay until the end.

The honest move: pick the one nearest your flat and dont overthink it. Or browse networking events in London and filter by E1, E2, E8.

Wednesday — Newspeak House talks

Newspeak House does a weekly talk on Wednesdays which is consistently good and consistently free. Last month I caught one on AI policy that had a Y Combinator alumnus arguing with someone from the FT for forty-five minutes, which was worth the trip on its own. Get there early, the seating is limited.

After: Som Saa for dinner if you can get a walk-in (you can, on a Wednesday), or Brawn for the wine list.

Thursday — comedy and gigs

Thursday is when east London earns its keep. The Backyard in Bethnal Green has alternative comedy that is the best £10 you will spend this week. The Shacklewell has a gig on. The Hen & Chickens has another comedy night a few stops north.

If you want a bigger room, the Roundhouse is technically Camden but counts as east-adjacent. Their Thursday programming has been strong.

Friday — pick a venue, settle in

Shacklewell on Friday. The booker has been on a streak — three of the last four Friday gigs I have been to there have been bands I now actively follow. £8–£12, doors at 8, support is usually worth turning up for.

After: XOYO if you want to dance, fabric if you want a real night out, Dishoom Shoreditch if you want a meal that takes two hours and ends in a chai. Queue at Dishoom is genuinely shorter than people think on Fridays after 10.

Saturday — Hackney all day

Saturday plan: brunch at Pophams in Hackney, walk to Victoria Park, pub at the Crown or the Royal Inn on the Park, gig at the Shacklewell or the Moth Club. Easy. The Moth specifically has a low-key disco night on Saturdays this month that has been quietly excellent — sequins on the ceiling, a band that takes itself appropriately unseriously, drinks at sensible prices.

Sunday — Marksman or stay in

Sunday roast at the Marksman in Hackney. Book two weeks out. Yorkshire pud is mythical. If you missed the booking window, the Crown in Hackney does a roast that is 80% as good and you can usually walk in at 2pm.

Quiet Sunday: Sutton House, the National Trust property in Homerton, runs occasional folk gigs in the courtyard. Sounds twee, is actually lovely.

That is east London this week. Stay east, save the tube fare, the booze is cheaper anyway. Sort of.