Over the past decade, the London Borough of Hackney has blossomed into one of the capital’s most vibrant and daring culinary epicentres. Unlike the polished, corporate dining rooms of central districts, Hackney’s Italian food scene is fuelled by creative freedom, canalside living, and deep neighbourhood affection. From artisan sourdough bakeries that transform into candlelit pastifici by dusk to breezy canal terraces where fresh pasta meets local spritzes, East London offers a masterclass in modern pasta craft.
Whether you are strolling down Regent’s Canal, browsing the flower market on Columbia Road, or exploring the creative warehouses of Hackney Wick, here is where to find the best pasta in Hackney.
1. Gotto Trattoria (Hackney Wick)
Perched right on the waters of the River Lee Navigation at Here East, Gotto Trattoria is a sunlit slice of the Italian Riviera nestled in the industrial heart of Hackney Wick. Founded in May 2016 by three brothers and a close friend—the team behind the beloved Mele e Pere in Soho—Gotto brings authentic, family-run northern Italian trattoria hospitality to East London.
The kitchen makes nearly everything from scratch on-site. Pastas are hand-rolled and cut fresh every single day, while their pizza dough proves for over 48 hours in the unique microclimate along the canal. Dining outdoors on the canalside terrace with a house Negroni or seasonal spritz while narrowboats drift past is one of the premier warm-weather rituals in E15. The cooking is unfussy, generous, and packed with regional integrity, offering exceptional value for families, canal walkers, and locals alike.
What to order: Slow-braised Beef Shin Pappardelle. Broad, silky ribbons of hand-rolled egg pasta coated in a rich, deeply savoury ragù of British beef shin simmered for hours with red wine, aromatics, and rosemary, finished with Parmigiano-Reggiano. If visiting for lunch, their daily hand-rolled tagliatelle with wild mushrooms and truffle butter is equally sensational.
2. Ombra (Regent’s Canal & Vyner Street)
Situated at the southern tip of Hackney where Vyner Street meets the Regent’s Canal, Ombra is widely revered by chefs, critics, and discerning pasta devotees as one of London’s finest Italian restaurants. Quietly opened in 2011 as a modest Venetian bàcaro, head chef Mitshel Ibrahim has evolved Ombra into a culinary powerhouse dedicated to hyper-seasonal British and Italian produce, natural low-intervention wines, and exquisite hand-rolled pasta.
The pasta program at Ombra is extraordinary. The kitchen crafts filled parcels, delicate ribbons, and extruded shapes with surgical precision, varying the menu frequently according to what small-scale regenerative farmers and day-boat fishermen deliver. The canalside dining room, framed by floor-to-ceiling glass and mid-century design, offers a relaxed, unhurried atmosphere that lets the sheer quality of the cooking take centre stage.
What to order: Tagliolini with Cornish Brown Crab, Sweet Datterini Tomatoes, Chilli, and Amalfi Lemon. The thin, springy strands of egg pasta are emulsified in brown crab butter to create a glossy, marine glaze with a whisper of heat. During game season, look out for their delicate stuffed tortelli filled with pheasant or wild duck.
3. Pophams (London Fields)
While Pophams on Richmond Road initially captured London’s heart with its hypnotic, multi-layered viennoiserie, its transformation when evening arrives is one of Hackney’s best-kept secrets. From Wednesday through Saturday nights, this stylish London Fields bakery dims the lights and turns into an artisanal fresh pasta restaurant.
Led by a team trained in pastry and laminating precision, the pasta shapes here are veritable works of architectural art. You will find intricate hand-folded cappelletti, plump tortelloni, and agnolotti stuffed with seasonal fillings, paired with rich broths, reductions, and emulsified compound butters. Seated around the polished concrete bar with a glass of natural skin-contact wine, the dining experience feels intimate, inventive, and distinctly East London.
What to order: Taleggio Cappelletti. Flawlessly pinched parcels of pasta filled with creamy, pungent Taleggio cheese, served in a nutty brown butter sauce with roasted hazelnuts, seasonal herbs, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.
4. Campania (Ezra Street)
Hidden down cobbled Ezra Street just steps away from the bustling Sunday spectacle of Columbia Road Flower Market, Campania (often known as Campania & Jones) feels like a cinematic secret. Housed in a former dairy, its peeling plaster walls, rustic vintage furniture, and flickering candlelight evoke a romantic, timeless trattoria in rural Southern Italy.
The kitchen focuses on rustic, unpretentious Southern Italian traditions. Hand-rolled pasta is the core of the menu, featuring robust, chewy shapes like trofie, paccheri, and strozzapreti designed to catch hearty slow-braised ragùs. Campania doesn’t cater to fleeting food trends; instead, it serves soul-warming, deeply comforting plates of food that honour generations of home cooking.
What to order: Strozzapreti with Wild Boar Ragù. Hand-twisted elongated pasta noodles coated in a rich, slow-simmered Tuscan-style wild boar sauce infused with red wine, juniper, and aromatic bay leaf, topped with aged pecorino.
The Shortlist
- Best for canalside dining and relaxed spritzes: Gotto Trattoria (Hackney Wick) — unbeatable for fresh beef shin pappardelle, 48-hour proved sourdough pizza, and riverside drinks.
- Best for destination-worthy pasta and natural wines: Ombra (Vyner Street) — ideal for exquisite crab tagliolini, seasonal stuffed pasta, and views over the Regent’s Canal.
- Best for inventive craft and artisanal shapes: Pophams (London Fields) — the top pick for intricately folded taleggio cappelletti and intimate evening neighbourhood vibes.
- Best for candlelit romance and rustic heritage: Campania (Ezra Street) — a dream setting for slow-cooked wild boar strozzapreti and rustic Southern Italian comfort.
