Hidden by an unmarked entrance on an otherwise quiet East London backstreet was Bistrotheque. I discovered it's a French cafe/restaurant (I suppose the name is suggestive) and coincidentally or not the wait staff were mostly seemingly French too. There's a piano in the corner and on this morning, a lunchtime musician started playing his melodic version of classics such as Britney "Baby one more time".
Filipe Passos-Coelho
+4.5
What a nice place. Great food, in a place that looks refined and classy, but with a very competitive price tag. The eggs Benedict were great, the poached eggs cooked to perfection, a sweet sauce hollandaise and a true muffin. As a dessert, the pancakes and strawberries were a fine ending to a great brunch. Recommended, especially if you add a walk along the canal before or after the meal.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Bistrotheque's a perennial favourite in our house. Sarah and Russell used to go when they were living in a tiny flat next door, splashing their graduate wages on fine food. Ashley always takes his parents there whenever they visit, and I have a thing for steak tartare.
So it seemed only fair to take P there as a further introduction to the culinary delights of Bethnal Green. We stopped off at Sager + Wilde Restaurant for drinks beforehand and then, three whisky cocktails down, tottered up the road to Wadeson Street. Bistrotheque is tucked away down a small road in a non-descript warehouse that you'll probably walk past the first time you go. Enter the unmarked door and turn straight up the concrete stairs, push through the industrial double doors and bask in the chaotic calm that is the all white and windows restaurant.
Bistrotheque feels how I imagine a Brooklyn loft restaurant to feel. It's a sizeable open space but it feels intimate as tables are close together, the atmosphere buzzy. Sit up at the square bar while waiting for your table, martini made with Hackney gin or vodka in hand. Then pass by the open kitchen where the industrious chefs plate up dish after dish and the friendliest, smiliest waiters (also in whites) bustle back and forth with a practised calm.
The food's 'Modern European' which I feel can cover a multitude of sins but here, there are few. The still-warm bread and butter while you're mulling over the wine menu (Old and New World, naturally) is a good start. As were the large grilled prawns in garlic butter with bone marrow which I managed to devour in double quick time - the sweet meat of the shellfish rounded up by the richness of the marrow. Plenty of sauce for dipping, too. P had the crab - a glorious combination of brown and white meat with ample citrusy bite.
For mains, my ever-predictable order of steak tartare was no surprise. Well-prepared with the fresh zing of the mustard, the salt of the capers and no need for the Tabasco on the table, it was served classic with frites. P didn't order so well this time, choosing the burrata, truffle and shallot tart which sounded promising but only delivered on the onion and nothing else. Thank goodness for generous girlfriends sharing.
Then came cheese - Riseley, Turnworth and Cashel Blue served with quince jelly oatcakes (discarded) and smothered onto more bread from the kitchen. As a massive cheese fiend, these were all delicious (predictably) and P was impressed (big thumbs up from the resident Frenchie).
We finished the night with an espresso martini for me and the cognac for P before heading for nightcaps at Peg + Patriot. Another night at Bistrotheque well spent. Four and a half out of five
Great place for a first meal of the day. Wonderful service, and all of this followed by a nice piano music player. A place to return to dinner for sure
The explorer in me, actually, really enjoyed the element of surprise in finding Bistrotheque. Heck getting to Cambridge Heath station, the closest means of non-bus transport (I don’t trust buses) to Bistrotheque, itself was a journey all on its own! Some of the best meals I’ve ever had have been at places I’ve had to hunt for, (cue being led through an underground passageway, after having rung the bell outside a dodgy side door with no sign, by a Japanese lady at Yu-U in Melbourne) but it’s not actually that difficult to find Bistrotheque if you know that you need to look for it!
What a great find. Tucked away in a side road. A wonderful meal and great show downstairs after. Lovely atmosphere - can't wait to go back
Hidden down a lane off Mare Street I was to find the haven for my hangover - Bistrotheque. A converted warehouse filled with the tunes from the night before
My main of Fish and Chips was a little mean in terms of portion size of the fish but the individual components of the dish were quite good — The fish had a crunchy exterior, the chips were fresh, the tartare sauce and mushy peas were both home-made — really, there wasn’t too much to complain about.
Brunch time if the only thing I can tell you. If you haven't been on a weekend in Bistrotheque for breakfast or brunch you must start to think in doing it. The place is completely hidden so be sure to check their website beforehand. This east end place, n
Every restaurant that serves you 3 excellent courses for 19 pounds (Sun-Thu before 19:30) deserves a very honorable mention. If you get some added entertainment for another 5 pounds - that's even better! This is the package you get at Bistroteque in Bethnal Green, located in a little side street just off Cambridge Heath Road. You have to pay some attention not to walk past the inconspicuous entryway, but when you have finally found your destination you are rewarded with a modern, bright and spacious dining room with high ceilings. Since I have moved to London I am a sucker for big open spaces. Compared to Vienna where I used to live before everything in London is so crammed together and I really miss the feeling of vastness and space. Certainly no reason for claustrophobia at Bistroteque. There were a range of really attractive sounding dishes on the Prix Fix Menu, so no reason to order from the a la carte . The Stichelton, Pear, Pine Nut, Chicory, Spinach starter turn
Bistrotheque has been on my 'to do list' since moving to London three years ago. I've had light meals and coffees from their pop-up restaurants at London Fashion Week , Zoo Art Fair and other 'happenings' but despite living just up the road, a visit has just never materialised…until last night! I went with my Parisian pals during a birthday weekend stay in London, so I was after somewhere impressive but informal, where we could catch up properly over some good food and wine. Bistrotheque is tucked away in a warehouse in Bethnal Green, parallel to Vyner Street's industrial unit art galleries. You wouldn't know it was there until you see a glimmer of light and activity and a couple of tables and chairs in a tiny courtyard. Going up the concrete stairs reminded me of being back at Glasgow School of Art on a messy Thursday night and coincidentally we were greeted by a very dapper Scottish maitre d'. Bistrotheque is noisy, busy and a bit too warm but all of these things make it fun! Our w
Given Bistrotheque’s location, you have little choice but to make a special journey, not to mention a few detours, to get there, but while I’m not sure it’s quite the sort of place I’ll be bringing Mother Wright in a hurry, I’ll certainly be making the jo
There's a "cold snap" in London, although it's likely to feel more like a long, laborious tearing of the ligaments than anything brief and snappy. The first nibble of frost bite is starting to set in to the toes, and with Christmas party mounting upon Chr
Bistrotheque is one of those places that you would never just walk into off the street. Why, you ask? Well it’s really hard to find, even if you know the address, which we did. It’s down a dark alley in a trendy and slightly grimy area of London called Be
I would not have found this place without anyone recommending it to me. The main dinning room is a fantastic place, white, minimalist, with the kitchen clearly visible to anyone. The menu is absolutely fantastic and the food cooked to perfection. I had a steak tartare, which I never managed to get anywhere else in the UK before. The service was perfect too. I'll definitely go back there!
Friendly atmosphere, nice bar. We came for lunch late on a sunday, the menu had brunch food and simple but delicious food. I went for oysters as a starter and a cheeseburger as a main. Burger was cooked to perfection, fries were tasting really good. The only thing i could fault was the service that, despite being super friendly, we had to call their attention to get them to come to our table which was, by the way, in the middle of the dinning area.
Bistrotheque is a place out of nowhere: close to a gas station and industrial warehouses, it is not a place where one fails by chance!
It is a trendy unusual place, which has proved very successful primarily through word of mouth. Halfway between cabaret (there are burlesque shows and transvestites on Friday and Saturday nights!), the bar and canteen boudoir, Bistrotheque is a creative and resolutely trendy concept.
The large living minimalist but warm restaurant with wood everywhere (floors, then cabinets, tables and chairs), giving a very chic atmosphere. Waiters and waitresses are particularly friendly and the food is tasty! Liked it!
Mixed experience of Bistroteque on Friday night. The service was so friendly - huge shout out to Carlos who is a legend. We arrived a little early for our 8:15 reservation and were sat at 8:09 - the biggest gripe for us is that we didn’t get our food until 9:07, despite ordering at a normal speed. We were starving by the time it got to us! Food was really good though - special mention to the popcorn chicken parmigiana and the vegan carrot dish - both full of flavour. My partner had the burger which was good, but chips were sub par considering a portion was £7.50! Overall had a good time but not in a hurry to come back
Fantastic atmosphere for a brunch in good company. The place looks beautiful and is flooded with natural light. Staff is enormously friendly and like a bit of chit chat. When it comes to food, everything we ordered was delicious, with a special mention to the house-special burger. Prices are a bit higher, which is absolutely fine considering the overall experience and quality.
The staff were really welcoming to both me and my little schnauzer. I had lots of gluten free and vegan choices. I tried the farinata with candied squash. It was divine. The cocktails were delicious as was the food. I can’t wait to go back!
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Bistrotheque for breakfas and I must say, it was an absolute treat! I ordered the breakfast dish and the tartare, and both were beautifully presented and delicious. The flavors were well-balanced and the portion sizes were just right. The service was also top-notch, with the staff being attentive and friendly throughout my meal. The ambience of the restaurant was also impressive, with a stylish and elegant interior design that exuded a chic vibe and a piano being played. I highly recommend Bistrotheque for anyone looking for a quality breakfast or brunch experience in London. Five stars!
Overall excellent the food was delicious, atmosphere was great and best of all Carlos who was serving us offered the best customer experience and service I have received so far in London! Would definitely go back 👌
Everything was fantastic in here . Such a nice experience. The staff was incredible, Can’t wait to go for a fun night too 😊
Great place, great atmosphere, good choice of food. They had a small trouble with our order but they knew how to make our experience anyway excellent. Highly recommended.
The staff is incredible the food wow the lobster pie uffff heaven I am crazy to back and try the burger
Good food and chic atmosphere. Peach pie is absolutely delicious - the vegan cream is better than the real thing. Accommodated really well for a large group, however some of the desserts pre ordered was not what we received and the choice of wine by the glass was somewhat underwhelming.
Incredible experience from start to finish. The food, the drink, the setting, the atmosphere- all top quality. A special shoutout to Carlos our waiter, who was exceptional!
Simple flavours and large portions make for a high-value bistro in an old factory. We went for lunch and had the two half-chicken options, one classic and the other spiced. The staff were pleasant and attentive.
Peruvian chicken with the green sauce was the best roasted chicken I have ever had. Will for sure come back.
The place itself it's really cool too.
We had the most wonderful time at Bistrotheque. I had the Chilaquiles with chicken, the sauce was amazing and the portion size was really good. My friends had the crab Benedict and the farinata, and both said they were delicious too. We also had Zhooshy Margaritas and these were spot on. Would thoroughly recommend, was so lovely to hear the pianist in the background and really good service.
My new favourite spot for brunch in East London. Decent portions for the price (by London standards) and nice atmosphere with a pianist on a rainy Sunday. I am a fan of the minimalist decor and open kitchen too.
Great spot for dinner. Cool atmosphere, nice cocktails. Burger is epic.
Love the converted ex-textile warehouse vibes. 🏭 Perhaps quite typical of East London, but was quite the nice novelty for me anyway!
The upstairs is open plan, which is a really nice feature. You have the kitchen and bar side by side right next to the dining area, which I totally dig.
Minimal stripped back decor with a pianist in the corner doing his thang too, neat. 🎹
The service was incredibly quick! We ordered the Soft Shell Crab Benedict and it came within 10 mins. Cocktails were delicious. Definitely love to come back again.
We also loved that the owner was at the door greeting customers in, sign of a dedicated manager. Ace. 👌🏽
Nice classy restaurant in full east London style. The menu is minimal but diverse. Portion are huge. You might not need any starter 😂
Excellent food and service in a nice atmosphere. Really enjoyed brunch here, both food and cocktails. My only wish is that they would expand the number of vegetarian options on the menu, as they were quite limited. Otherwise, a great experience!
Peruvian half chicken with salsa verde was amazing, incredibly juicy and flavorful. Cauliflower with chickpeas was also surprisingly good, even as a non-vegetarian. Chocolate mousse dessert was thick and rich
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