London

Cult of the Cow

O glorious cow, O bounteous bovine. O splendiferous ungulate. How I love thee. How I wish you could be cut into sirloin, rib-eye and fillet, served on a hot grill with sausage, black pudding and divine grilled provolone cheese after being lovingly broiled in an Argentinian asado (grill) by John Patrick Rattagan, Hackney's favourite Irish-Argentinian chef (there might not be much competition, but it's still an accolade of sorts). Meat-lovers will find all this and more at Hackney's Buen Ayre, the Argentinian ambassador's favourite steak house and home to Hix and Hawksmoor quality steaks at a fraction of the price (you should get change from a fifty for a dinner for two). Yes it's in Broadway Market (which though lovely is far from a Tube and filled to the rafters with annoying trendy types). Yes the service is awkward and occasionally sullen. Ok, I admit the side dishes (other than the chips) are pretty rubbish. But who cares? Order one of the many South American beers, sit back, and prepare yourself for carnivorous heaven. Oh, and book in advance it can be hard to get a table on weekends.

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Restaurants • London Fields / Hackney Central

Full Frontal Park Action

A pleasant and green park in E8 which has gained immense popularity in recent years--it's known as "Hackney Beach" on hot sunny days. Shoreditch types, hippies, families, cricket players, dog walkers, pierced punks and fixed gear cyclists all rub along just fine, lazing weekends away, pint in hand, ducking the frisbees. There's always loads of people watching to be done--impromptu bands with mini drum kits and acoustic guitars, hula-hooping ladies and their acrobatic friends, cyclists zooming on through... The London Fields lido is on one side, with a little free paddling pool at the back. Two good kids' playgrounds keep the feral children amused. A couple of tennis courts always seem to be busy, but ever popular is the '70s concrete ping pong table whose queue turns into an active audience for matches. Booze-wise, the Southside is represented by the Cat & Mutton and the chi chi delights of Broadway Market Northside with the Pub on the Park--the destination of many an Arsenal fan when the footie is on.

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Tennis Courts • London Fields / Hackney Central

No Crowds. Just Fun

So, you've decided to get fit in the new year, eh? Well, surprise: So has everyone else. So before you squeeze into the sweat-filled changing room of your totally overcrowded leisure centre or rob your grandmother to pay an inflated gym membership only to never get a space on the rowing machine, because there's ALWAYS someone else on there, consider this alternative. Because, which sane person does outside swimming in January, right? The people running London Field's cracking Lido (an Art Deco gem that has been restored after two decades of neglect) couldn't care less about the outside temperature--and the 50-metre basin is heated all year round. No crowds, just fun. Simply get yourself a bathing cap and jump in. We would also mention the great food options surrounding the London Fields park--but you’re here to shed, not gain, those kilo, so there! Okay, okay, whisper, whisper: The Dove, The Cat and Mutton, Buen Ayre...

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Gyms , Landmarks , Swimming • London Fields / Hackney Central

Game Well Poached

The Spurstowe Arms sits proudly on the corner of Wilton Way and Greenwood Road just a hop and a skip up from local favourite The George. And like something out of a Will Self story, The Spurstowe overlooks the Wilton Estate--how very E8. However, once inside the bare-bricked homey interior you could be anywhere but Hackney. The wine list is impressive as is the selection of beers on tap and there's a suntrap garden in which to sup and smoke or indulge in a jug of Pimm's. Last time I had dinner here there was a pleasingly gamey menu--I opted for pheasant although intrigued by the mallard; unfortunately I couldn't help thinking about whether it was poached from the less-than-clean nearby Regent's Canal. I hear that the breakfasts and bloody marys are pretty spiffy too. This place ain't cheap, but it ain't too spendy either and you'll either love it or hate it. Still, it makes a change from The George.

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Restaurants • London Fields / Hackney Central