Whitechapel

Our guide

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Whitechapel sits east of the centre of London and is the centre of the borough of Tower Hamlets. With great travel connections, it's a diverse and culturally rich area. It’s often used to depict the traditional image of the ‘east end’, in part thanks to one of it’s most famous residents, Jack the Ripper.

Stations: Whitechapel Underground Station (Circle, District, Hammersmith & Elizabeth lines), Whitechapel Overground (Windrush line)

What kind of vibe does Whitechapel have?

Whitechapel still feels industrial and hard working, it’s built up and busy – boasting markets and family run businesses that you can just feel have been there for generations, run by real east enders. Or you might be attracted to the multicultural element of the area – which brings with it a variety of different cuisines, all reasonably priced compared to those only 3 miles away in Central London.

Where can I grab a morning coffee?

Whitechapel isn’t going to give you endless roads of artisan coffee shops. What you will get is a brilliant cup of builder's tea in one of the local cafes. But if artisan coffee is what you're after, then we recommend Nora's – open since 2019 and offering nice coffee, both local and international cuisines and a relaxed atmosphere.

Give me three spots to go for dinner

You need to be looking at currys in Whitechapel, else you've massively missed out! Tayyabs boasts nearly 4,000 tripadvisor reviews. Yes. Four. Thousand. That’s more than us. We don’t even need to saying anything else – check it out.

Kolapata is a Bengali restaurant that’s been popular for the last twenty years with locals. What it lacks in fine décor it makes up for in flavour – and it's very reasonably priced.

Or finally try Needoo – a Punjabi cuisine, Pakistani run restaurant serving up high quality food catering to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians with equal effort!

How would I spend a Saturday in Whitechapel?

You aren’t embracing East End living if you don’t spend Saturday at one of the markets. Whitechapel market, Petticoat Lane Market – there are a few to pick from. Unlike other areas of London, these havn’t been picked up by the hipsters yet, with stalls becoming lovely to look at, but unaffordable. These are proper, as you remember them, markets.

Where’s the best place to be if you want to be outdoors?

Whitechapel isn’t a green haven, that’s not why you’d chose to live here. But there are some pockets of park. Altab Ali Park is a small park, but perfect for a short break, perched on a bench watching the hustle and bustle around you.

Does Whitechapel have any hidden gems?

Genesis Cinema has been running since 1848, but has undergone renovations as recently as 2020 during lockdown, where the venue was enhanced with the addition of new seating, kiosks and an outside area.