This east London cafe has been named one of the world’s 100 most legendary restaurants

Forget swanky bars and Michelin stars, London’s pie ’n’ mash shops, greasy spoons and old pubs are the real stuff of legends in this city. Housed in centuries-old buildings and run by generations of the same families, they’re the beating heart of London communities. 

Now, one of our city’s most-loved family-run institutions (and a Time Out favourite) has just been declared one of the ‘most legendary’ restaurants in the entire world. E Pellicci in Bethnal Green was listed at number 83 in TasteAtlas’s list of ‘100 Most Legendary Restaurants’. 

The beloved caff and east London landmark was opened in 1990 by an Italian family who moved here from Florence. It was named after the family’s matriarch Elide Pellicci (whose portrait still hangs there) and has been serving up hearty English breakfasts and homely Italian classics ever since.  

E Pellicci also played a role in Harry Styles’s ‘Late Night Talking’ music video in 2022 and the Victorian building it sits in was once a hang-out for the Kray twins. Inside you’ll find ornate panelled wooden decor, which was carved by a carpenter in 1946 who became a regular customer. The stunning interior led to the building being awarded Grade II-listed status by English Heritage.

In case you needed further proof of its legendary status, earlier this year E Pellicci launched its own podcast featuring famous regulars Ray Winstone, Gemma Collins, Annie Mac and Hak Baker. 

Tastes of the world with Time Out

There’s a lot to dive into with TasteAtlas’ most recent global food lists – and you can find out much more here at Time Out. Did you see that London doesn’t even crack the top 50 ‘best food cities’? And that two British national cuisines were crowned among the world’s 100 best?

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