V&A East, Sadler’s Wells East, Olympic Park and more in Stratford!
All the recent hoo-ha has been about the opening of London’s best new museum the V&A East, its five-star reviews and the unveiling of its David Bowie Centre, but there’s so much more in Stratford – from medieval heritage sites to tasty grub at little-known local eateries. And, of course, the small matter of the 560-acre Olympic Park with its eye-pleasing expanse of waterways, meadows, wetlands and wet woodlands – the largest in the UK. What’s Hot London? followed the culture-seeker’s trail through lively indoor and outdoor markets, Westfields, and the 2012 Olympic Legacy regeneration quarter comprising East Bank and Stratford Cross, in search of food, drink, and summer attractions in Stratford – the buzzing heart of the London Borough of Newham.
So, What’s Hot Stratford?
V&A East Storehouse
The queues are still snaking down the street, but it’s worth the wait. Designed like an immersive glass cabinet of curiosities, there are four levels of shelving and curated mini displays with an eye-popping array of 250,000 artefacts, and you get real close to the objects. You can use the Order an Object service for an even closer look at specific items, which are brought to a viewing room. It is, indeed, a working museum, so find a spot along the glass balconies and get behind-the-scenes glimpses of conservationists at work. Walking on that glass floor on Level 1 will get you a bit giddy, though! The museum’s David Bowie Centre, housing 90,000 items bequeathed by the rock legend, will open in September. It’s all Big, First and New in Stratford, and this is his biggest collection anywhere.
Sadler’s Wells East
Right to Left -Sadler’s Wells East, BBC Music Studios, London College of Fashion, and the V&A East Museum all sit on the canal-facing East Bank cultural quarter.
Stratford’s East Bank quarter in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is making major cultural waves, and this dance and performance theatre is one of the jewels in the crown. One of only two major dance theatres in the capital, it serves up scintillating shows – everything from ballet to hiphop – and there’s dance workshops in state-of-the-art studios. Feeling peckish? Its Park Kitchen eatery packs a punch and would hold its own as a standalone restaurant. Light snack add-on, it is not.
Theatre Royal Stratford East
Established in 1884, the theatre really came to prominence from 1953 to 1979, when Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop was based there. It transformed the local cultural landscape with productions that offered a truer representation of working-class life. The London Borough of Newham, the UK’s historic cradle of socialism and trade unionism, was a fitting backdrop for her work, which explored social injustice and class inequality.
Olympic Park
OK, where do we start with the verdant and bountiful wonders of the Olympic Park? The landscaped greenery? The wet woodlands, wetlands and meadows that embrace the more wilded aesthetic? How about the waterway-facing eateries and attractions, buzzing in the summer months as visitors flock to the East Bank quarter, the London Stadium, London Aquatics Centre, the VeloPark and the Copper Box Arena? Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Kitchen is one of the biggest restaurants in the capital and has an Aztecish spaceship look about it. And the ArcelorMittal Orbit is not only a towering sculptural work of art, but the world’s tallest and longest tunnel slide. If dizzy heights are your thing, you can try abseiling down it or just enjoy stunning views of the capital from the viewing platforms.
West Ham Park
Pre-1874, the West Ham Park site was privately owned. Philanthropist Dr John Fothergill lived here at Ham House and the parkland was widely recognised as the finest botanical gardens in Europe. He planted a ginkgo biloba tree, which still grows centuries later and is one of the oldest of its species in the UK. The grounds were renamed West Ham Park in 1874 and it is the largest park in the borough of Newham.
London Stadium
If you missed the recent Iron Maiden concert in June 2025, there’s lots more on the performance calendar at this landmark venue that sits as the centrepiece of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Even if you’re not a West Ham United fan (it’s their home ground), there are athletics events, food festivals, rock and pop concerts and more. July 25-27, catch WingFest, the world’s largest chicken wing festival, with 45 chicken wing sellers serving up delicious bites and riotous eating competions.
Stratford Centre & Broadway Market
Well, yes, there’s Stratford Westfields for busy, buzzing food courts and big-name brands, but venture just across the road from Stratford Tube Station and you’ll find a smaller shopping centre with a distinct vibrancy, character and community beat. Last year was its 50th anniversary, and if you didn’t get a party invite, pop along in 2025. This local favourite has two lively tributaries, the outdoor market along the Broadway and the Market Village indoor market.
Everyman Cinema
Whether you’re kicking back to a big name blockbuster or an edgy indie gem, Everyman delivers the cinema experience to you in rich, velvety echoes of Hollywood’s Golden Age. A welcome luxury quite separate from the snoozy, anodyne big screen TV staple in our homes. Comfy screen-facing sofas and a full food and drink menu with waiter service.
Roof East
Expect a riot of colour up here on the top floor of this multi-storey car park this summer. This rainbow-coloured playground for grown ups serves up a seasonal offering of everything from crazy golf and bowling lanes to outdoor cinema, street food and cocktail bars. The fun festivities return on the last weekends of June, July and August as Roof East’s Festival Weekends with a promise of live music, comedy and more. Its Rooftop Film Club is lauded as one of the capital’s favourite haunts for true cinephiles, so kick back in a deckchair with some popcorn and hang with fellow celluloid souls.
Local History
All Saints Church
Did you know Henry II, Henry III, and Henry VI used to hang out in Stratford? The medieval Stratford Langthorne Abbey was one of the wealthiest Cistercian abbeys in the country, and its powerful abbots participated in historic sacraments such as the baptism of Henry VIII’s daughter Mary I and the funeral of his third wife, Jane Seymour. The Abbey no longer stands, but the heritage site, now a community garden called Abbey Gardens, is often visited by historians and culture-seekers. All Saints Church, founded in 1180, is not too far away – just a short walk down Abbey Road [you’ll notice one or two street names reference the historic abbey]. The church’s landmark white tower, was built in the fifteenth century. Also, check out the historic Stratford Town Hall, on the corner of West Ham Lane and Stratford Broadway, where Labour Party founder Keir Hardie waved from the balcony on being elected to represent West Ham South, as the country’s first socialist MP. And who else but an East End MP would make a social class statement by traipsing into the House of Commons wearing a working-class cloth cap to the boos and hisses of Tory MPs in snooty top hats and tails.
Food & Drink
Paisabar
Experience this colourful and lively Colombian cafe tucked away in the Market Village section of Stratford Shopping Centre. A high-spirited hidden gem, it’s a popular hotspot for London’s Hispanic community, and you’ll be lucky to find a free table on the weekends. Delicious and filling Colombian staples on the menu, with pork belly, shredded and boiled meat and the like served with rice, beans and salad. The empanadas and fried cassava sides will be more familiar to the Latin-loving palate but the diverse selection is ever-changing. And learn a little Spanish beforehand. Seriously. You’re unlikely to hear your local chippie’s lingo in here.
Roti Joupa
A cheerily solid choice of dishes at this Trinidadian cafe-restaurant-takeaway on Vicarage Lane, Stratford. Sizeable servings of curried goat, stew chicken, curry lamb, curry shrimp, curry duck and fried fish dishes served with rice and peas. Irresistibly moreish. And, no, it’s not greed, it’s the exquisitely tender nuances of homely cooking. Roti Joupa, bringing the sunshine of the Caribbean to the streets of Stratford, throughout summer and beyond.
Soul Mama
Resturant-cum-live music venue with a soul-stirring roster of live music acts to croon away the workday blues. There are restaurant-only nights, but it seems such a shame to miss out on the most cherished aspect of the Soul Mama experience. Many live music venues in the capital serve food, but only one establishment with the sophisticated E20 cool of Soul Mama.
Cart & Horses
This old school pub is the birthplace of rock band Iron Maiden and frequented by diehard, pint-supping fans. The band’s recent homecoming gig at Stratford’s London Stadium sent the hunt for Maiden memorabilia and collectibles into overdrive. Look out for the pub’s own brand Iron Maiden wine, now proudly stockpiled by local off-licences.
OLYMPIC PARK Food & drink options include, Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street, Riverside East, Pizza East, Sadler’s Well’s Park Kitchen, Figo Italian restaurant, the Outpost bar, and lots of canalside snack vendors.
