Darling's Eatery and Studio

Darling's Eatery and Studio, a Hackney Wick pasta restaurant, is a place for seductively twirling a noodle on your fork as your date admires you in the golden hour glow. Come in the evening, when the candles are lit, large groups arrive, the space fills with noise and laughter, and everyone relaxes. Otherwise, during the daytime, the minimalist room can feel a little sterile. There are two big wooden sharing tables, and a few small circular tables off to the side that we prefer for quick, casual meals, or dates when we don’t want to be overheard. The pasta looks like the bowls you’d see on Instagram, eaten by influencers who are partial to Saie skin tints and gingham linen—and it's tasty stuff. Just don't expect hearty portions and wholesome sauces. Instead, light, delicate flavours—caramelised onion, white beans, sundried tomato—and very small slivers of focaccia are dispatched to photoshoot-ready tables. 

photo credit: Martyna Wlodarska