Don’t get distracted by the incredible skyline of Canary Wharf because there’s plenty more than meets the eye in this London district.
With a range of beautiful roof terraces and carefully curated, flower-filled spots, Canary Wharf wins points for peacefulness as well as its array of fantastic green spaces. If you go for a wander, you’ll find over 70 works of art dotted around the area and, if you visit at the right time, there are more than 200 events taking place every year, most of which are free! During winter, admire the dazzling Winter Lights festival in January or hop on the DLR or Jubilee Line when the weather gets warmer to watch some of the nation’s favourite events on the Canary Wharf Summer Screens.
Many people also flock to Canary Wharf for the beauty and tranquility of the Crossrail Place Roof Garden: an oasis of calm with funky geometric architecture and views for miles. Breathe in the fresh air of the surrounding plants and set up camp in the midst to chill out.
And, of course, once you’ve finished exploring you’ll want to stop for some food and a drink or two. Luckily for you, Canary Wharf is quickly becoming a major foodie hub and is home to plenty of mouthwatering picks that you’ll be daydreaming about for days to come.
Chai Ki
Looking for some beautiful, Instagrammable food that’ll keep your whole table happy? Located in Crossrail Place, Chai Ki is the place to go. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this restaurant offers a selection of modern Indian sharing plates, featuring traditional flavours and ingredients that come together to create the perfect soul food. But don’t just expect your standard Indian recipes here: Chai Ki serves everything from Indian tapas (believe us when we say it’s a definite success) and carefully crafted cocktails to complement your meal. Try the infamous Butter Chicken for guaranteed success or branch out with flavour combinations with the Hakka Paneer, Bhel Puri and Calamari.
While you’re in the area, head over to Wharf Kitchen in Jubilee Place, London’s first plastic-free food hall, to try out Mama’s Jerk and The Athenian. Wharf Kitchen features a mix of foods from across the globe brought together, profiling more vibrant and tasty options than we could ever hope to sample in one go.
Mama’s Jerk
Admittedly, it’s hard to go wrong with Jerk chicken but Mama’s Jerk does it spectacularly right. Each dish comes bursting with flavour with just the right amount of zing. There’s everything you’d expect from street-style Caribbean food and more at Mama’s Jerk and the menu is representative of the family recipe passed down over the years. They use fresh Dhal Puri and handmade roti wraps, combined with golden plantain and fresh herbs for a deliciously tasty dish. And don’t forgo a trip to Mama’s Jerk if you’re vegetarian: you can still dig into a jerk veggie bean-cake wrap and sides.
The Athenian
You’ll want to visit The Athenian time and time again to make the most of their limited edition offerings. Once you’ve tried and tested the main dishes, you need to leave room for dessert. At The Athenian you’ll find something extra special: Loukoumades which, for those of you not in the know, are tiny, delicious, Greek doughnut balls of joy. Fluffy, covered in chocolate and handmade to order, it’s the best way to end your visit to Canary Wharf on a (sugar) high. But we also can’t move on without highlighting some of the popular picks like Athenian gyros, stuffed to the brim with fresh chicken, crunchy vegetables and soft chips, or Halloumi fries compete with homemade, secret recipe sauce.
Need any more convincing to stop by Wharf Kitchen? You’ll also find the likes of Ahi Poké, bringing the laid back atmosphere of America’s west coast, Bird with its famous chicken, Paleo Supply’s healthy-yet-delicious offerings, Rainbo’s mouthwatering gyozas and The Vurger Co., who’re revolutionising fast food through the power of plants. Our recommendation? Bring a group of friends to fully maximise Wharf Kitchen’s huge variety of options!
Giant Robot
It’s impossible to miss Giant Robot, no matter which direction you’re heading from. Known as Street Feast’s eating and drinking rooftopia, this collection of restaurants in Crossrail Place Roof Garden is as impressive inside as it is outside. Come along for the futuristic architecture and stay for the incredible food. Not sure what to go for? We’ll give you a breakdown of what’s what. Black Bear Burger is renowned as being one of the best places in London to grab a burger with a focus on flavour and quality.
Yum Bun’s fluffy bao buns are stuffed with delicious fillings, including slow-roasted pork belly or crispy tofu with black bean and garlic mayo. Then there’s Thunderbird, your one-stop shop for all things chicken (we recommend the famous fiery Chipuffalo Wings) and Pastaio, which specialises in great value, tasty, fresh pasta dishes made using top-notch, quality British produce. Enjoy your food with a gorgeous view of the water below, while drinking a beer on London’s biggest roof terrace.
Big Easy
Hop over to the other side of the Roof Garden and you’ll find another unmissable Canary Wharf stop; Big Easy. Renowned for its incredible lobster and other seafood dishes, this Southwestern-style Bar-B-Q and Lobstershack offers great views of the water and tasty food to match. Canary Wharf is home to the biggest, er, Big Easy and makes the most of the space with more craft beers than you could ever sink as well as delicious cocktails. Not sure what to go for? As recommended on TripAdvisor, ask for Elton at the bar and he’ll mix you up the perfect round of bespoke drinks. Come for dinner for some comfortingly-large, roll-home-afterwards portions of American food or stop by for brunch to start your weekend on a high. The bottomless boozy brunch (weekends only) is definitely one not to miss.
This article was sponsored by Canary Wharf Group. For more information about what’s on, visit Canary Wharf’s website.
Also published on Medium.