Leo's Restaurant & Bar in Hackney

We had lunch with our families at Leo’s after getting married and had a fantastic time. The food was incredible, the wine was delicious and the team were welcoming (even to our younger, less well behaved guests). We couldn’t have hoped for better. Thank you.

We joined the NYE dinner with a pre-paid set menu. The main point of information we got was an instagram post promising fresh pasta, truffle, and champagne. We paid for the set menu thinking this would be included. When we got to the place, they handed us a menu, where we realized we had to pay extra for all of the items above. We had our food which was very good, but the waiter kept asking whether we would like a refill for our (included in set menu) wine. We assumed this would be included. When we saw the bill, it wasn’t! We communicated that their NYE offering wasn’t very transparent on the prices and that this wasn’t very honest from their part. The host responded very rudely about this to us and we were just taken aback by this awful service. Really bad service, and murky prices, the restaurant is not clear about what’s included in the set menu!

Had a lovely lunch here, not many options on offer but what we did have was delicious. Chick pea, kale and potato soup was cooked perfectly; with unctuous legumes in a delicious cheesy salty broth. Tiramisu made me want to order another. Service is not that attentive but I’d rather that than fussing (the cafe wasn’t busy). The place is designed well, lots of nice touches, and atmosphere is good.

Arrogant barely interested staff. The worst service I’ve experienced in a long time. It was a great local restaurant as Jim’s Cafe (and even previous incarnations) but having given this place three goes (in case we hit on an wrong day/eve) and willing it to do well as the new local restaurant I can categorically say I’m never going again due to absolutely awful waiting staff full of attitude and expensive fairly mediocre food. Really don’t waste your money.

Terrible service. Mediocre, overpriced food in miniscule portions. Red wine arrived cold after we got all the food. Freezing cold in restaurant. Only giving one star because you can't give less.

Went there on recommendation. Food is amazing and they have a fabulous wine list. Can't wait to go again.

Amending a terrible review from a few months back. I repeated the Sunday roast to this time a real delight - clever, honest, incredible food, easy service and a great vibe. And big portions! A real gem, I just hope they keep the quality constant, my first attempt was a disaster..

Well… 5 stars for food and 1 star for service and atmosphere sums my review up. Rude, hostile, unprofessional and badly trained waiting staff ruined all the hard work of the chefs at dinner last night. Surrounded by people taking pictures with their flash on was also highly irritating - not the best dining experience. Odd that the staff were ok with this behaviour but not ok with my friend and I staying on our table around 2 mins longer than our allotted time. We were notified we had to leave our table in regular instalment’s, adding to the less than ideal dining experience but cannot recall being asked whether we enjoyed our dinner... the waitress got so affronted that we were annoyed by being rushed off our table that she ran over to our table to defend herself - great customer service. I’ve noticed the waitress with short dark hair has been mentioned in another review so I find it odd that she’s still waiting on customers given she obviously needs better training! So disappointing.

Charming meal and great service. Everything was perfect.

The young Scottish chap is quite a delight

I think if they toasted their bread it would be a bit better but everything else was delicious. Would recommend.

Great food and great service. Had a lovely time

Sunday set menu Italian family style was flawless !

Great atmosphere and food but that waitress with the short black hair was not warm welcoming or attentive at all. Really put a damper on my first time there

Amazing service from Em 🩵, incredible food!!

🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵🔵 Despite some comments from Google, it was flawless for us that evening! The setting and the open kitchen with its grill are very visually pleasing. In fact, the light is so dim that it is difficult to read the menu, but is that really annoying? The portions seemed quite generous and, above all, delicious. The fries all seemed incredibly good to us! Our service this evening was provided by a very competent young Carrie-Anne Moss lookalike. 12/10/24

Overall disappointing. Great decor / place. Good service. Think food is overall expensive / disappointing. Just a bit poor value for money.

Laughably small plates for the price, poor quality dishes and by 2pm on a Sunday they’d ran out of most things. The service, although hectic (they didn’t seem to communicate with each other), was at least friendly.

We were disappointed with the breakfast. The frittata, essentially a salty omelette with a small amount of zucchini and onions, was served with a few plain lettuce. The lasagne portion was tiny, nearly burnt, and lacked filling. At £30 for both dishes, plus drinks, it felt overpriced, especially since we left still hungry. It’s a shame because the restaurant itself is lovely, and the staff were friendly.

Great place for a date. The room in the back is very cosy and had a great atmosphere with view of the kitchen and grill. The food was good but not mind-blowing especially given the price. 10/10 for the tiramisu! Generally quite expensive for what it was but we had a lovely time.

Limited menu, small portions, pricey.... I realize I'm probably missing 'the point'. Liked it best when it was Jim's cafe (the original), loved what Jim's cafe 2.0 (the restaurant) did as far as opening the space but for me, Leo's didn't bring much to the table (pun intended).... If I leave a restaurant feeling hungry it's a bit of a fail.

Cute but severely overpriced. The "small plates" are tiny. The food is ok but there are many similar places, with less extravagant prices. A disappointment.

We had been keen to try Leo’s for a while, and the space is an exciting, evocative one, with the open kitchen in the rear an especially nice touch. However the service we experienced lacked the care and attention that has gone into the setting. Our waitresses were neither welcoming nor knowledgeable about the menu. After waiting over an hour for the primi piatti, we were made to feel by the maître d’ as if our complaint was an impertinence. Given the prices Leo’s commands, and the Italian influence, one expects a bit of warmth and effort from the front of house. It saddened us, particularly as locals, to be so put off the place.

Finally made it to Leo’s and it absolutely lived up to expectations. Rarely do you find a restaurant so comfortable on its own skin and one where the food, service and vibes are at the same level. Can’t wait to go back and get stuck into the mains.

Impeccable Italian food - everything is perfect!

We were excited to try this place, but the food was salty, we were asked to leave the table three times (after paying 250 pounds), which ruined the whole evening. I wont go back to this place. Overrated.

Great local restaurant. Food was scrumptious. Looking forward to eating there again

Spaghetti, Mussel Cream, Lemon & Bottarga and other great plates at Leo’s. Loved the vibe and wine recommendations here.

great daytime cafe, still need to get down for dinner but the food looks amazing

Great menu. Lovely setting. Superb staff.

This place is perfect. All aspects of the dining experience are well considered and food is great

Came for a drink and dessert. Lovely atmosphere and one of the best tiramisus around. But £11 for a very small, pre-mixed negroni? Disappointing.

Class light lunch, everything very tasty and reasonably priced.

Had a lovely dinner here - fun drinks, great service, lovely atmosphere. Thanks for looking after us.

Incredible little gem! Most wonderful food and the service is next to none. Love coming here with my fiancé for a special night out. Never disappoints!

My clearly pregnant friend ordered an omelette and once it arrived, after quite some time, it wasn't well cooked. The lasagna had peas in it which were not well cooked and it was very oily. Not a great choice in the menu no ingredients listed or attention to allergies from the waiter.

Beautiful place with good coffee and charming staff

This was a highlight of my trip to London as I embarked on a food trail to get juiced up on my own hospitality journey! Where Sardinia meets Australia, Leo’s was a breath of fresh air, the service relaxed but professional. It is clear this young business is on the rise… a shooting star.. 💫 from a front of house point of view, I have come away very inspired.. from the wine presentation, to the table settings, Leo’s gave me a homely Italian feel with remarkable food presentation !! Inspired!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

As an Australian chef visiting London, I was pointed toward Leo's, and it absolutely delivered. The atmosphere is stylish and welcoming, and the food has that unique, high-quality flair that really makes it stand out. The service was friendly and on point, showing why this spot is so well-regarded. Nice place. Good job! I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town.

The most scrumptious food and delightful ambience I've found in London. Would highly recommend, and can't wait to visit again when I'm back in the area.

Stumbling upon this gem during our visit from the USA was like discovering a hidden treasure in the heart of London. It started as a casual dinner and turned into the highlight of our trip. The food was absolutely exquisite, a masterclass in flavor - we found ourselves debating whether to extend our stay just for another meal. The selection of natural wines was a revelation, like being introduced to a secret society of vino enthusiasts. (I’m hooked on naturals now!). And the staff - warm, knowledgeable and attentive. We may have had a bit too much fun because the next morning getting out of bed… well let’s just say we missed another tourism appointment… But honestly, for a night this memorable, it was a price worth paying. If you're in London and you don't eat here, you're simply doing it wrong. Five stars aren't enough!

A Family catchup moment..a wonderful ambiance with intimacy that allowed such a joyous sharing of food and wine ..felt I was held in a bubble of delight ..European food flavours paired with natural wines was exceptional..highly recommend.

Amazing find, recommend to everyone. Excellent food, service, and atmosphere.

The staff was very friendly and smiling. And the food was good, the bad thing was that the portions are small and it seemed expensive for the amount of food they offered. Another aspect that we didn't like was that there is hardly any light in the place and we need cell phone flashlights even to read the menu. In addition, you often hear people speaking loudly and annoyingly trying to maintain a conversation.

Arrogance. The snobbery of this place and the way they speak to customers is unbelievable. Worst thing is scrolling through the reviews this has been happening from the start and things just don’t change here.

Super ambience with the perfect lighting, Food is delicious in its simplicity perfect for big groups but also for a date. My favorite dish was probably the fried skate with anchovy…still thinking about that. Also really interesting wine list.

One of our favourites in the area. The food never fails, always exciting and delicious and the service kind and helpful. It is not as overpriced as other bistros in the area and the interiors are very cosy! Highly recommend :)

Not sure why they have so much arrogance here. Ordered coffees that took 20 minutes, no one came over to take a food order. We left. Don’t waste your time.

Everything was delicious, food, wine, atmosphere…. And the TIRAMISU!!!!!! Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhgggggg 😩 it was so beautiful it hurts! Can’t wait to do it all over again.

Great food and drink in the most stunning restaurant in London.

The food was great, overall experience was average. They could benefit from better a wine list that isn’t offensively expensive for what the restaurant is

The food was really underwhelming and very over priced

Food was good but wasn’t outstanding. Very overpriced for what you get, but still decent if you looking to spend

Food was awful and they expect you to pay £20 a dish and not complain, v rude to us

The man who greeted us was lovely, our server was sweet, really accommodating and good at her job. But sadly everything went down hill from there. The mackerel and anchovies was so stingy, two half pieces of anchovy and 4 tiny bits of on the plate, it was a joke. We then had to sent a freezing cold slab of mozzarella back to the kitchen which was £12 🤣 the pasta that then came out was £20 and uncooked, like rock hard. We sent it back as well, explaining that the drinks and our server had been so nice, but we just couldn’t eat it. Woman who I presume was the owner or hostess then came over very annoyed with us asking to know why we sent the pasta back. Hostile service joke prices, don’t bother! She then made a comment that I wasn’t splitting the bill…. Seemed misogynistic. It was my partners birthday dinner! Horrific restaurant. Lots of posh idiots will eat here thinking it’s sick, avoid at all costs. Bad vibes

My chair was broken which made the hostess hate me for some reason lol, then we proceeded to have some pretty bad overpriced food. They knew it was my birthday dinner but weren’t bothered at all about how bad it all was for us, and didn’t do anything to remedy it, pretty horrendous all in all!

Very solid food. Great menu, great wine.

Cocktails, service and atmosphere were great. The food was, though, underwhelming and not very good value.

The food is good, BUT ! the service luck any kind of charm the price is very high and you leave quiet disappointed. It should be more easy going and for the price more generous, also not side dishes at all. The affogato with lemon sorbet is really a bad combination.

Very Good food but unfriendly staff with an attitude and slow service.

Pretentious, overpriced, horrible service attitude, mediocre taste. Everything that’s wrong with what was meant to be a local restaurant.

New favourite restaurant in London. The food was honestly faultless. My boyfriend is veggie and there were lots of options for him. The atmosphere was really romantic and the waiters were knowledgeable about the food. The aperitivo della casa was so interesting - a house fermented drink. The lasagne was seven layers with each layer being different. Highly recommend. The desserts were also delicious. We got the ricotta ice cream which was so tart and refreshing.

Found this little gem of a place whilst on a walk. The atmosphere, the cocktails, wine list and not forgetting the FOOD were up there with some of the best I’ve had this year, it was a joy seeing it cooked over the grill. Highlights were the mackerel, white asparagus, the quail, lamb and the ricotta with blood orange! We basically had a tasting menu of around 6-7 courses and every single one was on point, service was casual and lovely and it was ever so romantic. Delightful.

The vibes in Leo’s are great, the interiors and buzzy atmosphere make for a really nice date spot. The staff were friendly and helpful with the menu and they have a great wine list. However, the food itself was a let down. We felt each dish was quite nice but nothing special. We had the sausage and saffron pasta which was really not my taste at all and the rest of the dishes were just a bit bland… for the price, we left disappointed

Overcharged. Service not paying attention. Our table had to remind service we had not received one of the plates we ordered, this eventually did arrive. We then never received a second larger plate we had ordered. This was a fish dish so one of our pescatarian friends left hungry. After checking the bill the following day we noticed we were charged for a glass of wine we never ordered or received. Disappointing as the food we did receive was good and the dining room is nice.

This is a solid neighbourhood spot for a casual glass of wine and a bite to eat!

Really delicious food. Frustrating, chaotic service. Get the basics of service right and this would be an excellent place.

Good food and good wine selection. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the prices were also quite reasonable for the quality of the food. However, the only downside was one of the waitresses who assisted us. She displayed consistent rude and condescending behaviour towards us. Fortunately, the other staff members and the service manager were all great."

Great place. Amazing food. Worth the hype. Service expressively judged us for “only” ordering salads and dessert for a 12.5% service fee.

I have been to Leo’s twice and have been equally impressed both times. The service is great, and the food is incredible. My highlights were the truffle pasta and the mussels. Highly recommend!!

We came here for dinner and the space is beautiful and there was a nice atmosphere. Between the two of us, we shared the pickled mackerel and anchovy (not bad but it wasn't my favourite), riso al salto (this was a bit too rich for me), cornish mussels (one of my favourites of the night - the mussels were plump and the sauce was excellent), lasagne bianca, courtyard ragu (super tasty - nicely layered and balanced), grilled pork neck and belly (the pork was nicely cooked but it was slightly underseasoned), the tomato and onion salad and the olive oil fried chips (both went well with the pork) and the tiramisu (ratio wasn't right as there was too much cream so I'd give this a miss). The service was helpful but at times we had to flag the waiters down for attention.

Perhaps a little on the pricey side for lunch which we had the chickpea soup ( however it was tasty and authentic-tasting) The decor is lovely and so are the staff. We were told that there is a good tasting menu on Sundays and also we are definitely going to come back to try the dinner menu.

Beautiful interior and overall nice atmosphere. Unfortunately the vegetarian options are rather disappointing. I would not recommend going here if you’re expecting a nice vegetarian dinner.

We went recently for our valentines day date the atmosphere is wonderful. Beautiful decor, lighting and music which really makes a relaxing romantic vibe. The staff are wonderful and friendly, attentive but not buzzing around you. The food however, we felt was something of a let down. We ordered mainly sea food and one pork dish. The seafood while fresh, was over seasoned with salt and what I think was lemon grass. In contrast the pork and tomato salad were under seasoned. For small plates, we were expecting big, well constructed flavours, which just aren't there. The tiramisu however is delicious! For drinks we had a g&t, and red wine, hard to get wrong. A lovely time, but the food needs work.

Really nice experience overall. The place, staff, drinks and food were next level. Definitely worth a visit, as it might be one of the best gastronomical experiences to enjoy in London.

Great food here. V well thought! The meat was superb. V Italian indeed. The pasta and the tiramisu were also incredible! Highly recommended!

The ricotta lemon gelato will literally rock your world! No faults.

What a vibe. The food was dreamy and service was so friendly. Excited to come back.

Never eaten in the restaurant but had lunch in the cafe on multiple occasions. Great food, good service, a nice room. Actually nothing to fault. My only comment is that the coffee isn't Italian style dark roast, this might be good or bad depending on your preference.

Ate there 23rd December, the food was outstanding I cannot recommend this place highly enough. It's a very cool space and the staff were so friendly.

Beautiful interiors, and food was good but mains options for pescatarians were weak. I'd spoken with the staff in advance (phone and email) flagging my dietary restriction and to request the set menu substitutions. They didn't share details of the set menu beforehand and when we arrived I could clearly see the substitutions were an afterthought - initial suggestion I heard from a server was "probably some veggies" and after some back and forth what they suggested was to bring extra quantity of the additional plate I was already having (instead of a thought out pescatarian main), which for the price was disappointing. Service was spotty but friendly overall. In the end, for pescatarians and vegetarians this may not be the place for you, but my meat eating friends enjoyed their meal. I would have appreciated to have had the staff be upfront about it when I tried to discuss the menu prior to booking as we may have chosen another place to go on this occasion.

Overpriced, underwhelming, and staff nice on the surface but fundamentally unhelpful.

Disappointing experience with minimal service, and overpriced food. Maybe there was a special menu but we were not served that; I asked about a dish on the table next to us, the waiter told us it was the lamb, but when the lamb arrived it was something completely different to what I saw. Frustrating lack of communication on the sharing plate concept or any information about the menu. Small & hard-to-read font. Waited 20 mins for service, ignored by the waitress, and the waiter wasn't friendly in the back room. No explanations and the zero communication left us feeling disconnected from the dining experience.

Amazing restaurant. Great service, food and wine.

Particularly delicious primi and Catalunyan wine. Bizarre interaction with male waiter as we were being seated - undercut the whole meal for us (in a bad way). Could be more - and more interesting - vegetarian options. Hyper-local, but won't be returning anytime soon.

Great italian food, great ambience and well-priced.

Great Italian food! Great service! Great atmosphere! Great chefs! What do you need more for a great night? And great coffee too! What do you need more for a great morning breakfast? :-)

We arrived 10 minutes early for are reservation and got told to wait outside in 1•c weather. Staff very friendly but not the most convincing food or wine knowledge. Food not bad but Prices were really up there. Not good value for money. Average experience. would not recommend

It was fine. For veggies, this is not the place to be. The salad was quite literally a bag of greens with a sprinkle of oil. Great atmos but for the price we were pretty underwhelmed. The cauliflower and the pasta dishes were really nice but other than that.. nothing to phone home about.

Perfect neighbourhood restaurant. Lovely food and nice ambience

A little underwhelmed by Leo’s. Not a huge amount of gluten-free options & they’d run out of a few when we visited is made it even more limited. I wasn’t able to have the ragu but apparently it was delicious. I had the pork which was the standout of the bunch. Wine was great. Staff were a little slow to serve & take our orders - maybe they were understaffed.

A fab little place, great food.

Amazing food, great set up and awesome wine selection.

Do not waste your money and mood. Overpriced for no reason.

Beautiful, intelligent and delicious cooking in a stunning space with warm service that was professional and relaxed at the same time. Couldn’t recommend highly enough. Everything we ate was great, and the wine list is varied and interesting. The giardiniera pickles alone were the best pickles I’ve had in a very very long time.

Great vibe and great food! Would recommend, had both daytime and tried the menu in the evening and can say everything was amazing. Their pizettas are better than many I have had in Italy!

Excellent food and service, definitely worth a visit

Erm, there's a rather one-star review by a chap called Michael here (probs beneath mine) and I have to hold my hand up a bit here. I was on the table at lunch next to him & contributed to his terrible time. We took up a table for 3 when there were 2 of us and Michael and his two companions had to sit next to the door, and definitely gave me the deserved side eye. I'm all elbows and I think might have inadvertently elbowed him. I subsequently was tremendously loud and took up a disproportionate part of the staffs time. I apologise all round. That said he did seem a little bit impatient, loudly yelling that he hadn't got his bread around 2 minutes after ordering it whilst consuming his starter. Also the nerve on his temple was throbbing in an alarming manner. I took the cowards route out and exited at the shouty bread and throbbing temple moment but Michael, if you are ever in again and I'm here (I am the tall Sri Lankan gentleman), I'll buy you a drink. As for an actual review, Leo's is fabulous! as long as you don't sit next to me)

Dropped in for lunch and experienced three very ordinary omelettes with courgettes (masquerading as frittatas) and tiny salads, and three beers, for £60 with perfunctory service - the most underwhelming restaurant experience I have had for a long time! Mike

This place is worth the hype. The food is incredible. The only mark against this trip was the pre-made cocktail served at the bar. The service was perfect and friendly. Go for the food and the atmosphere. We’ll be back.