Pidgin in Hackney

Simply stunning. Set in a quiet neighbourhood, this unassuming looking restaurant is fabulous. Terrific food, excellent accompanying wines and innovative exciting cooking. Can’t praise the chefs and staff enough. Fabulous.

A restaurant famous for it's always changing tasting menu. A very relaxed atmosphere with amazing food and wine and knowledgeable, passionate staff

Staff were friendly and knowledgeable, food was imaginative and tasty, wine pairing was outside what we would normally choose

Great atmosphere and great menu, really enjoyable birthday celebrations! Its a set menu, which is great, so you try all they have on offer that specific week. The menu is constantly changing, so you can always go back again to taste something new.

Went to get the tasting menu for lunch with my friends and it was amazing! The risotto was a favourite but it was all brilliant! The staff were friendly and the reasturant had a great ambiance. Will definitely be back!

A lovely dinner and highly recommend the wine pairings. We had wines I would never have ordered on my own, but which complemented the dish really well. It was my partners birthday and they even gave a little candle on the last dish - took note not to sing and embarrass him! It has a nice ambience - good mood lighting, good decor and inviting.

We had a lovely night at Pidgin. The service was exceptional and the food varied and surprising. We could not place any of the dishes so we were engaged by each combination of flavours and textures. Small, romantic place, perfect for a date.

Sadly not a fan of this restaurant. I was very excited and looking forward to my dinner at Pidgin but sadly it didn’t meet my expectations. The food was mediocre at best. The portions are small as expected for a tasting menu but what irked me the most was the lack of fines in some of the dishes. There was a fish course that was very stinky yet totally flavorless at the same time. The best dish was an ox tongue taco which was tiny. The worst dish was a steak dish that was totally boring with a raw mushroom…. Really ???? The dessert was just average My advice is; check the menu before you make a reservation. The wine menu is really limited to wines you have never heard of and can get very expensive. They only have their house cocktails suck as oyster or Parmesan martini. We tried the Parmesan and it wasn’t good. I wouldn’t come back

Food very disappointing compared to a year ago. I understand prices need to go up but the quality of food has deteriorated. £76 for a tasting menu when one course is Venison sausage roll. Main course of venison was tiny and very average. Standard food with very high prices glossed over with a set menu of 7 courses. Much better value elsewhere in the area and you will find better food quality. Try cafe Fofo next time - different level. A great disappointment tonight.

Menú simpático, pero precio excesivo. 100 libras por persona para cenar -cierto, con vino- es mucho dinero. El menú degustación tiene sus más y sus menos (postres deliciosos) y las cantidades son pequeñas. Un lugar interesante si el precio no fuera desorbitado.

Two duck dishes in a row wasn’t for me. Variation is key in taster menus. Also extremely expensive, the bill for 3 cost nearly £600. Atmosphere was pretty bland too. I would not revisit, despite menu updates.

Having always wanted to try a tasting menu, I treated my wife and I to a meal at Pidgin while on a weekend trip to London. We went in not knowing exactly what to expect - would we be overly full with ten courses, or still hungry after tiny plates? Would we need more wine than the paired flight provided, or would it be too much? When would the wines come, given ten courses and five wines? The simple answer is - relax, it's all taken care of, these guys know what they are doing. Every detail was perfectly considered. Each course showed the depth of knowledge and skill of the chefs; top quality ingredients shone through in every dish, the flavours, textures, every aspect of every element had been thought through meticulously - as had the wine pairing. It's a small restaurant (maybe 20 covers), meaning the waiting staff are extremely attentive, bringing everything out almost presciently at the moment you are ready for it. The wines were outstanding, and matched each dish perfectly. The set menu (officially five "courses", but actually ten if you count every amuse bouche, palate cleanser etc) cost £65 and the accompanying wine flight was £48. We were given the option of supplements, either individually priced, or the lot for £20. We went for the lot - in for a penny, in for....well, twenty pounds! These included a cheese course, caviar on the fish, wild honey truffle on the duck, and, it may sound simple, but an incredible sardine ceviche with the bread course that made it sing. Well worth going for the extras, as the chefs here know what they are doing, so you might as well let them do their thing. My face hurt from smiling by the end of the evening because of the sheer gastronomic joy the meal brought us. One dish - duck leg suet pudding with celeriac and the aforementioned honey truffle - genuinely gave me goose bumps, the most incredibly thought out dish I have eaten for a very long time, possibly ever. What makes this place incredible is that they change the menu every week, and never repeat a dish. Quite how they can achieve this standard of culinary excellence when they change the menu every week is beyond me. As another review writer said, *do* believe the hype. Let the chefs at Pidgin take you on a culinary journey, relax and enjoy!

Very good dinner. Fantastic tasting menu with lots of clever cooking and new taste combinations. Fantastic cocktails and a reasonably priced wine list. There was one service slip up which was remedied with a free cheese course. This place is very good indeed.

Une vraie perle. Le restaurant ne paie pas de mine (réservation obligatoire car la salle est petite) mais quelle claque dans l’assiette! Rapport qualité prix imbattable pour un lunch en 9 plats sans aucune fausse note (a part peut être le glace au maïs mais c’est plus une affaire de goût). On a adoré.

I made the mistake of reading the Tripadvisor reviews for Pidgin after booking…and almost cancelled as a result. I’m delighted to say that I didn’t. The food, wine pairings and service were superb. Nine courses for £65 is amazing value compared to some other London restaurants and the service is exactly what you would expect - not in your face, but don’t miss a thing! I will definitely go back.

I had been wanting to visit Pidgin for years, so when a friend invited me as a birthday treat, I couldn’t have been happier. Unfortunately, the meal was rather uninteresting: I was there two nights ago and I can’t remember what I ate! It wasn’t bad, but at £65 per head really really not worth it. What made it worst though was having the bill dropped at our table (unrequested) the moment we had the last bite, quickly followed by the waiter with the card machine, while we were still sipping our wine and hadn’t put our cards out or even checked the bill, despite being well within our 2.5 hours booking slot. Definitely not going back.

We were lulled by the great reviews and edgy East End location into giving it a try and the result was our worst restaurant mistake for yours. There’s plenty of innovation but the innovation doesn’t work. There was nothing innovative about stodgy bread and stale waffles but those examples weren’t exceptions. All the courses were memorably bad. Go elsewhere.

We booked this restaurant because of excellent reviews.alas it was the biggest disappointment. Service was first class but there was not one stand out dish. Great cocktails and interesting wine selection but a poor expensive meal.

I had been wanting to visit for years as I'd heard good things, sadly it didn't quite live up to expectations. There's clearly a lot of work put into each dish, and the presentation is great - however at £65 a head it felt too expensive for what we got, I would be happy with less dishes and more on the plate. The bread course was delicious, however the quail legs really didn't work - it was tough and really hard to eat. The staff were nice, although at this price I would welcome a bit more description around the dishes being served. The printer wasn't working so we were told to go on the website and look up the wine list there - which is fine just not ideal; the £54 bottle of sparkling wine we chose was served at room temperature - I feel if this is meant to be the case it should have been explained, but looking it up afterwards I can't see that being the case. A disappointing night, but hopefully this was just a blip.

Excellent food. No interaction from the service staff though. More interested in getting us out of the door than serving us. Service staff coasting off the food. Never experienced service staff that can't look you in the eye! Restaurant let down by their front of...

Be really careful. We had a table booked for 9pm last Friday. Sadly we had to cancel as our babysitter let us down last minute, so I called at just after 6pm. No one answered the phone so after a few calls I left a...

Pretty mediocre; sure, food was nice, but not great and a few dishes lacked any real punch. Got the drinks pairing, which I wouldn’t recommend on price alone. Staff were ok. The flip top glass water bottle we were given water in was mouldy.

I was visiting London for work from NYC and mind you, I eat very well there. I take eating out very seriously when I travel for work as it brings me a lot of joy! I was given this recommendation and it was nothing short...

My son who has been to this restaurant before took three of us for dinner for the last sitting at 9pm. It is v.small & intimate so we felt rather awkward hanging around for our table waiting for an empty table... ( not their fault...

After discovering this place on Secret London, my friend suggested we pay this place a visit. Humble and unassuming, this is such a hidden gem and I cannot recommend it more. Every dish felt unique, balanced and exciting, served by front of house who explained...

Pidgin has been on my list to visit for ages and I was really excited that I managed to get a table. Unfortunately I was really disappointed and did not find the whole experience worth it. There were some really nice dishes such as the...

Food innovative, well presented, really really god with very professional but friendly service. Pidgin was a great find. Best restaurant of our trip to London

We visited for a celebratory meal. Started with the Tom Hanks something cocktail which was tasty with burnt peach on top. Went for the premium wine pairing which complemented each course well - especially liked the Japanese wine. Food was delicious, particularly the onion dish...

I ordered their lockdown offering for myself and my partner for their birthday. We found it to be incredible value for money with each dish being of a good size and great quality. The dessert in particular was amazing. Would highly recommend!

I've been to Pidgin three times and will definitely come again. I've been twice with friends and once on a date with my husband. The space is intimate, with only a handful of tables. The food is always delicious, interesting and beautifully presented. I never...

Unfortunately this otherwise lovely evening will be remembered as being ruined by rude staff (1 or 2, some of the staff were friendly), who treated us really badly. We arrived on time at 9pm, but were told to stand and wait for our table. Half...

Rude staff, cleaning materials used in the kitchen wafted through the resturant. Lots of unhappy customers.

A wonderful experience in pleasant surroundings with attentive, knowledgable and personable staff. The food was was truly delicious with lots of delicate flavours curated throughout the evening, expertly paired with some unique wines. Well recommended!

It’s not often I get all four of my (adult) children in one place, so we started the evening in high spirits. From the moment we opened the door to this small Hackney jewel, the delight continued. Every course, and paired wine, was beautifully judged....

Disappointing experience. We had read so many excellent reviews from Pidgin that we went full of excitement and hope. Unfortunately the food did not live to our expectations. Even though it was a 9 step menu we left the restaurant quite hungry. From all those...

It was pouring with rain when we arrived but although we were pretty much on our own when we arrived, the place soon filled up - and by then, we could see why! Lots of little plates, there's a set menu which changes regularly. Very...

This new concept of urban gourmet food has brought a challenge for traditional eaters. Read a review of this place in my BA flight to Madrid on life and style section, so agreed to give it a go what certainly was not disappoint. Menu is...

Just fantastic value for such an interesting and high quality dining experience. If your taste is particular then I guess there's some risk because you are chancing your arm about what dishes will be served that week. We enjoyed a brilliant menu, well paced, good...

I love Pidgin and dine here whenever I’m in the neighbourhood. I love the decor as well as the wonderful staff and food. It’s reasonably priced and is perfect for dining alone (as I have many times).

What a lovely little restaurant tucked away in east London. The set Menü was really well made and individual.

On a sight street this is a very small and cute restaurant, very modern fusion cuisine, great flavours, very small portions!

My third visit - this time to celebrate a big birthday. My daughters had not been before and both loved it. The starter a perfect fusion of onion, miso and eggs. The venison cooked so that it melted in the mouth.

Returned to Pidgin after a couple of years and it is still excellent the food is innovative , a pice of fillet steak for the meat course was soft and perfectly cooked with fantastic wild mushrooms. Remember there is no choice it is a fixed...

Exciting food, lovely relaxed atmosphere, extraordinary value - just great. I love just having a set menu as I struggle with choice fatigue. Hugely recommended and I can't wait to go back.

This restaurant has a very unassuming appearance. It has a low key street frontage and it is on a neighborhood street in Hackney. It is a small restaurant and I think it would only seat about 28 people. But for me it's all about the...

In a slightly grubby Hackney street opposite an even grubbier convenience store sits Pidgin. It's tiny. This is the first thing you should know. I'd imagine that 25 or 30 covers is the absolute limit. On the one hand, this is a very nice thing:...

Overall all the dishes were great, interesting flavour combinations and nice presentation. We were just a bit surprised that most dishes on this particular weeks' tasting menu consisted of lamb (even the dessert which we didn't even touch :( - it was really strange to...

Loved the quality and simplicity of the menu at Pidgin - every dish was interesting and beautifully presented. Would definitely return to try out a new selection of dishes.

We really enjoyed our meal here and shared a wine pairing. Each course was delicious- original and great flavours and textures. The service was really great. And price wise good value for the food served. Looking forward to going again!

Located in Hackney, quite far from the center but worth the distance. Very small but pleasant restaurant. Went on Saturday for lunch and to my surprise it was not too busy. The food is very creative and tasty. The presentation is fabulous. The service is...

This hidden gem might have just become a new local favourite for me. Usually the thought of a set menu can potentially put me off as I like to be able to choose exactly what I eat, but on this occasion every dish that came...

A small restaurant in a side street in an area I would have normally avoided. But the creativity , thought going into a meal that is tantalising made it well worth the visit. The selection menu is made of 8 tiny dishes full of flavour...

I eat out in London a lot - sadly I regard this restaurant as only average value for money Positives Nice Vibe , intimate , nice location in hip part of dalston, wine selection is unusual and pleasingly different and of average price for London....

Went for a special birthday mean/treat. Great experience, interesting, tasty and creative food, served with great attention. Not for the sort of person who arrives at a restaurant starving and wants to go away stuffed!

I always love finding a restaurant that is a bit off the beaten path. We arrived at Pidgin right on time for the 6pm seating. We were seated in a sunny seat right along the window. We were both blown away by our meals. If...

This tiny and tremendoudly up-itself place has one of those modish menus which is just a list of ingredients, some of which you almost certainly will never have heard of. The menus are also printed in the tiniest imaginable type to make it as hard...

I've visited this restaurant before and the food was amazing - not very good this time at all. We were wondering if there had been a change of staff? Probably won't go back again.

Every course of the food was delightful and interesting. The staff are super friendly. Overall great value for money.

The set menu was excellent and they were really good at adapting it to dietary requirement. Most of the dishes were pretty much perfect, with great attention to presentation, textures and balancing of flavours. I'll be coming back.

I am not a fan of set menus BUT sometimes the food can be amazing. I've been coming and going to this venue since it was a fish restaurant (2 iterations ago) and never fallen in love. However, we do seem to end up here...

I had dinner at Pidgin with some colleagues and we were not disappointed. It is well worth the 25 minute ride out of the center of London. They have a daily menu which I understand is refreshed weekly and a talented team of chefs that...

We ate at Pidgin on Sunday night for a birthday dinner and it certainly didn't disappoint. What drew us to booking here was the fact that the menu changes weekly and they've never served the same dish twice, quite a feat when you're talking 700-800...

The food here when we were visiting was phenomenal. Great food, great cocktails, great staff. We will be repeat customers.

Despite the professional service and a decent food wine pairing we were so disappointed with the experience. The food was a miss really. Duck tartare which wasn’t chopped enough & undercooked pasta. The “ ceviche” style fish was tasteless. The meat dish was ridiculously tiny,...

Very bland food with incredibly small portions - I had to have another meal afterwards as I was still so hungry. The main course was a chicken breast with leeks and gravy which I could have made myself for about £2.50. Staff were non-attentive- it...

Four course tasting menu with extra interesting nibbles worked really well with the wine pairing Short cut rib of beef Chinese style pork and the two “desserts “ with almond ice cream apple and oatmeal were highlights. Super service in a tiny space for just...

Very nice meal, most excellent but the main course was pork shoulder, a cheap and fatty cut, that just wasn't very good - maybe cooked sous vid and finished, icky unrendered fat. Dessert great. Very delicious bits and bobs along the way. Natural red wine...

The concept is a fixed set menu which changes on a weekly basis - they pride themselves on never having served the same weekly menu for the last three years. It's a small neighbourhood restaurant with a cosy atmosphere. Service was friendly and efficient. However,...

Overall had a lovely dinner at Pidgin. Thought the staff were very attentive and we chose the wine pairing which were generous glasses for what they called small glasses. The food was pretty good but I wouldnt say it was outstanding. Venison came up twice...

The skill and imagination from the chef's is clear to see. A fantastic menu which is always adventurous, detailed and packs a great punch of flavour. Service is great and you get drawn in to each dish with the enthusiasm and detail from every waiter/waitress....

Great selection on the fixed menu (with the accompanying wine) let down slightly by the overpowering smoke smell from one of the courses which pervaded the restaurant. A little overpriced for the amount of food on offer more experience than meal but welcomed warmly and...

We visited the Pidgin on Sunday, food and desserts were undoubtedly delicious very tasty and creative, taster treats from the chefs in between courses were amazing ! Venue was quite a bit smaller than expected that's why I gave 4 star :( Stafs were lovely...

I’ve been here twice and loved both visits. The menu was intriguing and satisfying both visits, in different ways. Staff take a genuine interest and happy to chat. It’s a small and fairly basic restaurant, despite a recent refit, but does the job fine...this place...

I went here on a Saturday night with an impromptu reservation that day. As many reviewers have stated it’s a blind taster menu with optional paring or a la carte wine card. The food was generally good, though each of the four courses was not...

Mixed feelings on this restaurant, following my dinner there on 9-Jun (I've some catching up to do on my reviews!). The restaurant is TINY and very basic. As a result, the drinks list is very limited (just 3 cocktails to choose from, if I recall...

Had a really delicious meal here tonight but had the misfortune of being seated next to what we assume from the convo was one of the chefs and his date. Spent the evening being unsubtly guffawed at for not choosing the wine pairing and getting...

Went with my son for dinner. Had the set menu and accompanying wines. Cooking very skilful but think perhaps we are perhaps more interested in “real food” as opposed to the very skilful, arty type of food here. We started with a cheese curd dish...

I took my husband here for a treat meal. We loved the simplicity of the menu but the complexity of the food. There were 4 courses, modest portions but totally filling overall when considering the richness of the ingredients. Lovely little touches like potato sour...

I m trying to think of anything that was wrong and I cant. The food was sublime. The wine was perfect. The staff were endlessly kind. It was a set menu for dinner with a wine tasting possibility, we just ordered a great spanish white...

Superb fixed menu plus several tasting dishes;the ingredients in each dish were given to us by the excellent staff which we could taste with each beautifully constructed mouthful, a really wonderful meal

Very tasty & creative set menu, taster treats from the chefs in between courses where great too! Venue was quite a bit smaller than expected but still nice & airy. Lovely friendly staff & well worth the visit.

Food was good. Tasty interesting. But we went on a hot day and the restaurant was totally unacceptably hot. Totally spoiled the evening and what is it with these new “trendy” places they buy tables and chairs from old junior schools !! Then they bring...

Booked Pidgin a few days in advance for a Sunday lunch time at 1pm for me and my wife. On arrival, the restaurant was empty; we were the first diners. There is only one menu. The restaurant accommodated all of our dietary requirements. We had:...

The food was delicious and a surprise. The menu is set so the burden of choice is removed. All the course were interesting and delicious. A fun and memorable experience

Surprisingly sophisticated food, well dosed and laden with flavor. The dishes intermingle with perfect coherence and intrigue. Great fun.

We had high expectations but it was a big disappointment. The taste of three of the courses was good but the portions were ridiculously small compared to other fine dining / michelin places we have visited. The final course was a dried out piece of...

This may be my favourite restaurant in London-it never disappoints. The staff made me feel very comfortable eating alone on a very busy Saturday night. I will definitely return!

We chose Pidgin for a rare weekend lunch without kids and were positively surprised about the quality of the ingredients and the fun and inventive way of composing the courses and the menu. We had a four course menu with 3 little extras from the...

I was really excited for this restaurant ,but it turned into 2 hours or bored miserable food, a starter of 4 tasteless cockles, some chopped up asparagus stalks, some supposedly lardo cream covered in grey rice gunk, other courses involved bitter raw radishes,overcooked micro lump...

I’m honestly so disappointed to write this review. I generally only ever contribute to TA when I’ve had an exceptionally good or exceptionally bad experience and unfortunately Pidgin falls into the latter category. In summary, Pidgin is a restaurant whose reputation precedes it. A Michelin...

We celebrated our anniversary menu at Pidgin. The restaurant is small and quaint and had a lovely atmosphere. The food is and fixed course menu which changes weekly - potentially could be an issue but i checked the day before and everything sounded delicious. The...

I paid for bubbles for a friends wedding lunch at Pigeon and not only did they not deliver my message, they then denied to both myself and the bride (Who was obviously there) The manager didn't offer an apology for the mix up. Very disappointing,...

Great food great service and in the most unassuming place! Hard to fault anything tbh, everything u'd expect. Definitely recommend and would definitely visit again.

Visited last Sunday. Service very good and informative. Very limited drinks menu. Especially if you don’t want alcohol. Food was good, enjoyed all courses although everything for me was under seasoned and not warm enough. Dessert best course and white choc/koji truffle were amazing! Limoncello...

Small space in suburban street 5 mins walk from Hackney Central. Seems an unlikely place for a Michelin star but shares much in common with nearby (now closed) Ellory. Basic decor, overly loud indie music and tattooed staff add to the not your typical michelin...

Great decor, amazing menu and wonderful wine pairing. Highly recommend. Delicious food and fantastic presentation! Can’t wait to return!

Went here on Friday night for my birthday meal with my Boyfriend. Loved loved it - every course was amazing. The pork was one of the best things I’ve eaten in a LONG time. Great service and just general nice vibe

My fiancé and I went to Pidgin couple of weeks ago and we will definitely go back! Menu was absolutely delicious, and staff very knowledgeable and friendly. Best venison we ever had!

A group of five, and we all thought that the food was inventive and thoroughly fabulous. The service was very attentive, and each course carefully explained to us. The paired wines were also well thought out and delicious. Not cheap but we'll worth treating ourselves.

My son lives in Hackney and had been wanting to try Pidgin for some time. We had Sunday lunch, which was terrific. I highly recommend the cocktails- my Negroni was terrific and the other gins and tonic were lavishly praised. It is a fixed menu,...