My Ten Things To Do In Dalston During The Day article highlights some of the more mindful, relaxing, and community-led pursuits in the area. I also include the best spots for coffee, lunch and afternoon tea because life’s little pleasures help us unwind and feel good. Dalston is renowned for its vibrant nightlife, including jazz clubs, cocktail bars and boozers. Now that my clubbing days are well behind me, I’m more interested in what London E8 offers during waking hours.
My Ten Things To Do In Dalston During The Day List includes:
1. Taking a morning stroll along Regent’s Canal
2. Enjoying a coffee and croissant at Allpress
3. Tucking into a healthy lunch at Café Route
4. Having tea and cake in the idyllic Curve Garden
5. Soaking up creative vibes at Café OTO
6. Watching a movie or play during the day
7. Immersing yourself in literature at the library
8. Joining the locals at Ridley Road Market
9. Browsing second-hand stores for pre-loved items
10. Relaxing at a daytime yoga class
Ten Things To Do In Dalston During The Day Details
- Taking time out for a morning stroll along Regent’s Canal to blow away the proverbial cobwebs is a beautiful way to warm yourself up for the day ahead. Look out for the By The Bridge Café (283a Kingsland Road), where you’ll get great views of Regent’s Canal from the bridge. If you venture down the steps onto the canal path, you can see Kingsland Basin.
2. Start your day the right way at Allpress (55 Dalston Lane) with an espresso or latte made using freshly roasted coffee beans. Treat yourself to an indulgent croissant.
3. Balance your morning calorie croissant splurge with a healthy plate of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean salads at Café Route (Dalston Square). You’ll also find an abundance of Turkish restaurants in the area serving mezze along with contemporary independent eateries with vegan options, small plates and inventive menus.
4. In the afternoon, you can enjoy a mug of tea and a slice of cake in the Curve Garden (13 Dalston Lane) near the Dalston Pace Carnival Mural. This idyllic community garden was created in 2010 on a disused railway line to give Dalston residents somewhere peaceful to unwind and enjoy with an onsite café.
5. Hang out at Café OTO (18-22 Ashwin Street), where you can soak up creative vibes. As the name suggests, this place is a café during the day selling toasties, soups and cakes. Check the listings, and you’ll discover some exciting daytime events, such as panel discussions, screenings and jumble sales. At night it becomes an avant-garde music venue.
6. Watch a movie or play in the afternoon. The Rio Cinema (107 Kingsland High Street) is an independent movie theatre inside a stunning Grade II listed art deco building. Check the listings for art house films and classic matinees for over 55s in a relaxed atmosphere with complimentary tea. You’ll also find some afternoon showings of plays and other performances at the Arcola Theatre (24 Ashwin Square).
7. Immerse yourself in literature at the Dalston CLR James Library (Dalston Square). You can loan out books along with CDs, DVDs and even power tools for your DIY projects from The Library of Things.
8. Join the locals and get a cosy community feeling by shopping at the famous Ridley Road Market (Ridley Road). It’s been in existence since the late 1880s and is still going strong. You’ll find everything from fruit and veg to fish, clothing, jewellery, household goods and luggage.
9. Browse second-hand stores and charity shops to give a new home to something old. The Oxfam (514 Kingsland Road) and Crisis (74 Kingsland Road) shops are both large, with a good selection of men’s and women’s clothing and a few home accessories. Beyond Retro (92-100 Stoke Newington Road) is excellent for vintage fashion. Pop into H.J. Aris (11 Dalston Lane), its ‘emporium of all sorts’ selling vintage and antique furniture, art and more, with a coffee shop inside. Sistah Space (Ashwin Street) is a domestic abuse charity helping Afro and Caribbean heritage women and girls, and they sell new items to raise money.
10. In Dalston and nearby (Haggerston and Stoke Newington), you’ll find an abundance of yoga studios so that you can participate in a day session. Try these yoga studios: More Yoga, Yoga on the Lane, Flow Space, Art of Yoga, Joy Yoga or Hotpod Yoga.
Watch My Ten Things To Do In Dalston Video
Helpful Information About Dalston
Dalston is a lively area in London E8, mainly within the Borough of Hackney. It has two stations, Dalston Kingsland and Dalston Junction. Haggerston and Rectory Road Stations are within walking distance. You’ll find an abundance of organic grocery stores, independent cafes, eateries, bars and clubs along Kingsland Road and Kingsland High Street.
Interesting streets to explore are Bradbury Street, where you’ll find Dalston Jazz Bar, Eldica Records and Metro Retro Vintage Clothing. Dalston Lane is where you’ll discover Allpress Coffee, Little Duck The Picklery Restaurant, plus Wonderous and Meadows clothing shops. Dalston Square has a library, cafes and restaurants. Check out Ashwin Street for Café OTO, Arcola Theatre and Sistah Space. For historical information, please read the Dalston Wikipedia Page. I hope you enjoy your visit.
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Homegirl London. Please check that the places I referenced in this article are still in business before you visit to avoid disappointment.
