Ombra

Ombra is a Venetian-style canalside restaurant in Bethnal Green, occupying a romantic corner position on Vyner Street beside Regent's Canal -- one of East London's most coveted dining locations. Hardens rates it highly, praising the "superb location on Regent's Canal complete with heated terrace" and "fabulous" food that spans a menu of fresh seafood, handmade pasta and Italian small plates. The name means "shadow" in Venetian dialect, a reference to the traditional Venetian practice of drinking a small glass of wine in the shade.

The kitchen produces Italian cooking with a Venetian seafood accent: raw fish and shellfish, handmade pasta including bigoli and squid ink dishes, grilled seafood and a strong selection of cicchetti (Venetian bar snacks) including sardines in saor, salt cod mantecato and crostini. The natural wine list is exceptional. The canalside terrace is heated in cooler months, making it a year-round destination. An outstanding Italian restaurant in a uniquely beautiful East London setting.