Oren

Oren is an Israeli restaurant on Shacklewell Lane in Dalston from chef Oded Oren, one of the most effortlessly cool and genuinely excellent restaurants in East London. The Nudge describes it as "stripped-back, effortlessly cool... where everything from the food to the playlist is on point." The room is simple and pared-back, the service attentive and knowledgeable, the food a celebration of the bold, sun-soaked flavours of Israeli cuisine -- a cuisine that has become one of the most exciting and influential in London over the past decade.

The menu highlights the best of Israeli and Middle Eastern cooking with a confident, modern sensibility: smoked aubergine with barrel-aged feta; octopus salad with sweet Romano peppers; fish koftas in a spicy Chraime sauce. The wine list is curated by Zeren Wilson, who has advised some of London's most celebrated restaurants including Kiln and Smoking Goat -- a short but carefully considered selection that complements the food with precision. Reservations recommended.