East London Food & Culture

Hare & Hounds

The story of the Hare & Hounds – plus Pinch La Deli

Two Lea Bridge Road destinations: Leyton's oldest pub, and one its newer deli-bars

This detached hulk of Victorian pub, pictured above, stands alone on the lower Lea Bridge Road, making it easy to imagine it as isolated as it would have been in the 19th century. And it’s only a few minutes’ walk from Leyton’s underrated (and surprisingly bucolic) Jubilee Park.

Unusually, the pub was built by a copper, William Young in 1861. It’s a story brimming with enjoyable detail: apparently, he dragged his wife and two children from Old Street out here to the rural area of Leyton, a blissful idyll of fields and rivers. And he made so much cash from the joint he was able to sell up a few years later. Leyton has always been a thing, you see?

Over the next century, the pub changed hands many times, but fast forward to the 2020s and it’s now run by the same folk as a couple of hip Walthamstow pubs including The Duke on Wood Street. Its long worn history is still visible: that distinctive veranda, for example, was built originally for workmen to enjoy a pint in their workwear, without having to go home and change. Such details are – at least to me – gently thrilling.

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Stepping into its capacious Victorian interior, admiring the scuffed wooden floorboards and ornate ceilings alike, my partner and I wandered, pints in hand, through the conservatory to the sheltered palm-filled garden, which evokes country-pub vibes slightly similar to the Heathcote in Leytonstone.

Pinch La Deli
Pinch La Deli. Photo: SE

Finishing our beers – yep, it was still warm enough to sip alfresco – we walked a couple of minutes north to Pinch, a deli I’d been meaning to visit.

First impressions? Its interior is drop-dead cute: shelves piled high with artisanal products, pastries, wine bottles, a counter to perch at with your coffee. We had our eyes on the doorstep Italian sarnies for another time, too. But better still, they serve cocktails on tap, including negroni, gin with lemongrass and basil and an Old Fashioned, all for a respectable £8.

Ordering Campari Sodas, poured from cute little glass bottles over ice into lead crystal tumblers, we again braved it outside in the sun, soaking up winter mid-afternoon rays. In fact, I’d argue that a Best Suntrap Award goes to this unlikely pavement terrace on the furthest tip of E10. Perfect Sunday chill vibes, indeed. Just wrap up warm – for now, at least.

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