East London is a popular student hangout but you can avoid the student-only crowds and get the best East London has to offer with Spoonfed's guide to student activities in East London.
If your student digs, college campus, or university union are located in east London or you simply find yourself up in that part of town, Spoonfed have sent the student entertainment search hyper-local.
Spoonfed realises that London is rather large and so we've split the student activities into bite-size chunks – well that is what we do best after all. For students living, studying, working, wandering, sleeping, squatting, or clubbing in east London, here are a few activities to keep you entertained.
Eating
Well we wouldn't want you going hungry, so here are a couple of super places with small price tags.
LMNT specialises in good quality modern European food and eccentric decors.
Green Papaya, just up near Hackney Empire, is probably the finest of the many Vietnamese restaurants dotted up and down the length of Mare Street. The chicken wings are off the scale and the dragon beans are a vegitarian's delight.
Tayyabs is the Pakistani curry house to be visited not only by London’s students but by everyone. Based on Fieldgate street in Whitechapel, this restaurant boasts the best tandoori naan this side of Lahore and is also BYOB.
Nights Out
So often Student Nights denote scenes of herding driven by promotional cowboys and devoid of any unique experience. As such, we’re not going to suggest any ‘student nights’ but just recommend the best bars and clubs for anyone on a budget and looking for something special.
Cargo is where all the cool kids hang out. And with good reason. This is a great venue to see live bands and your favourite DJ. Large, quirky beer garden, food served hot and long bars from which to quench your thirst make this an awesome place and one that the London student shouldn’t miss out on.
The Old Blue Last and The Macbeth are the best Shoreditch spots for a nice wee bit of indie music – both are a bit grotty, but cheap, fun and almost invariably free to get into.
Other Activities
Spoonfed wants to help London's students out of their flat to enjoy the great expanse of entertainment that London has to offer. So here are a few to coax some students in London off the sofa.
The Book Club is a fantastic place to hang out and be stimulated by a host of cultural events and late-night bar. Debates, table tennis, literary and music events take place within the four book-lined walls of this venue near Old Street.
The Old Truman Brewery, just off Brick Lane, often has free shows, exhibitions, plays and live music for the east London student in need of a time-filler.
Broadway Market is a great place to eat, shop or just hang out. Vibrant people and stalls makes this a Saturday activity not to be missed. Pick up a vintage dress for next to nothing or treat yourself to a delicious homemade cupcake.
The Comedy Cafe, nestled in amongst the trendy bars and cafés on Rivington Street, is a popular and pleasing place to laugh at or with new acts, scrutinise emerging comics and heckle anyone who gets up on that stage.
A great local community theatre turning out everything from fringe to classic productions with a twist is the Arcola Theatre in Hackney – great for grabbing that drama fix in the East End of town.
East London Universities
Queen Mary University (Mile End)
University of East London (Beckton/Woolwich)
Greenwich University
Go back to Spoonfed's Student Activities in London Homepage
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