Hera brings serious Greek cooking to East Village, and it's quietly become one of Stratford's best dinner spots. The menu roams across Greece's regional traditions — think crispy calamari with red chili, meze done properly, and mains that go beyond the usual moussaka. With a 9.3 on TheFork and a 4.8 on Tripadvisor, the locals have clearly caught on.
A neighbourhood Greek restaurant in East Village with near-perfect reviews, serving regional dishes that rival anything in central London.
Book ahead on weekends — Hera's near-perfect ratings mean it fills up fast, especially for dinner.
Regional Greek cooking that punches well above its postcode
Hera is the kind of place that sneaks up on you. Tucked away on Arber Way in East Village, it doesn't have the profile of a West End Greek spot, but the cooking is genuinely impressive. The menu draws from across Greece's regions rather than sticking to the greatest hits, and the results speak for themselves — the crispy fried calamari with red chili is a standout starter, lightly battered with just enough heat to make things interesting. Meze plates are generous and clearly meant for sharing, so go with a group and order broadly.
What makes Hera work is the balance between ambition and warmth. The presentation is thoughtful without being fussy, and the flavours are authentic rather than dialled down for a London crowd. Reviewers consistently praise both the food quality and the service, and the 9.3/10 TheFork rating plus a 4.8 on Tripadvisor (from nearly 300 reviews) tells you this isn't a fluke. It's ranked inside London's top 250 restaurants on Tripadvisor, which for a neighbourhood spot in Newham is no small thing.
If there's a criticism, it's that East Village isn't exactly a destination dining postcode — you're coming here because you live nearby or you're making a specific trip. But that's also part of the charm. Hera feels like a restaurant that's built for its community first, and the quality happens to be good enough to warrant travelling for. Book ahead on weekends; the word is out.