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Lardo
★ 4.0(1 review)Restaurant
industrialdiscocasual
About the Vibe
Tucked between London Fields and Hackney Central, Lardo is the disco-balled, industrial Italian that locals have been craving since 2012. The money clearly went into that bejewelled pizza oven you can watch from the bar stools, while the low tealight lighting and industrial windows create a stylishly casual vibe that somehow works for everything from early dinner to late-night drinks. The menu is small but mighty—think polenta fries with truffle mayo, broccoli Reuben, and pizzas that are light, well-charred, and surprisingly vegan-friendly. Warning: service can be slow during peak hours, so book an early sitting and order your chilli margarita while you wait. The crowd here is a mix of well-to-do professionals and families who've made this their neighbourhood staple, and for good reason. It's one of those rare places that pulls off the pizza-pasta-coffee formula without feeling generic.
Known For
- •bejewelled pizza oven
- •polenta fries with truffle mayo
- •vegan-friendly pizzas
- •chilli margarita
Best For
group dinnerscasual dates neighbourhood dining
1 review
City InsidersEditorialMarch 30, 2026
Hackney's Disco-Balled Italian with Seriously Good Pizza
Lardo has been Hackney's go-to Italian since 2012, and it still holds up as one of the most consistently good neighbourhood spots in East London. The industrial-chic space with its disco ball and that glorious bejewelled pizza oven creates an atmosphere that's both stylish and unpretentious. You can watch the pizzas being fired from the bar stools, which adds a nice theatrical element to the meal.
The food is where Lardo really shines. The polenta fries with basil mayo and truffle oil are addictive, and the broccoli Reuben is a clever, refreshing take on a classic. Don't sleep on the vegan pizzas either—the marinara with wild mushrooms and spinach had a light, well-charred base that proved the oven is doing its job. The wine list is short but stylish, with bottles starting at £28, and the cocktails are solid.
Service can be slow during busy periods, so I'd recommend booking an early sitting and ordering your chilli margarita while you wait. The crowd is a mix of locals, professionals, and families, which gives it that genuine neighbourhood feel. It's not perfect—sometimes the wait times test your patience—but the food and atmosphere make it worth it.