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Lardo
★ 4.0(1 avis)Restaurant
industrialdiscocasual
L'ambiance
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.
Incontournables
- •bejewelled pizza oven
- •polenta fries with truffle mayo
- •vegan-friendly pizzas
- •chilli margarita
Idéal pour
group dinnerscasual dates neighbourhood dining
1 avis
City InsidersRédaction30 mars 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.
Lire en français
Depuis 2012, Lardo est le restaurant italien de référence à Hackney, et il reste l'un des établissements de quartier les plus cohérents de l'Est londonien. L'espace industriel-chic avec son disco-ball et ce four à pizza orné de bijoux crée une ambiance à la fois stylée et décomplexée. On peut regarder les pizzas se cuire depuis les tabourets du bar, ce qui ajoute une touche théâtrale au repas.
C'est dans l'assiette que Lardo brille vraiment. Les frites de polenta à la mayonnaise au basilic et à l'huile de truffe sont irrésistibles, et le Reuben au brocoli est une version rafraîchissante et intelligente d'un classique. Ne négligez pas les pizzas véganes non plus—la marinara aux champignons sauvages et épinards avait une base légère et bien carbonisée qui prouvait que le four fait son travail. La carte des vins est courte mais élégante, avec des bouteilles à partir de 28 livres, et les cocktails sont solides.
Le service peut être lent pendant les périodes de pointe, donc je recommande de réserver une table tôt et de commander votre chilli margarita en attendant. La clientèle est un mélange de locaux, de professionnels et de familles, ce qui lui donne cette vraie ambiance de quartier. Ce n'est pas parfait—parfois les temps d'attente mettent votre patience à l'épreuve—mais la nourriture et l'ambiance en valent la peine.