Callaghans - Tower Hamlets

The owners of this restaurant are very unfriendly and unwelcoming. They frown at every guest who enters, and there is an unpleasant odor in the restaurant. read more The owners of this restaurant are very unfriendly and unwelcoming. They frown at every guest who enters, and there is an unpleasant odor in the restaurant.

We stopped by a classic pub for a few drinks before having pie and mash at Maureen's nearby, followed by a trip to Stratford Bowl to catch a West Ham game. The... read more We stopped by a classic pub for a few drinks before having pie and mash at Maureen's nearby, followed by a trip to Stratford Bowl to catch a West Ham game. The pub wasn't exactly my scene, as I tend to favor trendier spots, but some of my friends liked it and appreciated the affordable prices—£3.50 for a pint of lager is a great deal. That said, the carpet could definitely use a refresh.

On my first visit to East London, I set out to explore traditional Cockney culture, and Callaghans was the perfect starting point for a drink. Nestled near the... read more On my first visit to East London, I set out to explore traditional Cockney culture, and Callaghans was the perfect starting point for a drink. Nestled near the lively and diverse Chrisp Street market in Tower Hamlets, this pub truly captured the essence of East End traditions, adorned with a variety of West Ham and England football memorabilia on its walls. The warm and welcoming local crowd, mostly middle-aged men, made me feel like I had stepped onto the set of Eastenders. One regular even mentioned that it was the cheapest pub in the East End, as I paid just £6 for a pint of Courage and a large glass of wine—much less than what I would have spent for the same order in Edinburgh. Unfortunately, my anticipation for the daily specials was dashed when the kitchen closed for the day. Still, I was able to find plenty of fried chicken options along East India Dock Road to satisfy my hunger.

A classic pub where we had a few pints before enjoying pie and mash at Maureen’s corner, then headed to the Stratford Bowl to catch a West Ham game. It’s not re... read more A classic pub where we had a few pints before enjoying pie and mash at Maureen’s corner, then headed to the Stratford Bowl to catch a West Ham game. It’s not really my style, as I've transitioned to more modern and upscale venues, but some of the guys liked it, and they certainly appreciated the prices: £3.50 for a pint of beer is hard to beat. That said, it’s not exactly fancy.

The friendly local clientele, predominantly middle-aged men, was very evident during my visit (it was a Tuesday afternoon), and one of the regulars informed me... read more The friendly local clientele, predominantly middle-aged men, was very evident during my visit (it was a Tuesday afternoon), and one of the regulars informed me that this was the cheapest pub in the East End. Charged only £6 for a pint of Courage and a large glass of wine, I couldn’t argue with that. In Edinburgh, I would be lucky to get any change back from a £15 note for such an order. Now… the disappointment. The specials board offered an appealing array of reasonably priced daily specials, and just as I was looking forward to trying two sausages with black pudding, the waitress informed me that John had decided to shut the kitchen for the day. In this part of the world, you don’t argue with anyone named John, so I had to leave hungry. Still, the endless supply of fried chicken outlets on nearby East India Dock Road helped to fill the void.