Exploring The Spread Eagle – London’s first vegan pub

A cult community favourite

Once upon a time, London had but one 100 per cent plant-based pub. And The Spread Eagle was it — a trailblazer in contemporary drinking and dining. It’s not just the food that’s vegan, all the fixtures have been chosen with a zero-animal product ethic in place, providing peace of mind for those observing a cruelty-free lifestyle. It’s a climate-friendly boozer for the modern age — and for all ages. Plus there’s a programme of events to compliment your eating and drinking experience; top DJs play till 2am at the weekends, there’s a regular quiz and frequent other special events.

East End dishes like your nan used to make

Tuck into the quintessentially British pie and mash (with added liquor), “sausage” rolls, a ploughman’s board, stew with dumplings, or the venue’s signature ‘TSE’ Burger, and finish your meal with a classic northern English delicacy of sticky toffee pud. It’s the perfect comfort food and reflects the culinary heritage of the pub’s Hackney locale. But you can also sample some international and exotic flavours if that’s more your bag; like the mushroom lahmacun with hummus, pickled cabbage and yoghurt, roasted cauliflower with chickpeas, dates and green tahini or the gluten-free butternut squash and coconut soup with crispy noodles, coriander and a kick of chilli. Menus change frequently according to what’s in season, so you can come time and again and never tire of the dishes on offer.

Warm, welcoming and family-friendly 

Just like the good old-fashioned pubs of last century, this one embraces all of the community and family members (including furry ones). Under-18s are welcome until 9pm when the venue takes on a more grown-up ambience, particularly on a Friday and Saturday night. The hearty Sunday roast is a big part of the British dining tradition, and The Spread Eagle does it with elan, proving that meat-free is the way to go for your weekend family feast. It’s a fantastic means of fostering a sense of togetherness for parents and kids in the city; particularly after a busy week when time spent as a family may have been in short supply.

Natural pints and newspaper-worthy cocktails

The pub’s 14 draught lines are on rotation and specially brewed so that there are no finings; ideal for those seeking a more natural but old-school tasting pint. Siren, Purity, Beavertown and Lucky Saint are just some of the brands you’ll find on tap here. You can also choose from a range of rarely seen, hand-selected small-batch wines and an imaginative cocktail list made up of plant-based interpretations of all your favourite classics. The Spread Eagle’s Tequila Sour (which incorporates aquafaba) has become a local legend and was featured in both The Guardian and Evening Standard.

Your Hackney local

Like the food and drink, the interior design is a 21st-century take on the classic pub and it’s all housed in a period, brick building with a turreted top. Panelled wood walls and bar are painted in a fashionable deep blue, with urban-industrial stools (with backs, so you can linger longer in comfort). This is complemented by mismatched wooden tables and chairs in a shabby-chic style, gilt-framed oil paintings, an eclectic selection of artwork and a disco ball to add some late-night glitz into the mix. 

Creating a stir in the media

In addition to The Guardian and Evening Standard, The Spread Eagle has featured on the BBC, in The Telegraph, The Observer, Time Out and The Sunday Times. It’s received gongs at London Restaurant Awards and Time Out London Love Awards and has been nominated for awards by GQ and Foodism. And it frequently appears in articles and “must-try” lists across the internet. 

Book a table inside, or take the air on The Spread Eagle’s al fresco terrace, an especially buzzy place to be on a warm summer’s evening. Bring your mates, bring your kids, bring your colleagues and experience a piece of vegan history right here in Homerton.