Unlock

A brazenly experimental Italian restaurant (and arts space) on the outskirts of Fish Island, Unlock (it’s next to a canal lock) is a fine addition to Hackney Wick’s dining scene. True, the overtly modern space feels a bit like what would happen if Wallpaper magazine was allowed to design a high-end hairdresser, but the people who run this place are serious about their craft.

Unlock serves Neapolitan pizzas with the requisite amount of respect for tradition (special dough, tomatoes from Sicily, proper oven etc) but also one eye on pushing boundaries. For evidence check out their menu which, alongside a bunch of resonably priced classics done right, includes some truly gonzo offerings featuring kiwi puree, crispy quinoa, sweet and sour pork, pistachio and tempura prawns. Amazingly, all the ones we tried did actually work. The bar meanwhile, cranks out equally iconoclastic cocktails including Aperol with honey and grapefruit juice, and a strawberry Negroni. Mama, and indeed, mia.