Rogues

If you find yourself wandering up and down Hackney Road looking for Rogues, don’t feel too bad - we walked past it twice before finally taking a chance on the door of 460 Hackney Road. The nondescript spot in between Docklands Office Furniture and Tesco Express isn’t exactly what we were expecting, and yet, Rogues is everything we hoped it would be - an honest, authentic neighbourhood wine bar restaurant, manned by a crew that genuinely wants you to have a great time.

The interiors are warm and inviting too, not just because we were there on a sweltering 30 degree evening but also thanks to the cosy combo of timber furniture, low-hanging pendant lights and mottled plaster walls. A huge blackboard broadcasts wines and specials for the day and underneath there’s an old piano, where staff will sometimes bang out a tune (usually a piano rendition of whatever is playing on the stereo). 

That alone would make Rogues worthy of a mention amid east London’s rich culinary landscape, but the food and drink more than holds its own too. By all accounts, the menu at Rogues is really going for it - it could easily take £4 off you for a good oyster with mignonette, but the oysters here come with dashi, wasabi-infused tobiko and herb oil. It’s a beautiful thing - sweet, salty and fresh, with the faintest prickle of heat from the wasabi. The rest of the menu carries on in a similar vein, delivering big, brash flavours and ingenuity. Some things - like a crusty potato and thyme sourdough with Bovril butter - are so delicious and clever that you can’t help but grin as you eat them, and it’s all backed up by some of the best service we've had in a long time, with staff that really know their stuff and can’t wait to recommend something to you, whether it’s excellent cocktails or a well-curated wine list.

Occasionally, perhaps inevitably, there are dishes that go a step too far. Lovely asparagus spears were a little weighed down by the richness of caesar dressing, boquerones and smoked bacon, and a special of smoked haddock with cockles and fresh, sweet new-season peas was lost under a blanket of nori butter sauce. This comes with the territory when you're pushing to create things that are new and exciting, and all you’ll remember when you leave Rogues are the highest of highs - the thrill ride of flavours that will have you planning a return visit before you make it home.

Rogues is a modern British restaurant and natural wine bar on Hackney Road, created by chefs Freddie Sheen and Zac Whittle. The pair hosted popular supper clubs all over London before finding a permanent home in Hackney Road - just a short walk from Cambridge Heath or Bethnal Green stations.

The dining room is large - an extension has added some extra table space and the cover density is well-balanced, resulting in a room that has a great atmosphere without feeling squeezed. There are a handful of counter seats at the bar, and a soothing combo of timber and mottled plaster helps the space feel homely and lived-in.

The menu offers a flexible, seasonal mix of natural wines and sharing style plates, built on smart, forward-thinking flavours. The menu kicks off with a series of light bites, which are ideal as bar snacks or as a warm up for a meal - think oysters, lamb shoulder croquettes with oyster emulsion, and cheesy choux buns.

Small plates take in a wide variety of influences and there’s no holding back on the flavour front, with dishes at the time of writing including cured sea trout with citrus dressing and sour cream, chicken with leeks in a beer butter sauce, and pork chop with grilled nectarines and harissa.

Rogues takes larger private bookings, and hosts cocktail making masterclasses too, as well as handling external catering for events. If you’re in the area for something lighter, pop next door and check out Rogues Sarnies, where the team makes hefty homemade focaccia sandwiches using a pizza oven and quality ingredients.

Imagery: Alisha Edge