'One of the last left from that generation': a new chapter for the Pie Crust Cafe
Plus: Earl Of East comes to E11, a beginner's guide to Leytonstone's new Lebanese cafe - and an eventful night trying Patty & Bun at The Birds
It’ll come as no surprise that I keep an ever-lengthening list of potential cafes, pubs and restaurants for this Substack. Any intriguing place I hear about across the giant swathe of East London between Stratford and Walthamstow is added in a kind of improvised hierarchy: while some languish eternally midway, others remain starred at the top.
The Pie Crust Cafe on Stratford High Street — a five-minute walk from the DLR station — is one such starred location. As the area’s longest-established Thai-owned BYOB, my plan was to write about it last winter — but after hotfooting it there in February, I found it was on a break. The upshot, however, was the discovery of another BYOB, Thai Pie, in Maryland (review here).
My partner and I finally visited The Pie Crust on a warm but overcast Friday night in August, after a pint at the Carpenter’s Arms, an unreconstructed 1960s estate pub nearby.
Take a moment to admire the restaurant’s early eighties fascia, still in place, along with the timeless strapline Hot Meals Served All Day (this is actually no longer the case, as they now shut between 3 and 6pm).
Young couple Suchin and Sujin Yooyai moved to London from Thailand in the mid-1970s and took the cafe over back in August 1984: while the family still live upstairs, having held onto it for over 40 years, they have “fought off developers,” their son Gazza — a nickname since birth — tells me in today’s issue.
Step inside and the interior is unadorned and unchanged, four decades of history worn lightly in its framed art and faded photos. One wall is dominated by the eye-catching original greasy spoon menu of sandwiches, rolls and meals (itself worth perusing): this in fact only stopped being served during Covid to focus exclusively on “family-style Thai food,” says Gazza.
While there’s no tempting specials board, the menu is attractively laid out and, like Panda in nearby Leytonstone, one of the most reasonable restaurants in East London. Starters (from fishcakes to skewers) are £6-7, mains (curries, noodles and rice dishes) £7.50-12, with an “express menu” priced £7-8. Better still, BYOB is just £2 corkage per person, while house wine (untested by me) is £12, a glass £4. Singha or Chang beer is also £4. Some might say these are prices from another era.
And that’s part of the appeal. In today’s issue I offer a debrief on the dishes to order, as well as chat with Gazza in detail about how the family came to take over the cafe, and what it was like back in the 1980s and 90s: “They were part of that community in London who knew quite a few of the other Thai families who owned cafes and restaurants,” he says. “But I think The Pie Crust is one of the last left from that generation.”
He also explains why, after pursuing a different career, he returned in April to be back at the helm. “It’s too much for Mum to manage by herself. So this year was a 'now or never' opportunity I had to take to keep the business going,” he admits. And he’s on a gentle mission to ease the Pie Crust into a new chapter: scroll down to read the fascinating story of an enduring East End institution. @thepiecrustcafe_e15
September Musts
ALL WEEKEND fragrance and lifestyle brand Earl of East are in the former Joan store on The Pavement, Hainault Road E11 with their hand-poured candles, bath and body products. “Our first candles were made on this road in the spare room of our home,” says co-founder Niko Dafkos. “Although our first store opened in London Fields, our head office and manufacturing facility has been in Leyton for four years now.” Alongside their own collection, they’ll be stocking “a small edit of homeware, beauty and gifting,” adds co-founder Paul Firmin, “creating a local outpost of our four London stores.” The space will run on an ad-hoc basis for at least a few weeks.
A reminder that TOMORROW sees the fourth outing for one of East London’s lesser known annual free festivals. A few stops on the Suffragette Line at Barking Riverside, Emerge East’s eclectic line-up includes DJs and live acts, a block party, home-cooked streetfood from local chefs, immersive art, a makers’ market and outdoor Scandi-style sauna. Check the full schedule and get free tickets in my partner feature over on Leytonstoner.London. @barking_riverside
ALL MONTH are a handful more community-minded Francis Road Lates every Friday evening, from 4pm to 9:30pm, including a kids’ ceilidh (September 12nd), Silent Disco (Sept 19th) and Outdoor Cinema (Sept 26th). @francis_road_collective
ONE FOR THE DIARY: the William Morris Design Line is a weekend of open studios, workshops, and creative events spanning from Wood Street to Blackhorse Lane and Leyton’s Argall Industrial Area. It takes place September 19th–21st to coincide with London Design Festival and Open House Weekend, with 40 local makers and artists. @williammorrisdesignline
For many more tips, one-offs, pop-ups and lots more general foodie gossip and whispers, head to the news section for paid subscribers.
Welcome to issue #47. I’m back after a week pootling through northern Europe on delayed trains (scroll down for the Leyton-esque neighbourhood we stumbled across in one German city).
Welcome to the many new followers, and once again, I’m grateful to everyone who continues to keep my 100% reader-funded newsletter in Substack’s Top 100 Food & Drink leaderboard — it’s currently at #89 globally.
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Behind this week’s paywall:
Almasara: a handy beginner’s guide to Leytonstone’s new Lebanese restaurant — and the dish to order
Patty and Bun at The Birds — to be honest it was an evening not without drama. But what were the burgers like?
Pie Crust owner Gazza on bringing the family business forward, plus his tips (and mine) on the best dishes to try
A dozen juicy newsbites about the week’s pop-ups, one-offs, foodie happenings and rumours
Patty & Bun at The Birds: not quite the evening we expected
Admittedly, it’s an inauspicious start. Just a few days after the Patty & Bun launch, their new East London home at The Birds sure is busy, every table taken early on a Thursday evening. But while a queue jostles at the bar, no staff member is to be seen anywhere.