Readers' Poll results! 15 local winners announced

Congrats to those who smashed it. Plus: Leytonstone's Uyghur newcomer Uzbegim, Star Of India's 5-course set menu reviewed, Leyton's 'flavours' canned - and a free coffee from Eat My Pizza

Big winners: The North Star and Filly Brook. Photos: Stephen Emms

Well, that was a blast. Firstly, thanks to everyone who completed the poll last week, as well as those who posted or reposted links. There were thousands of votes across the 15 categories, the winners a mix of both the predictable and, well, less expected.

Today, I’m excited to present the all-important Readers’ Poll 2024 Results. Special congrats to this year’s biggest victor, Filly Brook, who came out trumps in no less than two categories. And which titan won Best Restaurant - Singburi or Homies? Read on.

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The Readers’ Poll 2024 Results

The Leytonstoner Readers’ Poll 2024 is kindly supported by Leytonstone’s Trading Places. For a free property valuation call 020 8558 1147

Best BYOB: Burnt Smokehouse
Runner-up: Panda
In the end, there were three main contenders for the Best BYOB, with Leyton High Road’s Masala India coming third, enjoying 20% of the vote, dim sum joint Panda 35% and - inevitably - the all-conquering Burnt Smokehouse with 39%. A very fair win. Elsewhere, Leyton’s Shish Mahal and Leytonstone’s Baba’s Village picked up just 6% between them. As Singburi are closed till next Spring, they were included in the Best Restaurant category instead. See the results on the poll here.

Best Arts/ Live/ DJ Venue: Luna and Filly Brook
Runner-up: The Northcote
Another three-horse race. At third place was legendary E11 venue The Northcote, home to brilliantly eclectic shows from drag nights to trad Irish sessions, with 24%. Congrats to the currently shut Luna (rumoured to be back open next year under new management) and Grove Green Road’s Filly Brook, home to live jazz, music festies and name DJs, who both earnt 28%, making them joint winners. Meanwhile, the Ex-Servicemen’s Club was at 12%, with Good Shepherd Studios at 8%. See the results on the poll here.

Best Brunch: Deeney’s
Runner-up: Out Of The Woods
The long-running Leyton institution - and home of the superior haggis toastie - came in first by a long shot with 51%, while second was friendly Upper Leytonstone arrival Out Of The Woods at 22%. Lower down were San Marino at 15%, and Figo/ J’adore on just 6%. See the results on the poll here.

Best New Opening: Leyton Calling
Runner-up: Mum Likes Thai Food
Another clear winner. Tilbury Road tropical cocktail bar Leyton Calling shot in at the top with 39%, followed by Leytonstone newbie Mum Likes Thai Food at 25%, elegantly rebooted bank Eat My Pizza at 19%, Caribbean BYOB newcomer Ochi at 11% and Vela Vietnamese with just 5%. See the results on the poll here.

Best Wine Store: Theatre Of Wine
Runner-up: Yardarm
The votes were spread quite evenly here, with Leytonstone High Road’s Theatre Of Wine at 30%, just surpassing Francis Road destination Yardarm’s 24%. Stone Mini Market grabbed 19%, with Arch Deli 14% and Dina 13%. See the results on the poll here.

Best Indie Store: Phlox
Runner-up: Marmelo
It seemed only right that Francis Road’s pioneering bookshop-cum-wine-bar scooped the jackpot in this category, with a weighty 42%. On a level were the lovely Marmelo and vinyl lovers’ Dreamhouse Records at 22% and 20% respectively, with florist Edie Rose and lifestyle store Clam at 12% and 4%. See the results on the poll here.

Best Taproom: Gravity Well
Runner-up: Mammoth
Not surprisingly, Leyton Midland brewery Gravity Well stormed the poll here with 54% of the vote, while Mammoth (sadly and unexpectedly closing this weekend) came in at 30%, for readers on the other side of the tracks. New arrivals Libertalia and Blondie’s were on 7% and 8%, with the longstanding Neckstamper bagging just 1% (probably due to its limited opening hours). See the results on the poll here.

Best Bar: Filly Brook
Runner-up: Leyton Calling
Another win for Grove Green Road’s multi-tasking bar-restaurant, with a whopping 55% of the reader vote. Instant hit Leyton Calling came in second at 19%, with Yardarm on 14%, Arch Deli on 9% and Dreamhouse, which only launched its bar this summer, on 3%. See the results on the poll here.

Best for Pop-ups: Stone Mini Market
Runner-up: Arch Deli
Stone Mini Market quietly stole this gong with 36%, their quirky space one of the area’s true gems. Hard-working Arch Deli came in second with 24%, another small local spot providing an ever-changing schedule of chefs and tastings. Third was Francis Road newbie Loop at 17%, whose residencies have punched extremely high, with Host and Dina at 10% and 12% respectively. See the results on the poll here.

Best Gastropub: Leytonstone Tavern
Runner-up: The Heathcote & Star
Was this a surprise? Probably not: Leytonstone Tavern, whose burgers and Sunday roasts are widely renowned, bagged a poll-biggest of 63%, with the Heathcote and newly opened Leyton Engineer on 13% and 12%. The Red Lion scored just 7%, while the Hitchcock, evidently not having found its feet since the departure of the previous management, took 5%. See the results on the poll here.

Best Boozer: The North Star
Runner-up: The Northcote
Certain establishments really do resonate widely with vast swathes of readers. And what’s not to like about Bushwood’s cosy village pub? After all, it’s a slice of rural Essex on our doorstep. 42% of readers voted for this lovely boozer, with 30% rating The Northcote; The Birds, Coach and Birkbeck hovered between 6-12% each. See the results on the poll here.

Best Coffee: Perky Blenders
Runner-up: Tamping Grounds
With 47%, Leytonstone’s OG coffee dons had to storm this category, right? They’ve been servicing locals for an eternity - and rightly so. Second was the newer Tamping Grounds, whose coffee I rate highly, at 26%, while Wild Goose, Mattcup (by the Overground) and Leyton Midland’s cute little Coccole scored 5-13%. See the results on the poll here.

Best Pizza: Yard Sale
Runner-up: Papi’s Munchies
For most of the duration of last weekend’s poll, Papi’s Munchies at the North Star was the clear winner, but Yard Sale just pipped them to the post with 38% versus 33%. In third place was the stylish Bocca Bocca at 21%, with newcomer Eat My Pizza at 7% and Bella Vita just 2%. Reader Leonie drew my attention to Scando’s Pizza at Blondie’s, too. See the results on the poll here.

Best Cafe: Back To Ours and Unity
Runner-up: Noted Eel & Pie
Another tie. The Good Shepherd Studios-based coffee shop, with its chic interior and pleasant garden, grabbed 33% of the votes, as did easygoing Unity Cafe, with its sun-trap terraces. Leytonstone’s classic Noted Eel & Pie House came third with 17%, while clapboard cafe Mola and Lea Bridge Road’s Pinch La Deli scored 10% and 8% respectively. See the results on the poll here.

Best Restaurant: Homies On Donkeys
Runner-up: Singburi
Another deserved winner, the taco supremos took home 40% of the vote in this top category, while Singburi, closed for the next few months, won 23%. The innovative Sireli at Filly Brook, whose lunch menu I raved about last week, secured 20%, with Nikkei-focused dining room Bamboo Mat on 12% and Sri Lankan kitchen Kamu - surely the area’s most underrated pub residency - on just 5%. See the results on the poll here.

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And there we have it. What do you think of the winners (or losers, or those ignored)? Leave a comment at the end. Now, on with the rest of today’s edition - the penultimate one before Christmas, no less. Here’s what paying subscribers can expect this week:

• A free takeaway coffee at Eat My Pizza

• Uzbegim has opened on Church Lane, near Leytonstone tube. I popped in for lunch to try this Uyghur restaurant’s signature dish

• The Star Of India, Leytonstone: just what is their £15.95 Wednesday five-course banquet like?

• The Point Cocktails - the story of how Leyton went canned under the railway arches

• All the festive pop-ups and one-offs happening in the next few days, including one local pub’s beer festival and another cafe offering free coffee

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Uyghur cuisine comes to Leytonstone

Uyghur specialists: Uzbegim opened this week. Photo: SE

The former Marrakech Delight on Church Lane, a few doors down from Vela Vietnamese, is now Uzbegim, a Uyghur restaurant specialising in Central and East Asian cuisine. I only ate at its Moroccan predecessor once or twice, but I do remember enjoying the chicken tagine.

Uzbegim joins a clutch of restaurants in our part of East London whose focus is on Uyghur food, the cuisine from the autonomous region of Xinjiang, in the northwest of China: others nearby I rate highly include Etles, on Hoe Street in Walthamstow, and the excellent Kefil Food on Homerton High Street (both of which I reviewed earlier this year here).

If you’re unfamiliar with its straddling of East and Central Asian cuisines, there are pictures on the menu to help you choose, in keeping with other Uyghur restaurants I’ve visited. Key dishes? Noodle soups, stir fries, laghman, salads, steamed dumplings and wintry soups such as borscht. But there’s one I recommend you try if it’s your first visit.