Dalston & Stoke Newington

Dalston and Stoke Newington, in North East London, have emerged over the past decade as two of the city's most interesting neighbourhoods for food, nightlife and independent culture — without the tourist overlay that some of their equivalents in East London now carry.

Ridley Road Market

Dalston's Ridley Road Market is one of London's best-kept market secrets — a long, dense covered and open-air market selling West African, Caribbean and Turkish produce, fish, meat and fabric at genuinely affordable prices. Runs daily but best on weekday mornings and Saturdays. Completely unlike the artisan-market scene elsewhere in London — this is a working neighbourhood market.

Turkish Restaurants (Green Lanes)

Green Lanes, running north from Dalston, holds London's best concentration of Turkish and Kurdish restaurants — ocakbasi grills, meze, pide and Kurdish specialities. Most are halal, open late, and excellent value. The area around Harringay is the densest section.

Stoke Newington

Church Street in Stoke Newington ("Stokey") has a pleasant mix of independent bookshops, cafes and restaurants. Abney Park Cemetery — a Victorian garden cemetery and nature reserve — is one of London's most atmospheric free green spaces, open daily.

Getting There

Dalston Junction and Dalston Kingsland (both Overground) are the main stations. Stoke Newington is served by Overground to Stoke Newington station.

Tips for Visiting

• Ridley Road Market is best on a weekday morning — Saturday is busy but atmospheric.
• Green Lanes Turkish restaurants are excellent value and open late — a good dinner option.
• Abney Park Cemetery is free and open daily — one of London's most unusual green spaces.