Barge East

A 130-year-old Dutch barge rescued from Rotterdam, permanently moored at the junction of two waterways in Hackney Wick, surrounded by gardens where the kitchen grows its own ingredients. Barge East earned TripAdvisor's number one London restaurant ranking in 2019 and 2020, but the event proposition extends well beyond the dining — the full site accommodates over 300 guests across barge, gardens, terraces, a rooftop, and a retro Airstream kitchen, creating one of East London's most distinctive outdoor event venues.

The Barge at Barge East

The barge itself seats 80 for dining across a lower deck, canopy dining room, outdoor decks, and a Captain's Cabin that holds eight for the most intimate gatherings. Head Chef Kayla Dimmick's seasonal British menus use ingredients from the on-site allotments — a sustainability story with substance, not just positioning. The barge is available for weekday private hire year-round, accommodating up to 120 guests for events that want the vessel's character without the full-site footprint.

Barge East's Outdoor Scale

The gardens and terraces are where the capacity opens up. Over 300 guests can spread across the Garden and Allotments, the Terrace and Airstream Kitchen, a seasonal Riverside Rooftop, and six intimate Terrace Cabins. The layout works like a festival site in miniature — multiple zones, multiple bar points, distinct atmospheres — connected by canalside paths with views toward the Olympic Park.

Hackney Wick and the Waterside

The creative-industrial setting of Hackney Wick gives events a neighbourhood character that polished central London venues cannot offer. Street art, independent studios, and the canal itself create an arrival experience that starts well before the venue gates. Hackney Wick Overground is a minute's walk away, with Stratford International close by for guests arriving from further afield.