East London has the most diverse chicken scene in the city. Korean fried chicken in Dalston. Taiwanese popcorn chicken on Brick Lane. Thai fish sauce wings in Shoreditch. French rotisserie in Spitalfields. Hong Kong comfort food in Hackney. All within a few miles of each other.
We've rated 800+ chicken spots across London. These are the 8 best in the East.
Chick 'n' Sours
Dalston, E8
“The restaurant that started London's Korean fried chicken obsession. Now running a residency at the Crown and Castle in Dalston - and still the benchmark.”
The OG of London's Korean fried chicken scene, now running a residency at the Crown and Castle in Dalston. The gochujang wings are still untouchable - crispy, sticky, sweet-heat. The soy garlic is the sleeper pick. Also one of our top 10 fried chicken spots city-wide.
Order this: Gochujang wings, pickled daikon, soju slushie
Best for: The fried chicken experience that everything else gets measured against
Smoking Goat
Shoreditch, E1
“The fish sauce chicken wings here are legendary. Impossibly crispy, sticky umami glaze. These will ruin all other wings for you.”
The fish sauce wings at Smoking Goat are some of the best in London, full stop. Impossibly crispy, coated in a sticky umami glaze that hits every flavour note. Sharing plates, natural wine, loud music. The wings star in our best wings guide for good reason.
Order this: Fish sauce chicken wings, larb, whatever curry catches your eye
Best for: The wing that converts people who think they don't like wings
Taikula Chicken
Brick Lane, E1
“Taiwanese popcorn chicken on Brick Lane. Five-spice seasoning, shatteringly crispy. The XXL chicken is bigger than your head.”
Taiwanese popcorn chicken done properly on Brick Lane. Five-spice seasoning, shatteringly crispy coating, juicy inside. The hot and spicy wings are the essential order alongside the popcorn chicken. Fully halal.
Order this: Popcorn chicken nuggets, hot and spicy wings
Best for: Brick Lane street food that's actually worth queuing for
Cafe Kowloon
Hackney, E8
“New opening in Hackney doing proper Hong Kong-style comfort food. The half chicken leg is the move - crispy skin, tender meat.”
Relatively new but already generating serious buzz. Hong Kong-style comfort food in Hackney. The half chicken leg is the order - crispy skin, tender meat, rice. Unpretentious, affordable, and exactly what the neighbourhood needed. Also a strong date night pick.
Order this: Half chicken leg with rice
Best for: Hong Kong comfort food that feels like a local secret
Hendl
Hackney Church Brew Co, E8
“Four-hour brine, multiple glaze options - harissa, nduja hot honey, aji verde. Sunday rotisserie in a brewery.”
A rotisserie residency inside Hackney Church Brew Co. Four-hour brine. Multiple glaze options - harissa, nduja hot honey, aji verde. Pick your glaze, get your bird, grab a beer from the brewery. This is Sunday done properly. Also in our Sunday roast guide.
Order this: Half chicken with nduja hot honey glaze, chicken-fat potatoes
Best for: Sunday in a brewery with a properly glazed bird
The Knave of Clubs
Shoreditch, E1
“Chermoula marinade, chicken-fat potatoes. A Shoreditch pub doing rotisserie chicken that rivals dedicated restaurants.”
A Shoreditch pub doing rotisserie chicken that has no business being this good. Chermoula marinade, chicken-fat potatoes, the whole bird for £38. Featured in our best rotisserie guide. The kind of pub where the chicken is the reason you came, not an afterthought.
Order this: Whole rotisserie chicken, chicken-fat potatoes
Best for: A pub roast that takes the chicken seriously
Twirly Bird Rotisserie
Spitalfields Market, E1
“Secret spice mix, broccoli with hot honey harissa. The Twirly Tray is the lunch move at Spitalfields.”
A market stall at Spitalfields doing rotisserie chicken with a secret spice mix that keeps people coming back. The Twirly Tray - quarter chicken, two sides - is one of the best lunch deals in the area. The broccoli with hot honey harissa is the side that everyone talks about.
Order this: Twirly Tray with broccoli and hot honey harissa
Best for: Spitalfields Market lunch that actually fills you up
Wings of East
Whitechapel, E1
“Solid grilled wings and an excellent chicken tikka biryani. Open until midnight - East London late-night chicken at its best.”
Grilled wings, chicken tikka biryani, open until midnight. Wings of East is the kind of place that doesn't need to shout about itself. The wings are well-seasoned and consistent, and the biryani at 11:30pm is a genuinely great decision. Also in our late-night chicken guide.
Order this: Grilled wings, chicken tikka biryani
Best for: Midnight chicken in Whitechapel
The Verdict
East London covers more chicken ground than any other part of the city. Korean in Dalston, Taiwanese on Brick Lane, Thai in Shoreditch, Hong Kong in Hackney, French rotisserie in Spitalfields. You could eat chicken every day for a month and never repeat a style.
For South London's best, check our South London chicken guide. For city-wide lists, start with the best fried chicken or best rotisserie guides.
All restaurants reviewed are in The Chicken Bible's database of 800+ chicken spots across London. Scores reflect our chicken-focused rating system. Find more on chickenbible.com →
Last updated: March 2026
