Green Papaya

My favourite restaurant in London, without any exception. The best Vietnamese food perhaps in the entire country. And service with a smile.

Oh, and it's really really cheap too. Get a variety of dishes to share and you will not be disappointed. For me, their best dish is "bahm tom", which I have not seen anywhere else in the capital (and when I ask for it, I get shrugs). It's basically shredded sweet potato surrounding some prawns (as though the potato is a nest), which is then deep-fried. It is the most exquisite thing I have tasted. I tend to pig out on these big time. Their rice is lovely and sticky, and their giant garlic and chilli prawns, OMG! Mark, who runs the gaff, is also a wonderful host.

It's cheap, it's cheerful, and it's been running for years and years. Also a bit of a celebrity haunt. I once saw Chris Smith MP with his boyfriend Dorian there, while he was Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Do you need any more endorsement than that?

By far the best Vietnamese restaurant I’ve been to in East London. My friends and I go back repeatedly, and every dish I have tried has been mouth-wateringly brilliant.
The prices are incredibly reasonable, and the staff are friendly, attentive and helpful- a world apart from the service you usually get in Vietnamese restaurants!
I would thoroughly recommend the Green Papaya, I cannot fault it in any way.
PS. The spicy squid rings are DIVINE!

Without a doubt the best Vietnamese in east london. The food is in a different league to it's neighbours and the atmosphere is more relaxing too. Try the salt and chilli tofu, it'll melt in your mouth. Prices are also very reasonable.

If you like tofu this is the place to be - the tofu starter was a totally different world from the tofu served with the mains - and both were equally fab. I also had the pork hotpot which was very good and hot - but more in terms of temperature than the spicy factor. This is not a byob restaurant but the wine is very well priced. I will be back soon. Friendly staff and well-executed dishes.

This place does the best squid rings out of all the veitnamese in east London, and a fantasic banana tree salad.. Not all the dishes are amazing but a good amount are!

The Green Papaya offers all of the fresh exotic flavours of Hackney’s many Vietnamese influenced restaurants. The difference is that in this gem you can actually hear the conversations you are having with the people on your table. The staff are friendly and polite and you won’t feel like you’re being rushed out as soon as you’ve had your last bite.

The place is always busy although I’ve never had to book and the staff can usually find a place for you. There is also an outdoor seating area for the summer months.

Most main meals are between 6 and 8 pounds and the portions are fairly generous. Try the sweet potato cakes as an entree.