Despite the relentless gentrification that’s sweeping through East London, there remains an underlying frisson of possibilities that, from the perspective of urban renewal and design, is rather thrilling.
Especially when the mixed bag of run-down period architecture, narrow streets, residential and commercial spaces throws out something so pleasingly clean-lined as Acqua7.
Styled as a concept bar, retail space, diner and a vaguely defined ‘integrated creative platform’, the new space – designed by Italian architecture outfit Arkyna Design, and owner and Dalston native, Cyrus Cookson – makes the most of a narrow space. White dominates the colour palette in the walls and beamed ceiling whilst the brown stained floors, Irish oak counter and potted greens provide a gentle visual counterpoint.
The menu is mod-European, which translates to coffee poured from Moka pots, cantaloupe and rosewater smoothies, avocado and bacon toast, salads, and charcuterie all chased down by cocktails. While waiting for orders to arrive, whet the appetite with a trawl through the retail nooks in the wall stocked with wines and coffee beans.
ADDRESS
7 Balls Pond Road
-
A compact Scottish home is a 'sunny place,' nestled into its thriving orchard settingGrianan (Gaelic for 'sunny place') is a single-storey Scottish home by Cameron Webster Architects set in rural Stirlingshire
-
7 colours that will define 2026, from rich gold to glacier blueThese moody hues, versatile neutrals and vivid shades will shape the new year, according to trend forecasters
-
In Norway, discover 1000 years of Queer expression in Islamic Art'Deviant Ornaments' at the National Museum of Norway examines the far-reaching history of Queer art
-
Form... and flavour? The best design-led restaurant debuts of 2025A Wallpaper* edit of the restaurant interiors that shaped how we ate, gathered and lingered this year
-
At last: a London hotel that’s great for groups and extended staysThe July London Victoria, a new aparthotel concept just steps away from one of the city's busiest rail stations, is perfect for weekends and long-term visits alike
-
French bistro restaurant Maset channels the ease of the Mediterranean in LondonThis Marylebone restaurant is shaped by the coastal flavours, materials and rhythms of southern France
-
Sir Devonshire Square is a new kind of hotel for the City of LondonA Dutch hospitality group makes its London debut with a design-forward hotel offering a lighter, more playful take on the City’s usual formality
-
This sculptural London seafood restaurant was shaped by ‘the emotions of the sea’In Hanover Square, Mazarine pairs a bold, pearlescent interior with modern coastal cuisine led by ‘bistronomy’ pioneer chef Thierry Laborde
-
Montcalm Mayfair opens a new chapter for a once-overlooked London hotelA thoughtful reinvention brings craftsmanship, character and an unexpected sense of warmth to a London hotel that was never previously on the radar
-
Follow the white rabbit to London’s first Korean matcha houseTokkia, which translates to ‘Hey bunny’ in Korean, was designed by Stephenson-Edwards studio to feel like a modern burrow. Take a look inside
-
Poon’s returns in majestic form at Somerset HouseHome-style Chinese cooking refined through generations of the Poon family craft
