Last Updated on January 2, 2026
Grecian glamour dining comes to London’s E20 cultural quarter
The Hera restaurant experience is a modern sophisticated setting bound to appeal to female friends seeking upmarket dining in Stratford. The goddess Hera presides over hearth and home, thus Hera aims to be “a gathering place where guests feel part of extended family.” These glass towers of E20 nod more to Dubai than the Aegean and the approach – for now at least – still resembles a building site. Doubtless, when Sadler’s Wells East and Everyman Stratford open, Hera will be matriarch at the heart of a lively leisure destination.
London’s Olympics birthed multiple new neighbourhoods in East London. One of these is Stratford Cross’s cultural quarter located between the Westfield Mall and 2012 stadium (now home to West Ham FC). Appropriately, Hera was the queen of the Twelve Olympians in Greek mythology and the goddess protector of women.
We were invited to Hera’s recent launch evening to sample selected Greek dishes, which straddle two regular set menus normally priced at £ 45/£60. Drawing inspiration from different culinary traditions and regions of Greece, the food offers authentic flavours amidst a relaxed convivial sharing concept.
Relaxed and convivial may require casting out old-fashioned ideas of the usual order dishes would normally arrive on stiffer British dinner tables. No sooner than our breadbasket and roasted pepper dip landed, hot chicken and potatoes immediately joined them. Many questions… (and deliberate insertion of “boomer ellipsis”) Where were the aubergine dip, feta and seabass carpaccio? Was it intended that a starter and one main had arrived when one of each hadn’t yet? Were we meant to eat hot things first and then move on to cold fish after? Should we just chill and eat when the chef sends it? If we were in Greece would this matter in the balmy climate?
Perhaps then, we were the batty aunts at this extended family gathering, peering through pince-nez at the bright young things enjoying their Mediterranean feasts nearby. Overlooking these first-night hiccups and Merchant-Ivory characters in the corner, let’s savour the food.
A mixed breadbasket comprised sourdough, pita and crostini to scoop up fresh-tasting verdant smoked aubergine dip “Melitzano Salata” (£8) and vibrant red pepper, feta and chilli dip “Tirokafteri” (£7).
Wrapped in golden shredded filo pastry, baked “Feta Saganaki” (£13) with lemon and honey was a generous slab of soft sharp cheese ideal for sharing and gearing up the taste buds.
Pale delicate Seabass Carpaccio (£17) served with yuzu lemon oil and wafers of pink radish rings was less vinegary than pickled herring although a similar texture, if you find roll-mops too acidic but enjoy cold fish dishes, you’d like this.
Crispy calamari (£14.90) had a peppery crust and aioli dip, it’s a dish to be eaten without sitting under hot lamps and this was a bit chewier than it ought to be with thick batter.
Charcoal Chicken Skewers (£16) were sweet and juicy with honey mustard glaze although slightly lost on an oversized plate. Had we been a larger group no doubt a pile of them could be served together.
Hero dish of the night was piping hot vegetarian Moussaka (£19) comprising mushroom ragu, aubergine, bechamel, potatoes and Graviera cheese (Greece’s second most popular cheese after feta). This was a hearty vegetarian dish in which lamb would not be missed by even ardent carnivores. For sides we had Charcoal Broccoli (£7) served as cold tender-stems with dill and lemon oil and baby potatoes (£7) roasted in their skins and oregano oil.
Both desserts we tried were heavier options you might happily share. “Ekmek Kataifi” (£10) was a pistachio custard cream on a shredded filo base, akin to cheesecake. “Loukoumades” (£9) were sweet fried dumplings in lemon honey and scattered with more pistachios. Looking much like fritter balls served in Chinese restaurants, they were lighter and fluffier.
Our goat-adorned bottle of white wine “Roditis-Savatiano” (£9.50 per glass) was floral and citrussy as the lemon display adjacent to our table. It’s a crowd-pleasing fusion of two grape varieties that went well with fish and chicken.
The beautiful backlit cocktail bar also mixes house cocktails with pleasing Greek names such as “Helen of Spice”, “Dionysa” and “Olympus”.
Finishing our wine, we absorbed the atmosphere enhanced for the launch by a female DJ mixing Millennium-era Ayia Napa chill-out tracks. If you need a Mediterranean pick-me-up over the winter, Hera will look after you.
Hera
4 Arber Way
London E20 1JS
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