Last Updated on April 16, 2026
Little Chef Sally finds her home in Hackney, a charming little British Bistro
5.0 out of 5.0 starsThere’s nothing that makes me happier than seeing someone like Sally Abé come into her own in a setting like Teal that seems ‘just so’. We’ve known her work since she took over as head chef at The Harwood Arms. At the time, it was my local, a pub that had evolved from a rather dodgy not-quite-gastropub into London’s first Michelin-starred pub. It did so brilliantly, without losing the essence of a London pub, and when Sally took over as head chef, it only seemed to get better. Then there was The Pem – a fabulous concept that was perhaps a little lost in the corporate hotelness of the Conran London St James’. And now, Teal. Designed by Sally’s sister, Alice Alvarez-Webster, it’s the perfect setting for the much-loved Little Chef Sally to star!
For a start, the setting is charming, comfortable, just a little quirky and instantly lovable. The panelled walls are painted in a soft bluey-green. There’s a picture of the Harewood Arms just outside the loo. There are subtle teal references with birds embossed on the leather placemats, and looking on admiringly at the menus. There’s a dark wood floor, a marble-topped bar with a semi-open kitchen behind, and floral plates and botanical prints on the walls. Even the barstools work for someone as vertically challenged as me, thanks to a lot of padded leather and a solid frame. Tableware is simple but pretty. Glassware of excellent quality – the sort that rings if you tap it gently. Staff are all dressed in comfy yet smart vanilla-ice-cream-coloured shirts and brown trousers. There are bag hooks for those sitting at the counter, and plenty of space for coats. It’s all in the detail.
We managed to get a spot on a busy Saturday lunchtime service. At 12.15, when I arrived, Teal had just opened and was already busy. With just 25 covers, it’s rightfully busy – so much so that anyone arriving early gets sent across the road to the local Deli/Coffee Shop for a Negroni! Not a bad idea…
Teal does have a real family feel to it – not least because everyone seems to be called ‘Abbie’ or ‘Abe’. Of course, there’s Sally Abé herself, but her business partner and front-of-house, in charge of the nicely selected wine list, is Abe Drewry and the head chef, none other than the charming Abbie Hendren, who you may have seen on The Great British Menu. It could all get very confusing!
The menu is all playful British stuff – who said we have no culinary heritage? In the ‘savouries’ section, there are both Devils and Angels on horseback, a brawn scotch egg and Locket’s savoury, a curious concoction that was made famous by that doyenne of English Culinary Heritage, Jane Grigson. who wrote
“Why it is called Locket’s Savoury I have no idea.”
It’s actually a posh-up cheese on toast – melted Stilton, watercress and thin slices of fresh pear on a morsel of crisp toast. Shared by my companions, I didn’t get a look-in, but it was pronounced beautifully balanced.
I did get the entire angel on horseback to myself, though…and then craved a second. A plump oyster in a light, crisp batter, beautifully served in an oyster shell, with a touch of lemon mayo and a dusting of what I think was dried seaweed. Full of flavour, it was a great way to start.
Bread and butter came as five thick slices of soft, malty better-than-hovis brown bread with the crispiest crust and a generous dollop of softened butter.
If you thought we were a bit mean with the savouries, fear not. We went on to order starters too, with absolutely no regret. Dorset crab royale with English peas and lovage was a standout dish that we all loved. A comforting bowl of warm brown crab custard topped by almost fluffy, cloud-like, flaky white meat with a lovage dressing and a scattering of early English peas.
The new season’s asparagus tartlet with Old Winchester cheese crisps and a hung cream base was served on the crispest pastry shell, making a perfect spring dish. You know the food is good when you just want more!
As the only meat eater in the group, I had the hard task of picking between beef sirloin and short rib with wild garlic or haunch of deer with pickled walnut and cavolo nero. I have no regrets about picking the venison, which came with a faggot and celeriac all beautifully glazed with a sticky jus, a generous portion of cavolo nero and the best use I’ve ever come across of pickled walnuts – made into a rich sauce to complement the gamey notes of the venison. Perfectly tender and cooked to a beautiful pink, the meat was well rested and full of flavour.
With it, I enjoyed a rounded, fruity red, Vecchie Terre di Montefili, Chianti Classico 2021. My friends, meanwhile, were enjoying a glass each of the minerally and fresh Casa Da Passarella, Somontes, Colheita Branco, Dão, Portugal, 2024. Like the food menu, the wine list at Teal is concise, with ten reds and ten whites. Although if you happen to be feeling flush, there’s a special bottles section with a top price of £295.
My companions, both pescatarians, shared the vegetarian and fish options from the menu at Teal. Cornish mussels, Jersey Royals, cauliflower and sea herbs was a dish of soft plump mussels served out of the shell on a bed of Romanesco cauliflower and and white cauliflower with tender Jersey Royals. They particularly loved the creamy sauce, which we learnt was based on mussel stock with cauliflower cream. Shockingly healthy!
The artichoke and hazelnut vol-au-vent was a spectacular dish with a pastry shell that had puffed up so well it might just have flown away, with beautifully seasoned artichoke hearts and a good helping of toasted hazelnuts.
We shared sides of curly kale and crisp roast pink fir potatoes, both served in little cast-iron dishes, rounding off the mains nicely.
It’s worth noting that the menu at Teal is concise. Bread and butter, four savouries, four starters, four mains and four desserts. Perfectly balanced, we found enough options to keep us all happy, and as the omnivore of the trio, I’d happily return for the same list of dishes. But we anticipate this being a seasonal selection with regular changes.
For dessert, we opted for the pretty rhubarb jubilee, a trifle-like concoction of poached rhubarb with eggy custard capped with a crisp brandy snap. Another elevated British classic perfectly executed.
Raspberry marshmallow teacake was a homemade version of those chocolate teacakes your mum might have served visitors or brought out for a birthday tea. A fine dark chocolate shell revealed the softest marshmallow on a crisp biscuity base. With a garnish of fresh raspberries and a dressing of a light and subtle Earl Grey custard, it was one of those dishes that just brought so much joy I missed taking a picture with the custard poured over…
Of course, we had to try the penny licks at a pound each. We understand that all proceeds from these little treats are donated by Teal to the Hackney Food Bank. The penny lick dates back to Victorian times, when most homes lacked fridges and street vendors would serve a small scoop of ice cream in a glass for a penny. The glass had to be returned to the vendor, but it was rarely washed properly between customers. This led to the spread of disease and, following public health campaigns, to the development of the wafer cone.
With the kind of smugness that comes from knowing I’ve made a great choice, I can confidently confirm that Teal is the perfect Restaurant of the Month for April. It’s on the site where the much-loved Pidgin used to operate, followed by Sesta (set up by some of the Pidgin team). Here’s hoping this little bird has come home to roost. We highly recommend Teal British Bistro – it’s more than a neighbourhood restaurant and the sort of place it’s worth trekking across town for if you are not an East London hipster.
Teal
52 Wilton Way
Hackney
E8 1BG
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