The Luxe

After a long hard day of walking and vintage store shadowing/​shopping with out-​of-​towners we needed a sit that the nice corner pubs in the area couldn’t provide. Luxe is straightforward, pleasant, and judging by their water refills seemingly totally competent. We enjoyed the heck out of our Saturday happy hour there and would go back. A cheap but solid Malbec and a half-​priced Mojito that slaughters the one I had at Wahaca the night before sealed the deal.

The food is just like Smith’s of Smithfield, as it owned by the same people. But that’s a good thing. It’s perfect for when my American friends visit town and want some comfort food from the states… Like pancakes at 2pm on a Sunday. Or like Egg’s Benedict for a bit over £10. The atmosphere of the market side patio space is lively and makes it special for people who like to people watch while munching some grub. The service is slow, and that’s nice cause with atmosphere like this, it’s nice to take a bit of time and enjoy. Not the cheapest place, but still worth it.
The venues other floors mix posher meals for bigger prices on over-​sized plates with smaller portions… As well a space for live music occasionally. Think that’s in the basement now… Though it used to be on the top floor.
I mainly enjoy the brunch atmosphere and food on Sundays.

Great for people watching or after shopping the stalls. Fantastic libations and really good food. Busy on Sundays but quiet enough to read a book.

I dined here twice during a recent assignment in London. It was very good — probably the best option in the Spitalfields market (the others seem like chain restaurants — OK but nothing noteworthy). The food at Luxe was very good and fresh, with nice and attentive service. The only negative is that they do tend to run out of things quickly. Both times I have been there, at normal dinner times, they had run out of several items. Not that big of a deal as my second option was very good. Overall, would definitely eat there again, the next time in London.

Sat upstairs for a special birthday party. Service was attentive, the steak and fish delicious but the pork-​belly was the hit of the table. Ordered the bread as a starter along with the heirloom tomato side for a lovely do-​it-​yourself bruschetta.
Only negative — my hamburger. I was craving a rare burger and was told they could only do medium due to English laws. I changed my order to the fish, but the waiter ASSURED me they’d cook the burger to my preference of rare. I clarified — rare — really rare. He confirmed — rare. Nope. Not even close as the big round meatball looking «burger» was medium at best.

Came here for brekkie with a few co-​workers on a weekday morning and though it was tasty, if a bit overpriced for what you got. (It is trendy Spitalfields/​Shoreditch, so what do you expect, really?)
I had the pancakes — which just hit the spot when I was craving a bit of America.
Ordered a side of bacon, as well, and was full up by the end of the meal.
Would I come back? Sure, if it’s on the company’s bill and not mine ;-)

Went here for lunch today and, although busy, we were served quickly and politely and the food was OK. I like their menu and the fact that they have specials that regularly change. I had steak and fries. They didn’t ask how I wanted the steak but it was cooked medium and it was OK. The fries were very good. My on criticism is that all that was on my plate was the steak and fries and the sauce. I would have liked a little salad or veg and had I known I’d have probably ordered a seperate side salad. However, when I usually eat out at restaurants I get veg or salad with steaks. I also like the fact that they have great fresh fruit and veg juices and desserts.
Good staff, good atmosphere, comfortable surroundings, good food. I think of Giraffe when I eat here but this food is much better.

Cool edgier place in London’s east end. Not conformist like all the typical west end posh places (and I am a west end fan!). A cool bar overall that reminds me of places I go to in NYC/​Toronto. Nice music and place to chill. Went here after work with a friend and just caught up for a few hours and it was great. Had a few bar bites that were good albeit greasy!

A great brunch/​lunch spot adjacent to the Spitalfields market. It makes for a very casual yet hip place for a meal. It’s a great space with high-​ceilings, a massive juice, alcohol, and coffee bar, and a playlist that took me back to the 80s.
The chicken club sandwich was massive but quite tasty. Next times I’m going with the breakfast menu… in particular the waffles are loaded with fresh bananas and looked amazing!
Get there early, it was bumping by noon on a Sunday, so we had a bit of a wait.

I’ve been here 3 times now, once for brunch and twice for coffee and dessert, and every time the food was great. The desserts are especially lovely, I recommend the chocolate mousse!
What keeps this place down at a 3 star rating is the staff: not at all friendly and generally have poor attitudes… they seem quite annoyed at having to serve. I think Luxe falls into the the Spitalfields area trap of not having to rely on repeat business (therefore, doing nothing to improve the service), as there are enough tourists around to keep it going. Shame as otherwise it could be a much more pleasant place to eat.

I love coming here for breakfast/​brunch/​lunch and frequently do.
I’m a fan of their burger (nice and juicy), the chicken club and their chips. When it comes to breakfast items their pancakes are good too.
They have a little take away stall inside the covered market where they do cups of chips for a £1.50 or so and bacon/​sausage/​egg sarnies — all reasonably priced and you can even sit down on a bench running alongside the outdoor seating area.
Service can sometimes be a bit hit and miss, usually forgetting tap water and stuff like that. But take a paper with you, get comfy and relax, what’s the rush?

They messed up with the order but it’s a very trendy and busy place to go for sundays breakfast.

The Luxe is my loyal Sunday afternoon friend. I am reluctant to tell you about it, because I don’t want you to spoil it, but it may not be your thing anyway so here it goes, i’ll take the risk.
There is free live music at the basement of the Luxe every Sunday from about 6pm. Get there early to bagsy the best seat and get your chitter chatter out of the way, because once the live acts start you will be an engaged audience participant rather than your average punter. The music seems to be of the acoustic-​rock-​soul end of the spectrum. You may not like every act (there are usually about 3 or 4) but amongst them there has always been at least one hidden gem, and as it is a cosy little downstairs venue (there’s not much standing room, get a seat or feel like an ostrich) you feel like one of the privileged few here.
I do not know how the basement makes any money, as entry is free and the emphasis on drinks is low, but the drinks are good and they serve Quilmes beer (and one other beer that I can’t recall), which is refreshingly unusual.
As for the upstairs, i.e. ground floor, it’s an okay day time haunt for a coffee and a bit of cake or a fry up. It’s a bit bipolar though as by night it becomes purely a wine bar with no snacks or nibbles to speak of but for a burger bar which nestles outside (being the inside Spitalfields side, if you know what I mean). If I was looking for a wine bar that was loud but did not play any particularly pumping music (or any music), then I guess this would be fine. But if your hungry there’s a very pleasant Strada across the road.
Enjoy!
x

Oh Yesss! I’m delighted to have found this place! You’re in London for the weekend and of course you have a visit to Spitalfields Market (on a sunday) on your list of things to cram into two and a half days of madness. Spitalfields is a somewhat shabby but utterly chic part of town. It’s cheap enough to offer a relatively central place of abode to young, starving creative people and hence is crammed with interesting young (and young at heart) things who are a delight to observe. The market is fresh, genuine and quirky and less obviously tourist-​oriented than covent garden.
Now, where to brunch following a morning of sucessful shopping and people watching? Well, I was there on a freezing cold may sunday morning and just wanted get in out of the rain. The Luxe, right on the edge of the market, looked warm and inviting through steamy victorian window frames. The man behind the restaurant/​bar/​café idea is the BBC’s Masterchef star –John Torode, who soke of you will know from the tv (I was addicted to that show myself). It was busy, so we had to wait at the bar for 20 Mins before we we’re led to our table, but a cup of hot chocolate served as an excellent aperitf! The menu is a varied palette which ranges from hearty fry-​ups to veggie burgers, light salads, sandwiches, sweet desserts etc. There’s an activity bag for the kids which is brilliant when the place is jammed and one has to wait a bit. There’s a long cocktail list so I guess the place is hopping in the evenings.
It’s not quiet! (both music and guests give the place a lively buzz). The customer-​mix is as diverse as the range of stalls in the market, young locals, tourists, families, arties, gay and anything else you can imagine APART from old, dusty aunties who just want tea and cupcakes. Yesss!

Beautiful bar, café restaurant with and outside space in the market and huge bar inside with nice comfy leather benches all around. Nice simple menu with great looking dishes, I popped in for a coffee and although the Latte was not the best I have ever had, it was certainly very nice. Great atmosphere in the day as a café restaurant and I am sure it will be popular in the evening!
The have an upstairs restaurant which looked nice (fancy but nice) and obviously for the dinner with deeper pockets. They also have a downstairs little bar which looks really exciting, not sure what they put on there as nothing was advertised, but great for a comedy/​cabaret or acoustic act.
Sae bet for a nice drink, coffee and food looked great and price was cheaper than I would have though looking around the venue.

I came across this bar (just off spitalfield market) by accident but was really glad i did. The crowd is really mixed, there were couples chilling out on sofas with coffee, groups of freinds eating together, guys watching the rugby and people sitting at the bar sipping cocktails.
The atmosphere is really relaxed and the menu both for drinks and food is good. Its a great place to people watch as there are windows along 3 walls you can easily sip away a few hours here without realising.
There is a room available for private hire too and a dj at night.

Wir waren im Winter zum late breakfast/​early lunch hier. War zunächst nichts los (Montags) — dann aber fielen auch hier die Appleianer ein, tranken eigenartige smoothies und assen englisches Essen. Bei lauter Musik.
Das Restaurant/​Café/​die Bar ist sehr schön, Mischung aus Industriedesign und bequemen Sofas. Im ersten Stock ein Restaurant, im Keller eine Bar. Der Service war ok, nicht aussergewöhnlich gut, aber freundlich. Das Essen gut. Netter Platz und guter Start für die Spitalfield markets

I wondered in to the Luxe on a lazy Saturday morning, and while I waited to a table (as I hadn’t booked) I chilled out on the fabulous sofas and soaked up the atmosphere. Then I got seated and ordered a café latte and the muesli, fruit, yoghurt and honey breakfast dish — — I died and went to heaven! the coffee was excellent but that muesli dish — really generous, delicious fruit and I was really impressed with the service. I didn’t want a huge breakfast but the serving was really generous and so I can highly recommend this place — if you are going with several people seems a good idea to book but I didn’t mind the wait as the sofas were a great people watching opportunity. Not cheap cheap cheap but nice and worth it.
Loved it

After a week of dragging my sister around town trying to find some place that would serve her a good vodka cocktail, I thought London had defeated me. Unless it’s drinking neat whiskey or a gin and tonic, the UK just isn’t a liquor-​drinking nation. I mean, it’s beer or bust at most places. You’re lucky if you find somewhere that has decent wine service.
As I wandered in the drizzling, freezing rain, I was about to enter what can only be described as the most generic of London pubs on Commercial Street. But I suggested we just pop around the corner to see if perhaps it would offer anything better.
And there it was, the Luxe gleaming in all its glamorous, cocktail-​purveying glory. We could see the bar through the floor-​to-​ceiling exterior windows. We could see that it was well stocked, that is.
My sister put back three double Stolis and water, and I had a Key Lime Pie (Stoli Vanilla, Licor 43 and the juice of a lime) and an Oatmeal Cookie (Bailey’s, Kahlua and Goldschlager). Granted, I didn’t ask for these drinks by name, but that’s the beauty of being able to see the bar’s abundant stock from any vantage point around the service area.
No fewer than three bartenders worked behind the bar, and they were all trained barstaff. Often, you’ll walk into a London cocktail bar, and only one person behind the counter actually knows how to make drinks.
But, it would seem, the Luxe is going for luxury. We got delicious, well-​made drinks and attentive service as we sat at the bar. Better still, the drinks were really quite reasonably priced for the quality and location.

The restaurant /​bar /​café is part of the spitalsfiled market complex and I personally find it the prettiest café there. Since the markets only open at 12, this might also be a good place to have breakfast before everything comes to life.
The architecture is beautiful, I loved the aluminium chairs and if you’re interior design, you will like the bathrooms downstairs, especially the tiling and the lamps.
The espresso was excellent, prices for breakfast rather steep (Eggs benjamin 10 pounds).
But the service… :(is it really necessary to get every single thing wrong? no milk, no jam, no bill until you ask for the third time? This was more than someone having a bad day, it was just phenomenally bad.

Do we really need another gentrifying bistro in Smithfields? Apparently yes, from the crowds who are already filling it up. That said the food is fine (which is to be expected from its Smiths of Smithsfield heritage) and is in a great location for relaxing on a weekend/​weekday.
Price — £7 for a fry up.

I heart Spittalfields. Where else can you find vegan donuts, army fatigues and a ten piece brass band all within one courtyard? It has gone through some tough times lately, and quite a few stores /​spaces have been vacant for awhile. So it was with great interest that I watched them transform an empty space into Luxe. Excuse me, I meant The LUXE.
What is LUXE? Well, it embraces «all things to all people». Or it may be having an identity crisis. Hard to tell, as it includes a flower shop, a walk up coffee /​juice bar, a dance club, a diner and an outside patio. It frequently has a bouncer outside on a Monday night, even though it is empty inside.
I went to LUXE on its opening weekend, so to be sure it deserves a second shot once it works through some kinks. That said, I will give it ample time because the kinks were many:
— It was unclear whether the patio had table service, so after sitting for 15 minutes we approached the bar only to be told to go wait for the waitress.
–The waitress did not know what a dirty martini was, and asked us to write it down for her.
— The music was so loud inside that the bartender literally had to scream to ask if i wanted extra olives.
It’s a great location with a lot of potential. It’s a shame they missed the summer rush, because I think this could easily turn into the best after work patio in the area. Hopefully they’ll have sorted themselves out by next summer.