Circus Eats @ Stratford Circus
our review
Stratford, like other previously unloved bits of London, is being regenerated. It’s all to do with the Olympics in 2012, I suppose, and it’s going rather well. Smart blocks of flats are already filling up with City slickers who can commute to Liverpool Street in 15 minutes on a good day, and the bones of another Westfield shopping centre are already in place. (Though why it’s not going to be called Eastfield is unclear.)
A short walk from the station is the ‘cultural quarter’; home to the Picture House, the Theatre Royal and Stratford Circus - a youth-focused performing arts centre, which is where we were headed on a chilly Tuesday evening. On the ground floor, effectively in the foyer, is the centre’s café bar - Circus Eats - which promises good wholesome food at affordable prices. “Call me cynical,” said my companion, “but in London, cheap food is usually bad food.” Well, luckily for us and the locals, that certainly isn’t the case here.
The weekly changing menu is concise and clearly aimed at East London’s multicultural masses, with international dishes like Polish stew and West African jollof rice and jerk chicken thighs on offer. There are ‘light bites’ available until 6pm, as well as their popular interpretation of school lunch - a bargain at £4.50 for two courses.
We began with pea soup and prawns with a fresh and flavoursome salsa. The prawns, sourced from nearby Billingsgate Market, were deliciously plump, juicy and a big hit with my friend, who left only a neat stack of shells. My soup, vividly green in colour and drizzled with truffle oil, was well seasoned and tasted genuinely nourishing. Served with a chunk of rustic bread, it was an honest warming winter dish - though I’d have liked it passed through a sieve to get rid of those pesky pea skins.
“Someone in the kitchen knows what they’re doing,” my friend remarked, and she‘s right. That someone is Kevin Richardson, formerly of Rosemary Lane near Tower Hill, and it was he who - due to a staff shortage evening - was both cooking for and serving us. Clearly passionate about his ingredients and the final product, his enthusiasm alone makes Circus Eats a real find.
From the wine list, we chose an Argentinean chenin blanc and a glass of La Serre rosé de Syrah, which was soft and fruity and probably the fuller flavoured of the two. My friend’s ultra-fresh salmon with fennel and new potatoes benefited from an excellent herb crust that was all herb, rather than half herb half soggy breadcrumbs. I was tempted by some of the African influenced dishes on the menu but eventually decided on my favourite - butternut squash risotto. It’s the sort of dish that can either be a joy to behold or a disaster to endure, and thankfully here it was the former. A creamy, sage-infused delight with cubes of sweet roasted squash and tasty parmesan crisps. Our only complaint is that the portions are a little over generous but with the current trend for small food on a big plate, that’s hardly a bad thing.
To finish, we shared a strawberry panacotta with warm chocolate sauce which was nice enough but nothing special - though perhaps that’s our fault for not saving room for the chocolate fondant instead.
We left suitably stuffed and very satisfied, pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome and hearty portions of homemade food. The real winner here, though, is the prices - with all starters under £4 and mains under £7, you could eat like a king for under £15 a head. For a laid-back lunch or pre-theatre meal, you’d do well to ignore the dreary pizza place opposite and head inside.
KP - November 2008
what the critics say
Jay Rayner
your comments review this restaurant and win a bottle of champagne
Ate at Circus Eats last week for lunch. The food and ambiance were fine, however, I was a bit annoyed that the menu shown on the website was very out of date - in fact, the prices had gone up by nearly 50%! It's not really acceptable to be advertising mains at £6.95 when they really cost £9.95.
That said, I did enjoy my meal and am thinking of returning for the tasting menu. With the fear that the good value advertised £25 per head will have turned into £40, though...
Comment on this reader review
Rachel
Overall rating 
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
We have eaten at Circus Eats a few times and we have always been made welcome. The food is at a good price and the portions are well presented. In the day it can be a little noisy depending on what is going on in the theatres. I do feel that the eating areas should be segregated somehow, maybe by using screens of some sort just so people know that the seating is for paying customers. Never the less the food is great, the service is friendly and the prices are right! The chef should be congratulated also as he has really brought some class to the east end.
Comment on this reader review
Overall rating 
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Circus Eats is a great eating experience, I, and many others have been serveral times and always had good, friendly service. There is a wide variety of food served, and the menu changes regularly. The menu also reflects the diversity of this part of London. The foyer is busy and as it is an arts centre many people come in and out, that has never worried us. It is great to have this calibre of food in our area, and we hope locals, and others, support it. We have seen whole family parties, all age children, accommodated comfortably.
Comment on this reader review
Overall rating 
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 9
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I agree with the other reviews until recently. The restaurant has raised its prices and now serves smaller portions and the food is no longer of the quality it used to be. There has been a change over of staff and the nice Australian guy serving is no longer there. Sadly, this has resulted in poor service and the cafe is no longer as busy as it used to be. We were left waiting for a long time to be served. At first I put this down to a bad experience but when I returned another time, I was told they are not serving due to a corporate function. This indicates they are unable to cope when busy. I know this restaurant is in an arts centre, but it makes for an unpleasant experience to eat your food in what is essentially the lobby. The dining area is full of school children yelling and screaming making it noisy and uncomfortable to eat , that is if you can get a table with all the children taking up the space doing their homework with their books all over the tables. It does feel like a school canteen.
I fear this once busy restaurant serving quality food may be about to close. Fortunately there are plenty of other restaurants in the area serving better food at cheaper prices.
Comment on this reader review
Overall rating 
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Monday, March 16, 2009
This is the perfect place to eat before a show at the Theatre Royal. It's next door and as I have read in other reviews, both the food and service are excellent.and we had a very friendly welcome.
Between us we had the fishcakes and the chicken echilladas as starters,and fish of the day and belly pork roast for main courses. All full of fresh flavours and well presented.
This was a real 'find'. We were wandering past, wondering where to eat. There seem to be plenty of chain restaurants around but i would recommend this place to anyone needing an early evening meal, as we did, and not wanting the 'chain' eating experience. You won't be disappointed. Prices are low so also amazing value for food which has obviously been prepared ,and was served, with pride.
Sadly, we are rarely in tis area, but may have to become regulars at the Theatre Royal!
Comment on this reader review
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Saturday, October 11, 2008
On Thursday evening I went to a book launch of Tariq Ali at Stratford Circus, where I've been many times before.
A transformation is happening the caterpillar is finally turning into a butterfly. We were recommended to eat there after the show by a friend so we did.
The waiter was fun and attentive and was generally excellent at his job, but I would be happy being a waiter serving food of this quality and in a neighborhood not recognised for culinary delights!
I had the onion and celery soup which as soon as you smelt it you knew it was going to be good and my partner had a beetroot and goats cheese salad - both fantastic. For mains I had the billingsgate fish of the day with chilli coconut noodles and my partner had the fishcake with pea and fennel sauce. We could not fault any of it, the taste the flavours and the presentation was way beyond what I expected.
For dessert I/we had the lemon filo with citrus fruit in a chilli dressing and again faultless.
After the meal we had the biggest surprise was the bill and how they do it I don't know.
I seriously recommend this place to anyone reading this, I will be going back and back again. EXCELLENT!
Comment on this reader review
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Fab fab fab! There is nowhere for miles serving food of this quality and diversity and that's before we even get to the prices. The staff are professional and warm and the eating experience is GREAT except the food is let down by the space - horrible uncomfortable too small tables etc. I understand it's an arts centre but it's way too much like eating in a foyer and can be freeeeezing. But it's great eating in the middle of such a lively mix of people - ages/diversity etc. as a local, I'm scared about recommending it because it's going to get too popular, but on the other hand i don't want it to close.
Comment on this reader review
Overall rating 
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
I've been to Circus Eats at Stratford Circus several times since the restaurant /cafe changed hands a few months ago. I have been consistently impressed with the very reasonably priced international cuisine & daily specials from around the world; I'm particularly taken with the West African Jollof-rice with chicken stuffed with sweet potato... delicious! But how does this place make money? Their main courses are no more than £7 and the quality easily exceeds many of the well known West End restaurants.
One negative: The staffs are attentive and service is quick and also its fun being in a creative atmosphere with a cosmopolitan audience base, but it is a great shame that more effort is not put into the ambience of the restaurant. You feel like you’re sitting in a corridor with no focal point and a lack of intimacy / privacy.
All in all, I recommend this place above all others I know in the area. We need more of this honest and adventurous food at very good prices.
Comment on this reader review
Stephen Holland
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 10
Friday, August 01, 2008
This cafe is in a good location in stratford and forms part of the stratford circus theatre. The food is excellent and way surpasses anything else available in the area. The portions are large and the food is beautifully presented and fresh, e.g. billingsgate fresh fish of the day. The menu changes daily and the food is such good value. we had drinks, coffees, mains and desert for 20 pounds and all of it was delicious. The service is v good. I highly recommend it. It is a gem in a part of London that doesnt have that many nice places to go out and eat!
Comment on this reader review
Sara EJ
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Thursday, July 24, 2008
@QuickLunchSoho - Hell yes. Big D burger at Byron, pizza by the slice at Adagio, Mooli's, Fernandez & Wells, Yalla Yalla, Polpo, Dehesa?
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