Giraffe Essex Road

Giraffe is where backpackers go when they’re all grown up. Whether it’s groups of young professionals recalling their ‘gap yah’ days, or mum & dad introducing the kids to new flavours, this is a place where the spirit of travel lives on. Staff are effortlessly good-natured, the music is upbeat & sunny, & the affordable food comes from the streets of the world. You might start your journey in China, with dainty deep-fried parcels of chicken & scallions, before moving across to South America for satisfying enchiladas – here packed with chilli beef & pinto beans, topped with melted cheese, adobe sauce (a traditional chilli, lime & herb concoction) & a liberal sprinkling of pumpkin seeds. The food isn’t exactly award winning, & there are occasional slip-ups – mojito chicken has been dry & bland – but Giraffe’s good qualities outweigh any imperfections.