A new pub diner is opening in Hackney Central on Friday March 20, as Empire Tavern launches on Mare Street next to Hackney Empire, directly opposite Hackney Town Hall.
The project is a joint venture between Taverns East Pub Group, the team behind Leytonstone Tavern and Tavern on the Hill, and East London Brewing Co.. The site revives the former location of The Britannia, a Victorian pub destroyed during the Second World War, bringing hospitality back to a historic corner of Hackney.
Empire Tavern is positioned as an all-day venue, serving breakfast and lunch through to evening dining, pre-theatre plates and Sunday roasts. At the centre of the menu are the burgers that built Leytonstone Tavern’s reputation, earning Taverns East National Burger Awards finalist status in 2023 and multiple street food titles. The signature burger uses a 100% grass-fed, aged beef blend with a balanced fat ratio from small Yorkshire farms, supplied by Swaledale Butchers. Exclusive to Empire Tavern is the Bone Daddy Burger, layered with smoked, braised beef brisket, confit garlic mayo, Guinness gravy, crispy onions and smoked bone marrow.
Snacks range from smoked ham and cheese croquettes with pineapple jam and mustard mayo to house hash browns with Cacklebean egg and chip shop curry sauce, loaded nachos topped with venison chilli and sticky miso honey chicken wings. A grilled halloumi with hot honey, toasted almonds and lemon thyme offers a lighter alternative. Sunday roasts will feature free-range, responsibly sourced meat from Swaledale Butchers, including Tamworth pork and roast picanha beef with a thick layer of crisped fat.
Drinks lean heavily into local craft. The bar will pour East London Brewing Co. beers and cask ales alongside a rotating selection from independent breweries such as Howling Hop and Saint Monday. Cocktails will include £10 margaritas made with Tiempo tequila, alongside a broader list built on premium spirits.
Design moves away from Taverns East’s existing pub aesthetic and instead nods to dive bars and upstate New York diners, with dark wood booths, red leather seating and warm seventies-style lighting. A mezzanine level adds additional seating and event space above the bar, while a large retractable door opens onto Hackney Town Hall Square, allowing for alfresco seating for up to 50 guests.
During the day, co-working is encouraged, a relative rarity in Hackney Central, with coffee from Flying Horse Coffee. On Friday and Saturday nights, the venue will shift into Empire Tavern Lates, a listening-bar-style set-up with curated music, local DJs and dancing into the early hours. Monthly “First Pours” events will spotlight collaborative beer launches and tequila tastings hosted by James Healey, commercial director of East London Brewing Co., and James Hughston, co-founder of Tiempo Tequila.
Taverns East Pub Group, founded by Ronnie Finch and Jamie Tack, describes Empire Tavern as a community-focused pub with destination-level food and drink. The business has confirmed it will pay the London Living Wage.