Hackney Empire

Walk up Mare Street and you'll spot the ornate facade of Hackney Empire immediately—it's got that proper theatre presence that makes you slow down. Inside, the restored interiors are genuinely gorgeous: red velvet seats, ornate plasterwork, the works. The programming is seriously considered, mixing established names with emerging talent across theatre, comedy, dance and music. It's the kind of place where you'll catch something genuinely brilliant one night and laugh till your sides hurt the next. The audience is refreshingly mixed too—families, date-nighters, serious theatre heads, all rubbing shoulders in the stalls.