London, HackneyEast London's most Instagrammable café, Palm Vaults

By Karen Brown, Glowcation Editor
31 October '17

It may be one of London’s most instagrammed finds, but Palm Vaults packs a serious punch as a Glowcation.

The food and drinks looks stunning. However, it’s not a gimmick. Palm Vaults takes its plant based menu seriously. Everything tastes as good as it looks.

It’s a pretty, plant-filled oasis on Hackney’s main shopping street.

On offer is avo on toast, over-night soaked porridge, smoothie bowls, granola and…amazing cakes! The drinks menu features coffees, matcha, lattes, hot chocolates and teas.

You can add bonsoy, almond, oat or coconut milk. There’s also an allergen menu. Yes, everything is seriously insta-worthy.

The setting

Palm Vaults embraces tropicana, retro and pink. The cute café has padded pink seats, fresh pastel flowers on each table, a stripped wooden floor and a hanging forest of exotic plants. At 11.30 on a Wednesday, the café was full of locals and families.

We had a short wait for an in-demand marble topped table.

The vibe is laid back and fun. It’s close to London Fields and the Lido, Hackney Empire and Hackney Picturehouse.

The little things that make a difference

We approve of the eco-friendly metal straws-kitsch pink! Plus, we love the retro pressed glass – pink decanters, sundae glasses and cut-glass beakers. The staff are fab at everything, but especially at explaining the dairy and meat-free menu. They also look after you if you need to wait for a table.

The fresh juice test

Palm Vaults has three juices on the menu Palm Beets, Pink Zing and Green Goddess. We went for the Green Goddess – a blend of cucumber, apple, lime, spinach, kale and ginger.  Lovely with a fresh lime hit and it becomes rainbow coloured as it settles.

What we ate

We ordered two smoothie bowls – both delicious works of art. The Unleash the Dragon is a vibrant crimson mix of dragon fruit, mango, banana, mint, passion fruit and coconut milk.

More Than a Woman is more subtle, but equally delicious – a concoction of rose water, strawberry, banana, pineapple, cardamom and soya milk.

Blue Moon is a fragrant mix of Thai butterfly tea, lavender and steamed oat milk – sprinkled with edible flowers. Pink Rose is a blend of freshly juiced beetroot, rose water, agave and steamed oak milk strewn with rose petals. It tasted sublime.

We couldn’t resist a double order of the famous Rainbow Lattes.

The bill

Smoothie bowls £8.00
Green Goddess juice £4.50
Rainbow Latte £4.00

What else?

Palm Vaults is very family and dog friendly. It has free wifi and everything is available as a take-away at a reduced price.

What made us glow?

The lattes, the fresh flowers, the care, the vibe and the complete lack of pretension given its Instagram status. We can’t wait to return and, yes, we’ll be bringing our camera back…

Palm Vaults

411 Mare Street,
London E8 1HY

@palmvaults
visit website
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