"If sitting by a canal, eating a porchetta roast underneath fairy lights and olive trees sounds pretty great to you, you’re going to love Cafe Mai. This Hackney Wick bar and Italian-leaning cafe feels like it was designed for people who need some TLC. The menu is short, the natural wines gluggable, and the focaccia is some of the best we’ve had. Whether you sit out dunking bread into oil and sipping beer, or opt for a full spread of chilli and anchovy pesto tagliatelle and tiramisu—this is a foolproof sunny day hang. Our only gripe is the inside, which is a little soulless—save for the pretty green-tiled bar—but still does the job for a quick, porchetta sandwich-fuelled pit stop. photo credit: Cafe Mai photo credit: Cafe Mai photo credit: Cafe Mai photo credit: Cafe Mai Pause Unmute" - Sinéad Cranna