Lea Bridge/Markhouse Rd area of Walthamstow

[L238]

Does anyone have any insight into what this area is like? We are looking to buy (2bd flats) & it seems that properties are cheaper here than other areas - I’m presuming that’s because transport is awkward - but wondering if there are other reasons (crime stats etc)? Any advice gratefully received

Leyton is becoming quite hipstery and Leytonstone seems to be getting colonised by the sort of nice young families where the parents wear Breton sailors shirts and slightly-too-short faded jean.

Yes, my reservation about Lloyd park is the trek to transport.
Tbh we value being on the central line and not that familiar with overground. Currently in Mile End which is probably a bit “gritty” to some but we like it, couldn’t afford to buy here though

Oh if you are in mile end already then Leyton will not feel that different re gritty.

Also it is like, 4 mins on the central line!

What is your budget?

@serbska hi which restaurants are good in Leytonstone? We visit a relative there and never know where to go! We usually just go to Stratford

@butlerswharf

Singburi has lovely Thai food and, um... authentic service and décor.
District Mot for Vietnamese. It is under new mgmt. and the jury is out on if it is as good as it used to.
Yard Sale for pizza. This is relatively new. Also they deliver.
La Bella Vita for Italian. Also Mora which is right at the opposite end is also good Italian.
Red lion does a surprisingly good pub style food.
Panda Dim Sum is fine.
Kera Spice does good southern Indian.

In Leyton there is the Technical pub (love it, really good food and a menu that changes frequently). The pub quiz is good fun.

Grace Dent (our local, and my favourite restaurant critic, I want to be her friend) likes Anatolia.

Also Oceano for portages is worth a visit.

Marmelo, Yardarm and Kettle and Ryan on Francis road get rave reviews but are Hipser+++++ and I think quite expensive for the offering but you can totally pretend the area is gentrified whilst you have a glass of wine and tasty food in there.

Northcoat Arms also does good pizza.

www.standard.co.uk/go/london/restaurants/do-you-know-where-grace-dent-and-giles-coren-like-to-eat-out-in-london-9549238.html

I can confirm that Café Du Metro does a good coffee and lovely cakes.

Portages? Portuguese

Another vote for Red Lion & Singburi

Pizza in the North Star (Thurs - Sun only, sadly) is very good.

Star of India for curry

Le Petit Corner has tapas nights on Thursdays..

@serbska amazing, thanks!

Le Petit Corner has tapas nights on Thursdays..

I didn't know that, thanks @TallSlutNoPantiesthe2nd

Another Leytonstone resident checking in

The Olive opposite the tube station is lovely- Turkish food

I live just up the road from there (between St James St and Blackhorse Rd - if you like Warner flats there's lots up that way, and it's handy for the Victoria line).

I wouldn't have a problem with the bit along Markhouse Rd - certainly it's rougher than Higham's Park and Chingford, but more expensive too because those places are further out. Leytonstone is definitely more pleasant than Leyton, but...I wouldn't move from where I am to any of the aforementioned places (and I could), so I would say don't rule out Walthamstow.

Mind you the traffic does suck.

Budget is up to £410k, but I’d prefer something cheaper that we can renovate.
I’ve seen a great place between Leyton & Leytonstone which would be perfect if the kitchen wasn’t a literal box with no room to swing an arm let alone a cat. Not much scope for remodelling the layout either unless you have serious cash up front which we won’t.
Thanks for all the foodie ideas too, a friend in Leyton says Singburi is the best Thai in London .
Grace Dent was also recommending Masala India in Leyton which I think is new masalaindialeyton.co.uk

Hello neighbours!

Agree to all of the above recommendations, esp Singburi, and also want to give specific mentions to Mora (Sardinian/Italian - beyond fab) and Oven East (Turkish) at the southern end of Leytonstone High Rd. If you’re in Cann Hall (high fives @thecyclist) then you’ve also places like the Wanstead Tap (beer shop cum arts venue), Burgess & Hall and Arch Rivals on the Forest Gate border (as well as loads more places in FG itself).

South Leytonstone can be a bit shabby in places, and it has our fair share of fly tipping and minor nuisances (and as The Cyclist says, Cann Hall Rd is a 20mph racetrack), but it’s a great area to live whether you have children or not (good schools, lots of families, but also lots of couples of all ages). Easy access to the central line/Stratford, but also 10-15 mins walk from Crossrail stations at Forest Gate and Maryland.

waves to Tawdry

We are in the Leytonstone side of the Francis Road area - near the Heathcote and Star pub - we have been here 4 years and are really happy, if you are looking at Leyton/Leytonstone I would recommend the Francis Road area above the other areas. I don’t know if it is safer etc, but it feels nicer walking around here, and the shops and pubs are great, and the tube is close by.

waves to Cheeseplant (but not from E17 as currently in Dublin)

No outside space or opportunity to add value, but I’d have this on my view list

Claude Road, Leyton, London
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-56203314.html

And there are tworeally looking GF 2 beds in Brunswick road that look worth a viewing in your price range. Might be sliiiiiiiiggtly far from the tube but not too bad.

Both Brunswick road ones have large kitchens and small 2nd beds which is a good layout for a couple

Cheers serbska, I’m less keen on the Claude rd one due to lack of garden (forgot to say it’s on the wish list!). Viewings booked for one of the Brunswick Rd ones which look lovely, and worth sussing out the area / walk from tube.
This www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67215184.html is the other one I liked with the tiiiny kitchen. But it’s also had sales fall through twice which is making me wonder if something is coming up on the survey

Oh yeah I saw that on RM. it’s really a one bed though, it would be super tight having the area off the kitchen as your only living space.

Would be worth it if the loft was demised to you so could extend up.

Sorry to jump in, but I’m currently looking to buy a 2/3 bed flat /house and was looking at Walthamstow, but this thread has put me off a bit - you all seem to be the people to ask though! I commute to outside of London so I’d want to be no more than 20-30 mins from Kings Cross or Finsbury Park which is where I can then get the train from. Can anyone recommend somewhere that would fit the bill but is a nice place to live? Budget is around £450k. For context I currently live in Canning Town and I would like to move somewhere with a bit more going on and slightly less rough.

Abba check out the wood st area of Walthamstow and upper Walthamstow in general. Very different feel to the area being discussed on this thread.

@L238

Kitchen might be a bit small in this one for you, but its a good location IMO and has garden

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-56298891.html

Not that I'm totally invested in this and looking at RM...