The Ginger Pig Hoxton Revisited

I spent an extremely pleasant lunchtime yesterday at TheGinger Pig in Hoxton. I was due at the Ministry of Stories for an afternoon session and it’s always a good idea to get there in plenty of time.  It’s not as if Hoxton is dull. The Ginger Pig provided the sustenance and Shoreditch Library a space to work for an hour.

The Ginger Pig did not disappoint. I tried to order something light as I was meeting my son and daughter for dinner at an American diner later.  It’s not always easy to find something not too filling at TGP but I settled for a small portion of soup from the dinner menu. It was home-made and came with hunks of crusty white bread and with whole slices of vegetables in it. I drank freshly squeezed orange juice. The whole lot came to just £7.00. It’s always cash only, note. The food is homemade and is always cooked to order. 

It’s usually peaceful there but not dead. At another table a couple of men were discussing a documentary they were making. Obviously a pair of freelancers.  A couple of retired women picked up some of the pamphlets about forthcoming arts events. It’s good to see here that both mainstream and fringe art events are highlighted here.

I spent my time working on my laptop as I waited for my food to arrive – there is ample room at the tables.  The free Wi-Fi is a boon. There are also plenty of magazines and newspapers to read. The atmosphere is encouraging. If you are a creative practitioner or a lover of the arts and / or good food you are welcome there.

I did some writing.  Writing in a café again. Now I feel even more like a real creative practitioner. 

The Ginger Pig, Hoxton

Hoxton, anyway, is a delight. Bohemian, multicultural and good old London town all at once. Not to forget that is also the home of the Ministry of Stories and therefore the place where I tend to take lunch on a day when I’ve volunteered as a mentor.

It looks like a greasy spoon. And indeed, they do serve excellent breakfasts, though as they are so gourmet and they serve them all day they call them brunch. Even the sausages and slices of bacon are not at all greasy. There is a supplementary lunch time menu.

The people who run The Pig would probably be surprised to learn that the café should belong to the Creative Café Project.  In some ways it is the Creative Café at its best.  It is totally unselfconscious.  The free Wi-Fi helps. Creative practitioners, including me, sit and work there as they wait for food to arrive. I’ve observed artists meeting to discuss projects. I overheard an author talking to his agent one day. There is a rack of newspapers. Some sit there reading their Kindles.

You have to pay cash at The Ginger Pig. There is nothing fancy here. But it excels in other ways. The service is quick. The food is excellent. The whole establishment, including the toilets, is so clean it squeaks.    

Read another review here. Better still, make a visit. You could even also volunteer for the Ministry of Stories whilst you’re in Hoxton.