We launched the Dalston Club in April. We didn't know exactly what to expect.
What we got was a community that showed up - to events, to venues, to each other. Footfall increased at partner venues. Members came back. New faces became regulars. And the question we kept getting asked was the same one, over and over: when are you coming to the rest of Hackney?
Today, we have an answer.
Why Hackney, why now
Hackney isn't just a postcode. It's Broadway Market on a Saturday morning. It's the canal at Hackney Wick. It's Well Street, Wilton Way, Victoria Park, London Fields. It's a borough with more independent restaurants, cafés and bars per square mile than almost anywhere else in London - and a community that genuinely cares about keeping them alive.
That's exactly why we're here.
Independent venues across Hackney are facing the same pressures as everywhere else. Rising costs. Changing habits. Diners who want to support local but don't always know where to start. The Hackney Club is built to change that - connecting the venues that make this neighbourhood special with the diners who are ready to show up for them.
What the Dalston Club taught us
Dalston proved the model works. But more than that, it showed us what venues actually need from a platform like Appetite.
They don't need more generic reach. They need the right people - locals who are actively deciding where to eat, not scrolling past. They don't need discount mechanics that train diners to expect less. They need perks and experiences that make a good night out a great one, and build the kind of loyalty that keeps people coming back.
That's what we've built. And it's what we're bringing to Hackney.
What the Hackney Club means for your venue
If you're an independent restaurant, café or bar in Hackney, here's what being part of the Hackney Club gets you:
You're in front of the right people. Not every diner in London - the ones who live nearby, who are looking for somewhere to eat tonight, and who care about supporting local when they do.
You're showing up at the right moment. Neighbourhood-based discovery puts you in front of diners when intent is highest - not when they're passively browsing, but when they're actively deciding.
You're building something that lasts. This isn't a one-time feature or a seasonal campaign. It's an ongoing connection between your venue and a loyal local community that keeps growing.
And it's never about discounts. The Hackney Club is a platform for your story; your events, your specials, your off-menu moments, your reasons for people to come back. We're in the business of helping you attract the right diners for the right reasons.
The Hackney Club is open!
The club is live today on Appetite. If you're an independent venue in Hackney and you want to be part of what we're building, we'd love to talk.
