Walthamstow

E17, the postcode and Walthamstow the area, both found themselves in the public psyche for a while in the 80's as boy-band E17 rode a wave of stardom. Walthamstow, complete with a busy 400 stall street market, almost feels like an English town rather than a borough of London.

There are bars with late licenses, street cafes, and restaurants and also some good pubs, in the summer the local street festival is one of the most popular in East London.

Leytonstone has always been slightly cheaper than its neighbours and isn't as interesting. It has busy roads and its lack of amenities means few make the detour without reason.