Pulse & Pickle, Walthamstow

https://pulseandpickle.org/
34 High Street, Walthamstow, London, E17 7LD

Walthamstow High Street is the world’s shopping centre; international supermarkets, grocers with a focus on African and Asian goods, and Eastern European speciality shops are just a few things that contribute to the multicultural melting pot.
What also sets it apart from other areas of London is the focus on community that seems to permeate through things and Pulse & Pickle brings a certain soft radicalism to community building.
A not for profit vegan restaurant come community centre, it is a “free space” where anyone can come to sit or have a free cup of water or herbal tea, while those who can afford to pay for coffee or a meal are treated to cuisine that utilise ingredients from local, organic farms.
It’s also a meeting place for many community groups that produce art and music and we’re welcomed with this warmth and generosity upon entry, the servers showing a genuine interest in our presence and subsequent enjoyment of the overall experience.
We sit down to a platter of vegan dishes including a Turkish stew, homemade hummus with chickpeas and pitta, braised tofu and a selection of other dishes to sample and share.
I order a mug of Techo Verde coffee, arabica beans grown in the Peruvian wilderness through organic subsistence farming. It’s a sweet, sprightly beverage that feels a little like spiced rum and chocolate. The whole experience typifies cosiness and helps solidify bonds to the area that are burgeoning within us. Im genuinely excited to have found this space and know I’ll be spending more time here where I can.