Floating restaurant and canalside hospitality venue brings Milk Float into its orbit as spring menu, kayak hire and more arrives beside Hackney Wick
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Spring is a season of renewal and the team at Barge East are looking forward to the warmer months.
With Easter out of the way, the floating restaurant and canalside destination has a lot lined up over the coming weeks, with a new menu and a fresh offering on land and water.
Kayla Dimmick has officially taken the tiller in the kitchen as Barge East’s newly appointed executive chef, setting the course of all food on board and by the towpath.
Originally from California, she trained at Le Cordon Bleu and cut her teeth at the Water Grill in Los Angeles before embarking on a career in high-end catering, cooking for the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Pharrell, Maroon Five and Reese Witherspoon.
She said: “I think my grandma has a huge impact on me because we were always in the kitchen.
“I’m half Japanese and she taught me how to bake dishes from Japan. The other influence was watching the food networks.
“Going to do my diploma at 19 was great because it gave me a really good grounding in the science of cooking.
“When you’re baking, for example, you need that knowledge, because everything has to be so precise and there are so many variables.
“It’s not just following the recipes, it’s about knowing how to adjust them to the humidity of the kitchen, for example.
“I really wanted to work in London – a move to a different country was getting me out of my comfort zone – and I was sponsored to do that by Barge East’s former executive chef, Stefano Camplone.
“I started off as sous-chef three years ago and I really liked the ethos of the restaurant – the food has always been very seasonal and sustainable.”
a taste of spring
Promoted to head chef and now executive chef, Kayla recently unveiled her first menu in her new role, ably assisted by fellow cook Solomon Aveyard.
“Our dishes always start with the ingredients – that’s where the inspiration comes from,” said Kayla.
“We bring in our suppliers, look at their sample boxes, taste them and then base our plans on what we will be growing in our waterside garden.
“It’s amazing to have that just next to the boat and it means we have fresh ingredients we can use every day.”
Kayla’s spring menu features snacks, small plates, large plates and sides as well as a choice of three desserts.
Highlights include Wildfarmed Foccacia with foraged wild garlic butter that boasts a substantial, meaty texture (£2.50), Lamb Belly Skewers with gooseberries from the garden (£9.90) and Stracciatella (the creamy bit in a burrata) served with a lush garnish of peas, broad beans, cucumber, thai basil and broccoli flowers (£11.50).
A top large plate choice is Beef Rump, rich red and juicy with a turnip cake, a chunky halved courgette and a bordelaise sauce (£32).
There’s a relentless focus on quality, spare, elegant presentation and freshness.
sweet flavours at Barge East
“My favourite dish is actually one of the desserts,” said Kayla.
“When I was training, people used to call me Betty Crocker because of how well my baking turned out.
“I like measuring everything, there’s an exactness about it.
“Instead of a traditional rum baba, we’re serving a version with fermented Japanese plum wine – it’s potent, very citrussy and flavourful, which fits perfectly with forced rhubarb and a diplomat – a combination of crème anglaise and whipped cream.
“It’s rich and then you have that sharpness – it’s delicious.”
Barge East has been awarded two AA rosettes for the past three years running and will continue its fine dining offering aboard the Dutch vessel.
However, its presence on land is growing and changing.
expanding Barge East outside
“Outside we have huge plans for the spring and summer,” said Kayla.
“We’ll soon be launching an area called The Terrace, which ties in with the food on the boat but in a bistro style.
“It will be outdoor table service with a Parisian vibe, serving snacks, steak frites and a plat du jour.
“Then we’ll be moving our street food offering to the garden.”
That shift comes as Barge East has added to its fleet, taking over neighbouring vessel the Milk Float, which will serve a selection of drinks as well as chilled treats from east London’s La Gelatiera.
This will also provide a base for canoe, kayak and paddleboard hire on the canal.
It’s a significant expansion for a business that started with three friends – Ryan, Blandy and Tommo – sailing Dutch Barge De Hoop over from Holland with the aim of turning it into a restaurant.
on the water for the summer
“We’re planning to open the Milk Float from April 30, 2026, with the aim of turning it into more of a cafe, floating bar and an events space,” said Stuart ‘Tommo’ Thomson, who also runs Skuna Boats in Canary Wharf.
“It’s going to have the best gelato I’ve ever tasted – selecting them from a choice of 60 was one of the best things I’ve done since we started the restaurant.
“We’re really excited about the summer – Hackney Wick always feels like a festival when the weather is warmer because there’s so much going on.
“We’re also looking at the mooring on the other side of us to see what we might be able to do on the water with that – we’re always looking to make things more vibrant on the water.”
In the more immediate future, Barge East also has plans in the works for a brunch offering, aimed at attracting weekend diners earlier in the day.
“I’m really excited about this,” said Kayla.
“I want to create a menu of really good brunch staples so we can add that to the offering.
“Everything is still to be confirmed, but I’d love to do a take on a salt beef bagel with hot mustard.
“Sometimes the meat can be quite dry, but I want to make one that’s really juicy on a really good quality bagel that we can source locally.”
key details: Barge East
Barge East is located in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park opposite Hackney Wick at Sweetwater Mooring.
The venue is set to be open seven days a week from April 30, 2026.
You can find out more here
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