The Royal Docks is open

Pizza is big at Heroica Lounge, hence its nickname ‘the pizza bus’: here you can eat in a restored double decker from the 1980s. “Deciding to reopen was definitely a big choice to make due to the uncertainty of the health situation,” says Sergio Trivino, owner of Heroica Lounge. But if you’ve missed live music during lockdown, this is one for you: night soul sessions are back at Heroica.

“We’re trying to do our part to help people who lost their jobs, so we’re offering live music sessions to support musicians who’ve been affected by the pandemic,” says Sergio. Just call ahead and book to ensure a space and join the locals for a night out: Sergio says that the majority of customers pre-lockdown were from ExCeL and local hotels, but now it’s mostly locals who’ve rallied their support: “I strongly believe that if we help each other, we can get through this.”

Plenty more bars and restaurants are up and running again: the Oiler Bar on Royal Victoria Dock and the Windjammer in Silvertown are serving drinks once more. Nakhon Thai is back with its highly rated fare, Yi-Ban offers dim sum for everyone, and Pier Masala in North Woolwich is dishing up Indian favourites.

Eggs are the word at the Little Hudson Cafe near Thames Barrier Park – any style, or as an omelette, or with a side of spicy potatoes. This little neighbourhood meeting spot, whose brunch menu is second to none, is back again to champion sustainable food, grown locally wherever possible. Drop by for a Dirty Chai, a Matcha Crush or a Mellow Yellow; the cafe got a new blender this summer, so now it’s smoothies for all. Scan the QR code with your phone to pull up the menu (what’s more sanitary than that!), and have a seat either inside or on the pavement, enjoying the warm weather while it’s still here.

Expressway is back with a bang: its small business tenants are back in newly-renovated offices underneath the Silvertown flyover, where a new coffee shop stocked by local east London chain Perky Blenders x Goodvibes is serving up a good brew. Expressway’s 2020 Incubator programme is now taking applicants, where successful young locals will be paired with entrepreneurs within the building to help them develop that next big idea, be it an innovative prototype, a groundbreaking piece of software, or a new social enterprise.

Expressway tenant Husk Brewing spent the past few months cooking up something special: the Lockdown Sour is now ready to drink. The Husk tap room is open most afternoons and early evenings for people who’ve missed the simple joy of heading out for a beer with friends. If you’d rather stroll along the docks, takeaway continues to be available, just as it has been all summer. “Bars and breweries have struggled more than ever [this year], but thanks to your support we’ve powered through and can now see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Husk wrote on Instagram. “We have been truly overwhelmed with our community here.”

Life is better when you’re wetter: out on the water, the Royal Docks Adventure Trust is back with dragon boating and rowing. Wake Up Docklands is offering socially-distanced paddle boarding and wakeboarding. There’s plenty of space on the water to spread out, which is good as these sports have surged during lockdown. Wake Up Docklands are even hosting Paddle + Drinks + BBQ, which does what it says on the tin: a bit of paddling, a bit of socialising, and a lot of fun. Open water swimming by Love Open Water is back on too. The changing rooms are closed still, so put on your swimming costume at home under your clothes and arrive ready to dive in and enjoy the dog days of summer.