December is a strange month. By the time it arrives you are invariably knackered, and yet for some reason we have also decided that it should be insanely busy. As the poet Sarah Kay once put – “It is December, and nobody asked if I was ready.” It’s a cacophony of Christmas do’s, implausible work deadlines, perpetual colds, and Mariah Carey endlessly on loop. It’s a festive fever dream, and I kind of love it. But you also need to be able to block out all that busyness. To occasionally find an oasis of calm in the chaos. And on a classically dingy December eve, that’s exactly what I found at Escocesa. Sitting slap bang in the middle of Stoke Newington’s Church St, Escocesa has built up a brilliant reputation for delivering delicious tapas dishes, all served in an incredibly warming, friendly environment. Sounds amazing, although being an idiot, I’d never actually been before, having instead just vacantly nodded when an endless stream of friends and work colleagues told me how good it is.

I was here now though and could make up for lost time. And boy was it worth it. The perfect crispy then creamy jamon croquetas that make you wish they just sold them by the bucket; Delicious chipirones (fried baby squid) piled high on the plate; Escalivada, a traditional Catalan dish full of smokey peppers and aubergines that I’d never even heard of but now constantly think about like an old holiday romance; A seabass ceviche with grapes that tasted amazing and importantly was one of those dishes that looks a bit fancy when they plonk it on your table; And the marinated lamb in hummus that… actually there’s no point even trying to describe it, just go and eat it, honestly, one of best things I have eaten in years.
Everything about Escocesa was delightful, the food, the people, the atmosphere, and the fact that they are helping the local community through StreetSmart. Throughout November and December, diners can donate £1 per table when enjoying a meal and 100% goes to local charities supporting homelessness.

This year, the money raised from Escocesa and other Hackney restaurants goes to the Choir with No Name, a charity that runs choirs and builds joyful singing communities with people impacted by homelessness and marginalisation. Choir members not only get a chance to experience the multiple benefits of singing on physical and mental wellbeing, they also have access to a safe, welcoming space where they can make friends and establish a support network that can help them tackle the challenges they face outside choir.
December is a strange month, but it can also be a hard one – especially for people isolated and on the streets. StreetSmart offers restaurants and diners a simple way to help raise vital funds to tackle the misery of homelessness in London and beyond.