Poplar & Leamouth

Poplar is one of the poorest areas in London. This island of poverty makes Tower Hamlets one of the poorest Boroughs in London, despite its proximity to City and despite the financial district Isle of Dogs being located within the borders of Tower Hamlets. The architecture is mostly grim and brutal. Council flats are starting to get company from ultra modern sky-scrapers and luxury apartments. This mixture of poverty and modernism makes this area interesting for an architecture appreciator. Leamouth peninsula right next to Poplar is showing some signs of artistic atmosphere.
Sights:

• If you like to see brutal Soviet-style and dystopic architecture, Robin Hood Gardens and nearby Balfron Tower are worth checking out. 
• Trinity Buoy Wharf is an area by the Thames, where you can find all sorts of interesting stuff. It's a home to London's only lighthouse, there's a whole city built out of containers and it's full of street art, both paintings and sculptures. There's also an art gallery portraying changing exhibitions. Definitely worth a visit with your camera. 
  

Eating:

• Now, I don't know about the food itself, but this place has awesome camp value: There's an authentic American Fatboy's Diner built in a trailer at the Trinity Buoy Wharf. Fatty hamburgers and milkshakes in a style of the American movies. 

 Cafés:

• Bow Creek Café is a great little café next to the river. The café itself is built in a container, but there are tables outside. Great atmosphere!

Walks:

• There are two canal side walks going trough Poplar. Limehouse Cut connects Limehouse Basin to River Lee and Bow Creek is the beginning of the river itself. Limehouse cut resembles the canal from Mile End to Stratford with many graffitis and warehouses. Bow Creek is a bit scarier experience with huge cobwebs under rusty bridges. this strip has particularly industrial atmosphere. Both make for interesting walks or jogging grounds.

Areas around Poplar: Bow, Canning Town, Stratford, Mile End, Isle of Dogs, Limehouse