Tayyabs, 85-87 Fieldgate Street

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83–89 Fieldgate Street
Contributed by Survey of London on July 2, 2018

Now unified as a well-known restaurant of Pakistani origins, this group comprises several distinct buildings. The former Queen’s Head public house (No. 83) was rebuilt in 1885–6 for Truman, Hanbury, Buxton & Co., with J. T. Newman, architect, and Hearle & Son, builder. Grey paint disguises low- relief moulded and gauged red-brick architraves on the first floor.¹

The flat-faced three-bay building at Nos 85–87 was erected in 1907 with a two- storey (galleried) synagogue to the rear. This was for the Austrian Gemilus Chasodim congregation, and was founded by Simon Lewis, an oilman of Mile End Road (later Wentworth Street). Samuel Lissner of Cannon Street Road was the builder. No. 89 went up separately at the same time, built by George Barker for Abraham Steinberg, a grocer of 117 New Road who established a chandler’s shop here. Both developments (Nos 85–89) were assigned to Frederic Roger Betenson, architect. From the 1920s to the 1950s the synagogue was used as the Chevra Kehal Chasidim, different sects worshipping together, and perhaps reflecting a move from 33–35 Fieldgate Street or Black Lion Yard. A change of use for storage was approved in 1972, and later the former shtiebl became Tayyabs restaurant kitchen. Tayyabs grew from 1970s origins as the Spicy Foods snack bar at No. 89, adding other outlets before unifying the group in 2005, the Queen’s Head having closed in 2001.²