LUNCH
An informal café lunch can be a glorious thing, and there are destinations across London that think that the midday meal deserves far better than a soggy cheese sandwich. The cafés in this chapter elevate the humble lunch to something truly special.
KIPFERL
Billed as an Austrian coffeehouse, Kipferl wears its theme lightly. It’s slick and contemporary, and would feel almost Scandinavian were it not for a counter teeming with sachertorte, apfelstrudel and guglhupf (that’s a marbled budt cake). Almost all of the ingredients, including beer and wine, are sourced from Austria, which means you can order a delightfully evocative skiing-holiday spread of wurst, sauerkraut and mountain cheeses. House specialities are beef gulyas (goulash) with homemade egg noodles, and the veal schnitzel, served with a sharp, pickled salad. For breakfast, there’s bauernfruehstueck (fried eggs, bacon and potatoes), or if you’re looking to trim down for the slopes, a ‘Sporty Breakfast’ of granola, yoghurt, fruit and mint. Coffee is lovely, and served Austrian-style with a glass of water and a little chocolate on the side: wunderbar.
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20 Camden Passage, N1 8ED.
020 7704 1555
Angel tube.
BRANCHES: Ladbroke Grove W10 5NL.
THE LONDON PARTICULAR
Bringing rigorous seasonality and gentrified flavours (lime aioli, celeraic fritters) to the discerning denizens of SE14, this tidy little spot beside New Cross Overground station is worthy of being a destination café. Lunch is the star, as the kitchen is ambitious, creative and talented. The café also does a fine daily breakfast (the sausage sandwich with ‘shallot relish’ is divine), as well as simple cake and coffee (beans sourced from HR Higgins of Mayfair, offering a more Italianate grind than the Aussie blends which are so popular across London). On weekend evenings, fancier fare comes to the fore, though served on informal sharing plates, in keeping with the rough-hewn, intimate vibe of the room. Craft beer and decent wines are on offer, and next door the same crew run ‘LP Bar’, a triumphantly crazy, airliner-themed cocktail bar.
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399 New Cross Road, SE14 6LA.
020 8692 6149
New Cross Overground.
OTTOLENGHI
Yotam Ottolenghi’s mini-empire of deli-bakeries has spawned many copycats, but its window displays of billowing, pastel-coloured meringues and wonderful cakes and tarts triumphs as the most tempting. Although sweet treats may be the honey trap, Ottolenghi made his name with fresh, vegetable-heavy dishes that fuse Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines and zingy, unusual flavours: think manouri and za’atar breakfast frittata sprinkled with sumac; a lunchtime salad of caramelised sweet potatoes with burnt-aubergine yoghurt, basil and toasted seeds; and dinner options that include miso-glazed mackerel with green mango and carrot pickle. The à la carte is pricey, but lunch is great value given the quality of ingredients and care taken in the kitchen. Ottolenghi is rightly popular throughout the day, so expect to wait for a table.
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287 Upper Street, N1 2TZ.
020 7288 1454
Angel or Highbury & Islington tube.
BRANCHES: Belgravia SW1X 8LB; Notting Hill W11 2AD; Spitalfields E1 7LJ.
ALBION
It may call itself a ‘caff’ but Albion is far from a greasy spoon. Co-owned by design legend Terence Conran, it’s got a simple, classic aesthetic – none of the usual Shoreditch jumble-sale look here – and doubles up as a high-end deli and bakery (there’s also a bar and rooftop restaurant above). Beyond the bottles of posh lemonade, baskets of fruit and crisp baguettes, the café serves hearty breakfasts (fried duck eggs on toast, for example) and a comprehensive all-day menu of British classics, ranging from roast chicken sandwiches via salt beef and split green pea broth to a game pie big enough for two to share. Grab youself a kerbside alfresco seat and watch the Shoreditch rabble go by.
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2-4 Boundary Street, E2 7DD.
020 7729 1051
Shoreditch High Street Overground.
BRANCHES: Redchurch Street E2 7DJ; Bankside SE1 9FU.
BRIXTON VILLAGE
Thanks to some innovative thinking, Brixton Village – once a neglected, half-empty market – has transformed into a thriving hub for start-up businesses, and is now a bona fide destination for both tourists and Londoners. There are so many delicious things on offer on every row of the indoor market that the best option is a food crawl. Start with a freshly made waffle from Mediterranean café Wild Caper (pictured above) or try one of its luxurious brunches made with Clarence Court eggs. Next, take time out with a flat white at Antipodean pitstop Federation Coffee (and, if you have space, a delicious raspberry friand). After a little shopping and market browsing, you might find belly space for a Middle Eastern-style wrap stuffed with, say, chargrilled halloumi and spicy Merguez sausage, from former supperclub French & Grace. It’s all fabulous budget food, so expect crowds, a bit of hustle and lots of atmosphere.
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Brixton Village, SW9 8LB.
Wild Caper: 11a-13 Market Row, 0207 737 4410. Federation Coffee: Unit 77-78, no phone. French & Grace: Unit 19, 020 7274 2816.
www.brixtonmarket.net/brixton-village
Brixton tube.
PLUMP
Navigate the sullen East End wasteland that incongruously surrounds Plump (unfinished industrial units, rusty gas holders, graffitied stretch of canal), and you’re in for a proper treat. Grab a window-facing stool if you yearn to just ponder the stark concrete outside; or pull up a seat at the giant communal table for a more convivial time. Plump is something of a sanctuary, with homely cakes, kindly staff and a really good pour over coffee. The menu changes with what’s in season (check its Instagram @plumpcafe for a reliable daily heads-up), though you can expect the likes of stuffed red peppers, broccoli, bean and quinoa salad, and fat falafel and pesto sarnies. For breakfast, tuck into the usual classics including soft boiled eggs and soldiers, and a chilli and avocado toast that’s hard to beat.
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11 The Oval, E2 9DU.
020 3137 2243
Cambridge Heath Overground.
FOXCROFT & GINGER
Spread over two floors on one of the few streets that still retains some of Soho’s original gritty charm, Foxcroft & Ginger doesn’t just do hot food and sandwiches – it does slow-braised beef stew with pancetta crumble, and a coconut chicken laksa sandwich. And all at wallet-friendly prices. It also lays claim to one of the best breakfasts in town: the poached eggs, pedantically but perfectly poached at 63°C for an hour, are spot-on. You’ll find them served with roasted mushrooms and truffled hollandaise on sourdough, or in the eggs Benedict alongside tasty pulled duck. For something lighter, the Chelsea buns are delightfully sticky, and you can also get your hands on a cruffin (yes, part croissant, part sourdough, part muffin).
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3 Berwick Street, W1F 0DR.
No phone.
Oxford Circus tube.
BRANCHES: Dalston (at Beyond Retro) N16 7XB; Stepney Green E1 4TT.
PERSEPOLIS
Despite myriad grocery distractions packed onto shelves in this unique, treasure-trove Persian deli-cum-café, you’ll always spot owner Sally Butcher thanks to her red hair and cheerful greeting. She and her jovial Iranian husband run this Peckham peculiarity with an intoxicating mix of passion, humour and energy – their drive evidenced by the pages from Sally’s many cookbooks, which decorate the walls. Everything on the menu is vegetarian – and refreshingly cheap. Order a generous mezze platter, eggs scrambled with a swirl of harissa, or the hotpot of the day. The only meats are sweetmeats: try the honey-doused baklava, or the spectacular saffron-laced banana split topped with pistachios, rosewater syrup and boozy cherries. Then browse the store to recreate the experience at home.
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28-30 Peckham High Street, SE15 5DT.
020 7639 8007
Peckham Rye Overground.
GRANGER & CO
Anyone expecting Aussie chef Bill Granger’s London restaurant to be as scrappily informal as his TV persona will be surprised: this smart, bustling brasserie occupying a high-ceilinged corner site on Westbourne Grove is all sky-high mirrors, giant blooms and gilt edging, with on-the-ball staff and a well-to-do clientele to reflect its money-washed location. This is Bill in business mode; you, however, can sit back and take it easy. Enticing brunch and lunch dishes demonstrate why Granger first captured our culinary imagination – try the crispy courgette fritters with creamy tahini dip, grilled halloumi, and a fresh, citrus-dressed salad, or make like a local and sip a flute of champagne at the swanky room-length bar. Free side order of celeb-spotting with every visit.
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175 Westbourne Grove, W11 2SB.
020 7229 9111
Westbourne Park or Notting Hill tube.
BRANCHES: Clerkenwell EC1R 0HA; King’s Cross N1C 4AG.
FLEET RIVER BAKERY
With more chains than a 90s hip-hop video, Holborn can lack soul. But indie beacon Fleet River Bakery (named after the ‘lost river’ that courses beneath central London from Hampstead to the Thames), gives the place a much-needed neighbourhood feel. Patronised by the legal eagles of nearby Lincoln’s Inn Fields (as well as some savvy tourists), on weekday lunchtimes the queue regularly snakes out of the door. And with good reason: delicious quiches and seasonal salads (fennel, orange and dill for instance) are carefully made, and the yummy frittata is something of a local legend. Naturally, bakery goods are key (the clue is in the name) – hazelnut millionaire shortbread, lemon ripple crunch cake and amazing scones are all baked in the kitchen downstairs.
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71 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A 3JF.
020 7691 1457
Holborn tube.
BRANCHES: Fleet Kitchen, Bloomsbury WC1H 0JW.
THE SPOKE
The Spoke is a friendly neighbourhood joint housed in a spruced-up pub, serving a morning-to-evening menu and frequented mostly by locals. Inside, the repurposed space is high-ceilinged and light, with beautiful wooden floors, a grey-tiled bar and industrial shelving behind. The brunch menu is tasty (porridge; French toast; a great full English), and the coffee smooth. But the much-billed burgers are the highlight (mature beef and cheese; prawn po’boy; and ‘Japanese’ mayo), which you can order alongside a swift lunchtime half. Though Spoke is marketed as a bike-friendly café (there is little reference to this cycling theme besides the name), during the week you’ll mostly find it littered with four wheels (pushchairs) and local mums, while weekends attract a slightly younger and notably more bearded crowd, perhaps with a bike in tow.
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710 Holloway Road, N19 3NH.
020 7263 4445
Archway tube or Upper Holloway Overground.
FERNANDEZ & WELLS
This laid-back Antipodean-style café plays host to a steady stream of Soho’s discerning workers throughout the day – particularly creative types impressing their clients, or lunching with colleagues. The attraction is threefold: good-quality coffee (a single-origin Has Bean blend); lunch ranging from ciabatta filled with deli favourites to savoury toasted croissants; plus cakes that mean business by sourdough bakery Blue Door (try the buttery, sugar-coated Eccles cakes or prettily drizzled lemon crunch loaf). Each outpost of Fernandez & Wells (there are six in total, all varying in size) does its own thing – around the corner on Lexington Street, the original branch serves excellent tapas and wine late into the evening – but all share a rough- and-ready urban aesthetic that shows a great eye for design.
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73 Beak Street, W1F 9SR.
0207 287 8124
Piccadilly Circus tube.
BRANCHES: Tottenham Court Road WC2H 8LP; Duke Street W1K 5NR; Lexington Street W1F 9AL; Aldwych (at Somerset House) WC2R 1LA; Exhibition Road SW7 2HF.
FINK’S SALT & SWEET
This super-friendly neighbourhood deli-café opened in a former butcher’s shop on a quiet Finsbury Park side street. There’s a Scandi-style minimalism to its outfitting (school chairs, white tiles, lots of grey), as well as its menu, which features a salmon board and laid-back mix of charcuterie, cheeseboards and sandwiches (avocado, harissa and goat’s cheese is a good choice). Coffee is excellent, cakes are fresh and delicious and the service is stellar. The shelves are also stacked with lovely deli items to buy and take home, from posh biscuits to unusual spreads. In the evening, Fink’s operates as a cosy dinner den with unusual small plates and a strong wine list. If you’re in the area (the Sylvanian Families shop is a few doors down, together with a brilliant bike shop and antiques shop), Fink’s is very hard to resist.
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70 Mountgrove Road, N5 2LT.
No phone.
Finsbury Park or Arsenal tube.
DAYLESFORD ORGANIC
In a city teeming with restaurants that pay lip service to ethical, sustainable and organic practices, Daylesford Organic stands out as the real deal. Most of the artfully presented meat, soil-flecked vegetables and artisan cheeses in its chi-chi ground-floor shop come from its pioneering Gloucestershire-based farm, and everything else is organic and sustainable – although you may have to remortgage your house to shop here. The mezzanine café-restaurant, whose walls are inset with huge cross-sections of tree trunk, reinforces the brand’s nature-first philosophy. Dishes such as caper- and herb-strewn smoked salmon on pumpernickel bread, topped with a golden-yolked hard-boiled egg, are popular with well-heeled regulars. Don’t miss the bakes, either: Daylesford’s light, golden-crusted scones with delectable clotted cream and berry-packed jam are a delicious advert for organic living.
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208-212 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RH.
020 7313 8050
Ladbroke Grove tube.
BRANCHES: Pimlico SW1W 8LP; Marylebone W1U 4AU; Mayfair (at Selfridges) W1A 1AB.
J+A CAFÉ
The first pleasing thing about this café is its location: finding the right alley off the roaring Clerkenwell Road and spying the cheery string lighting is like unearthing a small treasure. Housed in a former diamond-cutting factory, J+A is split into thirds – there’s a ground-floor café with open-plan kitchen; more tranquil seating upstairs; and across the yard, a bar. They all share the same brilliantly stripped-back but warm aesthetic, and they’re all looked after by Johanna and Aoife Ledwidge. The sisters are keen on sourcing good ingredients (proper craft beers in the bar, proper tea in the café), as well as wholesome comfort food (pies, stews, soda bread) and remembering their Irish roots – you’ll get Tayo crisps on the side of your steak sandwich and the chocolate Guinness cake isn’t to be missed.
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1-4 Sutton Lane, EC1M 5PU.
020 7940 2992
Farringdon tube.
SNAPS + RYE
Found on a stretch of Golborne Road that still has some of that rickety, run-down charm that Notting Hill has sadly lost, Snaps + Rye brings a welcome injection of that untranslatable Danish ‘hygge’ to W10. Décor is, predictably, Scandinavian minimalist: white walls, nice wood floors, a few splashes of royal blue and, of course, Eames chairs and Poulsen lights. The open rye sandwiches (smørrebrød) are simple but perfected to a tee, the rarebit (malt-soaked rye and Gamle Ole cheese) is tangy yet comforting in all the right ways and, while the cinnamon buns aren’t the best in London (for those head to the Scandinavian Kitchen, or Nordic Bakery), the flat white is definitely a contender for a crown.
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93 Golborne Road, W10 5NL.
020 8964 3004
Ladbroke Grove tube.
BIRDHOUSE
Despite stiff competition from the cafés surrounding Clapham Junction (the excellent Story Coffee is just a few doors down), this Cuban-run outfit has built a deserved fanbase thanks to its passionately sourced beans and flavour-packed brunches and lunches. Forget chintzy teacups; Birdhouse’s modern-municipal décor mixes reclaimed school desks, slate-grey walls and filament bulbs, plus clusters of kooky bird-themed artwork. Nothing is slapdash: a single-origin coffee menu complements the Climpson & Sons house blend, while a splendid range of fresh, creative food options namecheck top-quality suppliers such as Brindisa. Cuban specialities abound, with ropa vieja, bocaditos (sandwiches loaded with anything from steak, caramelised onions and cheddar to chicken, bacon jam and cabbage) and even mojitos featuring on the menu. The cool, upbeat vibe has proved a local hit.
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123 St John’s Hill, SW11 1SZ.
020 7228 6663
Clapham Junction Overground.
BIRDIE NUM NUMS
The achingly hip attendees of Goldsmiths college (just over the road from Birdie Num Nums) adore this café for two reasons. First, the interior: a charming mish-mash of rustic knick-knacks, Anatolian bazaar tat and red leather armchairs make it a lovely place to sip fruit tea and flick though a well-thumbed Balzac. Second, the menu: homely classics like fish finger sandwiches and giant baked jacket potatoes satisfyingly fill the void left by mummy’s cooking, enhanced by nifty, playful grown-up touches (for instance the ‘pulled-pork mac ’n’ cheese’). In a nod to history (the space has been looked after by the same Turkish family for three generations), the café also fries a mean falafel, and a novel ‘full Turkish’ breakfast with chargrilled halloumi, red pepper hummus, olives and buttered, sesame-dusted corek bread.
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11 Lewisham Way, SE14 6PP.
020 8692 7223
New Cross Overground.
MONOCLE
Many a café can be described as looking like it’s leapt from the pages of a lifestyle magazine, but this sleek-lined Marylebone hotspot actually has – it was set up by the founder of both cult design mag Wallpaper* and niche, hipster-leaning, global-affairs publication Monocle. With this pedigree, it’s no surprise that it’s a favourite with the style crowd. That it looks ultra-chic is (likewise) a no-brainer, but the café also delivers brilliantly on the food front, mixing Japanese and Scandi influences in snacks, breakfast and lunch, such as a sandwich filled with crunchy shrimp katsu or a filling chicken nanban. To drink, try an Allpress coffee or the much-Instagrammed matcha hot chocolate. Or make like a Monocle subscriber and pop in for an Aperol spritz.
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18 Chiltern St, W1U 7QA.
020 7135 2040
Baker Street or Bond Street tube.
CAFÉ VIVA
Viva put down roots in Peckham before the area became trendy, and the low-key venue has become a locals’ favourite thanks to its wholesome food and lovely staff. The very compact, lived-in interior (bare brick plastered with flyers on one side, white walls showcasing Peckham-based artists on the other, an open kitchen at the back, and a mish-mash of artfully battered secondhand chairs and tables in-between), welcomes a combination of freelancers, families and passing flâneurs. Specials such as subtly spiced lentil, spinach and coconut soup are excellent additions to a menu that focusses on all-day breakfasty snacks such as brioche baps filled with chorizo, fried egg, roasted tomatoes and rocket. To finish, the carrot, mango and coconut cake is a moist and fruity foil to a fortifying cup of locally roasted Volcano coffee.
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44 Choumert Road, SE15 4SE.
020 7639 2922
Peckham Rye Overground.
IVY’S MESS HALL
This café’s green and white striped awning is like a beacon guiding Dalston’s peace-cravers toward a haven away from the chaos of Kingsland Road. Inside, it’s effortlessly and rustically chic: dark wooden floorboards and exposed brick walls are a backdrop to worn wooden tables, metal stools and bible-pocket chairs. Massive pastries, homemade cakes and generous sandwiches adorn the stainless steel bar (all modestly priced), but a proper meal is worth settling in for. Rotating daily specials include morning burritos and chorizo and avocado brioche buns, a series of exciting small plates, beautifully cooked steak and lots of lovely things delivered on artisan toast. Food (and cocktails) are served well into the evening, when the dusky den takes on the vibe of a stylishly dishevelled candlelit café-bar from the backstreets of Berlin.
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129 Kingsland Road, E8 2PB.
020 7254 8006
No website.
Dalston Junction or Dalston Kingsland Overground.
SPIT JACKS
With its bright yellow front, it’s impossible to miss Spit Jacks, which is sat in the heart of Hackney’s lovely little Victoria Park Village. Although it’s known for its buttermilk fried chicken, most of the menu is Spanish-flavoured – think tortilla or Serrano ham and manchego sandwiches for lunch, and tapas for dinner. The Iberian influence even extends to breakfast – why have a full English when you can try huevos rancheros (eggs with black beans and salsa) or huevos rotos (eggs with chorizo and fries)? It’s not easy to get to (there’s no nearby station) but since it’s on the edge of Victoria Park, you can weave a Spit Jacks stop into your exploration of the area.
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87 Lauriston Road, E9 7HJ.
0208 985 7773
London Fields or Cambridge Heath Overground.
