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When I lived on Kew Road I loved Newens often incorrectly referred to as Maids of Honour after the curd tarts they famously sell. They also did amazing old fashioned cold pies such as turkey and ham with lots of meat jelly holding it together, salmon pie and great quiches.
Another notable mention was Outsider Tart who specialised in American food and cakes. Each item for sale was a heart attack waiting to happen. So good and yet so so bad.
When I moved to London I was amazed to find there was the real Mario’s Cafe which was the name of a a Saint Etienne track. Food was so so but for a music nerd that wasn’t too much of a problem.
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https://spitalfieldslife.com/2018/01/09/so-long-arthur-of-arthurs-cafe/
Interesting little article here
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As a poor civil servant a lunch for 4 or 5 quid in this day and age in that location is very hard to beat!
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I was brutally disappointed when I first tried pie, mash, jellied eels and the parsley liquor in East London.
Fuck me we as a nation have earned our reputation for bland food.
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i remember the one on Exmouth market closing and a week later the daughter of the owner standing on the same spot handing out badly designed flyers with directions to their new premises that were not on a trendy market street now selling iberian peninsula delicacies, wagu burgers and sourdough pizza.
a bit of me died inside at the futility of clinging on to a once local institution and resignation in her young face witnessing the destruction of her family livelihood.
As somebody acutely aware of tradition and history but also never eating pie and mash as i simply didn’t like myself being both an enabler and reason for the eateries downfall, i still have anxiety attack’s about the sorry tale now. -
That was the one I went to a few times as it was close to where a girlfriend lived. Sadly a little seasoning and possibly some fresh herbs they could have modernised their food. Instead it was bland as bland could be, the cheapest mince with no flavour and liquor was just wallpaper paste with green bits and the mash was lumpy. The only thing that added actual flavour was the vinegar they offered as the one condiment.
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that's a lovely article:
I run my cafe the old fashioned way, we don’t do frozen stuff, it’s all fresh. I get up around twelve thirty/one o’clock, but people won’t believe you if you tell them that. I cook my own ham and cut all my chips by hand. My grandson gets in at five fifteen and we open at seven, serving breakfast until eleven thirty. No toast after eleven thirty and no chips before twelve. At eleven thirty we clean up and put serviettes and glasses on the tables, and I go upstairs and put on a clean coat.
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I don't go to Terry's much anymore but when I go it's still good, although different from 'back in the day' (used to frequent around 15 years ago so hardly ancient history). Used to be a great mix of designer twats, builders, legal eagles (all working locally) and locals. Bit more touristy now. I'm impressed how Austin is managing it as a pretty full on brand and social media presence and seemingly keeping his sanity. They recently took over Maria's in the middle of Borough market with plans to expand.
It's more a diner than a cafe, but when I first moved to London whenever I went into central I would eat at Centrale on Moor St at the end of Old Compton St. It was cheap, the portions were huge and tasty. You shared booths with strangers. I can't remember what drink I asked for once and was told they didn't serve that American stuff here - maybe iced tea? I doubt it was Coke. I was gutted when it closed - that whole strip seemed to be shut down for years before anything happened. I can't remember if it was one of the buildings which was demolished for the hotel or eventually tidied up and re-let.
(More off-topic, when I started to get more money and after Centrale closed, my next favourite central London eatery was Lorelei a couple streets up, also RIP.)
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Maggie's in Lewisham!
https://www.maggiesrestaurant.co.uk/about-us/
Don't let the fact that they try to pitch themselves as a restaurant fool you. It's a greasy spoon that happens to have an alcohol license. Always busiest from 6am to 8am, heaving with high viz.
Maggie was a force of nature, sadly dying a couple of years ago. The streets were lined with people for her funeral cortege. She had run it since the early 80s and was famous for her Mrs Doyle like insistence on having another cup of (free) tea and pantomime anger if you dared ask for anything other than a cup of tea with your food.
Her kids run it now. The food is excellent value for money. A true local institution.
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When I first moved to London I stumbled across the Stockpot restaurants - cheap hearty meals served quickly. Nothing fancy but substantial and great value to someone with limited funds. It then transpired my mother had eaten at the same places when she worked in London too. Sadly I think the last one closed in 2015.
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Starlight Cafe in Stepney for me.
I would frequent on a Saturday morning after a big night - West Ham tattoos all round, denizens who smoked a pack a day and had been going there all their lives, Daily Star or whatever shite paper on the table. I went back there after having been away for almost a year and was greeted with “bloody hell, I thought you was dead”, which you simply do not get in 99% of London restaurants.
£5 odd for breakfast number 2 which cured any hangover and was often brought to the table with “done you extra bacon, you look like you need it”.
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excellent - added.
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It has closed now I think but there was Sid’s on Lamb’s Conduit Street. Had those Portuguese custard tarts you get everywhere. Fried chicken in breadcrumbs sandwiches etc. I mainly went because Sid’s wife said I looked like Paul Newman. But she said that about loads of blokes. Fast turnover is businesses on LCSt as rents so high. Rupert Everett used to live nearby and would sit on his steps watching the world go by with his actor looks.
Not a cafe so doesn’t count but Ciao Bella there is a great busy Italian there, very near GOSH, and parents with their kids go in, which makes you think hard about life.
Sorry thread drift. Enjoyed reading it. -
West Norwood's Electric Cafe
definitely deserves a spot on here. They really struggled during the pandemic but now back in full swing. Not open on Sundays anymore though, nor when they have a film crew in (which is often lately). -
More off topic but anyone who enjoyed the long piece on Arthur's might like this on Maurice Dorfman and Jeannette Fashions haberdashery in Clapham - exhibition might still be on at the library too - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-60905538
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Another
https://youtu.be/B4EWW9Ewgxs
dancing james
princeperch
Mr_Smyth
littleK
kilo24
hoefla
Stonehedge
Tracks
brandegg
gms
johnnettles2
veLLo
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About
Cafes of London - past and present
Posted by
@ChasnotRobert
Always found it very over-rate when I was working in Pimlico. People seems to think the shouty woman made up for distinctly average food.
Terry’s is ok, used to use that a lot as we had a garage on GSS. A friend was in there last week and said the set breakfast was enormous still.
There used to be a great one in Hildrith Street (sp?) at the bottom of Bedford Hill in Balham, Turkish family and he used to open at 05.00 so even with an early start you could get a decent fry.
Cafe of choice nowadays is the Kennington Cafe on the Vauxhall one way system.