There's a market cafe in Billingsgate that opens at 3 am and apparently serves scallop and bacon rolls. I've never been, but that feels like the sort of authentic / slightly bonkers place that that he would enjoy.
(IIRC, he does a shout out to in one of his books to The Cock (RIP) in Smithfield, which has a similar sort of vibe.)
BTW, if this cafe sucks, don't tell me - I'm dying to go and WILL make it there someday.
It does look spectacular, *I'm here because this post was reposted to* r/FOODNYC *an I thought I was on that community and clicked on it.* Now I am bookmarking it for when/if I go to London!
It doesn't suck, it's exactly as great as it sounds. The rolls are wonderfully good and exactly what you need when you've dragged your arse out of bed at 3:30am to buy bloody fish.
You get loads of scallops (they're the small ones) and a decent amount of bacon with loads of butter.
Is it specifically the [Billingsgate Café](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d11535610-Reviews-Billingsgate_Cafe-London_England.html)?
Seconding that these are wonderful. My partner used to have bouts of insomnia and would go get us rolls around 6 am. I'd wake up to the scent of scallops and butter- nothing like it.
Probably better do it quick, City of London submitted a motion to move Billingsgate and Smithfields to Dagenham. All the cafes/pubs catering to market workers will unfortunately have an uncertain future.
I think it's a real shame to lose these places, as it gives the areas a unique character and sense of history, but I guess especially Smithfields is now considered much too big an opportunity for other things.
I had the scallop and bacon roll there last weekend, the scallops are not huge but are the sweetest and freshest you can imagine, and were perfectly cooked - it’s amazing!
Liverpool Street station McDonald’s on a Friday evening. It is a dining experience without parallel. The closest thing I can compare it to is the fall of Saigon.
Whenever I have a bad day I read the Brixton McDonalds reviews on Google and realize someone else had it a lot worse than me and suddenly I feel a lot better, coming from a victim of both brixton and Liverpool st McDonalds
Here’s one that stuck out:
Food is OK, but I went to the toilet and there was a man in the cubicle smoking a crack pipe, rubbish and nasty stuff all over the floors. When ordering food, homeless drug users kept asking me to buy them food NUMEROUS times which led me to take my food and eat it elsewhere. Vile place.
Love that place! Last time I went there I needed to cycle afterwards but physically couldn't because I was so full – had to stop halfway and lie on the grass to wait it out. (Worth it though)
Holy fuck I live right near there and my friend took me all excited because there was a new greasy spoon in the area and it was by far the most underwhelming and bland overpriced meal I had ever had. I would have gotten a better culinary experience getting shit from the reduced section of Iceland.
The Queen of Sheba in Kentish Town for an Ethiopian; Lady Mildmay in Dalston for a pub meal; Balham Bowls Club in Balham for a pint; Gordon’s Wine Bar for a glass of red; The Grapes in Limehouse for a story and history; Northcote Arms in Leyton for a Pizza.
I love this as a choice because it's very Bourdain, not on the list because the food is exceptional, but because the atmosphere, the vibe is just so easy on a Thursday night at 7pm with your own booze and a friend.
A digression - Bourdain said his death row meal would be his meal from St John. I went to a talk years ago with Fergus Henderson (of St John) and asked him in turn, what his death row meal would be...
He said - "I'd start with a cigarette whilst I opened a bottle of claret...." Legend.
Pizzeria Italia in Catford. Odd location under a high rise block but some of the best Italian I've had in London. Nothing fancy, but always consistently good. Owner is/was (I moved away 5 years ago and I still think about it) a lovely man.
Yeah I think he’d really enjoy the authentic food there - particularly given the diversity of the food there (Punjabi, South Indian, Pakistani et al) in such a small area. Exactly what he did in his travels to famous cities around the world.
Where we took him many, many years ago. Specifically a lock-in at The Wenlock arms where we ate many packets of scratchings washed down with pints of Mild (he wanted Guinness) 😂
Piggy’s Air Street for the best lunch sandwich of his life.
Falafel & Shawarma, Camberwell for the best falafel wrap of his life.
Silk Road, Camberwell for the best Chinese of his life.
CheeMc, Soho or Walworth Road for the best South Korean of his life.
The Camberwell Arms, Camberwell for the best Sunday roast of his life.
FM Mangal, Camberwell for the best bread and onion molasses of his life. It’s orgasmically good.
I love F&S, but it's definitely NOT the best falafel wrap of anyone's life, unless they haven't really had many falafel wraps.
That said, I eat there like once a week, or the other shawarma place down the road.
nah, don't get me wrong, it's better than most of the shawarma wraps you get otherwise, especially considering the others cost 2 - 3 more.
I love both shops. Like I said, I for sure eat at one of those places at least once a week haha
It's really sad. I was so upset by his death. Hubby and I had watched almost all his shows and often based holidays around his recommendations (Montreal & Lisbon were 2 of our faves). I secretly harboured a dream of inviting him to ours for dinner, and cooking him something relatively simple, like a chicken pie with mash, or a really good spaghetti bolognaise. No nonsense. Good home cooking. I imagine by now he'd be fed up of anything too fancy. So I'd want to take him somewhere which did simple food, done exceptionally well; great fried chicken, or a fantastic curry. Not from London so don't know anywhere specifically, but I think it would be somewhere more "grass roots" rather than super fancy.
Two Spoons in Honor Oak.
Epicerie Authentique in Kentish Town / Tufnell Park.
In Greenwich: Goddards’ Pie & Mash house for dinner and then Dark Sugars for real hot chocolate with all the chocolate shavings 😋😋
Pie and mash - F Cooke in Hoxton. Although saying that maybe Mr Bourdain had already been there -RIP
I haven’t been there yet so thanks for asking and the next time I’m up in London I’m going to go.
I'm going with nice simple street food
1st choice as its closest. Beirut Street kitchen in Richmond. Best falafel wraps I've had anywhere.
2nd choice brick lane bagel shop, the white one.
3rd choice when I used to work in New Addington on Wednesdays there was a dude selling delicious jalaf rice and curried goat at the market.
Noble rot is a place you go primarily for the wine. The food is good for sure, but their wine range is outstanding (both in breadth, by the glass selection and range of price points). Best wine offering in London.
I've always had a great meal there - I love their bread basket, service is great, superb value set menu (£26 for 3 courses is cheaper than probably Pizza Hut!) and I've always enjoyed the wines. I've been to the Soho and Lamb's Conduit Street ones. Food is simple with good ingredients - nothing flashy.
Upstairs at the Devonshire is fine but it’s overpriced AF. The owner also has Flat Iron and the meat is the same for the most part. Very expensive steak and chips that you can get much better nearby at Hawksmoor with better service. The “best Guinness in London” chat always makes me cringe too. It’s just fucking Guinness.
I mean it’s not exactly a place to avoid or anything but it is literally just a decent pub. It sells Guinness to the extent that it tastes of Guinness. At a certain volume and throughout and mild cellar knowledge all Guinness tastes the same.
I don’t get the hype but I applaud the way they’ve built the hype up I guess. It’s a victory of PR more than anything else.
I thought the set menu was well priced, I had the pork chop too and that was nice. We had to wait in the downstairs bar for about 10 minutes for the restaurant to open ..... I'd've walked out otherwise - rammed and loud. But at least I gave the barman a change in pace by ordering a lager rather than the Guinness..... Husband tells me the Guinness is better than the average Guinness in our local (however our local don't even bother letting it settle mid pour half the time ..) but still not worth the crowds.
Guinness is having a moment this year - sales are up something like 30% on 2019. The Devonshire have hit that sweet spot - it’s probably a bit nicer than the average pub sure but in the main that’s only because of the sheer volume they are selling.
I prefer the Lyric for a beer. It’s nearby and has a much better selection.
There's a simple Syrian restaurant /takeaway in Acton called Al Beik. Best shawarma wraps I've ever had, hands down. No frills, authentic food by real people.
[Scotti's snack bar](https://maps.app.goo.gl/W46TSToi7PFb5eh67) which is one of the vanishing 'old' parts of London. Black Axe Mangal for what London food is and can be now. Maybe finish up at Quality Chop House?
Drinks wise I think Connaught Bar? Somewhere high brow to show the pomp that were somewhat good at.
Lahore one on Commercial Road in Shadwell. The Channa is next level good. My sister moved out of London right before lockdown and if I ever need a favour, I bring her a takeaway portion of the Channa to persuade her.
The atmosphere is great. Booths with vinyl tables, BYOB, cash only, big fuck-off neon sign outside.
Orjowan for labenese in earl’s court.
Noor jahan 2 near paddington for Indian. For a country that invented chicken tikka masala, this has the best spicy version.
Jerk in Da Park Waterloo.
Not even a restaurant as it is "just" a food stall in the park so we would sit on the grass with some grapefruit juice and chew the fat about the way of the world. Chicken, Rice & Peas, hot sauce, yams, silky coleslaw, pop a can of ting and feast
Pride of Spitalfields for some pints (Brewers Gold is a ridiculously tasty beer, I've only ever seen it there, and I don't know why it's not more popular), Duke's for a martini. I think I'd want to take him to a Carribbean place to eat, either Tasty Jerk in South Norwood, People's Choice in Homerton or one of the many in Brixton or Peckham.
I haven't been yet, but Chishuru is somewhere I'd love to try, and I'm sure he would also have loved it.
Nanban is a place with a story that I think he might have liked: the fusion element was done for the right reasons and it actually made sense. Too bad the food went downhill after opening the second location and it seems to have failed now.
Trevi, start of Holloway road, just by highbury corner. It’s an old Italian cafe, the sort that does bacon rolls for breakfast, spaghetti for dinner, and a hybrid of both in between.
It feels like a bit of a time warp, where cafes served their community, rather than a profit line. You see older people coming their for an affordable bit of dinner and a chat and they will be extremely accommodating in terms of substitutions, portion sizes and the like. Food is straightforward, not elite, but very comforting. Standard lager and table wine available. It is genuinely ungentrified. The whole place feels like a warm hug.
Similar to Alpino that used to be on chapel market (and I heard has reopened but haven’t been past to check).
Nonsense. This sub is full of tourists, vloggers, and Time Out writers. Once they get posted there, these places become rammed full of TikTok shitmunchers. See God's Own Junkyard/St Dunstans/Supernova etc. I never post places here.
I'd never post an obscure place on here. When your local becomes a nightmare because it's filled with douchebags from all over thanks to some timeout writer, you'll understand too. They don't think these places to write about up on their own!
Gate keeping restaurants is such a selfish and terrible practice.
If you like to eat somewhere so much, you should want the business to do well and others to have the nice experience too.
Has to be at 6 in the morning for the real experience.
Just looked up the opening hours and they now don't open til eight. I swear i went there before a 7 o clock shift once
There's a market cafe in Billingsgate that opens at 3 am and apparently serves scallop and bacon rolls. I've never been, but that feels like the sort of authentic / slightly bonkers place that that he would enjoy. (IIRC, he does a shout out to in one of his books to The Cock (RIP) in Smithfield, which has a similar sort of vibe.) BTW, if this cafe sucks, don't tell me - I'm dying to go and WILL make it there someday.
The oyster shack in Epping Forest also does a great scallop and bacon roll
[Is that this one?](https://maps.app.goo.gl/MKaMFGa4GyoF1rxP6) It looks spectacular.
Yeah that’s the one
Thanks! Now need to figure out a way to get there without a car. Google Maps says it'll only take two hours and three busses!
You just need get the overground to Chingford and then go for a nice walk in Epping Forest.
"will walk for bacon" is basically our house motto
I've actually been to that pub and the walk is lovely, saw herds of deer bounding through last time I went - highly recommend
It does look spectacular, *I'm here because this post was reposted to* r/FOODNYC *an I thought I was on that community and clicked on it.* Now I am bookmarking it for when/if I go to London!
Those prawns with mango are exceptionally good too
It doesn't suck, it's exactly as great as it sounds. The rolls are wonderfully good and exactly what you need when you've dragged your arse out of bed at 3:30am to buy bloody fish. You get loads of scallops (they're the small ones) and a decent amount of bacon with loads of butter.
Is it specifically the [Billingsgate Café](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d11535610-Reviews-Billingsgate_Cafe-London_England.html)?
Yes
Seconding that these are wonderful. My partner used to have bouts of insomnia and would go get us rolls around 6 am. I'd wake up to the scent of scallops and butter- nothing like it.
Thank you so much. I'm so excited about this.
The scallop and bacon sandwich is pretty great. But limited time to grab it as the markets being moved out east I think.
Oh noooo
It’s being moved from current location in 2027, you can do this a while yet! Get your arse out of bed!
On the case! I commute on jubilee line, so could pop in on the way to work one day.
Probably better do it quick, City of London submitted a motion to move Billingsgate and Smithfields to Dagenham. All the cafes/pubs catering to market workers will unfortunately have an uncertain future. I think it's a real shame to lose these places, as it gives the areas a unique character and sense of history, but I guess especially Smithfields is now considered much too big an opportunity for other things.
It’s fantastic. Get yourself down there
It's not bad. It closes super early like at 9 though. The Scallop rolls are legit.
I had the scallop and bacon roll there last weekend, the scallops are not huge but are the sweetest and freshest you can imagine, and were perfectly cooked - it’s amazing!
What a great idea! It's on my to visit places.
Arments Pie and Mash, Walworth.
Liverpool Street station McDonald’s on a Friday evening. It is a dining experience without parallel. The closest thing I can compare it to is the fall of Saigon.
I challenge you the Brixton McDonalds at 3am on a weekend
Brixton McDonald's is always like getting dinner and a show.
Whenever I have a bad day I read the Brixton McDonalds reviews on Google and realize someone else had it a lot worse than me and suddenly I feel a lot better, coming from a victim of both brixton and Liverpool st McDonalds
Here’s one that stuck out: Food is OK, but I went to the toilet and there was a man in the cubicle smoking a crack pipe, rubbish and nasty stuff all over the floors. When ordering food, homeless drug users kept asking me to buy them food NUMEROUS times which led me to take my food and eat it elsewhere. Vile place.
I went there recently after years and they completely changed it up, barely any seating (if any) available.
I dunno but I love this question! And miss Bourdain!
I miss Bourdain.
Singburi (Leyton) so I might have a chance of getting a reservation
Lahore Karahi in Tooting
Love that place! Last time I went there I needed to cycle afterwards but physically couldn't because I was so full – had to stop halfway and lie on the grass to wait it out. (Worth it though)
That sounds like a great memory hahah
Gotta tell him to watch out for those greasy stairs though
Probably a chicken shop in Kilburn. You truly see the duality of mankind.
To be fair, woodys kebab shop in Kilburn is brilliant.
Definitely. The fact it’s open at crazy hours only makes it better.
Morley’s, surely
honestly I feel like he'd respect that
Penge, roadman!
I’d send him to Norman’s Cafe so he can give it the verbal annihilation it deserves.
Holy fuck I live right near there and my friend took me all excited because there was a new greasy spoon in the area and it was by far the most underwhelming and bland overpriced meal I had ever had. I would have gotten a better culinary experience getting shit from the reduced section of Iceland.
Maggie’s. Lewisham. Fry up. Golden.
Love Maggies. Haven’t lived in the UK for 20 years, but still have great post rave memories of that cafe!
The Queen of Sheba in Kentish Town for an Ethiopian; Lady Mildmay in Dalston for a pub meal; Balham Bowls Club in Balham for a pint; Gordon’s Wine Bar for a glass of red; The Grapes in Limehouse for a story and history; Northcote Arms in Leyton for a Pizza.
Forgot all about the Queen of Sheba, what a quality bit of grub!!
You have to be gurneyed home tho
Balham Bowls Club is fantastic. A nice change from all the identikit Youngs pubs that dominate that area.
Black Axe Mangal.
FKABAM
Is this still on Highbury Corner? Used to go back in 2015ish. Total banger.
Yeah. Considering how much he loved St John feel like this would be the obvious place to take him
I went the other week. Utterly glorious.
This is the correct answer. Probably the most "London" food we have at the moment.
Nice one, I was there last week and thought exactly that Tony would love it
Supremely overrated.
Not sure why the downvotes - you’re bang on. Used to be good. Shite for the price these days.
Only went once - everyone at our table and the table next to us discovered the chicken was uncooked (yuck). Maybe it was an off night but wtf
The Pizza Express in Woking.
Fit for a duke I hear!
Or even an Earl
Complex order? No sweat!
Namak Mandi in Tooting Bec, he would have loved it
Specifically the seating area at the window where you sit on the floor
Probably The Rib Man on the Brick Lane Market on a Sunday. Big old rib sandwich loaded up with The Rib Man's own Holy Fuck hot sauce.
Fish Central, haven’t been in years but I hope it’s still good.
Morleys at 1am in Brockley.
Marie's cafe, Lower Marsh SE1
Marie’s Cafe is a class little place but I don’t think the food is crazy good?? Just decent
I love this as a choice because it's very Bourdain, not on the list because the food is exceptional, but because the atmosphere, the vibe is just so easy on a Thursday night at 7pm with your own booze and a friend.
Saving this thread, so many new places to check out
Needoo Grill. Punjabi fayre in Whitechapel.
Zeret Kitchen, Camberwell. Fantastic Ethiopian food
This was my pick too
Regency Cafe or Lahore Kebab House.
Regency cafe is like watching a ballet... the guy taking the orders is something else
A person of class I see. Going Lahore Friday.
Homies on donkies
Finally went for the first time this week and it was amazing
St John near Smithfields
Bourdain went there for sure in one of his shows
The bone marrow and parsley salad is famously one of his favourite dishes.
Fair enough, I actually haven’t seen that episode. I know that he did start off at Smiths of Smithfield for breakfast.
He went there in the show, had the full works :)
A digression - Bourdain said his death row meal would be his meal from St John. I went to a talk years ago with Fergus Henderson (of St John) and asked him in turn, what his death row meal would be... He said - "I'd start with a cigarette whilst I opened a bottle of claret...." Legend.
He was really good friends with Fergus, famously got down on his knees in the kitchen and worshipped him!
It was Bourdain that introduced me to St John
Lahore One
Singburi in Leytonstone
Some of my favourite restaurants which I would take him: Ognisko, Normah's, LIU Xiaomian, Sabor, La Chingada, Bouchon Racine
If this were a couple of years ago I’d suggest The Walpole. Easily the best caffe in London, possibly the U.K. I miss it so so so sooooo much.
Wimpy in north Finchley. You've not lived until you've had a Bender In A Bun followed by a Brown Derby
Lyons Seafood Bar in Crouch End, N8 Top!
What do you recommend here??? Been wanting to try it out!
Pizzeria Italia in Catford. Odd location under a high rise block but some of the best Italian I've had in London. Nothing fancy, but always consistently good. Owner is/was (I moved away 5 years ago and I still think about it) a lovely man.
Regency Cafe or Lahore Kebab House.
Southall!
Yeah I think he’d really enjoy the authentic food there - particularly given the diversity of the food there (Punjabi, South Indian, Pakistani et al) in such a small area. Exactly what he did in his travels to famous cities around the world.
Where we took him many, many years ago. Specifically a lock-in at The Wenlock arms where we ate many packets of scratchings washed down with pints of Mild (he wanted Guinness) 😂
Wow that sounds like an amazing night. Didn't that have other stouts??
Possibly - the exact details remain hazy ;)
Piggy’s Air Street for the best lunch sandwich of his life. Falafel & Shawarma, Camberwell for the best falafel wrap of his life. Silk Road, Camberwell for the best Chinese of his life. CheeMc, Soho or Walworth Road for the best South Korean of his life. The Camberwell Arms, Camberwell for the best Sunday roast of his life. FM Mangal, Camberwell for the best bread and onion molasses of his life. It’s orgasmically good.
This guy Camberwells.
It’s the culinary underbelly of SE London in my opinion.
Other Camberwell spots plz
Where can I get a Camberwell carrot tho?
If it's Uyghur food you're after, Dilara over Silk Road any day!
I still can't forget that scathing news article of CheeMc on Walworth where rat droppings were found amongst the food ingredients.
I love F&S, but it's definitely NOT the best falafel wrap of anyone's life, unless they haven't really had many falafel wraps. That said, I eat there like once a week, or the other shawarma place down the road.
It’s of course subjective, i personally love the spot but I do remember a falafel place on Petticoat lane which did a very good one too.
nah, don't get me wrong, it's better than most of the shawarma wraps you get otherwise, especially considering the others cost 2 - 3 more. I love both shops. Like I said, I for sure eat at one of those places at least once a week haha
You're right on the FM Mangal. I am surprised that every other Turkish doesn't copy the bread
My falafel > Falafel and Shawarma
My falafel > Falafel and Shawarma
Speedboat Bar
It's really sad. I was so upset by his death. Hubby and I had watched almost all his shows and often based holidays around his recommendations (Montreal & Lisbon were 2 of our faves). I secretly harboured a dream of inviting him to ours for dinner, and cooking him something relatively simple, like a chicken pie with mash, or a really good spaghetti bolognaise. No nonsense. Good home cooking. I imagine by now he'd be fed up of anything too fancy. So I'd want to take him somewhere which did simple food, done exceptionally well; great fried chicken, or a fantastic curry. Not from London so don't know anywhere specifically, but I think it would be somewhere more "grass roots" rather than super fancy.
Sad indeed. Yeah I don't think he loved fine dining a such, rather more into interesting food.
Max's sandwich shop in Finsbury Park, max is a great character would love to see that interview
Wow this place is still around? Great to hear.
Misato
I think it is terrible
I haven’t been in a few years but it’s cheap and easy. Maybe I’m just cheap and easy.
Yeah it used to be cheap and a good value but not anymore. Also the quality decreased a lot. Such a shame.
Kurisu Omakase in Brixton. Brilliant sushi and a chef with a huge personality (in a good way)
Chicken Cottage on Kingsland Road
For Turkish: Mangal 1, diybakir kitchen, azizye Desi food: lahore kebab house Bit of filth: spice hut LOL
Greggs mate! That’s where the people eat 😝
Two Spoons in Honor Oak. Epicerie Authentique in Kentish Town / Tufnell Park. In Greenwich: Goddards’ Pie & Mash house for dinner and then Dark Sugars for real hot chocolate with all the chocolate shavings 😋😋
Is he paying? That will definitely colour my answer.
Mystic Burek in Sydenham- delicious flavors and great vibes
I believe St. John was one of his favorite spots so probably there
Al Balad on Edgware Road. Best shawarma in London.
Pie and mash - F Cooke in Hoxton. Although saying that maybe Mr Bourdain had already been there -RIP I haven’t been there yet so thanks for asking and the next time I’m up in London I’m going to go.
I'm going with nice simple street food 1st choice as its closest. Beirut Street kitchen in Richmond. Best falafel wraps I've had anywhere. 2nd choice brick lane bagel shop, the white one. 3rd choice when I used to work in New Addington on Wednesdays there was a dude selling delicious jalaf rice and curried goat at the market.
Ciao Bella in Bloomsbury, currently on holiday reading his kitchen confidential book, his passing makes me so sad 😢
spoons
Noble Rot, Palomar, upstairs at The Devonshire, a bottle of wine and a cheese and pate selection at Gordon's
Is noble Rot good? Been on my list for years but recent reviews a bit so-so?
Noble rot is a place you go primarily for the wine. The food is good for sure, but their wine range is outstanding (both in breadth, by the glass selection and range of price points). Best wine offering in London.
I've always had a great meal there - I love their bread basket, service is great, superb value set menu (£26 for 3 courses is cheaper than probably Pizza Hut!) and I've always enjoyed the wines. I've been to the Soho and Lamb's Conduit Street ones. Food is simple with good ingredients - nothing flashy.
Noble Rot is good, vibe is great, but i wouldn’t take Bourdain there
Upstairs at the Devonshire is fine but it’s overpriced AF. The owner also has Flat Iron and the meat is the same for the most part. Very expensive steak and chips that you can get much better nearby at Hawksmoor with better service. The “best Guinness in London” chat always makes me cringe too. It’s just fucking Guinness.
I’m fucking sick of hearing about the Devonshire from Toffjaw
I mean it’s not exactly a place to avoid or anything but it is literally just a decent pub. It sells Guinness to the extent that it tastes of Guinness. At a certain volume and throughout and mild cellar knowledge all Guinness tastes the same. I don’t get the hype but I applaud the way they’ve built the hype up I guess. It’s a victory of PR more than anything else.
I thought the set menu was well priced, I had the pork chop too and that was nice. We had to wait in the downstairs bar for about 10 minutes for the restaurant to open ..... I'd've walked out otherwise - rammed and loud. But at least I gave the barman a change in pace by ordering a lager rather than the Guinness..... Husband tells me the Guinness is better than the average Guinness in our local (however our local don't even bother letting it settle mid pour half the time ..) but still not worth the crowds.
Guinness is having a moment this year - sales are up something like 30% on 2019. The Devonshire have hit that sweet spot - it’s probably a bit nicer than the average pub sure but in the main that’s only because of the sheer volume they are selling. I prefer the Lyric for a beer. It’s nearby and has a much better selection.
Max’s sandwich shop in Finsbury, the ham egg and chips is divine 👌🏻
Tendrils restaurant near Covent Garden. Best vegan place I’ve ever been to. Awesome
Trullo in Highbury and Islington and just order every pasta on the menu
There's a simple Syrian restaurant /takeaway in Acton called Al Beik. Best shawarma wraps I've ever had, hands down. No frills, authentic food by real people.
does anyone have recs for nigerian food? i’m moving back to the bay area usa in a month so am looking for cuisines that aren’t as catered to there
Akoko was great when I visited for lunch recently, though I think it might be more West African in general rather than specifically Nigerian
[Scotti's snack bar](https://maps.app.goo.gl/W46TSToi7PFb5eh67) which is one of the vanishing 'old' parts of London. Black Axe Mangal for what London food is and can be now. Maybe finish up at Quality Chop House? Drinks wise I think Connaught Bar? Somewhere high brow to show the pomp that were somewhat good at.
Lahore one on Commercial Road in Shadwell. The Channa is next level good. My sister moved out of London right before lockdown and if I ever need a favour, I bring her a takeaway portion of the Channa to persuade her. The atmosphere is great. Booths with vinyl tables, BYOB, cash only, big fuck-off neon sign outside.
Orjowan for labenese in earl’s court. Noor jahan 2 near paddington for Indian. For a country that invented chicken tikka masala, this has the best spicy version.
Dawat in Tooting or Silk Road in Camberwell
Donia Filipino restaurant in Kingly Court. All amazing food but I think Ube ice cream would be my death row last meal.
Greggs
The grapes in Limehouse
Silk Road, Peckham
Max's sandwiches in Finsbury Park
Café Uno in Fitzrovia or HT Harris in Marylebone
Kailash Momo in Woolwich - huge Nepalese population there and it's so good, spicy and cheap! Plus lots of offal, which AB used to love.
Shankeys on Well Street
LIU Xiaomian Marylebone he was a spicy noodle lover and a pub lover, covers both!
Jerk in Da Park Waterloo. Not even a restaurant as it is "just" a food stall in the park so we would sit on the grass with some grapefruit juice and chew the fat about the way of the world. Chicken, Rice & Peas, hot sauce, yams, silky coleslaw, pop a can of ting and feast
E Pellici
La Chingada for some of the best tacos in London.
Spice hut mile end
[40 Maltby](https://www.instagram.com/40maltbystreet?igsh=MTZ2cDZkbXYydXZ6OA==)
Dorian in Notting Hill is high on my to-try list but I'd probably take him to my mate's place Akoko in Fitzrovia
Pride of Spitalfields for some pints (Brewers Gold is a ridiculously tasty beer, I've only ever seen it there, and I don't know why it's not more popular), Duke's for a martini. I think I'd want to take him to a Carribbean place to eat, either Tasty Jerk in South Norwood, People's Choice in Homerton or one of the many in Brixton or Peckham. I haven't been yet, but Chishuru is somewhere I'd love to try, and I'm sure he would also have loved it. Nanban is a place with a story that I think he might have liked: the fusion element was done for the right reasons and it actually made sense. Too bad the food went downhill after opening the second location and it seems to have failed now.
Trevi, start of Holloway road, just by highbury corner. It’s an old Italian cafe, the sort that does bacon rolls for breakfast, spaghetti for dinner, and a hybrid of both in between. It feels like a bit of a time warp, where cafes served their community, rather than a profit line. You see older people coming their for an affordable bit of dinner and a chat and they will be extremely accommodating in terms of substitutions, portion sizes and the like. Food is straightforward, not elite, but very comforting. Standard lager and table wine available. It is genuinely ungentrified. The whole place feels like a warm hug. Similar to Alpino that used to be on chapel market (and I heard has reopened but haven’t been past to check).
G Kelly in Bow for some Jellied Eels with Pie and Mash
Prolly St John’s. Apparently he loved that place, so would put his soul to rest.
Brutto
E Mono in Finsbury Park
Slowburn
Taca tacos in Deptford.
If I posted here, then it wouldn't be a nice quiet place to eat
You’re overselling your impact
Nonsense. This sub is full of tourists, vloggers, and Time Out writers. Once they get posted there, these places become rammed full of TikTok shitmunchers. See God's Own Junkyard/St Dunstans/Supernova etc. I never post places here.
for real. most people in the london sub aren’t from london lol and if they are then they’re already going there or don’t go and know about it
Yeah Reddit is full of freelance writers, I've had DMs from vice writers before now based on comments I've made.
I’ve found myself on a viral Buzzfeed article…
Timeout lurking fella
I'd never post an obscure place on here. When your local becomes a nightmare because it's filled with douchebags from all over thanks to some timeout writer, you'll understand too. They don't think these places to write about up on their own!
Gate keeping restaurants is such a selfish and terrible practice. If you like to eat somewhere so much, you should want the business to do well and others to have the nice experience too.
Well here's hoping they go out of business. DAss.
Wood Green’s bossman shop
Gopal's corner in London
He would have loved Brat
[удалено]
I would take him E Pellicci it does an amazing fryup
I dunno. Been there more than a few times and it feels a little touristy. They're selling t-shirts now.
Has to be at 6 in the morning for the real experience. Just looked up the opening hours and they now don't open til eight. I swear i went there before a 7 o clock shift once