There is also a London Cafe off Newington Green. It's clean and tidy inside, popular with workmen.
SOME NORTH OF THE RIVER
In Islington: yes, The Shepherdess is good. Also the Angel Inn by Angel Islington is good. The best in that area is Alpino on Chapel Market. It's worth a look just to check out the 1930s decor.
Along Holloway Road: the Highbury Cafe is good and has been there a long time. On the wall is one of their old menus from the 1950s. Further up is the Panda Restaurant, where the old dears go. Good for school-dinner type puddings.
Camden: the New Goodfare restaurant on Parkway is the best. Family-run, the capo di capo here is about 60 but dyes his hair black and wears plenty of medallions. Other cafe owners know him well - he is a 'character'. Past the Stables Market is John's Cafe, a good old-school workman's cafe. Nearer Camden tube is the Woody Grill, which looks like something out of Twin Peaks. By Camden Road station is the Parma: this has recently had a refit and looks a bit bland inside but has a lively atmosphere.
Euston: Eversholt Street has plenty of cafes. The Victory Cafe is run by an old Sicilian couple, very friendly. Further up is the Double Six, which has a cosy snug bit at the back. Conspiratorial atmosphere, popular with cabbies. There's also a weird-looking one run by an Irish bloke - name eludes me right now - but the front of it looks like an old wooden shack. You sit on a raised platform inside. Off Drummond Street is the Piccolo Snack Bar. As the name suggests, it's pretty small inside but nice old-time feel.
The best cafe on Chalton Street nearby is the Pinner, run by Turks. Popular with workmen and RMT officials. Round the corner is the Golden Tulip, run by Dennis and his extended family. A nice community feel here, lots of people nip in and out during the day for a yack.
Kings Cross: two good cafes have been lost here recently: the Railway (underneath St Pancras Station) and Bar Uno, formerly the Beehive, formerly the A1. The old lady, Maria, who ran it has now retired. The Modern Snack Bar has been revamped thanks to the Kings Cross Partnership and now looks crap. That leaves the Beano on Caledonian Road, which is tolerable, no more. Best to head south down the Farringdon Road to Muratori's, run by Gianni. Brilliant place, long history. Also the Kings Cafe near the sorting office is good, nice Turkish-style murals on the walls.
West End: well-spotted the Regency, Epona. Quite spartan and masculine inside (pictures of boxers on the wall), but very good value. Nearby is the groovily-named Astral Cafe, though the name just comes from the block of flats above it, Astral House. Down Horseferry Road is the fine-looking Fiesta Sandwich Bar, with a beautiful old sign and nice squidgy orange vinyl fitted seating.
SOME SOUTH OF THE RIVER
Battersea: plenty along Battersea Park Road. Highly recommended is Dave's Diner and the famous Corelli's. Check out Corelli's beautiful sign in the shape of an ice-cream cornet. I'll mention the Jimmy Griddle solely because of the name. Further west is the imaginately named The Cafe, run by a bunch of friendly Turkish nutters. Good puddings. By the little market in Battersea High Street is Lito's Cafe, very old-school inside, lots of old geezers, run by Chinese or Vietnamese people. On Lavender Hill is the Lavender Restaurant: good grub, popular with indigenous locals, but the bloke who runs is a bit up himself.
Peckham: the Star Cafe by Peckham Rye Park does a good mixed grill, and now and again an alright bit of roast beef or lamb. Big and echoey inside, once was a licensed restaurant, now struggles a bit later on in its lifecycle. At the other end of Rye Lane I recommend the Como Restaurant and the Criterion.
Bloody hell I can think of loads more . . . anyway . . .
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CAFF!
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