cafe miscellania

  • from Kieran

    i used to work as a dispatch rider in london and went to hundreds of cafes and i've seen some of my old faves on your website. i wonder if you can help me find a real gem.... it was a small cafe run by an ex-boxer in his late 50's and had old b&w photos of boxers/fights/promo posters all over the place and i mean from skirting boards to ceilings. the food was good but the character of the place and the people there was awesome. all i can remember is that it was in it's own small building in the greenwich area on a desolate industrial estate. it'd be great to re-visit or see a review cheers and thanks for all that dedicated eating

  • from Clare

    It may be too far out of the west end for you, but I have a haven of greasy spooned-ness at the end of my road. YORK CAFE on Woolwich Road is clean, friendly and with proper chips. It is even licensed I think. Give it a go!

  • from Lambros

    TJ's Cafe in mortlake sw14 open seven days a weeks, big portions!! cheap. you should definatley visit this place won the "best greasy spoon" in london award 2003

  • from The Shropshire Cafe

    Russell how come we have not seen you at our cafe you are missing a treat. We serve the best all day breakfast in the North West We cater for everyone also we are in the process of taking on the title of the Ace Cafe of the Midlands Regards Lynn & Pete.

  • from Dave

    May I heartily recommend Sues Cafe in Gillingham Road, Gillingham, Kent (almost opposite the Arriva Bus Depot). Great food, great tea............very good prices for such good quality breakfasts and dinners.

  • from Abby

    The mess in Hackney is much nicer (and admittedly middle classer) than it's local counterparts (nice sausage rather than pig's bum). Some say it's better than Mario's... Alt for a good proper greasy spoon Dilari's on the corner of Mare Street is pretty good. Packed out every lunchtime and they have a non-smoking side of the room. Finally, if you live near Ealing and you've never been to Starvin' Marvins you're missing out. I was cautiously eating my breakfast with the pancake and maple syrup on one side and the bacon and eggs and hash brown on the other. Then absentmindedly I stabbed a bit of bacon onto the end of my syrupy pancaked-up forkā€¦ It's manna from lardarse heaven.

  • from Emma

    I love yr book and website. I have never commented on one or a blog before as I dont know how to. My son got this space for me. I am trying to get info on my favourite old cafe, The Blue Sky, by corner of Westbourne Grove and Chepstow Rd,London W2, between PAddington and Portobello Rd, which was my home from home from 1974-80.I lived in various squats and flats nearby and hung out with various groovy people in those days.... It closed down a few years ago. I wld love to get photos and the name/address of the lovely Irish waitress and Italian boss.... I have tried the Archives at Westminster City Library but no luck. I am doing a Ceramics degree as a v mature student and want to do an installation recreating a table at it, the light coming thru steamy bright plateglass windows, the smells, food, china,plastic menus, etc etc. I have assembled a load of stuff (tables, chairs etc),but they are not perfect. I wonder if you have any ideas on where I cld borrow/hire perfect stuff in one fell swoop, for a few days in early Jan 07? Most of all I want to get hold of a tape/CD of cafe background noises. Any ideas? Many thanks, Emma

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Comments

damien

i think i'll call in on friday. first trip into the city in a long time, and it's conveniently next door to frith st!

damien

i went yesterday, and was thoroughly confused. the shop to the right of the cafe that has chairs outside it - are they part of Maison Bertaux? there was a strange, very pimp-esque man loitering at the entrance of his minicab doorway nextdoor, but after you got used to him he added to the environment.

when my tea arrived, it took me a while to work out why i was given hot water - i assumed that after the first cup, you poured the extra hot water in to make some less-strong tea. it worked well for me, even if thats not what it was intended for. i did find the tea especially strong, and did feel a little queazy later on (i take it black)

however, the cafe seemed to have an especially "london" charm about it (something my swedish friend and myself (irish) had not yet encountered in our 9 months in the city. a conversation that started in the cafe literally went on for 4 hours as we aimlessly walked around london

i thoroughly recommend this cafe.

sarah

I have just started an MA project on interesting cafes and have visited a couple in your archive. I particularly enjoyed Maison Bertaux because of its quirky decor, scatty but lovely owner and fantastic array of pastries- and I was allowed to take photos! There were some interesting types in there aswell, which made my time there thoroughly enjoyable! Will definitely be going there again.

Sam

Maison Bertaux, is a great Tea shop / Cafe, after reading Damiens recommendation, how could you not rush for a pot of tea.

Its a greet place to meet up and have a cuppa and a cake, and yes you do get a pot of hot water, and they even have pastry forks...

London Living at its best.

Sam

Marybeth Richards

I have been a Maison Bertaux fan for more than 20 years, partly for the proper tea but also because the pastries are so scrummy. The tables upstairs are too close together, the man in front of the minicab shop next door (he seems to have been there for ages) is a strange addition, but the whole place works. One of my favourites, because of the quirks; my last raspberry tart from MB had 25 raspberries on it, which certainly was a plus as well. Yum.

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