River cafe is a much-appreciated classic. It's like a slice of Boulting Brothers or the world of Galton and Simpson. Run with care and love by a fantastic Italian family.
The ebcb is delightful. Plump, stumpy chips. The egg nestling between bacon and chips, like the VIP area at Live8. The beans forming a more informal culinary moshpit.
Simple condiment set-up. Basic colours, complimentary, like a colour wheel from a fashionable tile company.
And those tiles are brilliant. You could spend a productive thirty minutes just staring at them, working out the pattern permutations, imagining little mazes.
Lovely tables too. Is it formica? I don't know. I'm never really sure what formica actually is, but they're lovely. And make you think you should start talking like Tony Hancock.
The interior is all shiney tiles, patinaed wood and fading Juventas posters. I could live here.
This place is genius. And it's right opposite the tube. Get yourself down there. Spend some time in a heavenly timewarp.
I do like a place that offers tea (or coffee) in a mug. Can't be doing with those titchy cups.
Posted by: Poss | April 15, 2006 at 07:59 AM
Unless it's against Russel's ethos, I would love to see a report about a Cafe he really didn't like, with pics included. Anyone else agree? Just out of curiosity really.
Posted by: Chris | April 19, 2006 at 03:18 PM
hello Chris,
Interesting thought. I can appreciate the idea. It'd be fun. But I decided not to do that when I started this. I really hate all those books called Crap This and Crap That and I don't want to contribute to the tidal wave of crapness. This is about good cafes. Sorry. I can see a niche opening for someone though.
Posted by: russell | April 19, 2006 at 03:33 PM
"The egg nestling between bacon and chips, like the VIP area at Live8. The beans forming a more informal culinary moshpit."
Russell, this was beautiful. Really. Pure poetry.
Posted by: Blip | April 25, 2006 at 12:55 PM
just to mention Cagneys in Templars Square Oxford.do a great all day breakfast.As well as a full menue.On the walls are photos of James Cagney, hence the name.
Posted by: Trevor & Gloria Mcilveen | May 24, 2006 at 01:17 PM
looks like an old pie and eel shop ... the colouring I mean.
Posted by: Lorna | June 26, 2006 at 11:16 PM
Lovely place full of cheer. This appears to be because the food is excellent and prices keen. It is served with charm and good nature. This makes the customers cheerful and in turn the staff cheerful. I have been to the other River Cafe near Hammersmith Bridge and that place I could not criticise for food and ambience. But the River Cafe at Putney Bridge is better in my opinion as an all round experience.Lovely interior and a great vew out of the picture windows of the old District Railway designed station with a sucession of big red buses moving past. A great place to visit. Big mug of tea 60p !
Posted by: Daniel John Rust | January 27, 2008 at 10:29 PM
hi, i think it is formica on the tables, for future identification, its a thin laminate placed on top of the wood, often with a pattern. Formica isnt the type of laminate, its the company that makes it.
Please ignore how sad I sound in my description of a table surface, but im a great fan of these old cafes and 'greasy spoons', and you pick up info as you guzzle bacon in lots of different places.
www.greasyspooncafe.notlong.com
Posted by: tex | February 01, 2008 at 07:37 PM
Came across your website as I am looking for a fantastic breakfast joint, fancy-style, in West London to take my aunt for her birthday. She is Danish and a wonderful Danish tradition is to celebrate your birthday in the morning, hence looking for a special breakfast venue (ie: Claridges or the Wollesly).
However, I am so inspired by your blog that I wanted to put in a good word for a cafe I discovered out of boredom and quite by accident while touring B&Q stores.
The name of this delighful, honest-to-goodness place is The South Chingford Cafe, (nr. the North Circular and the B&Q Chingford).
What a delight! Clean as a hospital should be. Brekkie served to order as I wanted it: (well-done sausage, under-done bacon, fried slice not a problem) and the real clincher - the owner or chef coming out and asking if I wanted to sample his soup he just made.
What a wonderful find! Not exciting at all to look at from the outside but a real haven for good honest stodge cooked proudly by people who had a passion for their product. All under £4 for the Real English!
If you want, I can only suggest you track it down next time you are in Chingford, or South Chingford, home of the greasy spoon.
MIKE FROM CHICAGO
PS My local is Mona Lisa in Chelsea on the Kings Road
Posted by: Swinehead | March 24, 2008 at 11:47 PM