Leather Lane Market - EC1

I have written before about two fine coffee establishments on Leather Lane in EC1 - Department of Coffee & Social Affairs and the mighty Prufrock - both well worth a visit and both making Leather Lane one of London's coffee destinations.  OK let's pause for one second - (i) wow - amazing to think we now have multiple coffee destinations in this town and (ii) do I sound like a complete wanker by using the term "coffee destinations"?  Anyway, moving on.  Visiting Leather Lane recently I realised it deserves a blog post all of it's own.  Not only because of the aforementioned caffeine possibilities, but also because it has some kick-arse food vans and street food and it manages to have all this whilst

 retaining it's character as a slightly down at heel, traditional London street market.  You still have the stall selling batteries and cheap cleaning products, you still get racks of sketchy looking clothes and the shops along the Lane are (thank God) only mildly "trendified" - and that is exactly as it should be.  How much better it is to find your gem of a cafe or street-food vendor in the middle of a normal street rather than be spoon-fed your culinary experience as part of some horrible artificial "artisan's enclave" (shudder).  So - on to the food options, in the past I had already tried the Lamb & Halloumi wrap stall at the top of Leather Lane which is amazing, so on my recent visit I reluctantly walked past it to try some of the others stalls.  I had been aware of Daddy Donkey for some time (how could you not with that name) and their Leather Lane van has been there for some years but I had yet to try them.  Their tagline is "kick-arse Mexican grill" and my burrito lived up to that description.  I went for the "Daddy D Burrito" with Picadillo (slow cooked beef in garlic, onion, spices, tomato and chipotle salsa - oh yeah) and it was a big helping of tasty, spicy deliciousness.  As I was with the other half we were able to get two lunchtime dishes and share them and we went from Central

 America to SE Asia and had a steamed pork bun from Kin.  Kin's stall sits in front of their restaurant - which I haven't been to but looks good and has that typical "pan Asian" menu that most westerners demand and which I always think is unfortunate as  it means the chefs can't concentrate on being really good at one particular Asian country's dishes. However I'm sure that Kin does all their dishes well and there were several things on there that I definitely want to go back and try.  The stall was manned (womaned?) by two friendly lassies who served us a pillowy steamed bun chock full of pork, herbs and chilli sauce.  This is one of my favourite dishes and whilst nowhere can match the brilliance of Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York, this pork bun was pretty damn tasty and we wolfed down alternate bits of burrito and pork bun with great pleasure (don't judge and don't knock it 'til you've tried it).  Leather Lane market has been around for about 400 years and does not actually derive it's name from some past life as as the centre of London's leather trade (ooh-ah) but according to this fascinating site the name derives from one of the original traders, La Vrunelane.  This site also claims the market's origins came from the settling of a gambling debt of King Charles II in the 17th century, which whether or not it is true is a great story.  So whilst you are wandering the Lane munching on your burrito, lamp wrap or pork bun or whilst you are looking cool sipping your flat white or piccolo in Department of Coffee & Social Affairs or Prufrock, know that you are one of a long line of Londoners who have spent time on this slightly shabby but rather charming street in Holborn.

Wesley's House & Chapel - City Rd EC1

Why, in 13 years of living in London, had I never stumbled across the lovely Wesley's Chapel in City Road?  It was only after leaving Salvation Jane and deciding I fancied a meander through the City (I love the City on weekends - no people!) that I found it.  A statue of John Wesley guards the entrance and behind it is the imposing Chapel.  I had a look inside and it was all very grand and Georgian.  I felt bad skipping the museum (the rather earnest woman on duty

 did look a little disappointed) but I spent some time looking round the grounds and as a big fan of Georgian architecture, I was particularly taken with this fine specimen to the right of the Chapel entrance.  I realised I knew very little about John Wesley and to be honest, having skipped the museum I didn't know much more when I left but my post visit research has told me that in the 18th century, John Wesley was an Anglican evangelist who eventually led the split from the Anglicans to form the Methodist Church.  You can read more about him and the Chapel, Museum and Wesley's House here if you are so inclined.  Exiting the Chapel ground and heading across the road I discovered another hitherto unknown (to me at least) gem, Bunhill Fields, a rather lovely old cemetery, used to bury "Non-conformists" (not only non Christians but at that time, also non-Anglicans, like our friends across the road) from the late 17th to the middle of the 19th Century.  On a sunny Saturday, Bunhill Fields was a calm oasis from the rather unlovely City Road and I was treated to several colourful jays flying around (one pictured below) and possibly the most confident and pushy squirrel I have ever encountered.  I'm sure during the week this place must be a popular lunch spot for nearby workers, but on this visit I had it almost to myself and it felt quite special.

Salvation Jane - City Rd EC1

I have always been a big fan of Lantana - I remember thinking that I had finally found somewhere in London that did breakfasts like I remembered from Melbourne.  The fact that I only worked round the corner was an added bonus and I have bought a lot of coffee, many breakfasts and way too many blondies from Lantana.  So I was delighted when I heard that Shelagh, owner of Lantana, was planning to open a sister cafe in Shoreditch and have been hanging

 to check it out.  As an aside, for some reason whenever I talk about Salvation Jane, I keep referring to it as Proud Mary, not quite sure why....  Anyway I finally made it there yesterday - I had a lovely Saturday East End coffee adventure (more to come on that) and made sure that Salvation Jane was on the itinerary.  Situated just where the East End morphs into the City, this is a really different location for the Lantana crew and the interior is also very different from what regulars are used to in Charlotte Place.  It is much more industrial and modern than the mothership - but it kind of fits into the locale.  I perched myself up

 at the bar and ordered a flat white and a blueberry friand.  I was presented with this rather fine specimen

with an expertly poured swan on top - the coffee is of the same quality as Lantana and I loved my flattie made with Square Mile beans.  I am a late convert to the friand but have taken to them with gusto and this blueberry version was a perfect sidekick to my coffee.  So nice one Shelagh - you've opened a really cool cafe to your (hopefully) expanding empire, long may you thrive.

CaPhe VN - Clerkenwell Rd EC1

I have written before about how much I love CaPhe VN's Saigon street cafe in Broadway Market in Hackney and I was super excited to hear about their latest opening in Clerkenwell.  I am still holding out hope that these guys will open an outlet in Soho or Fitzrovia but at least Clerkenwell is closer to my workplace then E8.  This area of Clerkenwell is so cool - the Zetter, the Zetter Townhouse, The Modern Pantry, St Ali, St John St around the corner - foodies are spoilt for choice and CaPhe VN is a welcome addition.  I love the fact that CaPhe VN have kept the street cafe vibe by having beach chairs out the front of their Clerkenwell store - there is such a friendly vibe with these guys and that combined with delicious bahn-mi is a winning combination.  Predictable as I am , I once again opted for the classic pork bahn-mi and it was as excellent as always.  Given the slight Autumn chill in the air I did opt to have my Vietnamese coffee hot rather than cold today - I prefer it chilled but the hot, strong, sweet coffee and condensed milk combo was a winner also.  If you haven't yet sampled the delights of bahn-mi then there is no better place to start than Caphe VN - although I warn you, one visit and you'll be hooked like me!

Smithfield Market - EC1

Hearing visitors to London say that they want to visit all the markets - Spitalfields, Columbia Road, Portobello, Smithfield.  I always wonder if they realise that Smithfield Market is not full of chi-chi clothing stalls or organic chocolate brownies - but is rather a working wholesale meat market.  Hopefully when they get there though, they end up loving this area as much as I do.  Whilst the current market building is a magnificent Victorian structure, its stands on a site that has seen the meat trade being plied for over 800 years.  In the days when London was a walled city, Smithfield lay just outside the city wall on the banks of the River Fleet and as such was perfect grazing land for livestock gathered for sale.  Also used as site for public gatherings and more gruesomely executions (Smithfield saw the demise of William Wallace - and the less you think about how he died the better...ouch) the area around the market is so dense with London history it's almost palpable.  As well as the heritage of this place and the wonderful architecture (market buildings and associated structures included) it is also home to one of my favourite caffeine-refuelling stations, Dose Espresso (now in larger premises), plus great restaurants and of course a short walk to the wonderful Barbican Centre.  I had a brief and fairly uninspiring stint at a new media agency nearby and I used to tube it to Farringdon and walk through Smithfield every morning when the traders were sluicing out the blood from their stalls - quite a way to start a working day (and to be honest probably the high point).  I have always loved Farringdon and Clerkenwell and the area is getting better by the day - particularly around the junction of St John St and Clerkenwell Road (I give you the Modern Pantry, St Ali and the Zetter Townhouse to name but three must-visit spots).  For those of you of the clubby persuasion in the early 2000's (and beyond) you will have seen this area at all hours whilst stumbling in or out of Fabric (I may have thrown a shape or two there myself...).  I always loved the proximity of this establishment to the meat market - maybe it was because it gave it a 1980's New York vibe.  As always in a big city, some of the wonderful market buildings have been threatened with demolition by *gnashes teeth* property developers, especially given the proximity to the ever encroaching City, but fingers crossed it looks like the threat has been averted - except for the demolition of some buildings in the cause of f*cking Crossrail (go here for further rants).  Anyway - if you haven't been to Smithfield or Farringdon, do yourself a favour and head there this weekend, take the time to wander around the beautiful main market building, make sure you check out the church of St Batholomew the Great (which has existed here in some form since the 12th century) and just take a moment to think of all that has gone on in this particular pocket of this amazing city.

Dose - the new digs, Long Lane EC1

I have written about Dose before, in fact it was one of my early blog posts and I have not managed to get back there nearly as much as I would have liked.  The fact they have upgraded to larger premises next door to their old site was a good excuse to visit again, so I Boris-biked there with my friend Andy to check out the new look Dose.  One of the things I really love about them is that they serve a "Gibraltar" which is like a pint sized latte - even though the picture to the right looks like a full size glass, this is actually a cute mini-version and was about 6cm high.  Not sure I get the difference between a Gibraltar, a Piccolo, a Cortado and a Stumpy, but I like them all and given the amount of coffee I drink it's nice to cut down on the milk.  We also partook of Dose's delicious food selection - a toasted haloumi, avocado and bacon ciabatta-thing was super tasty.  We also shared a "fully loaded Blondie" which was nice enough but to be honest it tasted a bit too healthy for my liking - I prefer the chewy, dense, definitely not-healthy Lantana blondie (SO good).  Anyway - nice to see that Dose is thriving and expanding - it is a really great cafe serving top notch coffee (using Square Mile beans) and decent nosh.  I love the Smithfields area (and will be blogging more about some of my favourite bits over the coming weeks) and having Dose there makes me love it even more.

St Ali - opening in EC1

I am excited that Melbourne coffee gurus St Ali are poised to open a London outpost.  Word on the street is that it will be in Clerkenwell Road, just back from the corner of St John St, which is a really cool area.  Right across the road is The Zetter and also the Modern Pantry.  For those of you who wondered, could Clerkenwell get any better?  The answer my friends is yes.

Prufrock Coffee - Leather Lane EC1

I have been hanging out to visit Gwilym Davies' new Prufrock Coffee location on Leather Lane.  Having already had amazing coffee at the first Prufrock site in Shoreditch High St and having enjoyed many a fine coffee from Gwilym's stands at the Columbia Road and Whitecross Street markets, I was fairly sure I was in for a top notch flat white.  And I was right - it's amazing that now that we are so spoiled for good coffee in London you start to distinguish between "good" coffee and "excellent" coffee.  Just think, a few years ago I was forced to drink double tall lattes at (gasp) Starbucks and now I can take my pick and critique from at least 6 great cafes within 5 minutes walk of my office.  Anyway I digress - the flat white I had at the new cavernous Prufrock space in Leather Lane was sensational.  I am a little confused by the aforementioned cavern though - so much space and so little furniture!  Don't get me wrong - after crowding into many a teensy cafe (yes Flat White I mean you) it is nice to have some space (one of the reasons I really like Notes and Store St) but they don't seem to be using half of it.  Anyway - I am super excited about this opening (snigger) and I look forward to seeing how it develops and what they do with all that space.  Leather Lane is fast becoming the new coffee destination - I am very fond of Department of Coffee & Social Affairs just down the way.  I am surprised that the cafe called "All About Coffee" further down towards Clerkenwell Road still has the audacity to keep that name, given the contrast.  In case you are visiting Leather Lane around a weekday lunch time as I did I can highly recommend the lamb, halloumi and salad wrap stall - man, so tasty.  Also my other "insider tip" (although I'm not sure I qualify as a Leather Lane insider...) is that if you want a quiet spot to munch on your lamp wrap and slobber into your flat white, take a short wander into Dorrington St and find the church of St Alban the Martyr where there is a lovely peaceful courtyard with seats - a great little oasis, unknown to most.

The Modern Pantry - St John's Square EC1

An alumni of The Providores, Anna Hansen opened this little gem in Clerkenwell in 2008.  I love Clerkenwell in general but I am particulalry fond of St John's Square - the Modern Pantry sits opposite the Zetter Hotel (home of the much lauded Bistrot Bruno Loubet) and just around the corner from St John St so food lovers are spoilt for choice.  I had a really great breakfast there last weekend - anywhere that serves soft boiled eggs and vegemite soldiers is a winner in my book.  The coffee was decent, if a little weak (but hey, the majority of people seem to like it that way - sigh).  I had always wondered what the beautiful stone arch was in St John's Lane - across the other side of Clerkenwell Road and apparently it is the Museum of the Order of St John  - charting the history of the Order from the Hospitaller origins to the current day incarnation as St John's Ambulence.  I plan to go and check it out next time I'm over there.

Department of Coffee & Social Affairs - EC1

Leather Lane in EC1 is a funny one - I have always liked it but have never really had either a food or coffee reason to go there, traditionally the cafes have been more of the greasy spoon variety.  Years ago I also used to like going to a bar called Clerkenwell House on Hatton Wall, just off Leather Lane.  Anyway I digress - the good news is that there is now a top notch coffee destination on Leather Lane, specifically the wonderfully named Department of Coffee and Social Affairs at No. 14-16 (which is the High Holborn end).  It has only been open for 2 weeks and was pretty empty when I went there today (mainly because we are in the "in between" week when most people are still on hols) but I predict this place will be heaving in the new year once the coffee-starved locals catch on.  Up until now you would have had to walk 10 to 15 mins to either The Espresso Room or Dose to get your quality coffee fix but now those lucky EC1 workers and residents have their own local gem.  I was served by a friendly bearded Kiwi (I feel like David Attenborough, investigating the barista species in their natural habitat) and was presented with a really great flat white and a pain au chocolat.  These guys will have a broader selection of sandwiches and breakfast stuff in the new year so make sure to go and check them out - a welcome addition to my Central London Coffee Survival Guide Map.

Nude Espresso at Rapha pop-up store EC1

I love a pop-up store and so I was intrigued to come across the Rapha Cycle Club pop-up on Clerkenwell Road.  Cyclists amongst you will already know of Rapha, the British cycle-wear brand.  I did not - but was impressed with what was on offer.  The best bit though was that Nude Espresso (from Hanbury St E1, near Spitalfields) has a temporary coffee station at the back of the store.  I was gagging for a flat white (had just tried to get one at Dose to find they were shut at 4pm - what gives?) so there was a touch of the thirsty man crawling out of the desert.  Anyway, a lovely chap served me the most magnificent flat white - as you can see from the photo, he is also a latte-artist extraordinaire but the best bit was how it tasted - sublime.  I can't wait to go and check out

 Nude - I still haven't made it there but now it is top of my list.  If you want to sample the pop-up variety of Nude or indeed buy some groovy cycle duds, you better be quick as I think the store is only in place until the Tour de France finishes on 25 July.

Gwilym's Coffee Cart - Whitecross St Market EC1

I had wanted to try out this coffee cart for ages, not least because one of my favourite bloggers Tom rates it so highly and today I finally made it there.  Luckily my nephew Ben works nearby so it was a good excuse to visit him and try some primo caffeine.  I love the area around the Old Street roundabout and the fact that the relentless gentrification of the inner city still has some way to go here (although I was amazed at the huge new apartment buildings that confront you as you come out of the tube - where did they come from?).  And how cool is Whitecross St market?  The food options were amazing - we settled for a chicken burger, which was sensational and like good Aussies we had a lamington with our coffee - life felt pretty good.  Gwilym was not manning the cart but the barista on duty poured me an absolutely sensational flat white (pictured) - it actually made me realise that some of the coffees I have had recently from some of my W1 regular hangouts (I refuse to name names) have been a bit below par.  This was strong, creamy goodness - just the way it should be.  I think I'll be having lunch with Ben more regularly..

Caravan - Exmouth Market EC1

The Kiwi machine charges on - Caravan has recently opened on Exmouth Market (one of my favourite London streets) with Miles Kirby from Marylebone gem The Providores at the helm.  It's a really lovely space - a big airy room, buzzy but cosy.  I went there with my friend Rob for breakfast and I felt like I was back in Melbourne - it had that great breakfast vibe that is rare in London.  I was always frustrated here that for all the amazing restaurants, cool bars and clubs, there were very few places you could have a relaxed weekend breakfast - it was either greasy spoon or high-end.  I admit that has changed for the better in the last few years but a lot of the places are tiny so unless you are there bright and early it's tricky to get a table.  Caravan is big enough so that getting seated seems easier - having said that it is relatively new and it is really great so I'm sure word will spread and it will get trickier. Coffee is a focus here and the guys roast their own beans and create special blends for different times of the year.  The results are absolutely top notch - I had two of the best coffees I have had in a long time - a flat white and a cortado (which is increasingly becoming my coffee of choice) with a really fruity flavour to the beans and perfectly steamed milk.  Check out these little beauties (how cute is the cortado?!):

I had such a tasty breakfast - grilled ham with bubble and squeak, two poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.  How good does that sound?  Well let me tell you it tasted even better.  There was a slight mix up with our order and it took a little longer to come but they were so charming about it that it really didn't matter and it got us talking to the friendly Kiwi couple sitting next to us so it all got very chummy and chatty and added to the whole experience.  I really loved this place and I can't wait to go back.

Medcalf - Exmouth Market EC1

I had wanted to go to Medcalf for ages. Firstly it is on wonderful Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell (which I will blog about at a later date) which is one of my favourite streets in London, secondly it looks cool and thirdly I'd heard good things about it. So I was super excited to go there for lunch - it didn't disappoint.  It is a cool space, in an old butcher's shop (with the signage remaining) and one of those funky, yet relaxed interiors - old wooden tables & chairs, pendant lights and original artwork on the walls. Given the weather outside was freezing we demanded mulled wine as soon as we walked in - which came from a steaming pot on the counter. Nicely warmed up, I proceeded to turkey and ham hock terrine which was meaty and tasty and really good. I followed with grilled lamb cutlets on some sort of mash with "brussel tops" (which tasted a bit like kale and gave me the sense I was eating something healthy) which was also great. As good as the desserts looked, we had to pass as the main courses had taken a while to get to us - but that was a small niggle in an otherwise really great lunch experience. Next time I go I want to try the haddock, colcannon and crispy poached egg - it looked like the perfect Winter warmer. Colcannon is something I have come to love - the mix of mashed potato and cabbage is so comforting and goes perfectly with meaty fish or corned beef or even on its own as a quick supper (with lots of butter and pepper). Oh man - I want some now! Anyway check out Medcalf, it's great and if you want some of London's best cocktails - after dinner head to Dollar Bar just round the corner and order a rockstar martini, dangerous AND delicious.

Hatton Garden EC1

Most people only visit Hatton Garden if they are shopping for a diamond ring - I reckon it's worth a wander even if you haven't just "popped the question" (and you never know, it may inspire you to do the right thing...). As I keep banging on about, I have a bit of a love affair with Fitzrovia and everything east of it, being Bloomsbury, Holborn, Clerkenwell etc - and Hatton Garden is in that geography. The area has been associated with the jewellery trade for hundreds of years and the street itself is now lined with jewellers, some of whom have been in residence here for generations. One of the things I love about this area is that you get these streets, sometimes only a few hundred metres long, that have really distinct personalities - Leather Lane, Lambs Conduit Street, Exmouth Market, Cowcross Street, St John Street and Hatton Garden. I could happily wander around here - obviously re-fuelling regularly at Dose near Smithfields Meat Market (another favourite). Actually to digress for a moment - for those who don't know, Smithfields is not really a "consumer" market (although there are great butchers shops open to the public) - it is a working meat market and if you go early enough in the morning they'll be washing the blood down into the gutters. The appeal for me is the architecture of the market building, the history of the place - along with Tyburn the area was used for public executions in the middle ages, it just missed being burnt by the great fire of London in the 17th century (you should check out the "Golden Boy of Pye Corner") and then became a notorious slum with all sorts of dodgy characters making it their home. I only mention all this because I once recommended to someone they go there and I think they thought they were going to Spitalfields Market and expected clothes and organic vegetables and quirky knick-knacks - whoops! Anyway - to finish up with Hatton Garden (which this entry was actually meant to be about) - one of the other reasons I like it is the retro 60s shop signs - like this one. If I had a diamond ring to buy, I'd definitely check out Carlo's - wouldn't you?

The Barbican EC1 - Discuss!

So - do you love or hate the Barbican? I am firmly in the love camp (hence why I am blogging about it) but I know plenty of people who think it is a blight on the London landscape. I love the concrete, slightly bleak modernism, I love the mix of commerical, residential and public spaces, I love the way that greenery has become entwined with the building so that the whole place appears as if it is slowly being overcome by nature. I have eaten here, drunk here, seen movies here, sat in the sun and contemplated life here, seen exhibitions and bought some cool presents here. Most of all though - I have just enjoyed being in this unique complex. I have to admit, I have pretended I am in Blakes Seven or the Tomorrow People (that's just the vibe I get here!) whilst walking alone through the communal spaces. I have never been inside any of the apartments here but having seen pictures and read a lot about them I know that I want one. I imagine it as my city pad where I could mix cocktails and pass around squares of cheese with toothpicks in them. Anyway - enough of my modernist fantasy life, I know this place divides opinion but isn't that kinda cool?

Dose - Smithfields

It's always good to stumble across another good coffee place - I had read about this on a couple of other blogs but had no idea where it was. I spotted it while I was in a cab this morning so went back afterwards for a full investigation. That old formula was spot on again - friendly Aussie staff CHECK, quality coffee expertly poured CHECK, good looking cakes CHECK (with a nice touch - Anzac biscuits which for any Aussie or Kiwi out there will instantly bring back childhood memories), another pin on my Central London Coffee Survival Guide map - CHECK.