In an obscure bit of Shoreditch, a Conran-designed English caff whose simple charms have already made it very popular.
Odd, isn’t it? Sir Terence Conran has always made a big deal of his Francophile tendencies, yet many people – including us – think this defiantly English Shoreditch café is one of his best places yet.
It perhaps helps that Conran’s style of design is intrinsically much more no-nonsense-Brit than fussy-French, and it appears to best effect in this light and bright refectory-style café. And here’s another ‘first’ for Conran too, at least in recent times – prices are notably reasonable.
They bake their own bread, and very good it is. It is used to splendid effect for doorstop sarnies, and in the bread ‘n’ butter pudding (which is our nomination as the ‘must-try’ dish). Devilled kidneys, steak and chips were also particularly approved.
Staff are friendly, but sometimes seem to rush around a lot, to little obvious effect. This is one of the reasons that, especially at weekends, it might be wise to arrive early for your table.
On the way out, an impressive food shop devoted to British produce, whose range seems to have been selected as much for design-classic packaging as for intrinsic worth. How very Conran.
