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Frank's Café and Campari Bar
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Frank's Café and Campari Bar Veronica Simpson
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By Veronica Simpson
It’s the lure of the unexpected that draws you into the urine-scented lifts of Rye Lane’s multi-storey car park to try Frank’s Café. A ‘pop up’ café and ‘Campari bar’ on the rooftop of this unlovely building is an idea just bonkers enough to be worth a look – especially as it’s surrounded by two floors of art and sculpture, courtesy of the Hannah Barry gallery’s ‘Bold Tendencies’ exhibition.
Latching onto a passing art student at the cash machine, we needed every bit of her nous to navigate through the empty parking bays, gloomy projections and stone, wire and brick sculptures. Arriving on the roof, ten storeys up, there was already quite a crowd gathered around the barbecue pit and generously stocked bar. A sturdy wooden structure designed by Paloma Gormley (daughter of sculptor Antony) provides a multi-functional stage for perching, dining, drinking and sheltering from the odd shower, its roof beams covered in billowing red tarpaulin.
The Friday night crowd was probably 60% art student, 20% Peckham arterati and 20% curious first-timers like us, but the vibe was upbeat and slightly delirious. The service is charming if chaotic; keeping track of your food is a challenge, but staff are happy to dish up another portion when orders go astray.
We tried delicious grilled lamb, grilled vegetables with anchovy dressing, ox heart with crunchy salad and a moist and glorious date and pecan cake. A Campari and Prosecco cocktail (£5) was horrid. But the view is spectacular. As the sky dims and the iconic architecture along the distant Thames lights up, like the coolest set of ‘fairy lights’ ever, this grim urban setting is transformed into a magical space. Definitely worth a visit before it’s dismantled on 30th September.Time Out London July 2009
Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.
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Details
- 10th floor, Peckham multi-storey car park, 95A Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4ST
- Area: Peckham
- Tel: 07943 379726
- www.frankscafe.org.uk
- Category: Bars & Pubs
- Travel: Peckham Rye rail
- Times: 11am to 10pm Thursday to Sunday
- Price: Meal for two with drinks and service: around £50
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Hello. Its been 1 and a half year that I'm in London. It will be always nice to know more people, and well, since I'm Single, why not a cute girl...
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Came to Frank's and got peed off by people acting like they were in Belgravia.
Completely agree that these people have no real appreciation of the diverse and multicultural community here which is what makes Peckham special...not crappy art installations. Food was overpriced (Crab on toast for 6 quid). Great views though.
I speak on behalf of many true Peckham locals here. Fed up of people coming to Peckham trying to turn it into the 'New Hoxton of Hackney'. Even more fed of people carrying 'I Love Peckham' bags when they've been here for 5 mins and only cos Blaise Bellville and Paloma Gormley (what is up with their names?!) have decided it's trendy. I would prefer to see true Peckham residents taking ownership of projects here. I really do hope this is a phase and not a real sign of gentrification.
It's a great idea and a great view. But guys, a few lights - like, in the toilets - wouldn't hurt. Blundering around in the dark is no fun. It ain't June no more!
Beer only comes in bottles, but it's a blessing after the cocktail happy hour round the corner at Bar Story where you wait an eternity watching mojitos being made just so you can have a pint of lager. Popping bottle tops at Frank's is way quicker...
Go for the view. Leave feeling a bit pretentious and certainly very conspicuous. Food was OK
Excuse me we have been there a couple of time and the lift does not smell of urine. There is also a complete lack of integration with the existing community that lives there and a distinct sense of Franks cafe being a white middle class cloud floating above 'grim urban peckham'.
Brilliant! A lovely bar with an excellent view. Who'd of thought Peckham looked so romantic at night!
Amazing view!
Brilliant addition to Peckham. The view is incredible and you can here peoples excitment and suprise as they walk up on to the roof - "wow", 'amazing", "sick"...