Time Out Eating & Drinking Awards 2009
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Anonymously reviewed by Time Out's panel of expert judges
Updated: Wed Sep 16 2009
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Best New Restaurant | Best New Italian | Best New Cheap Eats | Best New Gastropub | Best New Bar | Best New Local Restaurant | Best New Café | Best New Design | Best Spanish Restaurant | Best Spanish Wine List
Best New Café-
WINNER: Lantana
13 Charlotte Place, Fitzrovia, W1T 1SN
This excellent café is always a joy to visit. It has an overflowing sense of Australian bonhomie; the owner, Aussie Shelagh Ryan, set up the place after bemoaning the lack of decent cafés in the capital. Though its been nearly a year since it first opened, the food remains inspired and, more importantly, delicious; the flat whites come out perfectly each time, and they keep striving to bring something new to the table. For example, late-night openings on Thursdays and Fridays see the café offer fruity cocktails and Australian wines, served with nibbles. We’ve enjoyed Bill Granger-esque breakfasts here, such as corn fritters with rocket, smoked salmon and lime aioli, or grilled halloumi with sourdough and portobello mushrooms. Lunches might include steak sarnies, or full-flavoured tarts such as sweet potato with chorizo, asparagus and feta with innovative salads. The grilled chicken skewers are ludicrously juicy, served with a cooling tsatsiki; fishcakes are packed with quality fish and perched on top of an intense napoli sauce. And we haven’t even got to the sweet treats; the typical Aussie almond-meal cakes, friands, are moist and moreish (if a tad sweeter than we would have liked), while the hummingbird cakes (no relation to the Notting Hill cupcake shop) are packed full of tropical and spice flavours, and a supremely sinful half-inch of cream cheese frosting. Lantana’s the frontrunner in a new scene of Aussie and Kiwi-run cafés and coffee bars. Read more
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RUNNER UP: Fleet River Bakery
71 Lincoln's Inn Fields, Holborn, WC2A 3JF
Chainstore Holborn is not the sort of place you would expect to find Fleet River Bakery, where the breads are all freshly baked on-site, the lemonade is own-made and little else is outsourced or bought in. Sandwiches are simple, with classic combinations such as roast beef and horseradish, but the quality of the bread elevates them above the norm. Some of the salads could do with a course in presentation, but are packed full of distinct and cleverly layered flavours. The labyrinth of rooms makes sure there’s enough space for everyone, but we were perhaps slightly bored by the plain, ‘urban rustic’ decor; there isn’t much in the way of atmosphere. Read more
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RUNNER UP: J&A Café
4 Sutton Lane, Clerkenwell, EC1M 5PU
A haunt for the artistically minded, this café makes the most of its secluded location down a Clerkenwell alleyway, and its former incarnation as a Victorian diamond-cutting factory. The look is therefore industrial-meets-comfort – exposed brick walls are juxtaposed with rustic baskets of fresh vegetables, and blackboards with chalky scribbles contrast with piles of pastel-coloured cupcakes. The food revolves around simple sandwiches, quiches and salads (the same at dinnertime), but it’s the sweet treats and coffees that steal the show – the apple and maple cake was a triumph of classic dessert-making. Read more
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RUNNER UP: Luca's Bakery and Café
145 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, SE22 8HX
One of the slicker-looking places on Lordship Lane, this continental-style café is known in the neighbourhood for their freshly-baked breads and pastries. Brunch is pretty good, too, with two poached eggs on excellent sourdough bread (with just the right amount of chew) and a choice of William Rose ham (meaty and intense), Moxon’s smoked salmon (oaky and not overly smoky) or spinach, with hollandaise, which on our visit was slightly too gloopy. The coffees aren’t bad, but the piercing shriek of the milk steamer suggested slightly amateurish baristas. On a quiet day, Dulwich’s denizens bask in the peaceful bamboo-lined alfresco seating out back, or flick through newspapers at the large wooden communal tables. Read more
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Best New Restaurant | Best New Italian | Best New Cheap Eats | Best New Gastropub | Best New Bar | Best New Local Restaurant | Best New Café | Best New Design | Best Spanish Restaurant | Best Spanish Wine List-
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18 comments
Lola Rojo, is not bad but nothing on Carmen at Clapham Common.
Lola Rojo is not really spanish. it is catalan. They do rices for British taste that do not exist in Spain, portions ae tiny, the atmosphere is depressing. It is miles away from the real thing you will find in Spain. It just shows how terrible Spanish food is in London. Sad "taste" of things.
Glaring omission in Best Spanish - Barrafina. Judging by the queues and all great reviews, including in Timeout and by its readers.
Confused by those who don't think Princi is not cheap? Fairly large portion of pretty good pasta or salad is £6-7, which is probably the most expensive thing in there. Pretty good tasting food and nice looking place. Pretty good value for money if you ask me. Ok, it's not as cheap as your local sandwich shop or greasy spoon, but come on. How cheap is cheap eats suppose to be?
I was disappointed with the Spanish Restaurants winner too. I frequent Tapas Variadas on Northcote Road, just metres down the road from La Rioja. The food is much more value for money (try the huge seafood platter for only £9) and the lovely little restaurant, quaint. I ve been to Lola Rioja, and found the atmosphere a little pretentious and the food overpriced for what you are given.
I agree that the "Best Cheap Eats" selection is pretty disappointing this year. I always relied on Time Out to help me discover real gems, not restaurants which have been well advertised and, quite frankly, aren't exactly groundbreaking discoveries.
Re Albion at the Boundary: good for brunch but not "cheap" (I'd go to E Pellicci any time instead! that's authentic and cheap). Not so good if you fancy well cooked comfort food: my cauliflower cheese was so crunchy that I had trouble cutting through it. I didn't even manage to finish it, incredible really as I was (a) extremely hungry and (b) in dire need of said comfort.
Please, Time Out, don't let us down next year!
the thing is that pretty much everywhere in london is a rip off.
you want value for money? go to capitan corelli in battersea park road. real italian as you could find in italy 30 yrs ago in small towns.
Great food, cakes to die for and a good cup of coffee. It's hard to beat The Fleet. I go there regularly, the foods always delicious, there's plenty of seating and there's always a buzz about the place , the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed certainly not lacking!
It is worth trying Harwood Arms! Great food (delicious soup as a starter) and friendly service, although a bit on the pricey side. Funny how everyone looks like they just left their houses in Westport, CT. Bocca di Lupo continues to be my favorite so far!
I found both Giaconda and Boundary rather disappointing. Great ingredients no doubt, and competent kitchen skills, which makes it even strager as to why the end result in both was a bit flat. Not sure the British 'food revolution' has helped much - people cook more and better, restaurants cook less and simpler, and thw two have ended up meeting in the middle somewhat. Do i need to spend £18 for someone to grill a chop for me?
And why 2 specifically Spanish categories?
I'm very sorry timeout, but Giaconda Dining Rooms was a massive disapointment to me. Difficult to create atmosphere in such a small space and food capable, but not exciting. I took my partner for his birthday having read the reviews on this site and had to apologise to him halfway through the meal... Maybe I missed something.
I have two things to say about these results.
Firstly 39 Colbrooke Row is a terrible little place full of cheap furniture and dirty toilets. Yes the barman is great and the cocktails fun but it's not fun spilling half of it on a wobbly table.
Secondly - Albion Caff Bakery - Christ Almighty, if these cakes are good I would not like to taste a Time Out rubbish-rated example. These may have to be some of the worst cakes I have ever eaten. YUK.
Come on Time Out, you are not exactly surprising us and encouraging us to grab our coats and scarper to a new exciting gem. Yawn!
Agree with Princi not being cheap. Maybe if you wanna eat three raviolis (and get a not-so-kind look when you ask for cheese)...
I agree with Anthony. Princi is not cheap!!
The Harwood is my local and, in my view a well deserved winner. IIt's a great mix of quirky and traditional english food....and always beautifully cooked and presented:)