With their all-are-welcome attitude, whack-it-on-a-plate comfort food and casual, pull-up-a-chair canteen spaces, diners are the American version of British caffs, albeit with more generous opening hours. They’re a community asset; independent and often family-run spots serving grub from the heart.
Taquitos and tostadas come alongside chicken plates and patty melts
Johnny Boys is a good-natured attempt to bring the West Coast diner to the mean streets of Stoke Newington. Visually, it’s on point, with luminous orange tiles bringing to mind LA’s legendary Canter’s Deli and Norm’s diner, while Formica tables are tucked into cosy booths and a Coca-Cola branded sign hangs outside.
If you remember the biker-adjacent Jim’s in Clapton (now a rather decent Italian restaurant called Leo’s), you’ll know this isn’t the first time an all-American eatery has opened in north-east London. But Johnny Boys is different, drawing not just on blue jeans and Bruce Springsteen, but the Mexican and Jewish immigrant communities of southern California. Which is why the short-but-sweet menu sees taquitos, tostadas and pastrami sandwiches alongside chicken plates, patty melts and cheeseburgers.
Johnny Boys is the project of LA native Julian Denis, who also runs nearby vegan Chinese restaurant Facing Heaven and the taco-slinging Easy 8 bar. What can you say, the man loves a theme. The attention to detail here is immaculate, as well as the perfect crockery, there’s the vintage Pizza Hut-worthy stained-glass lamps, and assorted Budweiser and LA Dodger’s ephemera on the walls. The food too hits the mark; a crab tostada is piled high with juicy meat and tastes as fresh as anything you’d score in Boyle Heights, while chunky zucchini fries with tangy ranch pay homage to those found at the Greek-run LA institution Astro Burger.
My well-fried chicken with potato salad and dinner roll is authentically accurate, if a bit beige, but my pal’s vegan chorizo taquitos are the business. The crispy rolled tacos stuffed with spuds are pleasingly soggy on the bottom thanks to an elegantly layered plate of salsa verde and crema.
With a menu this brief, we also swing by for weekend brunch too and are treated to endless refills of filter coffee until we get the shakes. Like with dinner, the Mexican-leaning dishes are the best; our burrito is gleefully stuffed with tater tots, salsa and egg, then grilled after assembly for a crunchy exterior. We wash it down with a creamy glass of orange bang and a glass of milky horchata. If Johnny Boys weren’t so all-American, it’d be instantly worthy of classic caff status.
The vibe Los Angeles-inspired diner in Stoke Newington.
The food Southern Californian classics, spanning Mexican, Jewish and more.
The drink House margaritas are punchy and perfect, and the beer is pure dive bar, with PBRs and bottles of Modelo.
Time Out tip Make sure the weighty crab tostada is part of your order.