Paula’s Columbian Bakery

It’s a shame that so many people on the Brixton High Road walk past Paula’s Colombian Bakery and enter McDonald’s next door. At midnight, such a move would be understandable – Paula’s is shut then – but during the day I’d implore you to instead opt for the empanadas, arepas, and aborrajados (plantain stuffed with cheese and deep fried) waiting inside this charming little shop. If nothing else, order a papa rellana, a near-nonsensical snack: what appears to be an entire deep-fried potato is actually a crispy sphere of potato dough stuffed with slow-cooked beef, spices, rice and herbs. The Maccy Ds Saver Menu could never.