Things are changing around here. Not so long ago I would with true devotion avoid going south of the river at all costs. However, slowly but surely I’m beginning to realise that all the good stuff really is cropping up way down…there, south of the river. I like to think that north of the river [...]

The Tooting Social Club gets full marks for decoration I can tell you that. The location is another story though. On the one hand it’s in such a far-flung and how do I say diplomatically, ‘vibrant’ area (translation hellhole) that it can’t help but have a “we’re not joining the Shoreditch bandwagon” vibe about it, [...]

I give Tamsin credit for this one, it was she who told me about Brixton Village, my greatest find to date, an amazing warren of cafes, shops and restaurants all housed in an old covered market. We kept meaning to go along to ‘Pudding Club’ which happens usually every Thursday at the Relay Tea Room [...]

I found Book Mongers totally by accident when I was looking for Brixton Village. Brixton has many great places, give it time and no doubt it will be what Shoreditch has become, although I think it has a few years in it yet. Book Mongers is the sort of place that anyone who has a [...]

It’s 10.15pm on Sunday night, my phone rings, a high pitched voice on the other end of the line, “Are you working this week? I need someone to cover, our receptionist has made it through to the final of Britain’s Next Top Model”, uh really, yes I suppose so. The life of a receptionist, I’ve [...]

Take this for a concept, all you can eat toast. It’s a nifty idea and we all like a good gimmick. Each table has it’s own Dualit toaster and there is a selection of lots of different freshly baked bread and a variety of jams and spreads to choose from along with various side dishes. [...]

This part of Clapham has fond memories for me. Memories of the time I was sitting in my friend’s living room having a cup of tea and some whacked out junkie kicked the front door down and chased us out of the house with a giant German Shepherd and a heavy roll of recycling bags [...]

I thought it about time I should pay a visit to the Greenwich Meridian. Well I can tell you there isn’t much to look at. It would have been far more exciting if there was a one hour time difference depending on what side of the line you were standing on, but no, it’s just [...]

It may be way down south, miles from anywhere but the Balham Bowling Club is a great pub. It’s pouring with rain and I had to cut an epic breakfast at Little Georgia on Broadway Market with N.I.C.N.M* short as the night before I had the stupid idea that Sunday lunch at the B.B.C was [...]

When it comes to vintage I think London trumps any other city. (Apart from Tokyo perhaps) Well yes every vintage store sells the same stuff like it’s all sourced from some giant warehouse in the sky but at least it’s all somewhat affordable. LA used to be cheap, not any more, New York is so [...]

The Garrison is frequently a contender for the loveliest gastro pub in London and lovely it is, with worn wooden tables and mismatched regency chairs, odd antiquities under twinkly lights create a quirky vintage environment, an aesthetic you probably know by now, I love. Serving modern British/European food, they have very graciously customised my order [...]

Rosie’s is owned by Rosie, a late 20-something, and her cafe is lovely. She treats you like she’s your grandmother and that there is nothing she’d like better than to rustle up a sandwich for you. I made my first trip to Rosie’s Café after reading about it in The Observer newspaper food supplement. I [...]

I find it easy to get lost around Waterloo – it’s a difficult place to navigate due to the enormous railway station slap-bang in the middle. So on an excursion to check out The Anchor and Hope, a highly regarded gastro pub on The Cut (the food may be great but the place itself is [...]

It’s a food market and an expensive one at that. This is where all the local farmers from around London and stretching as far as Devon and Cornwall come to sell their goods on a Friday and Saturday. You can find every conceivable foodstuff here and it goes without saying that it’s pretty much mostly [...]

South of the river is really growing on me. I was never much of a fan of south London. I had decided there wasn’t much down there and it’s a hassle to get to anyway, that was before I discovered the likes of Gastro, Breads etc.. Rosie’s café and now The Clapham Picture House. Tucked [...]