Think Corner Shop, Only A Little Chicer
Cremer has opened on the corner opposite Hoxton Overground, in the site that used to be Molly’s. It’s a bakery and canteen serving breakfast and lunch, and the first daytime-only spot from the guys behind Space Talk, the Clerkenwell listening bar that’s become near impossible to get into.
DALLA owner Gennaro Leone and Oscar Piccolo designed the space to feel more like someone’s front room than a restaurant. A library of books lines the walls, with shelves cut into little snugs where you can perch. There’s a cute garden out the back, and a bakery counter takes over most of the first room you walk into. Further in, the canteen runs communal tables dressed with gingham tablecloths. The menu comes from a team of chefs who’ve previously worked at Primeur and Polentina, with a baker who’s come over from Rose Bakery.
Eat This
There are two sections: the cafe, which features freshly baked goods with a focus on classic pastries (think croissants and kouign-amann), plus bread, sandwiches, soups, granola and jams to go. Everything is made in-house from scratch, right down to the peanut butter.
Then there’s the canteen. For breakfast, there’s a short menu of dishes like kippers on toast and baguette with jam. At lunch, we loved the crispy lamb salad with apricot and rocket, the preserved aubergine and courgette, and the spinach, sheep’s cheese and walnut dumplings, packed with herbs and swimming in buttery sauce. There’s also an excellent chocolate olive oil cake and a rice ice cream, studded with grains that taste like white chocolate.
Drink This
There’s a short wine list with some interesting labels you don’t see so often, like a Lebanese sparkling red. House glasses start at £6, there are a couple of beers, all the hot drinks (including matcha and hojicha), plus a very good house iced tea and lemonade.
Why Go
It’s an epic spot that ticks a lot of boxes: good food and wine from a team with serious CVs, everything made from scratch, chic design, and it’s open seven days a week. Just note, it’s walk-ins only.
Useful Information
Location | 1 Geffrye Street, Hoxton, E2 8JH
Website | @cremerlondon
