Discover some of the city’s proper hidden gems
This city is full of places to eat, from super high-end, multi-Michelin-starred establishments to local cafes that have been on the same high street for decades, and virtually everything in between. Opening a restaurant or cafe is no mean feat though – finding the right site, funding the fit-out, and paying the rent are just some of the many considerations that need to be taken into account before any food hits the plate. In taking on this challenge, some people have got pretty creative with how and where they set up shop, opening in unusual locations where you wouldn’t necessarily expect a kitchen to be – and serving great food from them too. So if you’re looking for somewhere a bit different for your next meal, check out our fave unconventional eats in London.
Café Pier
After passing a disused cabmen’s shelter on Chelsea Embankment, right by Albert Bridge, on lockdown walks, Melis Kurum and Cem Kemahli decided to restore the Victorian shelter, and Café Pier was born. The green shelters were places cabbies could stop off for a cuppa and hot meal but with the red route on Chelsea Embankment making it difficult for drivers to stop, this particular one fell out of use about 15 years ago.
The building is owned by the Cabmen’s Shelter Fund but Melis and Cem were able to convert it into a cafe (and even add an additional window to the listed structure to get a view of the bridge), where they now serve coffee, granola, soft boiled eggs, cheese toasties and bagels, made using premium ingredients like Ogleshield cheese, Forman’s smoked salmon and Papo’s Bagels.
They’ve even hosted pop-ups from ex-Dorchester chef Charles Bryant, who caused mega queues for his lobster rolls and steak frites sarnies – not bad going for a 17 sqm space.
Polentina
Polentina, the Italian restaurant housed inside the ApparelTASKER clothing factory on a Bow industrial estate, is the brainchild of Sophia Massarella. Located in what used to be the factory’s staff canteen, Polentina celebrates its unique location with glass walls that look onto the factory floor. It also celebrates the inspiration behind the food – Sophia’s Italian and Austrian grandmothers have influenced her cooking – with objects from her family dotted around the space.
Polentina originally opened as a polenta takeaway concept during lockdown before turning into a cafe primarily for the factory staff and locals and ultimately evolving into more of a restaurant. It still functions as a staff canteen, so though 1pm – 1.30pm is for staff only, if you have a booking either side of those times you might be joined by somebody on a break.
Sophia keeps her menu small and it changes daily but it’s always reflective of the authentic homestyle dishes that you don’t typically see on restaurant menus, like sweet and savoury fritto misto from Piedmont; fresh tagliatelle with chicken and rabbit offal ragu; and ricotta, veal and pork-stuffed courgettes fried and baked in a tomato sauce.