A fantastic Café to have a brunch or a (not so light) but small lunch. Serving traditional Italian…read morepasta and pizza dishes for very affordable prices. The pizzas are moderately large and the pastas are very home made. They also serve some fantastic cakes and of course home made gelato ice cream. Perfectly small, local looking and humble enough. Nothing too fancy. The core-focus of the dishes is authenticity and good service. The cafe also sells lots of italian goods, such as meats, cheeses, coffee, sweets, jarred olives and canned tomatoes. I had the pleasure of trying their delicious potato gnocchis with a simple pomodoro sauce. Was pleased, considering the price. My other half had a calzone (folded pizza). It was very delicious and tasty. We then ordered their amazing tiramisu pastry. It was one of the handful of times I could tell the tiramisu was just freshly made and very good. The pistachio ice cream was also very delicious. And to top it all with any flavour of your choice San pellegrino beverages and illy coffee. Will be making this my regular spot for sure!

The oldest delicatessen in London! It has a cute cafe vibe and is a great place for casual lunch or…read morecoffee. They have tiramisu, cannolis, and Italian ice cream, so you'll be sure to find something to satisfy you. We came for lunch - which is available Monday thru Friday from 12-3 an ordered and sandwich and a ravioli for dine in. The amount is perfect for each person. I have to say though, the cheese pull in the sandwich is out of this world- make sure to get your sandwich toasted to experience that cheesiness!

Montes is an Italian deli off a little side street in Islington…read more This shop is slightly expensive (1.5O ciabatta rolls) but carries a good selection of olive oil, including the delicious highly coveted truffle variety. There are cheeses which are of a decent price (around 1.70 for 100g) and a large selection of homemade pesto type sauces, olives and tomatoes in oil. This store also had loads of crackers and it caters to the wine and cheese, cheese and wine contingent. ( Depends which way you see the importance; I just think of cheese and cheese, F@&!&k the wine.) There were also quite a few Italian speciality deserts and these weird multicoloured chocolates in a box. I could see this shop being a cool place to come for all your party food needs. I'll send my assistant to pick up some Pecorino, the dry cleaning and parrot food.

This place is so dangerous! Such a tiny space, but such a huge selection at really high standards…read more They have absolutely awesome range across salami, cheese, pate, pesto, olives and all the Italian deli matters. Also amazing chocolates and biscuits and a little peace of heaven... The customer service is pretty good too. Amazing! I always love coming back!

Delicious vegetarian meze platter for only £3.50. Large selection of sandwiches, plus jacket…read morepotatoes, coffee, and pastries.

I like basically everything about Madisons, so it's a bit of a crime that I only ever order the…read moresame thing. Mostly what I like is that it's a no fuss, no muss, sandwich bar which is clean and bright, and genuinely friendly. For what you get it's cheaper than Sainsburys, and much much nicer. Pro-tip: If you cross the road and keep heading north there's quite a nice park to enjoy your lunch in. It also doesn't hurt that the staff switch back and forth between a rapid-fire language I can't quite put my finger on and a hyper-local, super-broad East London accent. As someone who travels relentlessly but calls Bethnal Green home, it feels familiar in a way I really appreciate.

Cullenders opened a couple of days ago, and there was an article about the shop and the owners in…read morethe newspaper, Marc and Joelle Cullender. The site where the shop now is used to be Stationers and Tobbacco, and When it opened, it was the first time in 30 years the public had been in there, and the shop was in use. They are a Food Store and Delicatessen, and sell everything from local milk and eggs to olives and crossiants. They are open from 7.30, so quite handy to pop in for breakfast. The sevice is good, And the couple are very friendly. They have fresh vegetables outside also, and the shop is very pretty now, they have definately improved the boarded up, flaking building it used to be - and in a very short time too! Its a great place to be, and has really brightened up the neighbourhood.

Cullenders Deli is just around the corner to us and we love it. It is run by a lovely couple who…read moreare so friendly and have made the shop look beautiful from it's old derelict days. We frequently visit for a coffee which I have to say is one of the best in the area and sometimes pick up fresh homemade soup for lunch at the weekend and have also bought their dish of the day on occasion when we can't face cooking. The shop is particularly useful for getting fresh bread, milk, eggs and bacon. We ordered our cheese board for christmas from Cullenders and the order was spot on and the cheese selection fantastic. A really great find, we're so thrilled it's opened around the corner to us. At last a decent deli in the area!

My task was to organise a Portuguese Happy Hour at the office and so this was a rather obvious…read moreplace to come to. This shop sells what the name suggest: Portuguese delicatessen. The main attraction of the shop is definitely the deli counter, where they sell Portuguese cold cuts, cheeses and other specialities. In the back they have the "fish shop", where you can pick from various different kinds of dry-cured fish. Also available here is shelves full of other Portuguese specialities, where you can find tins, biscuits, juices etc. Right by the cashier, there's a shelf full of Portuguese alcohol: Port (obviously), a selection of red & white wines and more hard liquors. The staff is very friendly here. I asked them to show me some typical Portuguese food items and they were very helpful. Confirming the typical stereotype that haunts Portuguese people, the pace at this shop is rather slow. They certainly are not the most efficient folks...but maybe that's the reason why the invented such an amazing variety of specialities? Who knows... Side note: the first time I walked into the shop, I was a bit surprised - to put it mildly - by the smell. At first I couldn't place where exactly it came from, but it turns out to be originating in the fish corner...

Great deli. It is always busy. The best place I know in London for Parma Ham. It retains a feel of…read moreLisbon with all the staff being Portuguese. Love coming to this place.

A lovely local with all the touchy-feely bits - crocheted vegetables and papiermaché bunnies hang…read morefrom the ceilings. It's all home-made, delicious, fresh ingredients and yummy recipes. Come for brekkie, come for lunch, come for tea and cake. Staff are relaxed and helpful, encourage you to choose your cake from the display under the counter. If there's something you really love, you can probably buy one to go. Many of the ingredients are on sale in the deli next door - humungous dry goods store for all your organic needs.

Amazing atmosphere always so nice and helpful, never had a bad experience there. HIGHLY RECOMMEND…read morethe chilliest jam panini

I am a New Yorker, so I have seen my fair share of delis, but this is a hidden gem. The shop is…read morequaint, but has a perfect amount of class. You'll see a wide range of unique gourmet goods which will instantly spruce up your kitchen. Recently I tried the Chili Jam, which is a perfect pairing for cheese plates or any other spread you fancy. Also, I was impressed by their fresh coffee, which is locally roasted in East London. I was only in London for one week, but I kept coming back in to try their different sandwiches and soups offered for lunch. I recommend this place to anyone who is in the area. Pop in for a quick snack, you are sure to be satisfied.

I previously wrote about the Holborn Deli as part of the larger Holborn dining room / bar / hotel…read moreetc. complex, but it's worth listing as its own, here. Open 8ish to 5ish, it's truly a great option if you're in the Holborn area around lunch. Several salads are always on the go, as is a table of baked goods that greet you right as you walk in (shout-out to the multiple types of brownies). The only real complaint is that the space is tight; charming, but kind of hectic at busy times. Remember: look up! They have quite a few goodies stacked high, and staff is more than accommodating in helping you get what you need (see: I walked in with arms full of bags and they offered to ladle and package my soup up for me, even though it is "self serve"). I love the savoury selections here, and I think they're reasonable for the quality. When the roasted tomato soup is on (as it is today): GET IT. A quiche of the day comes out 'round midday, and it is *ideal*; the eggy custardy bits are perfectly set but still soft, the seasoning is perfect, and the crust isn't the main star of the show (I know, controversial, but that's how I like my quiche!). Note the stuffed sandwiches, too, with cheeses and cured meats and ALL DELICIOUS THINGS (remember: Holborn does charcuterie, and does it well). Some other brand name but fancy things - like coconut milk yogurt. I wouldn't buy *those* here, but like that it's an option if I were really desperate. Yelp note: YAYERS. LOVE ME THEIR SOUP.

Coffee sources from Caravan. Check. Friendly smiley staff…read more Check. Alfresco seating (growing in this area). Check. French cheeses. Check. Fishes of day from fishmonger delivered. Check. Good prices. Check. Really like this place. Will I be be back? Double Check.

Pretty good food and not too overpriced. Came in here for brunch and I got the sausage roll while…read moremy girlfriend got the avocado on toast. The sausage roll was kinda disappointing and molten hot however the avocado on toast that I tried was incredibly tasty. Coffees were heavenly. The staff are pretty friendly and the toilet was super clean. However why in the name of God is there no wifi?? Surely in this day and age every cafe should have access to the Internet, we're living in a digital age people! Get with the times! This is an issue the staff need to address.