Simplicity is Beauty

At Railroad Café in Hackney

My favourite café is Railroad, located on Morning Lane in Hackney. Getting there is easy (Hackney Central is just a five-minute walk away) and finding yourself still there after a couple of hours is even easier. It's a real little gem of a place that proves simplicity is beauty.

Clearly taking their inspiration from some of Britain’s greatest chefs, their daily changing menu makes use of the freshest produce, perfectly handled. The basic surroundings and glorious lack of faff highlight how good these guys are at cooking. Throw the perfect coffee and Barry’s tea into the mix and Bob’s your uncle.

Their fantastic bookshop is also deserving of a special mention. Well, it’s a bookshelf rather than a bookshop, but everything is for sale. I’ve gone to get a quick coffee and found myself still there four hours later engrossed in whichever book has caught my eye. They also host regular performances and poetry readings in their basement. I’ve yet to make it to one but I have it on authority that they are brilliant.

This lovely thing to do in London was kindly shared by John Hurley - Marketing and Communications Manager at The Modern Pantry and massive fan of all things independent, odd and excellent.

Photo courtesy of Brian Ferry

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