LDNGuide
17 Peaceful Spots To Eat And Read In
Humans are, quite frankly, overrated. Sometimes you just want the company of fictional people. Alongside a large two-person portion of dumplings, of course. Although you can theoretically eat and read in any old restaurant, some are just too dark, or too loud, or too full of people trying to interact with you. So when you just want somewhere light and peaceful, along with excellent food, these are the places to go.
THE SPOTS
Nibble of sourdough. Turn the page. Big bite of pork belly bánh mì. Turn the page. Sip of excellent coffee. Turn the page. Another nibble of hash browns. If that doesn’t sound like a bloody lovely way to spend a day then, sorry, we can’t be friends anymore. This cool and casual Tooting cafe is a great place to pass a couple of hours and we’re not kidding when we say that they make some of the best brunch food in the game. Just be aware that they close at 3pm during the week, and you should also be aware that you need to try their pistachio cake. We repeat. Get the pistachio cake.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Imagine a copy of War and Peace, then imagine a copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire—put the two together with a filling of meatballs, crème fraîche, a dressed salad, and pickles, and then you have an idea of the size of the Dusty Knuckle’s focaccia sandwiches. The esteemed north London bakery’s location in Harringay is a breezy, comfortable cafe as well. Perfect for early morning buggy meet-ups and solo sandwich eaters head down in words.
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
If Llewelyn’s was a novel it’d be an Alan Bennett British romance about a confused young musician who finds unexpected serenity in Herne Hill. They’d fall in love with a harpist over candlelight and this spot’s excellent two-person lasagne. The last line would be ‘alas, their memories remained as bright and fresh as the feta and mint broad bean risotto that graced their forks in Llewelyn’s all those years before’. Or something. The point is, whether you come here for a lunchtime caesar salad and sit beneath their fairy light-wrapped tree outside or stop by in the evening for some lemon sole and a glass of wine at the counter, you’re pretty much guaranteed a charming backdrop for whatever you’re reading.
photo credit: Sam A Harris
The caveat that Cadet is only open for lunch on the weekend shouldn’t be a deterrent when you’re looking for a bar to pitch up at, book in hand, for a couple of hours. A stool to yourself, a glass of something special, and a plate of pâté or a slice of tart at this cosy Newington Green wine bar is a joyous thing. There is just the right amount of attentiveness and as far as keeping a few hours to yourself goes, this is up there.
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
Oh Nandine. Lovely, lovely Nandine. If this Camberwell spot was some glorious pomegranate-wielding protagonist, we undoubtedly would have forced our mums to make us Nandine costumes to wear on World Book Day. The super affordable mezze at this Kurdish spot is excellent. Excellent in the kind of way that means you don’t give a shit if you end up with falafel, yoghurt, and tamarind sauce all over the pages of your favourite book. Like those sun cream smears on the cover from eight years ago, it’s just another tell-tale sign of all of your good times together, right?
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
An afternoon at Catalyst is an afternoon well spent. The lunchtime-only spot in Holborn should be a destination whether you’re looking to pitch up and pretend you’re reading the new Sally Rooney or not. Catalyst’s big window-side counters are as perfect for artfully placed novels as they are for their excellent sandwiches or Greek-influenced plates.
If you think that bibs are for babies then you’ve clearly never tried to eat Xi’an Impression’s cold noodles, while wearing a white t-shirt, pouring over a longread on the ethics of filling up branded ketchup bottles with substandard alternatives. It is not elegant. It is not always pretty (for your t-shirt). But it is very enjoyable. This is not a restaurant that will bother you with questions, or water pours, or PowerPoint presentations about dessert. No, this is a superb Chinese restaurant in Highbury that will make you soft and squidgy pork dumplings, and leave you and your words in peace.
Books and bakeries are a fantastic pairing. The solace combined with Schlossberger-packed toasties, an almond croissant being the only company your mouth has to engage with, and the fact that Pophams offers all of this plus a changing seasonal soup for lunch too. The Hackney bakery is a perfectly light and airy space to spend an hour or two and its menu, ranging from sweet to savoury, flaky to molten cheesy, only encourages this.
London isn’t the greatest city in the world for non-awkward social interactions. In fact it’s bad for it. So bad that if a stranger talks to you on the underground, they are instantaneously motivated by blood, money, or both. Bear this in mind when you go to Esters and you’ll realise how special this little Stoke Newington cafe is. Not just because of the outstanding brunches, coffee, and baked goods, but because of the non-awkward sharing of tables that can occur when you’re on your own. Obviously it’s fine because you have a book, but who knows. You might even end up talking to them.
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
Incidentally the name of a brilliant graphic novel that’s well worth reading, Persepolis is also a friendly Persian-inspired vegetarian deli and restaurant in Peckham. It’s an unashamedly homely and bric-a-brac filled space, with plenty of its own literature and cookbooks lining the walls. Food-wise there’s meze or wraps, soups and hotpots. Just try and get a cushioned seat near the window. That’s where you can really get comfy.
The thought of returning to school to do some reading with a bowl of crumble and custard by your side will either fill you with terror or with joy. Thankfully the old-school bike shed that Rochelle Canteen is located in holds no bad memories, nor any bum fluffed youths conspicuously sharing half a cigarette. The beauty of this Shoreditch restaurant is its privacy, and also in things like poached trout and potato salad. You’ll be hard pushed to find a more pleasant place to get through a couple of chapters than here.
If oily droplets and pomodoro-based smears aren’t something you want on your current reading material, then Theo’s may not be the ideal place for you. Which is ideal, because we don’t want this light-filled gallery-like pizza spot getting too popular in the daytime. The reason being that this Camberwell restaurant is one of our favourite places to come alone, book in hand, stomach ready for Neapolitan pizza and homemade chilli sauce.
Thanks to its literary history, The French House has long been the boozer of choice for the type of person who knowingly carries around a battered Penguin Classic in their back pocket. Fear of pretentious pillocks aside, the upstairs dining room does actually make for a peaceful Soho location to read with a plate of confit garlic and goats’ curd on toast by your side. Of course you may well look like something that begins and ends in the letter t, but does it matter when the Paris-brest tastes this good?
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
The counter at Peckham spot Levan is good for many things. One is eating comté fries. Another is drinking wine. And another is reading. Our game plan would be to combine all three. This chilled holiday of a wine bar and restaurant has the kind of feelgood indie soundtrack that won’t interrupt your reading, and their seasonal sharing plates are some of the best in London. If you leave without feeling distinctly proud that you managed to eat some miso short rib one-handed while also tipsy, then you’re doing it wrong.
You’re not sure why, or how, but you’re determined to finish a Proust volume before you die. Or you know, until you ‘accidentally’ throw your copy on to the train tracks while screaming ‘temps perdu, f you’. But as long as you’re still trying to turn those pages, head to seriously French all-day brasserie Colbert in Chelsea. The food here won’t change your life, but a rattan seat out on their pavement terrace, with some steak tartare and plenty of patisserie for company, is always a good shout.
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
Proud Mary’s in Shepherd’s Bush has a rich and abundant literary history. Well, someone once wrote a book here, so not exactly abundant but still, impressive. This casual brunch spot has some pretty banging blueberry pancakes, spicy Mexican eggs, and fresh juices, plus plenty of coffee in case you spent half of last night convincing yourself you’d just read ‘one more page’. Heads up, it can get busy during peak hours so it’s worth getting here a little bit early and claiming a spot by the window.
Jolene is basically the hardback version of your average cafe. Partially because it’s more expensive, but mostly because it’s just better. We’ve been known to camp out at this Newington Green spot from a granola breakfast, through a caesar salad lunch, with seven chapters polished off by the time they bring the candles out. So sure, you might be paying eight quid for a ham and cheese toastie, but the pastries, grown-up feel, and views of Newington Green from the outdoor terrace make it completely worth it.
