Leila's Shop

Attached to an upmarket greengrocer of the same name, Leila’s in Shoreditch serves excellent, homely dishes in a serene, whitewashed cafe/canteen-like space. Befitting this leafy, calm part of the neighbourhood, it’s somewhere to pop in for a quiet lunch among the arty, Margaret Howell-clad crowd. Pick from the short chalkboard menu of seasonal European-leaning dishes like roast chicken and raisin-flecked pilaf, or a slab of creamy fennel gratin. Solo diners are particularly welcomed—plus it means you won’t have to share any of the must-order puddings. If there’s anything with jelly, get it.