Lowry & Baker

Since opening in summer 2010, this one-room café has become catnip to the neighbourhood & is pulling in the Portobello Road crew thanks to its cute vibes, attention to detail & enthusiastic outlook. It’s also a very personal set-up, with a daily chalked-up menu based on the market, & all the cooking done on a bog-standard domestic stove/oven. The homespun approach might yield cinnamon toast or poached eggs & smoked salmon on sourdough for breakfast, goats’ curd, fig & honey sandwiches during the day, & bigger plates of potato & rosemary pancakes with crispy bacon or quiche with salad greens. There are also wondrous displays of muffins, cheesecakes & other sweet-toothed temptations, all served on vintage tea plates – the crockery du jour. Free Wi-Fi, too.