The Cafe Below

For more than two decades, the local veggie contingent flocked to the vaulted Norman crypt of St Mary-le-Bow for its home-cooked, meat-free grub. Now, the Place Below has become the Café Below, with the same management as before but a new menu that offers as much for red-blooded carnivores as green leaf & tofu fans. The old guard shouldn’t be disappointed, because all the salads are still there, along with vegetarian mezze & risottos (pumpkin & thyme, perhaps); however, they are now joined by alternatives such as coq au vin, sausages & mash or sea bass with salsa verde. Desserts are worth sticking around for, & a new licence means drinkers can dip into a nifty, affordable list of wines from around the globe. Everything is still carried off with care, dedication & attention to detail, while prices are as wallet-friendly as ever.