Cafe Lowrey

Having purchased the old Café 21 premises from Terry Laybourne in 2005, Ian Lowrey decided to lend his own name to the whole show – although little else has changed at this contemporary neighbourhood brasserie. The kitchen still rolls out a no-nonsense menu, opening with the likes of chorizo & mozzarella tart, crayfish salad or tempura king prawns with sweet chilli mayo. Mains of sirloin steak with hand-cut chips, confit duck with mustard mash or fishcakes with buttered spinach & parsley sauce are right on the money, while traditional desserts take in crème brûlée, lemon polenta cake, & good old bread & butter pudding. It’s all honest, earthy, satisfying stuff, with some easy-drinking wines to boot.