When Books for Cooks opened its kitchen back in the 1980s, the idea of a bookshop café was a complete novelty. Recipes from the thousands of cookbooks on sale are put to the test each day, so expect anything from lentil & orzo pilaf to a dish of Italian-style roast pork made with organic meat from Sheepdrove Farm & veg from Portobello Market – or even something from Thailand. ‘Hearty & healthy, fantastic value for money & absolutely delicious’, enthuses one reader. You can’t book & dishes run out quickly, so get there by noon to secure a table under the glass apex (lunch costs just £7 for two courses). If your luck is out, visit during the afternoon for a slice of chocolate Guinness cake or a cracking pavlova.