Foxcroft and ginger

Next time you go to the third wave coffee institution that is flat white keep walking . Why suggest such foodie heresy ? Because a few dilapidated doors down is foxcroft and ginger and its just as special but without the anzac and adman crowds. Open for just three months this place could become the next fernandez and wells. Visit Foxcroft & Ginger now, then sit back and relax safe in the knowledge that you beat the sheep. Maybe have the lamb sandwich with a rye smile!

Yalla yalla - Soho

Couldn't get into this street food purveyors - it was too busy and indoors. Loved my photo though. Yalla Yalla Tbc . . . .

Photographers gallery - Soho

I know its got nothing to do with food retail but my good god was I happy to find the photographers gallery again. From childhood
I've loved shopping in the west end. At age twelve I'd take the train alone to london to browse and daydream; As a chubby kid with glasses Id spend hours plucking up courage to even step across the boundary of certain trendy boutiques, but I would always end my day by spending a pound of my pocket money on coffee and cake in my own personal refuge - the old photographers gallery ( near the bottom end of floral street) Recently I passed and it was gone. I put a few memories to bed and walked on a little saddened. Today, by chance, I found the new one. Its bigger better and still the same. The coffee tasted just as warming. Welcome back. Please let's not loose each other again.

Window Shopping - Columbia Road

Santa Monica maying be building a reputation for the innovation of it's street food scene but where else in the world but London could you window shop for lunch. Columbia road has a small sprinkling of open windows where chefs sell wares straight from the kitchen, others trade coffee from a hallway. It's a small trend but I'm in love already. A window full of smiling & flirting customers may be the traditional way of letting passers by know what wonderful food a cafe serves but a queue on the pavement outside is surely a way forward. Columbia Road - not just for the flowers.

ben the baker @ e5food - Shoreditch

Leila's shop is shoreditch is always worth a visit and todays was better than ever. Outside on the pavement avoiding the rain and shuffling his feet under the awning stood ben; at first I though he was a crazy and walked straight on. Ben is not a crazy but a man mad for bread. The sourdough he proffered was as good as it gets, soft and light inside and a little crisp on the outside. Having worked with some of the best bakers in the business I was surprised to find such a talent in such young hands. Next time he's outside I'll buy everything.

Dennis of Bexley - Kent

Growing up nearby I ignored this very local butchers; surely the train to London was a surefire way for a kid from the suburbs to find quality meat. Evidently not.

Dennis is suburban and it's suburban location shields it from comparison with the urban big boys. But it shouldn't.

Now I live in Islington I often find myself driving all the way back to Kent just to visit Dennis.

They sell thousnads of stunning pies every week - they even let customers bring in a favourite ceramic dish and bake with it, perfect for a faking it at home! - but what they really do well are the simple things that should be standard but now seem simply memories. They give great service, offer advice and know the job. They care about meat and love talking about it. Most of all they enjoy the art of butchery.... and pie making!

Towpath cafe - Hackney

Puppy-walking along the canal on the Islington / Hackney borders has often been a solitary and thankless task. Fortunately I'm often inspired by desolation, floating bicycles and windy afternoons.

Why else live in London!

Now I have somewhere to head for as a little less than ten minutes walk from my front door the wonderful and American Laurie has opened a Cafe on the Towpath, somewhere to cherish and walk to with gusto. With homemade cakes, soups and revitalising coffee it's the perfect definition of a hidden London treasure.








Facing the canal and open to the elements (but with heaters) it's a haven for dog-walkers, trendy hackney folk and (judging from my eves-dropping!) members of the anarchist publishing fraternity.

This afternoons rain never felt so good - Thank you Laurie.

The Rosslyn - Hampstead

Its instantly clear why this Hampstead fixture regularly places in the top five delis in London. The admittedly old fashioned window displays of The Rosslyn are cared for and fun and the 'a board' outside promises home made salt beef (highlighting an understanding of local custom) Inside the shelves are at times a little bare but this is understandable on a Tuesday morning in February, plus time has also been spent dressing out the gaps with point of sale and thought. I love the care that was taken in wrapping my really very good & possibly home made sausage roll with logoed waxed paper. Lastly they have adorable fliers promoting Valentine's breakfast : Champagne, smoked salmon bagels, mini croissants, orange juice, fresh strawberries and heart shared truffles all delivered to your door. Heartwarming.

Kandana - kilburn

It looks like Minkies Deli has some competition on its hands and tough competition too! Only a few hundred yards down the hill is Kandana.

When I daydream about the perfect Deli I imagine a place where beautiful women come to sit and relax, spend lots of money and feel comfortable enough to do some knitting. Don't ask!. Kandana is evidently that place. A real deli that feels at the heart of it's community without looking like a community centre. The girls serving even noticed that I looked a bit glum and suggested a peppermint teas to cheer me up. Now suggesting someone looks unhappy is a high risk thing to do, but when served up with such charm it worked. A dozen customers at 10am on a rainy Tuesday speaks volumes. These guys know who to create an atmosphere, they know how to keep shop.

Minkies Deli - Kensal Rise

Customers want to experience new things, try new flavours and feel inspired thus the toughest part of retail is playing the curator. Fashion retailers are past masters at this new products are constantly introduced and old favourites updated in new and exciting ways. The food arena sometimes stick to the tried and tested.

Minkies has for a long time been one of my favourite places to shop or ponder. It's housed in a simply delicious glass structure with a balanced mix of new and old fittings inside and out. It's adorable. Homemade brownies, excellent coffee and a small selection well chosen grocery / produce. I particularly love the 1/4 bottles of cellier de boal organic cider and prosecco - both perfect for a picnic basket. They've also one of my favourite oriental snacks - Kasugai Green Peas. . I love them, I love there catering and I love the way they have taken responsibility for the community they serve with petitions and farmers markets and an active hand.

Yet what strikes me is that Minkies needs some newness. It's going to be a tough decision to make but selling Byron Bay Cookies seems a little tired. I'm sure they are a top selling line and I'm sure they garner no complaints, Byron Bay make great cookies and when I first discovered them in Harvey Nichols a few years ago I was very impressed not only with the taste but the ethicality and branding too, yet there comes a point in the life of any product when it's ubiquity becomes a drawback.

I've seen these cookies recently in motorway service stations and coffee franchise trolleys at Excel Exhibition Centre. So think to yourself Minkies: are they still a product for the independent retailer? Do they shout to the customer 'shop with us... we are exciting!' After this take a look at the rest of the shelves and see if any could be replaced or dropped. There may be one or two more.

Wholefoods - Kensington

Much of the negative press and industry analysis for Wholefoods apparent failure to light the public imagination centre on price or the lack of car-parking- I sense the issues go far deeper. 

Are you really trying to seduce me with your big blackboards and some empty paper bags? Caress, amuse, tickle my fancy, tempt me with offers or amaze me. Please don't preach - You're ethical We get it! You might get away with this dire window in suburban Texas; We expect more. Harvey Nichols and Harrods are your closest competitors - take a walk.

It may seem unfair to compare you with Harvey Nic's but we consumers do compare, we compare local heroes and chain stores, department stores and supermarkets. We choose where to shop.

Whilst I will admit that many of your in-store displays are truly great, I'd argue that management are sleeping on the job. Who allowed the huge display of Charcoal? 60 thousand lines in one store and you can't find something else to promote? FYI It's February and it's raining

Are your floor managers paying attention? Do they care? Valentines Days is moments away and not a single bar of chocolate in this 6 foot high space has a shelf edge label. Salisbury's, Tescos et al would never make this mistake. Walk the Floor 4 x 4, twice a day!

I did however learn from the POS that 'Annie loves Choxi bars because they are full of antioxidants... Yummy'


Lastly where exactly are your hero products? I spent an hour in your presence and walked out with nothing. Sell me something I can't get elsewhere. Give me a reason to visit.

Jan Vormann - Lego Art

Artist Jan Vormann travels the world finding holes in buildings. When he finds a hole he fills the hole with Lego. This is the most wonderful thing. I'm in love. So in love I'm off food shopping!

The 2010 City Food Lecture - Guildhall

The Annual City Food Lecture is fast becoming the must have ticket for the Food Industry. This Year 600 heads of Industry, Editors, Critics and me sat rapt while Sir David King gave it to us straight.

In the 1400's the Chinese damaged the yellow river so extensively that the Loess Plateau became barren and unfarmable. With so much space they built the Forbidden City thousands of miles away in Beijing then moved the entire population. For nearly 600 years this land (the size area as France!) was forgotten. The adjacent before and after photos show the uplifting transformation.

Sir David was illustrating that with central government help, money and local co-operation eco disasters can be reversed. In Rwanda education of improved farming techniques and better water management have led to self sufficiency; a state many western governments can only dream of.  As always the good news led to bad news. Sir David sees the only way forward for the earth is an increase reliance on GM foods.

 As you can imagine the panel debate was a little hot-tempered but the buffet that followed and the drinks that flowed doused the flames of anger. Next year get yourself a ticket. You might even sit next to Sheila Dilon! 

Princi - Soho

Taking one of the worlds finest architects, London's most reputed restaurateur and Milan's finest baker is a path to my kind of retail experience. Princi took this triumvirate and forgot about the customer journey. Result - the most incredibly slick shop, lip smacking food, bread to die for and an awful experience.

I've been to Princi three times now, I'm willing it to work. I want it to succeed. John Pawson is one of my favourite architects, his true minimalist style and use of sexed up materials is a joy. But maybe he was the wrong man. Signage seems to be a criminal act in a minimal world - Princi lays the signs down flat so as not to break the line of a surface; the flies are the only ones who know where to go. The tills are hidden under a wealth of marble beauty.  Customers just stand around wondering where to pay.  

And the customer journey?

It felt like I was stranded eternally on a P&O ferry, eating for necessity from an 1970's canteen. You pick up your Tepid Cannellini from one place, then queue for a side salad from another, a coffee ? over there, a breaded treat? over there. Then you try and pay and maybe sit down.

If you visit Princi and eat your food while it's still hot and before your headache starts buy a lottery ticket. Today is your lucky day.

I nearly forgot - the Armani clad staff ignore you, chat amognst themselves in Italian, never smile and look fantastic. Reminds me of a trip to Milan I once endured.

Postcard Teas - Mayfair

"I've got a big idea - Let's put tea in a sealed envelope"
 "then people can scribble a message & post it to people"
"love your thinking big man"
"Cool, lets phone the bank"
"we'll be open by Christmas"
"........ know anything bout tea?"
"sod it - we'll hire well"

Luckily Postcard Teas is not the result of a hedge managers drunken daydream.

In reality it's a store with charm, stunning design and more than a little finesse. The store feels a little like a modern museum, simply desinged and well thoughtout, downstairs they have an 'exhibition space' of hand made tea paraphanalia and of course everything is for sale.  A real browsing nirvana.
Tim is a shopkeeper that clearly thrives on love. Tim loves his girlfriend, he loves Japan and more than anything he loves Tea. We talked at length about Naoshima (the worlds best art gallery slash hotel slash art Island) and we talked at length about which teas go best with chocolate. Not an easy question to answer but Tim was refreshingly honest about his own chosen products. I settled on a 2nd Flush Darjeeling from Junpanga and asked to pay. Tim wandered off and came back with a free sample of an amber Oolong from Taiwan, suggesting I try this one, for free, and then call him with the results. I honestly believed him to be interested in my opinion. Or maybe he is a master salesman
Truly caring and thoughtful service is often thought to be a thing of the past. Postcard Teas is a hopeful signpost for the future. Small, independent & perfectly formed.

As I left I felt strangely calm, maybe it was the thought of a great cup of Tea. Maybe it was Tim.

The BrIdge - Shoreditch

Settling down for a coffee and a tart on a Sunday morning, newspapers under one arm and my wife hugging the other, should be the easiest thing to arrange. The simply gorgeous Bridge in shoreditch however gets the basics wrong.

Taking over one of London's prettiest and narrowest pubs, full of gilt mirrors and aged wooden paneling then adding kitsch curtains, modern-retro chandeliers and a coffee machine has resulted in a wonderful place to sit, smile and ponder. It's a cross between a Dutch Brown bar and Les Trios Garcons.

So what went wrong? The service.

It all looked so promising; as we walked in, hoping for a seat at the busy bar, we were grumpily greeted by the barista (owner?) He suggested we sit upstairs on one of his comfy sofas. We took a look upstairs, so cosy & so shoreditch, but fancied the bar. As we walked downstairs a pair of hipsters left and we grabbed two seats right in the middle of the bar. Sunday morning heaven awaited. And waited and waited.  For 15 minutes we were completley ignored, as over a dozen other customers were greeted and served we sat and watched. Inexperince was overflowing. I've seen so many shops and restaurants failed by managers who never look up. On a busy day they constantly run from one thing to another without thinking that It may be better to take a deep breath and compose themselves. Serving half the customers well then upsetting the other is a recipe to failure. If he stood and composed for a while he'd realise that working hard is not enough and he needs more than 2 staff to cater for thirty covers. Creating the admittedly limited  dishes on offer (panini / toast & Jam etc) behind the bar is too much to do.

A man two down from me ordered six paninis and six coffees, the manager-less manager turned and started to make them all at once and straight away.

We walked out and idled over to Conran's always good Albion. The young guns may be ambitious but the old bucks seem to have the skills.

Comptior Libanais - Marylebone

Quite why they choose to serve fabulous drinks in plastic or paper cups, when the bar is fully stocked with glass and china, is a disappointing mystery. None the less the refreshing offering tempted and then pleased. As always I went for one of the five lemonades - Toufaha - apple mint and sugar. Oddly for a Saturday morning I was not hungover but next time I am Ill be back. These simple treats are a perfectly balanced cure I'm sure.

I also took a pretty good (24 seconds / delicate crema) double espresso and a bag of sugared papaya for less than a fiver; the price being a lot more agreeable than the rather stodgy and cloying papaya.

I'd usually say that bad service, and yes it was bad, coupled with paper cups would put me off; but this place is too good to quibble over. Maybe its just a London thing, after all it took me thirty years of living here to find a publican who greeted me by name. Maybe it's the heavily nationalistic array of grocery on offer. Maybe I was just in a good mood.

Sourced Market - St Pancras

Oliver Williamson didn't get a lot of press for wining his Nobel Prize (for Economics) in 2009, I can't imagine why Obama! Yet here is a man whose 'Transaction Cost Economics: The Governance of Contractual Relations' sums up how I've always felt about shopping. It's a long and impenetrable read but fundamentally Oliver believes that trust is everything in business - more so that trust actually lowers transaction costs. Simply put 'If I trust you it will cost me less money to do business with you, therefore I am more likely to do business with you'.

Very simple but retailers often forget.

Which brings me to Sourced Market. I'm not sure why I trust them, but I do. Yes, they have the appearance of another city boys first foray into food retailing, yes, the first shop is overtly and heavily branded, yes, the website already boasts of intentions of expansion and yes, somehow, I still trusted them. The product selection is second to none and far far better than my instincts suggested. Every product has integrity and many surpirses were discovered.

It even made me feel a little jingoistic - how wonderful that all those Eurostar tourists will see this store as they descend the escalators. How wonderful that Kings Cross, the biggest city centre rejuvenation development in the whole of Europe, now has something else to be proud of.
Proud of for as long as we continue to trust them.

Peyton & Byrne - St Pancras Station

I'm sure the manager of this store would blame the weather, the location or a late delivery, but when 'Le Pain Quotidien' has over a hundred seated and contented customers and Peyton & Byrne has only two - don't you think they'd smell a rat?

The basics are so good at Peyton  & Byrne, they have long been a favourite pitstop of mine, the offer is intriging, the layout thoughtful, the product tempting and I love all the English cosiness.

The problem with this stunning little store is service. I asked a question about the bread that nobody could answer - but that everybody should've. A lady in large red hat wanted to buy a ceramic teapot - but nobody could find the box. I wanted to pay - a nearby colleagues response "I'm not on tills today, just hang around a while".

No smiles, no hint of an apology - no fun - I walked out.

Gallo Nero - Stoke Newington

Something that's missing from the retail experience, something you never notice till you sense it once again, is aroma. Gallo Nero smells so adorable, it smells like a local Italian Deli should.  It smells of all those wonderful delis you've stumbled across on lost afternoons, when the museum was closed or the beach was overcast. It smells of Santa Margarita.
Every inch of this tiny store is covered with produce and product. Panettone hangs from the ceiling, hams are draped across the counter, fresh pesto, Neopolitan sausages, incredible Marine Ice Creams and intelligent advice; everything you'll need for a feast.
Pop in and say hello, the service is always wonderful.
Just don't get caught with your eyes closed, your nostrils flared and a smile on your face - it's considered odd in this part of the world.

Casa da India - Lisbon

I've no idea what the Indian connection is but the back streets of Lisbon came alive when we walked into this treasure trove of meat. Full to the brim of men in suits lunching, it's the ideal introduction to a Lisbon way of life. It's where local council office workers, union officials, friendly faces and busy bodies alike go to take a two hour lunch. Firstly they have a few large glasses of wine (or more) then perfectly cooked steak and chips (with rice on the side of course - this is Portugal) followed by a very very large whisky. Presumably they then go back to the office and sleep through the afternoon. Wasn't the world a better place when people didn't eat at the desk? When drinking in the afternoon was encouraged? When I wasn't even born.

The photo on the right is just a sexy little sign I fell for. An incredible example of stone-masonry. Hopefully guns are no longer on sale.

Cafe near the market - Las Palma, Gran Canaria

Finding this little folly of a cafe adjacent to the artisan market in Gran Canaria was a joy. I choose a Coffee Bonbon; quite possibly the sweetest drink I've ever drunk! It was simply a single espresso plus condensed milk. Decadent in the extreme.

I'm not sure if I'll ever have the courage to serve one in London, far too many calories, but surely it's the antidote to all those skinny lattes we're forced to create for the fashionistas and yummy mummies of East London.

La Despensa Del Sur - Las Palma, Gran Canaria

On the backstreets of Gran Canaria is a wonderfully modern litltle cafe  called La Despensa Del Sur. It's evidently been a long established favourite amongst the young and lithe (we snuck in through the back door!) serving make-overs of all the classic pinchos. But what really excited me was the cute little grocers attached. Without question it's one of the most beatiful selections of foodstuffs I've ever seen. Almost every product was stunningly packaged. Some would say food is not about the packaging - Bollocks to them! If the buyer of this store takes that much care and attention to sourcing - I'm sold. With limited edition bottles of Catalan water, the sexiest tins of Bloc de Foie Gras, charming little ribboned ready meals and a product I bought, but have yet to try, Solid Cava; like a jelly and apparently great with cheese.

Plus in the far corner is a selection of European essentails. From Italy ... great pasta, from France ....Ile de Re Salt and representing the UK.... Jars of Sharwoods Curry Sauces!

Bodegon Lagunetas - Las Palma, Gran Canaria.

When faced with only a few hours in a new town, what do you do? Where do you eat?

The guide books for Gran Canaria were sketchy at best and recommendations far and few.

I like to just wander. We found a little backstreet place that seemed to be buzzing and later, on one of the main drags, we found a busy little place.  We choose the back street one - it seemed more authentic. After queueing to be seated we were walked through endless corridors of contented diners until we came to our table. My wife smiled her knowing smile. The two favoured places were one and the same. Both our choices were spot on! The food was simple but fresh, tasty and perfectly cooked. A joy to find and a joy to dine.

Kaffeine - Fitzrovia

Kaffeine serves amazing coffee. The sign outside states 'We serve the only authentic flat whites in London'. You could call them cocky for saying this, Lantana is after all only a moments walk away, but when the coffee hits your palette you'll agree; they are most deffinately up there with the crema of the crop. They are kinda wonderful. Refreshingly they don't overcharge either - The coffee's are all around the £2 mark and the perfectly moist and flavoursome muffins are only £1.50. I'll be visiting again.

Lantana - Fitzrovia

Lantana is the sort of place that will always win awards, luckily it's not the sort of place that treats it's customers differently from the way it treats it's panelists.

I've managed places in the past where the whole place goes crazy when a critic walks in, everything is cooked specially; I've tried to never agree with this practice. All customers should get the same top notch service.

Timeout has awarded Lantana the best Cafe in London - I completely agree. The bacon & egg sandwich is like none you've ever tasted before; sourdough bread gently toasted, just enough of a light aioli sauce on top and a few other surprises that only added to the experience. The coffee is a wonder too.

If this is the norm for Cafes in Australia I may just swallow my sporting pride and jump on a flight.

The English have a lot to learn!

The Goods Shed - Canterbury, Kent

Revisiting somewhere that you've loved before is always a tricky thing. The first time I found The Goods Shed I was blown away. On my second visit I was even more impressed!

Outside, on this particular Saturday, they were holding a 'car-boot market'. This is a stunning and simple idea, all the local allotment folk and small holders alike are invited to sell any extra crops they may have yielded. At the far end of the car park was a man with a car-boot full of carrots, closer to the front door a women selling lots of beetroot, in between every hue and type of vegetable one could ever attempt to grow.

Such a wonderful idea - if a little illegal! It is forbidden in England to sell anything from an allotment, the idea being to keep the allotments free of commercial influences. Lets ignore that, as they say 'the law is an ass'.

Once inside you'll find an Aladdin's cave of a store. About a dozen independent farmers, grocers and Patrick the traiteur have come together under one beautiful roof to provide you with Kent's finest wares. You truly could complete a weekly shop here, they even have a man selling ethical toilet roll!

As if this wasn't enough the far wall is taken up by a restaurant where the chefs create delights for the stomach direct from the stalls alongside. Jay Rayner adored this place, he called it 'Gastro-Porn', I agree, although I generally prefer to eat in company and with the lights on.

The food is great and Enzo's bread, leavened within the building, is even better.

The Goods Shed is perfectly executed and a tribute to my home county. I've always been proud to be a man of Kent and now I've another gem to recommend.

I drove home a happy man.

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop - Hampstead

I wouldn't normally get excited about such a naff franchised chain of Victorian themed sweet shops - but I've just let my sweet tooth get the better of me and spent a small fortune on sugar coated memories. How can a grown man resist buying what his Nan used to buy him?
I'm now sitting at home sugared up and smiling guiltily. The hero product for me? A Chocolate Tool Kit. It's made of poor quality chocolate and it's cloying but thirty years ago I'd have happily spent the night watching the A Team and choosing whether to eat the little saw, or the hammer or the chisel first- so that's the plan for tonight. Without the A Team.
They also sell boxes of Wilhelmina Original Dutch Peppermints - lighter than an extra strong mint and already empty.
It's hardly worth a long trek to find this shop but if your passing perhaps you should pop in. My nan certainly would.

Cocomaya - Connaught Village

I'm not going to spoil the fun and beauty that is Cocomaya by describing it's charms. Just go and visit it today - it's that good!
They make their own chocolates (which surely you've tried by now?) and in this new location, only yards from the old store, they make rather wonderful bread, cakes and lunches too.
This store made me smile. A lot.
Go today.

The De Beauvoir Deli Company - Pointless

I've been eagerly awaiting the opening of this new deli for some time now. I got especially excited when I started browsing facebook and saw so many great recommendations from future customers.

The wait is over - It's awful.

They've spent a small fortune on branding and admittedly the signage is rather stunning, yet the window itself, which is over twenty foot wide at a guess, has 5 soggy looking pumpkins and 12 dead leaves in it. It's not a display, it's a sign of worse to come.

Once inside the shop is huge, yet the fit-out seemed to consist of a visit to Ikea for some shelves and a quick call to 'The Bargain Hunters' to see if they have any junk left over from the last series.

I'm sorry but I don't want to hear radio 2 blaring at me and yes I would quite like a 'good morning' when I walk in. The food? Well I can buy half of it from my local supermarket at a better price and the other half I can find at just about every tired deli in the country.

In the world of TV and film they often talk about the fourth wall. This is the imaginary wall that separates the viewer from the actor. This wall should never be broken - unless your Hitchcock.
How does this relate to a deli? We as customers expect theatre and spectacle when we shop; leaving the anchovy fillets in the vacuum wrapped plastic, plus bar-code!, that they came off the white van with and then dumping them onto your chiller, the illusion is smashed. I now know where (and for how much) they buy the anchovies, the chorizo and the pasta. I should never see how a shop works.
This should all have been learnt on the first day of shop keepers school; maybe in De Beauvoir they skipped class to visit the graphic desingner!

The Quater Grocer - Brompton Road

What I love about the Quarter Grocer, unlike many other so called grocers, is that you could actually do a mid week shop here. Everything you need for a few days is available.

Shouldn't more grocers & delis be like this? Far too many seem to think that people only want to top-up the supermarket shopping with a little trip to them. What's the point in selling jam if you don't sell bread, oil but no vegetables or, my pet hate, cheese but no biscuits.

The Quarter Grocer has it all: breakfast pastries baked next door in the cafe, home made salads for lunch, pasta, sauces and a whole load of antipasti for supper too. Unfortunately what they don't have is space. If you like browsing without chatting to the shopkeeper at the same time this is the wrong place for you.

Lemonmonkey - Stoke Newington

It's rare to find sanctuary in a city like London. I'd usually recommend The John Soane Museum, The British Libary or a certain little bench by a pretty little pond in a park I'm never going to divulge. Today I've found another - the dreadfully named LemonMonkey.
From the street it looks a little unpromising, the usual gastropub fittings of mixed up chairs, mashed up tables and moody lighting. Yet once inside a wave of serenity overcomes you, I'm hooked!

The big treat that awaits you is the delightful little annex at the back of the store, full of cookery books and mixed media art, it's somewhere to hanker down or cheer up - you decide.

The service may be a little sleepy but wouldn't you be too if you worked here? The coffee however was expert and the grocery selection curated with care (although I would urge them not to stack Vacherin Mont D'or on it's side) I would also worry that such a tiny selection of foodstuffs hardly makes it possible for customers to spend enough. The average spend here must be tiny - a coffee, a laptop and a two hour visit will not pay the bills.

Like a famous man at Salisbury's once said 'Retail is easy - but it's bloody impossible to get right'. The beautiful staff at LemonMonkey get it right.

Thank you.

PS After 40 minutes in the shop I started to love the name too!

The Ginger Pig - Victoria Park

Whilst the Ginger Pig is rightly famed for it's meat it's move into deli's is perhaps a little odd.

A few years ago I had an inspirational conversation with it's founder Tim Wilson, he hated independent food shops that lacked imagination in sourcing, he felt far too many grocers took the easy option of buying products from catalogues. It might make things easy to make just one phone call and everything arrives in one van the next day - but in essence you're no different from everyone else.

I completely agreed with this sentiment.

I was therefore a little surprised to find beneath the butchers a small deli and grocers where pretty much everything is to be found elsewhere. I've really nothing against Roskilly ice cream, Stokes conserves or the Handmade Biscuit Company but visit any farmers shop in the middle of nowhere and you'll find them. I expected more. Surely Yorkshires finest meats could be complimented by a Yorkshirecentric larder to match.

On the plus side it's a perfect place to create a meal in one stop. Victoria Park is probably the only village in London where you'll find no parking restrictions, the area has a really tight community who have successfully fought off every attempt to install yellow lines, metres or resident only bays. So pull up near by and enjoy anxiety free shopping.

Within the Ginger Pig you'll find everything you need to spend a cosy weekend chopping and cooking. Sausages, sauces, wines and puddings, bread, fruit and veg. Plus of course London's best sausage roll to guiltily pleasure yourself on the drive home.

What you won't find and it's a great shame, is something you've never found before.

Peche Mignon - Holloway Road

If you do something well - show off about it! It's not rocket science but so many shops fail to show themselves off to their best ability.

Peche Mignon never fails.

To be found on a backstreet just off everybody's most hated thoroughfare, the Holloway Road, this is a food haven for locals and the lost. It's easy to find - it's the only place worth going in.

A window brimming with piles of freshly baked pain chocolat and dozens of little Portuguese tarts draws me in. Inside huge displays of fresh flowers threaten to overpower the tiny store but don't. This is a store that cares about it's appearance thus conveying the message that the owner cares about his food, his large tummy gives a reassuring hint too.

With Dolfin Chocolate, Louse valley conserves and Kusmi Teas (a Russian tea via Paris - try the breakfast tea first, it's a treat among treats) among the grocery highlights it's easy to spend a pound or two and just in case you enjoy the music Peche Mignon has a curated display of very tempting Cd's so you can recreate the charming atmosphere at home. From the deli counter I'm always pulled towards the great Comte and simple cooking chorizo.

The service too is second to none, I was third in line and yet still got a 'hello what can I get you?' from the wonderfully effervescent Aussie barista. My coffee was ready before I'd even got to the front to pay.

Sitting outback in the tiny garden reading my news I felt truly ready for the day. What more can you ask from a local store?

Fin & Flounder - Broadway Market

Broadway market has for a long time had almost everything. Today it felt complete. I found the Fin & Flounder

I never know how to start conversations with shopkeepers but seeing a smiling face and hearing a warm "good morning" followed by "what you cooking tonight?" as you walk through the door makes it easier. I had a simple risotto in mind, maybe a little white fish.

It was suggested that I try "a piece of Hake, as it's texture complements the softness of risotto rice perfectly and it's probably more suitable than our cod". After letting slip that I usually add vermouth Mr Happy pulled a free fish head from a bucket under the counter and proceeded to butcher it for me (do fishmongers butcher?) "Making your own fish stock would be fun". While he pulled out the eyes we talked about his 'London Cured Smoked Salmon', something I've not seen in a long time and also about my choice of rice for the evening. Yes I was upsold some rice that I probably don't need and yes I spent more money than I wanted, but isn't that what we all secretly want? Great service deserves reward.

The shop looks great too, on the left of this narrow mongers are gorgeous, almost nautical, pendant lights and simple white tiles, in-front sits a carefully curated and sustainably sourced selection of very fresh fish (deliveries daily from Cornwall and Hastings). On the right, highlighted by a simple wooden paneling, an array of everything else you may need to complement your purchase be it sushi rice, soy sauce, cookbooks or fresh herbs.

Mr Happy loves his job and I loved being his customer.

Three Quirky Joys - LA

Three of my favourite LA stores. In no particular order .... one pun, one intriging and one simply stunning.

Baby Cakes - Hong Kong

I'll admit to not being very impressed by Baby Cakes, it's miles from nowhere and lost within a soulless furniture park plus cup cakes always seem to be overrated to me anyway, who wouldn't prefer a nice crumpet in the afternoon? ... However the toilets were so wonderful they won me over. So cute. Very thoughtful.

De kas - Amsterdam

Probably the most memorable meal of the last five years.
Deciding to rent bicycles for the weekend was an inspired idea. Deciding to Cycle all the way to De Kas was a romantic idea. Deciding to not take umbrellas and get stranded, during Amsterdams biggest hail strom of the last 12 months was idiotic. The night was still amazing.

Vlaamsch Broodhuys - Amsterdam

Vlaamsch Broodhuys is probably the finest little chain of bakers I've ever had the treat of feasting in. Quite simply delicious. The croissants, breads and jams are all exceptional, whilst the design of the shop is modern and charming in the same breath - not easy to achieve. Beware of the jams - the apple and pear one I bought is so thick and thin that it's almost the same consistency as Marmite. It tastes incredible though - try it with cheese!

Somewhere in Berlin

IF your after a great bag of chips while in Berlin - look out for this sign. Nobody present can remember where we found them but the chips were amazing. More than anything else though I loved the signage. Simple genius. No need to learn a foreign language after all!