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J&A Cafe - One of the Best Bistros in Islington, London
Once frequented by the late, great Alexander McQueen (his design studio was around the corner), this best of London’s bistros was established in 2008 by Dublin-born sisters Joanna and Aoife Ledwidge (hence the ‘J’ and the ‘A’).
Located in the cobbled backstreets of Clerkenwell, the cafe is popular with all sorts of fashionable types, not least since one of the sisters used to work for the designer Gareth Pugh, another regular.
The fare is unpretentiously chic (for example, roast smoked trout salad, or couscous with roasted veg and goat’s cheese), well-sourced (with the likes of Inverawe smoked salmon, Fentiman’s old-fashioned softies, and Mighty Leaf ‘s herbal teas), and reflective of the owners’ Irish roots, with delights such as freshly baked soda bread and chocolate Guinness cake.
With things getting boozy (champagne or Pimms) in time for afternoon tea, it’s the authentic Irish craic.
J+A Cafe: Where to go for breakfast in Clerkenwell, London
food
Your first dilemma of the morning might be actually finding J+A.
Not that there isn’t space (there’s plenty), but you’ll be pondering over whether you want to be inside or outdoors.
The ground floor of an old diamond-cutting factory, the space is lovely.
Inside is cosy and adorable, as a cafe should be, but outside is equally as appealing, with the sun shining down on the benched courtyard.
J+A Cafe is fantastic.
J & A Cafe, 1+4 Sutton Lane, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 5PU ...
value food
J&A Café is all about hospitality along with that elusive homemade, familial chic that is so hard to capture.
So full marks, we totally got it.There might be many people who haven’t heard of J&A Café, since it resides in a small courtyard in the otherworldly and forever quietly un-London-like neighbourhood of Clerkenwell.
Opening for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner – the clean sweep – J&A is a casual dining option.
The sweet café isn’t too cute to sever up a full English breakfast but if you’re a foodie (and if you’re here then that’s quite likely) then opt for something a little more unusual.
At £7.50, that spelled value to us.There are also lighter options, which include granola, muesli, pastries and boiled eggs with toast soldiers.Alcohol is served in the evening and you can imagine that the homely charms of the breakfast service are swapped for a refined atmosphere in which to enjoy J&A Café.Behind the cute, old-fashioned style J&A Café displays a serious attitude towards its food.
J & A Cafe, Clerkenwell
It was good in the old days and I am pleased..." Which venue is this?
Looks like the woman taking bookings called Candice will promise you anything..." Which venue is this?
The Rookery hotel - Clerkenwell, London - England - Smith Hotels
food staff reservations value drinks
The friendly pair checking me in gushed about how lovely my suite was with genuine glee, and 30 seconds later I was bounding up the stairs to the Rook’s Nest, my two-storey home for the night.
We sprinted up our staircase – I love hotel suites with stairs – to find our living room with its antique desk, orchid-adorned coffee table, green leather bucket chairs and books stacked everywhere.
The honesty bar did nothing to dispel our folie à deux: Mr Smith lounged on a settee contentedly admiring the green paisley curtains, while I played the dutiful Mrs and poured us some experimental cocktails.
Ordinarily I’m a massive fan of hotel black-out curtains, but in the Rook’s Nest I recommend leaving the curtains a tiny bit open: waking up in a really big room with sunlight sparkling on the myriad gilded surfaces is exciting.
But, as Mr Smith consoled, we’ll just have to return to these Dickensian digs to stay in the room that boasts a loo set in a wood-panelled confessional.