Late night food

rainbow_carnage

I've been trying to find a local place that does late night food, other than kebab shops. Haven't had much luck. There must be someone who'll deliver after midnight. Hell, some nights I would be willing to go pick it myself, just so I can get out of doing the cooking.

Any ideas?

Also, why do all the coffee shops shut so early? As a Yank, I'm used to being able to get a decent cup of coffee at 11pm. My day doesn't usually start until the early afternoon, so a 6 o'clock closing time is incredibly inconvenient.

dominic

I think you're question could be summarised as "why does London, a supposedly international city, shut down at tea time?" It's not just an N4 problem, it's like that everywhere. I don't know why.

And at risk of opening a can of worms, where can you get a decent cup of coffee <i>anywhere</i> in Stroud Green, <i>any time</i>?

rainbow_carnage

I like Good for Food on Blackstock Rd. It's not great coffee, but it's perfectly drinkable. Good salads. Tasty cakes. I use it when I desperately need to get some work done. They don't have wi-fi, so it's one less distraction.

It's getting more and more popular, especially with the teachers from the college next door. When it first opened, there would be 2-3 hours in the afternoon when I would be the only person there. Now it's always packed and loud. I might have to find me a new "office".

tosscat

'as a yank...decent cup of coffee'? Really? Where on earth are you from in the States?

tosscat

And as for the food after midnight - you're having a bubble.

rainbow_carnage

Tosscat... Are you kidding? You can get a damn fine cup of coffee 24/7 in New York. Proper coffee. Filter. Black. Strong. None of the caramel frappuccino nonsense.

There aren't many places that do good coffee in London. Monmouth do a nice espresso. I quite like the coffee at the Nordic Bakery, too. Sadly, Good for Food is as good as it gets in N4. I just wish that they were open a bit later.

Oh, and if anyone manages to find a good bagel place in London, I'd be most grateful. The English seem to think that a bagel is round bread.

tosscat

NY's not America proper though is it?

dion

Can't you just go to one of the many, many 24 hour Woody's (not quite sure how to pluralise Woody's - Woody's' or Woody'ss or Woody'ses - all look grotesque), buy some coffee and put it through a filter at home? To make it strong just put lots in and leave it there for ages. To make it black, don't add any milk. And steer clear of caramel, cinnamon etc. You can get endless refills as well.

rainbow_carnage

Ah, but it's not about the coffee. It's about having a place to sit for a while and get some work done. I've been working freelance for a few months, and I've found that I clearly don't have the self-control to get anything done from home. I force myself to leave the house and go to a place that doesn't have wi-fi/a TV/my bed.

I can hardly bring my own coffee to a coffee shop, can I? Even if they do serve undrinkable brown water.

Jayne

Rainbow - maybe you could try the Front Room (Tollington Park) for coffee? I think they're open really late some nights now, maybe until 10pm even.

tosscat

What about tea? I hear it's quite the thing over here.

David

Not actually had a bagel from there yet, but the one opposite the Twelve Pins on Seven Sisters has that anarchic look of quality to it. Certainly smells good. It sounds like you're not actually a Yank, Rainbow, rather a New Yorker and when it comes to good late night coffee that's a pretty high benchmark. That said, everything I ate and drank there, while good portions, was shit. I was probably unlucky. I've come to simply not expecting much from coffee around London. Rather like I gave up on a decent beer in New York.

poxy

The bagels from the Happening Beigel Company, above (opposite The Twelve Pins) or whatever it's called are ok. However, they're not as good as the ones from the bakery outside the south-east exit from Manor House tube station.

tosscat

Bagels are yuck anyway. Have a stale barm cake instead and pluck out the middle - voila!

Colette

Go to stamford hill - you can't move for bagel places.

tosscat

I only put the 'voila' on the end for you Colette.

Colette

Oh, merci Tosscat.

Please explain barm cake though.

katiejane

The Happening Bagel Bakery every time - they're really nice and chewy and only 25p a pop, or £2.50 a dozen. They're really expensive in Stamford Hill and Golders Green. Brick Lane is famous for its bagels, and if yer up all night, has a 24 hour one. I think theirs are too chewy though.

Will try Poxy's recommendation. Thanks Poxy.

I think the Front Room not only does piss poor coffee, but is pretty crap all round. The owner's always swanning around doing business front of house and is really loud. In fact all staff could be a bit more discreet.

It's a shame that the guy with one arm has left Good for Food. His coffee was to die for! I agree, Monmouth rocks, but how about Bar Italia, and Flat White, both in Soho. Talking about flat whites, the older Asian guy in Muffin Break at (ahem) "N19" ie the caff at the Whittington does a mean one. The place in Crouch End, Le Pain d'Or does good coffee. Their branch in Muswell Hill does even better. Round it off with a mean raspberry brioche...mmmm.

rainbow_carnage

No, no, no! Those are not bagels. I used to live in Stamford Hill, and there's not a single bakery that does the real deal. A bagel should be huge -- the size of a small baby's head. It should be boiled first and then baked. The outside must be nice and crusty and the inside very soft. A single bagel and cream cheese is a meal in itself.

If you're ever in New York, try Ess-a-Bagel. Your life will never be the same. Their coffee is terrible, though.

And as far as tea goes, I could always go for a cup or two. But it must be good loose tea. Nothing that comes in a bag. Otherwise, why bother. Might as well drink hot water.

The perfect bagel. Fantastic coffee. A nice cup of earl grey. These are the things that make life better.

Having said all that, I've just eaten couscous from a packet. Some days laziness wins over food snobbery.

rainbow_carnage

Katiejane, I miss the one-armed guy, too. I used to know his name, but now I forgot it. A couple summers ago, I wrote my dissertation in Good for Food. His coffee kept me going. He used to give me free muffins at the end of the day, too. A really nice guy, all around.

Good for Food put up their prices a few months back. It's still pretty reasonable, but I can no longer afford to eat there daily. (Well, quitting my job didn't help.)

I haven't tried Muffin Break or Le Pain d'Or. Someone recommended the latter to me yesterday. I shall have to go and explore. Flat White is good if you want a white coffee, but I drink mine black. Their coffee isn't that fantastic on its own.

I went to the Scandinavian place on Gt Titchfield Street the other day. They use Monmouth coffee for their espressos and something else for their filters. Both are excellent. It's a good place to do work, too, as they're pretty quiet after 3pm.

Colette

The guy with one arm has left? nooo, I really liked him. This is a sad day.
They make/sell a mean pastel de nata (portuguese custard pie) there though.

andy

I like the Front Room Cafe. I like the breakfasts and I like going there when it's a bit quieter. I also like Rob the owner - it's been really good watching them turn a derelict little shop into a popular cafe over the last couple of years. I think they've worked really hard at it.

As for perfect bagels, I think Brick Lane is your answer.

andy

On the other subject - I am similarly hopeless at working from home.

Good quietish places for freelancers to work (from my list) include the British Library, RIBA on Gt Portland St, the Breakfast Club in Soho, the ICA, pick more daisies in Crouch End, Bar Camino in Kings Cross (free wifi and v quiet in the day).

That said, the Dairy and the Noble aren't bad either.

katiejane

Oh no, I knew somebody would know him! Sorry Andy - no offence. Hope I haven't jeopardised my reward.

tosscat

Reward schmeward!

katiejane

@ rainbow-carnage: vis a vis bagels.

I know it's a cliche, but my baby's head is enormous (she's in the 98th centile for head circumference - I think she gets it off her Uncle), and I can't help thinking this is a classic case of monster American portions.

Ours too can be a meal in themselves (especially with some chips).

dominic

@katiejane - so YOU know someone with a big head too? What is it with this place?

VictorMoses

I've got a big head. So has my boyfriend. The doctor thought there was something wrong with him when he was a child. He's fine, though.

tosscat

Hydrocephaly?