Albers

"In the corner of Albers is a tasteful wooden newspaper rack. There’s a Mirror, there’s an FT, there may well be a Telegraph too. Although we suspect De Beauvoir locals will lean more towards The Observer hanging on the front. The point is, this all-day cafe and modern European restaurant is a people-pleaser. Come by at just past 8am and you can get a bulbous croissant alongside your flat white, or log off for an hour at lunch and sit down with a juicy (but not entirely exciting) pork belly bap smothered in apple sauce. The small, clean-cut dining room is perma-filled with families, wistful-looking solo readers, and the kind of people who like the sound of a tarted-up ham, egg, and chips. At night, the lights dim and Chic is turned up (but not too much) while friends sip £5 Negronis in the tasteful, wood-clad room, and dates interrogate another London sharing plates menu. That said, there’s something comforting in Albers’ approach. Not breaking boundaries, nor run-of-the-mill. It’s hard to imagine anyone being unhappy to have Albers around the corner. Food Rundown photo credit: Jake Missing Crab Beignets If you’re at Albers for a little snack and a little drink, then these crab beignets are a must. They’re golden brown with a jagged, crunchy batter and a lovely, creamy crab filling. Duck Breast, Confit Leg, Stuffed Cabbage This is a very autumnal-feeling plate of food. Shades of brown jus combine with other shades of brown duck meat, and then there’s the occasional pop of colour from a fig or pink duck breast. It’s pleasant without being particularly special; the duck is cooked well, the fat could be better rendered, and the sauce needs some more depth." - Jake Missing

"This cool new Dalston cafe looks like the kind of spot we’d like to spend all day in. And you can, because it’s got an all-day menu starting with coffee alongside sausage and egg butties in the mornings, and things like whole lemon sole on their changing dinner menu. We recently checked out Albers. Read our first thoughts here.    " - sinead cranna, rianne shlebak