Bob's Cafe

"We don’t know who Bob is, but he’s got what the Muswell Hill crowds want. On any given morning this cheery cafe is packed with families tucking into eggs benedict, friends quietly singing happy birthday over plates of crispy schnitzel, and sporty types refuelling with salmon salads after walks in Alexandra Park. Roll in in a tracksuit and hunker down beside the exposed brick walls with a dependable plate of pancakes. Or pose for pictures beside thriving plants in macramé holsters. The welcome is just as warm whoever you are. We honestly can’t tell if there was music playing because the soundtrack of people chatting, scraping skillets of baked eggs, and swirling glasses of juice clinking with ice drowned out everything else. This is a properly feelgood space where simple bistro classics, comfy seating, and friendly service all facilitate long, carefree catch-ups. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch" - Sinéad Cranna