Scotti's Snack Bar
Cafe · Clerkenwell ·
Italian sandwich cafe, museum-like interior, famed chicken escalope
Italian sandwich cafe, museum-like interior, famed chicken escalope
"An old-fashioned Italian sandwich café dating back to 1967 and often described as “museum-like” or a “time capsule,” it’s known for generous breakfasts and its legendary chicken escalope sandwiches. Rooted in Clerkenwell’s former “Little Italy,” the business still relies heavily on cab drivers and other tradespeople who value plentiful nearby street parking for quick stops. Owners Al and Max Scotti fear planned changes to Clerkenwell Green—which would cut road space by 51 percent, remove 43 parking spaces and could begin as early as February 2023—would have a devastating impact by removing the early-morning parking that provides much of their trade. Having been excluded from the consultation committee, they organised a petition and say the council has not properly reconsidered the proposals in light of Brexit, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis; the council argues reduced traffic and increased public space will improve the area and attract visitors. Local residents remain loyal customers, and praise from contemporary food writers for the freshly made sandwiches offers some hope, but there is real uncertainty about the café’s future as London moves away from being car-friendly (with a Traffic Management Order objection deadline of 27 January 2023 being a last-chance option)." - Sean Wyer
"A cult neighbourhood snack bar beloved for its bacon rolls, museum-like interior and remarkably friendly proprietor; the lunch menu has drawn particular affection for its finely tuned fried chicken sandwich and an unexpectedly excellent filled pasta in brodo." - Adam Coghlan
"Scotti’s Snack Bar is among a very select group of eating places where it’s quite possible to feel embarrassment and even a small amount of shame for not being able to drive a black cab. But that doesn’t mean the caff’s kindly proprietor, Al, doesn’t make his customers feel at ease. If he spots one struggling to decide what to order, he’ll most certainly help them along; the place has a “talking menu” in any case. Plenty of cabbies are to be found here eating chicken escalopes, which Al cooks fresh, rather than reheating like most other places. He has also been known to cut slices from his prized joint of perfectly pink roast beef, which he leaves on show in a metal basket, like a baby in a manger. Others may prefer the bacon roll, which has the neatness and refinement of something that has clearly been prepared with love thousands of times. It’s easy to fall head over heels with every caff on this list, but there’s something particularly exhilarating about going to Scotti’s. The place is a time capsule, a living museum, a faithfully rendered and beautifully preserved exhibit on “life in 1950s Britain”. A lot of this comes down to all the incredibly old functional things in the place: the ancient water boiler, which rises up from the counter like a periscope; their antique metal cuboid of a toaster, which has probably been around longer than Elizabeth II has been queen. But the finest historical piece of kitchenware in Scotti’s is obviously its age-old meat fork, which Al’s grandmotherly sidekick uses to shallow fry the bacon, as the pair exchange Italian phrases." - Isaac Rangaswami
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