Cafe Find: Violet Bakery London
Previously a pastry cook and pastry chef for Alice Waters at Chez Panisse, Claire Ptak has been running her Dalston bakery and cafe for six years now. What started as a tiny cupcake stand on Broadway market has now become a neighbourhood favourite. Laid-back and distinctly Californian (with salted ice-coffee on the menu), Violet Bakery London is a […]
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Cool Shop Find: Conservatory Archives London
While London is enviably green in comparison to other metropolitan cities, it can still feel like a concrete jungle. Enter Conservatory Archives London, a plant shop solidifying itself as both a leader in creative indoor landscaping and a city oasis. After spending exhaustive years in fashion industry, Jin Ahn needed a break. Naturally, she earned a […]
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Art Gallery Find: Marian Goodman London
There are white cubes, and there are white cubes. Marian Goodman Gallery’s London outpost inhabits a Grade II-listed, former Victorian textile factory in Soho, converted by architect David Adjaye. Concrete floors and vaulted skylights are stunning new additions, but the gallery’s historic gentility has survived – the façade has been restored to its original sandstone, […]
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Cafe & Creative Studio Find: Sonos Studio London
At Melting Butter we take our music pretty seriously (just have a listen to our monthly Fresh Fifteen playlists). So it was only a matter of time before we made multiple visits to Sonos Studio London, a building consisting of café and versatile spaces, aimed to help you find a musical or creative experience of […]
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Restaurant Find: The Marksman London
Last year, two Michelin-starred chefs – Tom Harris of  St John restaurant and John Rotheram of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen joined forces to restore a beautiful East End pub. The Marksman London is located on Hackney road – minutes from the Sunday flower market yet conveniently tucked away from tourist crowds. Harris and Rotheram restored an old […]
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Shopping Find: Tokyobike London
We love a”¯Lekker, svelte”¯Danish Sögreni”¯and homegrown”¯Temple Cycle, but a lightweight city cycle from”¯Tokyobike’s Hoxton workshop is the newest find on our rack. Blending Japanese minimalism with urban-pedalling practicality (derrière-cradling seats, an easy-to-tote steel frame, smaller wheels for agile manoeuvring) ”“ Tokyobike’s ”˜Tokyo Slow’ philosophy places comfort over speed, the journey before the destination. At Tokyobike”˜s […]
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Restaurant Find: Barrafina London
Since opening in 2007, Barrafina is bustling with customers. The Spanish tapas bar; with only 23 seats along a tiled, L-shaped counter; takes no reservations, so the competition to get a spot is tough ”“ as in, ”˜up-to-two-hours-wait-for-dinner’ kind of tough. But persevere, and you will be rewarded. The atmosphere inside is buzzy and casual, […]
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Restaurant Find: Som Saa London
Thai joint Som Saa in London’s East End has had an Evolution of Man-style rise. Only the best-adapted pop-ups thrive. Ever since helmsman Andy Oliver ”“ who refined his house-made curry pastes and coconut milk at Nahm and Bangkok’s Michelin-starred Bo.Lan ”“ began operating off a single grill in Peckham’s Bar Story with head chef […]
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Restaurant find: Mildreds London
Daniel Acevedo’s spring menu reads like a vegetarian porn script. The head chef of Mildreds Soho branch ”“ and the more recent Camden and Kings Cross spots ”“ teases tastebuds with bowls balanced with flavours from across the globe. Acevedo’s training in Greek, Italian and pan-Asian restaurants in and around Melbourne, as well as a stint in […]
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Restaurant find: Taberna do Mercado London
Thank God Michelin-star-spangled ”˜chef’s chef’ Nuno Mendes ”“ elBulli alumnus, crab-doughnut innovator, and crafter of emotionally resonant salads ”“ abandoned a career in marine biology. The sea’s loss is London’s dining scene’s gain. Mendes’ meals gently agitate the memory and invoke history; this is especially true of his Spitalfields outpost Taberna do Mercado. Less papped […]
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