Living in Bermondsey, I'm no stranger to railway arches that house bars, eateries and independent stores. Located just off Deptford High Street, next to the station, Deptford Market Yard consists of a dozen or so small businesses from sneakers to street food, each occupying a railway arch along a broad, pedestrianised boulevard.


On a sunny Sunday afternoon, there is a chilled-out atmosphere — enough people to give it a nice buzz, but not so many that you can't nab a coveted outdoor seat in the sunshine. I first stop for brunch at Dirty Apron, where my bubble and squeak with crispy bacon is well worth the wait (the tiny kitchen means orders can take a few minutes to arrive, even if there isn't a queue). They serve coffee from Alchemy but I have other caffeinated plans for the afternoon.


Two arches down from Dirty Apron is Lomond Coffee, a tiny coffee roastery and café run by Linzi and Hayley. The sisters have made good use of the diminutive space, with pendant lights and a soft grey concrete coffee bar accentuating the fully exposed brickwork of the arch. It feels cosy, even on an unexpectedly sunny day and in winter, it must take some willpower to abandon a seat at one of the high tables and to venture back outside. There are only seats for about ten people inside, but the seating in the yard more than doubles this when the weather behaves.



I have seen the baristas taking several great-looking espresso-based drinks out to customers, but I am pleased to find a V60 filter coffee on the menu too. I order one, as well as one of the chocolate peanut butter bars that are tempting me from the counter. It is at least 15 minutes since I finished my brunch, after all. The peanut butter proves the perfect foil for the rich, gooey dark chocolate and the sweet treat has disappeared by the time my coffee arrives.


As for the coffee, it is roasted daily in small batches in the roaster that sits behind the counter. The coffee du jour is a single-origin Costa Rican honey processed coffee, with orange, raspberry and caramel notes. It tasted very good indeed and I enjoyed drinking it while watching the friendly female baristas serve up coffee, brunch and genuine, friendly service in equal measures. I will have to return to sample the brunch — in particular, the kimchi pancakes with fried eggs, which sell out during my visit.



Caffeinated and happy, I stroll back down the Yard, popping into lifestyle store Win and Ruby and lovely plant store Forest on my way back to the high street. On Saturdays, Deptford Market Yard is even busier, with the Deptford Bites market bringing even more street food and crafts. Is it as good as my local Maltby Street Market? Well, it's much newer, of course, but perhaps one day they will become arch rivals.



Lomond Coffee. Arch 7, 4 Deptford Market Yard, Deptford, London, SE8 4BX (Deptford rail). Website. Twitter. Instagram. Deptford Market Yard website.

For 100+ more of my favourite coffee shops in London, please check out my speciality coffee guide.

From Canada Water to Norway Gate and Helsinki Square, it's possible to travel the world without ever leaving the Rotherhithe peninsula in southeast London. The names reflect the area's rich shipping history, until the closure of Surrey Docks in 1970. And it's on Greenland Place, in the heart of these former docklands, that I find another place that harks back to faraway lands.


The Pear Tree is an Australian-inspired all-day neighbourhood eatery, located just south of Surrey Docks and not much further from the River Thames itself, in full serpentine curvature at this point. This part of the world, on the borders between Surrey Docks and Deptford, is not far from my Bermondsey home but I have fewer opportunities to visit than I used to. The coffee and the brunch at the Pear Tree comes highly recommended, however, so I schedule myself some Sunday morning brunch.



As it turns out, I probably should have booked. At 10:30 am, the eatery is already bustling and as it's a warm day, the tables outside on the pedestrianised street are full too. Luckily, the host manages to squeeze me in to a table in the middle of the light and tastefully decorated dining room. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and the other customers include couples, families and groups of friends.


Allow a few minutes to parse the varied menu. There are both 'breakfasty' and 'lunchy' brunch dishes available, with the latter ranging from pasta to poké, and duck hash to Dan Dan noodles. I am still in a breakfasty brunch frame of mind and stick to the requisite left-hand side of the menu. Most of the dishes are brunch classics, although some also have a twist; pulled pork benedict, yes please. Sometimes, though, all I really want is a really good avocado toast, like that epic work of epicurean beauty I had at Code Black, barely two hours after touching down in Melbourne last year. The Pear Tree's dish doesn't disappoint. The avocado is lightly smashed and comes with a coriander, lime and chilli dressing on chunky sourdough toast with superbly flavoursome oven-roasted cherry tomatoes.



But what of the coffee? Well, it's from Caravan — they use the Daily Blend — which is an excellent start. A little-known fact about me — despite the name of my blog and apparent drinking habits — is that I really like flat whites, but only when they're really well prepared. This means I rarely order them outside the Antipodes. I have an inkling that the Pear Tree's flat white would fit the bill, and I am correct. Served in an Acme cup, it is perfectly proportioned and tasted delicious. Next time, I may even branch out and try another Aussie classic, the iced Milo (an iced chocolate milk drink), or perhaps I'll just stick to a brunch cocktail.


The Pear Tree is open until 10 pm every day. It's a pleasant ten-minute stroll from Surrey Quays Overground. It's bursting with Australian-style hospitality too: the wait staff and baristas are universally warm, attentive and efficient, even during a busy service. Oh, and don't miss the well-stocked deli by the front counter.


The Pear Tree. Greenland Place, Yeoman Street, London, SE8 5ET (Surrey Quays Overground). Website. Twitter. Instagram.

For 100+ more of my favourite coffee shops in London, please check out my speciality coffee guide.

It used to be that whenever I wanted to spend an afternoon checking out a new speciality coffee shop, I had to go to Soho, Shoreditch or Hackney, but the coffee scene in south-east London has blossomed over the past few years. I live in Bermondsey and it's a delight to have an abundance of great cafes within a 30-minute walk or a short bus ride. I've put together a map and guide to some of my favourite coffee shops in the area — this is far from comprehensive and, in the interests of concision, I limited myself to two cafes per neighbourhood.



Bermondsey
Hej
When Hej opened up in a cheery green building on Bermondsey Square in 2014, I was pleased to finally have a good coffee shop in my neighbourhood. With its Scandi-inspired décor and food menu, Hej is a great place to hang out with a good cup of coffee. They don't do hand-brewed filter coffee but the espresso drinks are really good and there is usually cold brew available in the summer. You can also buy gorgeous flowers from the stall just outside. 1 Bermondsey Square, London, SE1 3UN (Tube: Bermondsey or Borough). Website. Twitter.


Monmouth
The Bermondsey branch of this popular London roaster isn't the biggest location or the most famous, and it's only open on Saturdays from 9–1.30 pm, but it's probably my most visited coffee spot in London, and the queues are much shorter than at Covent Garden and Borough. They serve espresso-based drinks and pourovers, which are always excellent, and they also sell coffee beans. There are no seats but you can perch at the bar underneath the awning. Arch 3 Spa North (bet. Dockley Road and Spa Road), London, SE16 (Tube: Bermondsey). Website.


Borough
Gentlemen Baristas
Possibly the most dapper coffee shop in all of London, The Gentlemen Baristas is a cosy venue on Union Street. The gents themselves — Henry and Edward — and their staff are very friendly and they serve great Aeropress- and Chemex-brewed coffee as well as espresso drinks. 63 Union Street, London, SE1 1SG (Tube: Borough). Website. Twitter.


Brockley
Browns of Brockley
Browns has been serving delicious coffee and food to the denizens of Brockley since 2009. Their coffee is from Square Mile (filter and espresso drinks are available) and the cakes are excellent. There is also a lovely relaxed atmosphere, especially at the weekend. 5 Coulgate Street, London, SE4 2RW (Brockley Overground). Website. Twitter.


Camberwell
Daily Goods
Camberwell has a booming speciality coffee scene and it was hard to pick just two cafes, but Daily Goods with its always well-brewed coffee had to make the cut. They serve Workshop coffee in a bustling, artsy cafe on Camberwell Church Street. Don't miss the avo toast! 36 Camberwell Church Street, London, SE5 8QZ (Denmark Hill Overground). Website. Twitter.

Fowlds
Fowlds, located on the western side of Burgess Park, gets a bonus point for its cute cat and another for being the only cafe–upholsterers hybrid in London (possibly the world), but doesn't need either. It is tiny, with a few small tables inside and a few more out front when the weather is clement. The coffee is from Square Mile and the baristas make a mean macchiato. They sell delicious fresh bread and serve sandwiches and cakes too. 3 Addington Square, London, SE5 7JZ (Tube: Kennington). Facebook. Twitter.


Deptford
London Velo
There aren't quite as many options for good coffee in Deptford as in some of the other south-east London neighbourhoods, but London Velo will serve both your caffeine and cycling needs. The cafe and bike shop is located on Deptford High Street and serve great Union coffee (espresso drinks and V60 pourovers), as well as bagels from Brick Lane. 18 Deptford High Street, Deptford, London, SE8 4AF (Deptford Bridge DLR, or Deptford rail). Website. Twitter.

Forest Hill
St David Coffee House
The most southern, although not quite the most eastern, coffee shop in this list, St David is worth the trek from central London to leafy Forest Hill. The cafe is cosy and cheerful — more shabby chic than minimalist — with friendly staff and great cakes and brunch. The coffee, from Square Mile, is also good and Aeropress and V60 brew methods are both available. St David Coffee House. 5 David Road, London, SE23 3EP (Forest Hill Overground). Twitter.


Peckham
Old Spike Roastery
Coffee with a conscience! This petite Peckham roaster and coffee shop was set up to support local homeless people by providing jobs, training and housing. They serve coffee and beans and sell doughnuts from Crosstown — you can walk off your treat on the nearby Peckham Rye Park. Old Spike's coffee is also served in Camberwell-based Lumberjack. 54 Peckham Rye, London, SE15 4JR (Peckham Rye Overground). Website. Twitter.


Small White Elephant
A block south of Peckham Rye station, this cosy cafe feels like a particularly colourful, comfortable living room. The coffee is from Alchemy and each cup is made with love. They serve V60-brewed pourovers and the wonderfully named 'Al Pacino' (an almond-milk cappuccino, of course), among other drinks. The cakes are particularly good too. 28 Choumert Road, London, SE15 4SE (Peckham Rye Overground). Website. Twitter.

When a fun cocktail bar—the Job Centre—sprung up on Deptford High Street last year, I knew it would only be a matter of time before third-wave coffee weaved its way into SE8. London Velo opened at the end of May and I had been meaning to stop by, so I was grateful for the reminder in this week's Time Out, which dropped in the G-word but had nothing but praise for the new café and bike shop.


London Velo serves coffee, bagels, sandwiches and salads by day, but there are also cocktails, including the LV espresso martini, for the evening crowd (it's open until 10 pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays). The weather was atrocious on Sunday morning—it was pretty chilly and pouring with rain—but London Velo was still pleasingly bustling when I arrived.


The décor is Scandi-minimalist, with plenty of light wooden furniture with pink and grey accents (disclaimer: pink and grey is one of my favourite colour combos; my outfit even matched that day). There are plenty of tables and the café is refreshingly spacious. The one slight mis-step is that the wooden bench that lines one wall is too high for the tables, but I didn't mind moving round to the pink chair to eat my food.


There aren't any hand-brewed filter coffee options on the menu, so I ordered a flat white (£2.40) and then considered the breakfast menu. The LV breakfast (£7.50), which has all of my favourite things (salmon, egg, avo, spinach, tomato and toast) and none of my least favourites (mushrooms), sounded great, but I also knew the bagels were sourced from Brick Lane, so I ordered the bacon and avocado bagel (£5) instead. In a world of sourdough and rye, bagels feel almost retro, but I'm not complaining.


I was given a numbered bike gear to identify my table and went to take a seat. Meanwhile, the dog-in-residence, Maurice, came to say hello.



The coffee is independently sourced—at the moment, they are using Union's Bright Note blend, which I've tried before and which is sweet and nutty and works very well as a flat white. My drink was smooth, rich and tasty. The bagel was great too—it almost felt like I had been whisked away to New York—and came with a generous helping of avocado, back bacon and a side of rocket. Delicious enough to feel like a treat, but healthy enough that I didn't feel too sinful.



There is a bike mechanic and a bike shop at the back of the café and there's also a small art gallery downstairs (the info isn't currently on the London Velo site, but there are some details about the current exhibition here).



London Velo is a great addition to the often sparsely populated south-east London coffee map, and does a great job of covering the four Cs: coffee, cycling, culture and community. If you're in the SE8 area, you should drop by!

London Velo. 18 Deptford High Street, Deptford, London, SE8 4AF (Deptford Bridge DLR, or Deptford or New Cross rail).

On an unassuming street corner on Deptford Church Street lies a new pizzeria that has really reinvented the wheel(s). Quite literally, in fact, because The Big Red Pizza Bus is based in an unused double-decker bus that has been repurposed as a pizza restaurant and bar. I'm always looking for new places to fill the south-east London pizza void, so the family and I went to check it out on Saturday night.


It was pretty busy when we arrived — there was a large group sitting on the tables on the heated outdoor terrace — but luckily, we were able to sit on the bus itself. And on the top deck, no less! Although there are a few pastas and salads, the menu is all about the pizza and the prices are pretty reasonable, starting from £7.50 for a Big Red (margherita). I ordered a glass of Prosecco (£5) while we perused the menu. It was slightly flat, so I might try to persuade the others to share a whole bottle with me next time, but a nice, fruity flavour.



To start, we shared one of the meat platters (£9.95), which came with Serrano ham, salami, buffalo mozzarella, rocket and some bruschette. The food was very tasty — the mozzarella was particularly good — and the platter-for-two was about the right size for the three of us to share to start.


The pizzas themselves were good, although not quite great (they were mainly let down by the cheese, which wasn't as fresh and delicious as the mozzarella we had to start). I ordered the margherita, as usual, and for the money, I think it was pretty good value. Next time I might try one of the buffalo mozzarella pizzas, although a lot of them had quite a few ingredients on top and I'm a bit of a pizza purist. We thought about staying for another drink, but the call of the cocktails at the Job Centre was too strong.



As well as serving food and drink, The Big Red also screens movies, and Tuesday night is comedy night. Check out their events page for more information. Sadly, you can't pay by Oyster card — not yet, anyway — but then nor do you have to wait for a short while while the drivers change over, or find yourself on an unwanted diversion.



The Big Red Pizza Bus. 30 Deptford Church Street, London, SE8 4RZ (transport: Deptford Bridge DLR). Website. Twitter.

When my colleagues ask me on a Monday morning what I got up to at the weekend, it feels like I always give the following response: "I went to [insert street-food market] and then got some cocktails at [insert hipster/pop-up/ironic bar with unusual theme/location]." Saturday was one of those days. It started with a post-run bacon sarnie at St John on Maltby Street and a cocktail (mocktail in my case) at Little Bird, and ended, some hours later, in a less trendy part of London with more of the same. I am a creature of habit.


Lewisham Model Market is run by Street Feast — the same people who organised the Hawker House night market in Hackney earlier this year — and includes some of the same street-food vendors. It is based on Lewisham High Street in a former shopping arcade — the covered areas are useful for days when the weather isn't kind, but tonight the rain stopped just as I arrived.


We did a quick circuit of the market, eyeing up potential dinner prospects. While I pondered, I ordered a frozen tequila colada (£6) from one of the bars, which was just like an adult Slush Puppy. You could also order a sharing-sized serving of the cocktail, which came served in a coconut for £13, which would have been more enjoyable on a warmer evening.



Every time I see a Breddos Tacos stand or van, I am tempted to order some because they are awesome, but this time I wanted to try something new. Specifically, an amazing pulled pork bun (£7) from Smokestak. The meat was juicy and tender, with the flavour being set off perfectly by the honey mustard BBQ sauce. Finger-lickin' good.



Afterwards, I was stuffed, but my fellow street-fooders and I found room to share a portion of arancini (£5) from Cheeky Italian. They were good too, although would probably have worked better as a starter.


There was a really nice atmosphere in the market, and as many young families there as hipsters (and hipster young families). The earlier downpour also meant that the market was bustling but not too crowded, and the queues weren't too long. NB, you have to pay £3 to get in after 7 pm, so definitely try to go early if you can.


Too full to eat any more, we went in search of somewhere for a nightcap. We wanted to go to Little Nan's on Deptford Broadway, but when we got there, we found they had moved on to a new home. Instead, we walked up Deptford High Street and paid a visit to Job Centre. Yes, that's right: a bar in a former job centre. In fact, you might still be able to find a job there, as they have a jobs board on the wall near the door.


They also do a great selection of reasonably priced cocktails, beers and wines, in comfy, retro-chic surroundings. From the cocktail menu, I tried both the caipirinha (£7) with strawberries and basil, and the English Garden (£5) with gin, elderflower, mint and lime. The former was better—the basil was a nice touch—but the latter was good too and similarly refreshing.



If this bar was in Shoreditch, a) it would be rammed, b) you wouldn't be able to get a table and (excuse me for sounding old, but...) you wouldn't be able to hear yourself think, and c) the drinks would be double the price. In Deptford, however, there was a nice mix of people and the place had a buzzy atmosphere without feeling too busy. It's a great addition to a neighbourhood where there is a noticeable dearth of places to sip a good cocktail.





Lewisham Model Market. 196 Lewisham High Street, London, SE13 6LS (Lewisham DLR). Website. Twitter. It's open every weekend until 26/27 September.

Job Centre. 120–122 Deptford High Street, London, SE8 4NS (Deptford train station). Website. Twitter.