Author: Paloma Lacy

Advent calendars are pretty much a must for the whole family. Just five days until the daily door opening begins as a countdown to Christmas. Here’s our pick of the best so no one is left out.

Streatham’s dining scene is well and truly back. The newest opening, Carmine, truly made my heart sing when I visited last Thursday evening.

Baking certainly pre-occupied so many during lockdown, with even the nation’s children taking the hobby to their hearts.

As restaurant back stories go, this one’s a winner. Chef Dani’s cooking is hugely influenced by the flavours of his grandmother’s Roman kitchen so he called his place La Nonna.

It is said to be the most important meal of the day and it’s certainly my favourite. However, when the first The Breakfast Club opened in South London, I was somewhat sceptical that they would be open for long – limited to serving just breakfast all day long.

It’s the word often heard in houses across the country, uttered several times a day and the dread of every parent. “Snack!”

A restaurant with every table booked at 7.30pm on a Tuesday night sounds like a mirage but I can confirm the actual sight of it just last week. Heritage is bold in name and in nature and quite frankly, remains the hottest ticket in this part of town, currently.

Back in 1970, Tracklements founder William Tullberg made the first British wholegrain mustard. Fast forward 51 years, his son carries on the company’s legacy of an innovative product range, with its special edition, Hot Banana Chutney.

When Thela joined Boxpark Croydon recently, it arrived with an explosion of colour. Easily one of the most eye-catching units, it brings the sights and tastes of Karachi’s street food dishes, lesser-known in London. Thela simply means ‘stall’ in Urdu, and they are common place in modern-day Pakistan.

Sustainability in all things, that’s the message coming over loudly and clearly. Sweet relief therefore that drinking rum, while keeping an eye on a greener plant is actually possible.

Children can take things literally, so when we arrived at 400 Rabbits my daughter asked, with a sigh: “Where are all the rabbits?” She looked around and couldn’t find even one.

Food lovers of South London will no doubt rejoice at the news that Borough Market is now open on Sunday as well. It’s doing its best to promote the market as a supermarket alternative fully stocked with everything many expect from their weekly shop.

It’s time to say “aloha” to the latest dining concept from Under One Kitchen (UOK). Launched in June 2020 to give restaurants a platform to operate and survive the pandemic, by working alongside others to cut costs, it now boasts fusion restaurants, including Sugoi JPN, Japanified and Arepita Sliders.

BasebGarden centres have undergone a renaissance in the past five years. They now represent the best value visits seasonal visits, with bookings full by autumn. My local one joined the Dobbie’s chain earlier this year. With it came a refurbished restaurant, with 200 covers.

Imagine a world where beer and chocolate were good for you. That’s probably a bit of a pipe dream but some brands are better for you and the planet than others.

As clever restaurant names go, Fatt Pundit is a winner. This Indo-Chinese restaurant uses this play on words – combining a common Chinese surname, with the Indian word for scholar.

Wahaca has become a family favourite – including with mine – because it’s ideal for the whole family. Little ones are greeted warmly with drawing materials, the food’s cracking and the cocktail list pretty unbeatable.