Denman Street W1
I nearly didn't include the New Piccadilly Cafe here, not because it isn't the most beautiful and gorgeous 'Festival of Britain' style cafe you've ever seen, because it is. It's just that the New Piccadilly is so ubiquitous in contrast to the other cafes here that it almost doesn't need me to bring more attention to it. The cafe is used in film, TV, adverts and fashion shoots endlessly, and has a legion of fans on the web most notably Adrain Maddox at www.classiccafes.co.uk who has also written a fantastic beautiful book on the subject of old Formica cafes. Whilst we're about it the other website to go if you want more of this stuff is http://russelldavies.typepad.com/eggbaconchipsandbeans/
Anyway none of this is enough to save the New Piccadilly Cafe which is constantly under threat. Every time I go in there I'm scared its going to be my last visit.
Lorenzo is the unflappable guvnor of the operation. "When are you going to close down?" I ask.
"Oooh about 7 o'clock as usual, I should think". He replies.
The best thing about the New Piccadilly is that when you order an Italian dish they leave you with a big bowl of parmesan so that you can help yourself.