Londoners have a taste for the unusual and quirky. They also have a lack of space for new buildings. The combination sometimes leads to intriguing recycled spaces. Here are some of our favourite cafés and restaurants that have had a double life in the course of history:
A disused public toilet turned café: The Attendant
Built in an old public toilet, this café still features the old attendant’s office and urinal cubicles. These days, instead of relieving yourself, you can spend a penny on breakfast, brunch, lunch or even afternoon tea all served out of a little kitchen in the old office. The place was built in 1890 and later abandoned in the 1960s. Stay at our Travelodge in Kings Cross for a chance to explore more of this quickly regenerating area of central London.
A rooftop car park that takes reservations: Frank’s Café
Open exclusively during the summer months due to its outdoor location, Frank’s Café recycles the top floor of a working car park. There’s a definite hipster vibe to this pop-up restaurant, so be ready to hang out with in-the-know locals and fashionable media types. The menu tends to be eclectic and there’s a good mixture of flavours and cooking styles to choose from.
A Victorian pub turned socialite hangout: Les Trois Garçons
Not too much of a change here, this Londoner’s favourite is in an old Victorian pub and is a great place to spot celebrities including the serious A-listers. The prices are higher than your average restaurant, but the dining experience is quite unique and the décor is as luxurious and eccentric as they come. Book a room at our Aldgate East Travelodge to be right at the heart of this fashionable part of the East End.
A supper-club in a Victoria line Tube carriage: Basement Galley
Eating on the tube is sometimes frowned upon. Eating a high end, multi-course banquet in a decommissioned 1967 Victoria line carriage at the Walthamstow Pumphouse Transport Museum is a fun night out. That’s why the Basement Galley supper club is so often sold out weeks in advance; make sure you book to avoid disappointment. Seated at long-galley tables, enjoy beautiful food and a cash bar. After the success of this first project, the founders are now also offering diners the opportunity to eat at the Captain’s table on a huge 1914 Dutch barge.
A 19th Century drawing room offering seasonal delights: Spring
Having been closed to the public for 150 years, this former drawing room in Somerset House is run by food writer and acclaimed chef Skye Gyngell and has now been refurbished as a fashionable restaurant. This ambitious eatery offers dishes that are created from seasonal produce – so seasonal in fact, that the menu changes every day. The dining room offers huge high-ceilings and beautiful restored detailing. Beware: a meal at this historical location doesn’t come cheap.
