My friend Guillaume opened the swankiest rooftop in London that still feels like a house party. Louie is a French-Creole restaurant, live jazz music venue and oyster bar too.
Relaxed with character. Tiny garden at the back overlooked by Waterloo train station. Not sure if mother cat still lives there. Nice to go with friends or alone. Books. Good for a coffee and cake or a bottle of beer. Spiral staircase down to basement. One loo serves the place - tip - lock the door, don't just rely on the curtain and save an awkward encounter.
Photo credit: http://www.appletoothpaste.co.uk/2017/05/coffee-scooter-caffe-london.html
The Almeida, in Islington, is a small theatre with big influence. It's an intimate place to discover groundbreaking theatre and get up close to some of Britain's leading actors. The cafe/bar across has a constantly-changing tasty menu, relaxed atmosphere and free wifi. Open all day and great place to spend time even if you're not going to catch a production.