Every year I take my 25 year old mini on the London to Brighton run. The views from the start line are always worth the 4AM wake-up.

6a architects transformed the six-storey building at the corner of Redchurch Street into a multidisciplinary space. A shop, a gallery, a restaurant. 

I probably spend too much time here but I love it for the atmosphere. During the day it’s quite empty. The proprietor is often dozing in the back corner and you can read for hours with just one cup of tea without anyone bothering you. It picks up in the evenings as all the regulars pile in with pre-bought bottles of wine.

Small restaurant on Highbury Corner that started off focusing on (basically) posh kebabs, but which is now producing some of London's most innovative dishes, focused around unconventional meats, cuts, and breads. Not often you can eat incredible food while listening to heavy rock and metal, but Lee Tiernan has nailed a winning formula.

Nice place for a cake and coffee.