Dean Street Café restaurant review - London, UK

London’s Dean Street has long been famous for being a lip-smacking stretch of global cuisine. It’s safe to say, though, that a slickly designed social enterprise café is an unexpected find, especially one that serves up a casual mod menu with a hint of the Caribbean. 

London-based interior designers Nina+Co have turned the ground floor of a building designed in 1686 by Christopher Wren into a light, airy room that looks out onto the street. As it’s open only on the weekends – the space is otherwise used for the charity’s work during the week – the designers have cleverly installed furniture, all sourced from reclaimed or sustainable wood, that can be easily moved and folded away behind concealed cupboards and reversible panels. 

Chef Dean Masters turns out a small but varied menu based on produce picked up around the corner from the Berwick Street markets. Bestsellers include a smoky jerk chicken, and the smoked salmon and lemon scrambled eggs.