Sunny Hill Cafe

Cozy Park Café with Outstanding Shakshuka

You may think the chaotically bustling metropolis of London would have no need for a slice of serene countryside nestled within its borders, but then you wouldn’t have encountered the culinary oasis that is Sunny Hill Park Café. Visiting this café feels like slipping through a rabbit hole into a world of endless comfort and remarkably tasty delights. As you perch in one of their gracefully mismatched chairs, overlooking the park as golden sunlight dances across dew-kissed grass, your heart sinks—the knowledge dawns that moments like these are what Sunday afternoons were invented for. The café’s allure lies not only in its food but in its stunning location and the generous views that make idle brunches infinitely more languid.

The menu itself reads like an imaginative hit list from the most mouthwatering corners of the globe. My reckless choice of shakshuka didn’t disappoint—a Mediterranean festival of flavors featuring perfectly poached eggs that might just beat the offerings from where the dish hails. One must indeed sidestep as they courageously juggle stroller wheels and plates of their signature falafel mezze, battling outsiders (within reason) for prime terrace seating. Service is delivered with endearing warmth, as generous as a grandmother plying you with additional helpings at Sunday lunch. While coziness reigns supreme, the underlying hum of community, underscored by staff that remembers your coffee poison from last week, holds this rustic gem together. And yes, partake in those curly fries everyone whispers in hushed reverence; they’re spun from the heavens themselves. — Penelope Savory