Deli At 80

Finsbury Park's Coffee and Quiche Paradise

There's a delicious little nugget tucked away on Stroud Green Road, rubbing its petite elbows with the eclectic spread of Finsbury Park's fooderies, desperate to be heard. With their self-proclaimed "Best coffee in Finsbury Park" motto, they salute your mornings with warmth as comforting as a BBC period drama. I gingerly entered this cozy haven, greeted by atmosphere-stealing aromas that cavorted through the small space. Their light lunches are far more than that, including dazzling sandwich choices that, despite having shrunken and crept up in price over time, still carry the robust flavors reminiscent of a nostalgic deli you once loved.

The delightful Nicky and Dino serve with such flourish and affability you'd want to stay just a bit longer — even if the chairs could do with some extra cushioning. The quiche was an indulgence suitably anchored between their memorable mushroom and goats cheese combination, while the pastry was so remarkably flaky it near dissolved into memory. There's something comfortingly homemade about it all, from the wooden ramp for wheelchair access to the way your neighbor’s dog is occasionally integrated as a makeshift footrest. It’s small, yes, and you might find yourself queue-tolerant, but basking under the rhapsody of both friends and cracking tunes, who'd rush? For a spot of people-watching indulgence or maybe obliterating a missed cuppa, this place offers quintessential charm, wrapping London's charmingly erratic buzz around a warm slice of carrot cake. — Penelope Savory