Journal Canteen

There’s a cool schoolhouse vibe to this City Library luncheonette, with weathered wooden chairs, bare communal tables and stools lining the window counter. Sacks of sugar, tubs of honey and tins of tomatoes are on display, but it’s more unpretentious storage solution than gourmet gloating. Breakfast offers crumpets and croques-madame; lunch goes Italian with antipasti and vitello tonnato. On Friday nights, top-notch mains come out, perhaps pan-fried gnocchi with pumpkin puree, walnuts and sage; or roast pork belly with lentils. And, whatever you have to go to can wait for fresh-baked pear crostata and something from the Italian-leaning wine list.