Cafe 77 Hitchin

You'll find this Bancroft spot busy with locals who've figured out that proper coffee and decent food doesn't require trekking to London. The fact they're closed Mondays and finish lunch service by 2:30pm most days tells you everything - this isn't trying to be all things to all people, just good at what it does. Friday evenings transform the place into something completely different, with dinner service running until 9pm. It's the kind of neighbourhood spot that Hitchin does well - unpretentious, reliable, and filled with people who actually live here rather than just passing through on their way somewhere else.