Canada Water Cafe

You'll find yourself on Surrey Quays Road heading towards the water, and Canada Water Cafe sits quietly amongst the converted warehouses and riverside walks of Rotherhithe. It's the kind of place where locals have been going for years without making a fuss about it, which tells you something. The menu reads like someone actually cares about what they're cooking—handmade pasta, proper sauces, Italian wines that aren't trying too hard. The dining room has that comfortable, lived-in feel; unpretentious but not cheap-feeling. Service moves at a human pace, which means you can actually sit and enjoy yourself rather than being hustled through.