Mola Cafe & Bistro

You'll find yourself on Whitecross Street in Barbican, one of those stretches that's somehow stayed genuine despite the area's gentrification. Mola slots in perfectly—unpretentious, consistently good, the kind of place where regulars actually outnumber tourists. The menu shifts with what's available, which means you're getting seasonal cooking without the poncy presentation. Whether you're popping in for a cortado and something on toast or settling in for lunch, there's a reassuring lack of fuss about the whole operation. It's the sort of cafe that makes you think about opening your own one day, then you realise how much graft goes into getting it right.