Coco di Mama - Italian To Go - MFG Romford

You'd be forgiven for walking straight past this one – it's tucked into the Collier Row Service Station on the main road, which sounds about as romantic as a car wash. But that's exactly the point. This is Italian food done the way actual Italians do it: no Instagram theatre, just honest espresso and pastries that taste like they've travelled from Milan this morning. You'll find locals popping in before work, grabbing a proper cappuccino (none of that milky nonsense) and a cornetto, then heading on with their day. The counter service is brisk but genuinely friendly, and despite the uninspiring postcode surroundings, the quality of what you're getting is genuinely excellent. It's become one of those spots that makes you realise good food doesn't need to be in a converted warehouse or a twee high street.