Arif’s Cafe (inside Selco) St Albans

You're not expecting much when you head up to the second floor of Selco on Brick Knoll Park, but that's exactly why Arif's works. There's something refreshingly unpretentious about a cafe that doesn't try to be Instagram-worthy—it just does the job brilliantly. You'll find plasticated menus, a hum of conversation from people actually getting stuff done, and the kind of service that remembers your order. The food's straightforward and generous. Toast, beans, eggs cooked how you want them, proper cuppas that don't arrive lukewarm. Prices won't hurt your wallet either, which explains why the 152-strong review score is genuinely five stars. It's the sort of place where builders, office workers, and pensioners queue up together, united by the simple fact that Arif's does breakfast and lunch better than anywhere charging twice the price.