St David Coffee House

The locals of SE23 really dig this cheerful, homely café in the centre of Forest Hill – and the owners feel the same way about them (their Twitter feed is one big genuine love-in with customers, the artwork decorating the walls is by a local and all for sale, and freelancers see their usual spot as a home from home). Coffee is St David’s passion and Square Mile Roastery its bean of choice – fans swear theirs is the best cup in London. The eclectic, inventive menu, meanwhile, sees you through from breakfast to afternoon cake, with brunch options spanning the likes of homemade lemon and maple granola, herb-strewn poached eggs or rib-sticking creamed corn served with hunks of sourdough bread, and a range of lesser-known sandwiches and toasties available to fill you up at lunchtime (try the deep-fried kale paired with rosemary with oozing Sardinian cheese). St David’s opens until late from Wednesday to Friday, with a raft of residencies providing the food – laksa Thursdays, run by South East Asian street-food outfit Nyonya London, are particularly popular.