Bernstein's Bar

This late-night Clapton corner café might focus much of its attention on the mish-mash of Israeli/Levantine food menu but its caffeine credentials are spotless. Behind the bar is Ben Murtagh of peripatetic London coffee merchants Black Box, a fact reflected in the very good cups available here – the espresso made with a classy Victoria Arduino lever machine. Suppliers across the board tend towards the conscientiously sourced, small-scale or local (think sodas from Hackney Downs’ Square Root, E5 Bakehouse sourdough, cheese from Wildes in Tottenham and so on), meaning Bernstein’s is a superlative spot in an area already flush with warm, buzzy little hubs.