The Peckham Pelican: Peckham

The Peckham Pelican is fast becoming one of my regular haunts. Situated along Peckham Road, between Peckham and Camberwell, this was the last place I expected to find a new indie café. The area itself is easily accessible as it sits on the main road along a number of major bus routes, and there is plenty of parking along some of the roads splitting off from Southampton Way (just opposite). As you walk through the door you’re hit with a warm atmosphere of mismatched wooden tables and chairs, benches and scatter cushions. The space inside is deceptively large, and towards the back of the café is a raised area with chintzy red leather sofas and a piano.

Before heading to order your drink one of the highlights is the “Jeremy Deller” mug wall – you’ll need to select your mug from a collection of novelty and plain designs before getting it filled with good old tea or coffee. Coffee snobs will need to leave your airs and graces outside - this isn’t a coffee bar, they serve filter coffee or filter coffee. During the day they also offer a selection of delicious cakes, ‘build your own’ bagel menu, and other light food such as homemade soup.

Expect to be surrounded by skinny jeans and gently whirring Apple MacBooks, the Peckham Pelican definitely attracts the artsy, hipster types - not surprising considering it’s just down the road from the Camberwell College of Arts. There is free wi-fi and power points aplenty, and the soft music playing in the background is not invasive at all, with the high ceilings creating an atmosphere perfectly conducive to working (including making phone calls), socialising, or simply curling up with a mug of tea and a good book. You don’t feel rushed to finish your drink and leave, the staff are friendly and the atmosphere inside is very relaxed. 

As the day wears on this place really comes into its own, offering very reasonably priced beer, wine, cocktails and pizza. It starts to get a little busier in the evenings, and there are plenty of things going on, including live music, art exhibitions, once a month bookclub, Monday evening ‘Pelican Pictures’ dinner and a film, a DJ on Friday and Saturday evenings, and starting this year: Happy Hour on Tuesday – Friday from 5pm – 7pm.

All in all, this place is a fantastic all-rounder café/bar, covering all the bases. Prices are reasonable across the board, the atmosphere is suitable for work or social, décor is quirky and yet still cosy, free wi-fi and plugs are always a plus, and it’s nailed the day-to-night transition perfectly.

Cherry & Ice: Sydenham

It was a rainy afternoon in December when we decided to pop into Cherry & Ice in Sydenham, SE26. In a slight break from our recent tradition of work place venues, our visit here was purely to warm up with a drink and some lunch whilst out and about, and Cherry & Ice didn't disappoint.

Located on Sydenham High Street, a couple of minutes walk from the train station and several different bus routes, Cherry & Ice is very easy to get to. They have a wide selection of food and drinks, so you'll easily find something you want from the menu. The prices are very reasonable, with teas and coffees costing between £1-£2, which is excellent value. They also provide a wide range of gluten-free and dairy-free cakes, as well as sandwiches, jacket potatoes and salads. In fact, the staff were more than happy to make something off the menu for me which was very helpful!

The overall experience was very positive, with food and drinks that were really well priced, and a cafe that was very convenient to get to. However the cafe itself is quite small with few tables, and the atmosphere is lacking; it's doesn't have a quirky or interesting vibe that some of the other local cafes have. The counters are very appealing and exciting with rows of exotic cakes and sandwiches, but somehow this doesn't transpose across to the seating areas. The cafe also doesn't have Wi-Fi which would put some people off, especially if, like me, you often look for a quite hideaway to do some work.

Overall, I would recommend Cherry & Ice for value for money and pleasantness of the staff, but if you were looking to work or take someone to an unusual, quirky cafe, you might want to consider some other options.