Harden's says
A "greasy spoon without the grease" in Primrose Hill.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“This upmarket local café” with artistic leanings in Primrose Hill has a “great vibe, relaxed-yet-warm service and consistently good food”. Founded by actor Sam Frears and novelist Andrew O’Hagan, who live nearby, it has an artist-in-residence programme and hosts readings, live music and community supper clubs.
Summary
This artfully down-to-earth, all-day (and most evenings) café, run by Primrose Hill locals actor Sam Frears and writer Andrew O’Hagan, is “the best place to start the day”, with “delightful staff delivering decent coffee and lovely food”. The fortnightly supper club provides “simple but tasty food” and the opportunity to “meet unknown neighbours in a friendly environment”. Artists are invited to display their work on the walls; broadcaster and writer Andrew Marr exhibited a selection of his abstract drawings.
Summary
Not every café is opened by Helena Bonham Carter, but in other respects actor Sam Frears and Andrew O'Hagan's Primrose Hill newcomer has relatively ordinary aims (‘French corner bistro’ meets ‘traditional British café’), albeit tailored to suit the local luvvies of NW1 (it has a ‘legendary vintage jukebox’, for instance). A long-established business that moved from nearby Regent’s Park Road, it’s on the tricky split-level corner-site that was once L’Absinthe (long RIP) and has had a laundry list of former occupants. Perhaps as a neighbourhood hangout for consuming all-day breakfast it’s finally found its niche; early feedback hails it as “an excellent Primrose Hill greasy spoon… without the grease”.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Sam's Café?
40 Chalcot Road, London, NW1 8LS
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £25.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 10.00% |
40 Chalcot Road, London, NW1 8LS
Opening hours
| Monday | 8 am‑10 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am‑5 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am‑10 pm |
| Friday | 8 am‑10 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am‑10 pm |
| Sunday | 8 am‑10 pm |
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