Shoreditch, American Restaurant Guide

2023 Review: “US-style dive bar” in Shoreditch “serving what may well be the finest bar-meal/hangover-cure in London – beef chili in a hollowed-out brioche bun, topped with cheese and your choice of chili sauce in varying levels of insanity”. Tim Brice, aka ‘Captain Chili’, took over the former site of Rok (RIP) to open his little corner of Americana in February 2021. Apparently the Cincinatti chilibomb was developed by Greek immigrants who adapted Tex-Mex chili con carne in the 1920s.

“Plenty of yummy breakfast options” win praise for this “extremely well done” brunch specialist which launched 19 years ago in Soho and now has 13 self-described ‘cafés’, 10 of them around the capital, and another four bars and pubs. The fry-ups, pancakes and other comfort-food delights can be accompanied by cocktails if you fancy pushing the boat out early with a Breakfast Mai Tai. Any complaints? – “just the incredibly annoying queues”.

2021 Review: “A nice, laid-back American buzz” has helped win a loyal following over the years for this small chain of Kansas City-style diners: one of the first in London to bring BBQ indoors. “It’s a fun place” (in the right mood) and the food is “decent” and in man-sized portions, but “not particularly special”.