Part of Terence Conran’s Boundary project, Albion cafe offers up all day British food and drink in Shoreditch.

The Venue
Albion is part of the yet-to-be-opened Boundary, a converted Shoreditch warehouse comprising of a restaurant, a rooftop bar and restaurant, guest rooms and the Albion cafe. Created by Terence and Vicki Conran, Boundary is a stone’s throw from Shoreditch House. Its cafe, Albion, occupies a corner spot on Boundary Road. The venue is made up of two parts, a bakery/grocers shop towards the front and a casual but sophisticated cafe at the rear. You could spend more than just a lunch break browsing the shop area; although small, it’s piled high with goods on floor to ceiling shelves and supermarket-style displays filled with cheese, jams, biscuits, meat, veg and more. The style is as much old school farm shop as trendy organic store as boxes full of vegetables that look straight out of the ground rub shoulders with stacks of glossy jam jars.

The eat-in area is a mix of two, four and more seat tables, include several long communal style tables that would be ideal for eating along or for hosting a lunch meeting. Decor is smart but basic, with a mix of brick and white walls, wood tables and hanging grey lamps. An open kitchen runs across one side of the room, giving you an advantageous view of the chefs at work. Small, clever touches abound, with cutlery in empty Lyle’s Golden Syrup tins and pretty flowered plates holding bottles of ketchup and HP sauce.

The Atmosphere
You might expect the clientele to be Shoreditch media workers during the day and hip scenesters at night, but the 8am to midnight opening hours and no reservations policy ensure a mix of diners, from those just grabbing a takeaway coffee to those tucking in to a full meal. Staff are sweet, fast and friendly, which is a good combination if you’re short on time.

The Food
By and large full of British favourites, the menu at Albion is full of idea choices for an any-time-of-day meal. Fish and chips, breakfast sandwiches, English breakfasts, skirt steak and chips, Welsh rabbit and fish pie all make an appearance, as well as a few puddings and sides. Prices vary depending on what you order, but portions are hearty and filling and pretty much everything on the menu is under a tenner.

A chicken and mushroom pie (£8.50) is presented in a large, oval dish. The pie crust is golden and crisp on the outside; once blended with the deep red juices in the pie the crust becomes moist and creamy. A generous amount of chicken (with more than a few big chunks) is mixed through with a handful of plump mushroom pieces. All in all it’s a rich, filling dish, perfect for cold weather. Mushy peas (£2) are served in a high white bowl and are thick, sweet and a vibrant, fresh green colour. Desserts include apple and blackberry crumble (£5.50) which is a sugary, doughy concoction with just the right amount of crumble topping and lots of ripe, seedy blackberries.

The Drink
A short but sweet wine list offers up mostly French wine from about £15 along with an English white wine from Kent. Classic cocktails range from £4.50 to about £10 and a glass of wintry mulled wine costs £4. Pots of tea and coffee are about £2, and hot chocolate, juices, Chegworth Valley drinks and smoothies are also on offer.

The Last Word
Smart decor, friendly service and hearty, old fashioned British grub will no doubt give Albion a good reputation, and the eye-catching items for sale in the shop should sweep up the rest of the passers-by.

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