Imogen Bole is a writer and journalist specializing in art, culture, travel, wellness, media, and luxury. Her articles have appeared in 

Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country, The Idler, SUITCASE magazine, This England, Britain, Some Good Ideas, Lebanon Traveler, The Lady

People are craving comfort. Amid what can feel like a state of constant crisis – a layering of traumatic societal events – it can sometimes seem like we’ve lost a sense of scale and cohesion. In the face of this, the desire to retreat into nostalgia is more seductive than ever. 

Nostalgia Reimagined 

In today’s hyper-connected globe, the meaning of national identity is no longer rigid, and we’re seeing a dissolution of cultural borders as we travel through our devices. This shift in mentality is happening against a turbulent geopolitical backdrop as countries prioritise regional allies.

Border Reorder

Back in 2019, an idea occurred to Isaac Rangaswami. Hoping to revive London caff culture for a new demographic, he decided to found a novel Instagram account: 

 magazine, Rangaswami explained himself: “I like approaching it less in terms of archiving or preserving, but instead normalizing spending your spare time in places like this and making it a part of your daily life, because otherwise they’ll die out.” 

MOLD

Thanks to rent hikes, ambitious redevelopment schemes, and a marked shift in culinary trends, many London caffs have been replaced by large high-street chains, with those that remain continuing to be displaced across the city. Other than by the regulars – who have lost so much more than a place to have their morning fry-up – the erasure of these historic establishments has gone largely unnoticed.

Caffs Not Cafés serves as a visual reminder of the snippets of London history that are fading from view in the name of arguably misplaced notions of cultural relevance. The account showcases these caffs’ unique façades, tidy interiors, and vintage signage. There are photos of the food as well, of course, though it takes a backseat to the glowing stories Rangaswami shares of his interactions with owners and punters, and brief historical summaries of the respective caff in question.

Having amassed 59,000 followers, Rangaswami is now bringing new audiences with an appetite for cultural nostalgia to these cherished London institutions. So what can brands learn about Rangaswami’s endeavours to retrieve such places from the clutches of oblivion, and the desire that many individuals clearly share to push back against the spread of faceless corporatism across our major cities?

Rapid gentrification has seen  countless local caffs lose entire customer bases

A regular haunt of gangster brothers the Krays, the Italian-English caff E. Pellicci was established in 1901 by Elide Pellicci and remains a family-run business to this day. The art deco interior, antique wood panels, and photo of Elide still hanging beside the serving hatch are just a few of the characteristics that qualify greasy spoons like Pellicci’s as ‘living museums’, in Rangaswami’s expression. 

The Face

 Many caffs were founded by first-generation immigrants who have handed them down to family members for decades. 

Eater London

 It’s this very continuity that gives them their distinct community feel, something particularly prized by many Londoners.

Rapid gentrification between 2011 and 2021 – particularly in East and South-East London – saw countless local caffs lose their entire customer bases. 

City Geographics

 The opportunity for caffs to attract new business, moreover, has been blighted by changes in working patterns post-pandemic. Consultancy firm Deloitte has reported that 96% of its staff want to choose how flexibly they work in the future, with “no mandated office days”. 

Financial Times

 The issue is often compounded further by competing local demands. For example, Islington Council’s plans to pedestrianize Clerkenwell Green has caused conflict with local snack bar Scotti’s. The project will reduce road space by 51% while getting rid of 43 parking spaces, amenities very much relied on by the cabbies and builders who frequent the establishment. 

Islington Council

Some caffs are embracing an updated alternative to the traditional greasy spoon. Norman’s cafe caters to new-age interests by serving homemade brown sauce, Clarence Court eggs, and sustainably sourced meat. Establishments like 

 in North London appeal strongly to Gen Zers, 47% of whom prioritize eating for mental wellbeing and eschew calorie counting in favour of nutrition and taste. 

Cision

 Given that 53% of Gen Z find inspiration for new food through social media apps, moreover, it’s no surprise that caffs are actively benefiting from the exposure. The Regency Café in Westminster boasts 44.8m views on Tiktok, while E. Pellicci has managed to expand its customer reach after featuring on YouTube channel 

, which boasts a large East Asian following.

Social media savvy caffs are embracing an updated alternative to the traditional greasy spoon

Audiences are ready to celebrate the historical institutions that have played a part in shaping modern culture. Emerging trends in nostalgia across the TV, music, gaming, and fashion industries attest to this. 

Red Bulletin

 With their inherently nostalgic feel, London caffs provide the perfect source for developing consumer appetites. In their role as “living museums”, an in-built sense of history provides space for meaningful interactions with the past. It’s not about “trying to achieve the working class aesthetic,’’ as Anna Sereno, the co-owner of E. Pellicci, makes clear. Instead, it’s a feeling of history and community developed over decades – there should always be “a bit of heart in it,” says Sereno. 

Interview with Anna Sereno conducted by the author

Notions of national pride have shifted post-Brexit, with a recent YouGov survey showing that 35% of people feel ashamed of Britain rather than proud of it. 

YouGov

 As a result, many are increasingly looking for non-contentious places to explore British identity and culture, and brands have a unique opportunity to capitalize on the sense of togetherness created in community spaces like local caffs, where Britishness and multiculturalism mesh seamlessly. “When we’re at home, we’re Italian,” says Sereno. “When we’re in the caff, we’re still Italian, but we’re in Britain and we embrace both sides of it. And I think people like that.” 

Anti-perfectionist Gen Zers are embracing alternative eating habits and cuisines, a trend that boomed during the pandemic when people could only travel via their plates. 

Gen Z Insights

 Gen Z’s focus on eating for pleasure is taking them beyond aesthetics and health-focused meal plans towards opportunities for comfort and indulgence. Caffs play perfectly into the back-to-basics movement within the food industry, where the plain and mundane are celebrated over the extravagant and 

. More people are beginning to appreciate the “small menu [that’s] freshly prepared every morning using simple ingredients. And when it’s gone, it’s gone,” says Sereno. 

 of Gen Zers currently prefer eating for wellbeing, eschewing calorie counting in favour of nutrition and taste

 of Gen Z find inspiration for new foods through social media apps

 of people feel ashamed of Britain rather than proud of it

The wider reach of social media platforms is allowing a new demographic to engage meaningfully with London caff culture

Londoners want to be part of a community but struggle to express notions of national pride in non-contentious ways

With the cost of living crisis, consumers are adopting a back-to-basics approach to food that focuses on provenance and affordable nutrition

Anna Sereno has a lifetime’s worth of experience in London caff culture as co-owner of E. Pellicci, the 122-year-old East London caff that she runs with her 81-year-old mother, Maria, her younger brother, Nevio, and her cousin, Tony.

United Kingdom

Eating and Drinking

Caffs Not Cafes celebrates London’s caff culture, which has dwindled amid socioeconomic pressures and shifts in eating patterns. Through an emphasis on community, comfort eating, and nostalgia, founder Isaac Rangaswami aims to encourage a new demographic to embrace these historic institutions.

Nostalgia Reimagined

Border Reorder

What’s behind the rise of ‘laissez-faire’ food content?

How has Brexit transformed British identity?

What does the Union Jack mean to Britons?

Britons trust brands that debunk food's cost and quality