Café Deco chef-patron Anna Tobias worked at some of London’s most influential and progressive kitchens, including with Ruth Rogers at The River Café; Jeremy Lee at The Blueprint Café; and Margot Henderson at Rochelle Canteen, before joining forces with the team at 40 Malty Street to open her debut restaurant.
Even without knowing Tobias’ culinary background, a look at the regularly changing menu at her small, smart Bloomsbury restaurant would lead you to making such assumptions. Café Deco’s tight four, four, four formation menu features dishes bereft of pomp or indeed any sort of reference to the zeitgeist, but which are instead just comfortingly delicious, whether that be her cheese and onion quiche with salad; rabbit, bacon and onion pie; or her simple egg mayonnaise preparation.
Portions are hearty and plating is simple – Café Deco is a restaurant as much for its neighbourhood clienetele as it is for foodies wanting to see what Tobias is all about. By contrast, the wine list is expansive thanks to the partnering with 40 Malty Street, which is located in the warehouse of natural wine importer of Gergovie Wines, giving heft to the whole operation.
Featuring numerous small growers and producers, the list of sparkling wines goes well beyond the large champagne houses with three small grower champagnes listed as well as those from the Loire and Languedoc in France; Emilia Romagna and Veneto in Italy; and Granada, Galicia and Penedès in Spain. French, Spanish and Italian labels also make up the bulk of both its red and white listings.
