Food & Drink

Bears, bees and hamlets

16 May 2024

If you want to feel like you’re in the middle of the countryside, The White Bear is the pub for you. Nestled in a hamlet called Fickleshole (no I haven’t made it up), between...
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An exquisite Elodie experience

14 September 2023

One balmy evening last week Julia and our guest writer Lisa visited Elodie for dinner – Birch Selsdon’s new signature restaurant with food by Michelin-starred chef, Lee Westcott. Lisa: My visit was a whole lot...
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Glass half full

19 July 2023

It’s been a few years since we last caught up with MD of Signal Brewery Charlie Luckin. Tucked around the corner from Therapia Lane Tram Stop and Croydon Ikea, Signal have been busy expanding...
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Reset, recreate, rewild

1 June 2023

Last week we had the pleasure of heading to Croydon’s ‘newest’ hotel in Selsdon. Us seasoned locals will likely always think of the location as Selsdon Park Hotel, but what was last De Vere...
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A Fine Fern Feast

19 April 2023

We have long been fans of the fantastic Mr Fox on Surrey Street with their exquisite cocktails and the best veggie burgers in town (in my opinion anyway). Therefore I had been eagerly anticipating...
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Visiting Via

25 January 2023

Norbury seems to have taken on a new lease of life in the past couple of years with noteworthy restaurants and cafés and more to come in 2023. The Norbury of today takes me...
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What’s in Store?

17 November 2022

It is almost the festive countdown to Christmas stockings and dinner with all the trimmings! My dad, believe it or not, has already put up his Christmas decorations to make the most of the...
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Fish ‘n’ chips with a twist

27 October 2022

On a rainy autumn evening fish ‘n’ chips has to be my favourite takeaway.  We recently discovered our new local ‘For Cod’s Hake’, which opened at the end of last year in Boxpark. I...
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A real ale of a time

22 September 2022

Three days of beer comes to Stanley Arts from Thursday 29 September to Saturday 1 October 2022. Yes you heard right – from ale and bitter to cider, perries, lager and more, they’ll be...
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Wine not?

1 September 2022

‘What did the grape say when it was crushed? Nothing, it just let out a little wine’. Did you know that the average Brit consumes the equivalent of 108 bottles of wine a year....
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Steak out in Purley

24 August 2022

4 Locos has just celebrated its 4th birthday. It doesn’t seem that long ago that we first went through its doors when it opened. It was launched in 2018 by four friends, keen to...
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Sunday lunch and dinner sorted!

21 June 2022

Shake out your napkins and pack your fold-up forks, because this Sunday (26 June) sees the long-awaited return of the Croydon Food & Music Festival, after a three-year hiatus. If you haven’t been before,...
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In pursuit of Hoppiness

28 April 2022

Summer is almost upon us and I’ve been daydreaming of an ice cold beer in the sun. It doesn’t have to be summer of course to enjoy beer, and anyone who knows me will...
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South Indian and Sri Lankan food crawl

17 March 2022

If you are craving South Indian and Sri Lankan food, West Croydon is a haven to satisfy all tastes. Sri Lankan food and South Indian food overlap so you will find they both have...
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A Cool Croydon Party

14 February 2022

Oh how we’ve missed gatherings and socialising (IRL) with people over the past couple of years. So drum roll please, because this Friday evening will quite possibly see the most hotly attended Croydon party...
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Wine and cheese and a party vibe

10 February 2022

Lush foliage and racks and racks of wine bottles gleaming in the downlights greet you as you enter Old Coulsdon’s dazzling The Aycorn Shoppe. Mixing an unbelievable array of plants and foliage – moss...
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Responsible indulgence

2 December 2021

From the sunshine coast of Brighton, Urban Legend has branched out to Croydon with their low calorie and low sugar donuts. You will find them in a shipping container that is Barbie pink inside,...
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Sarf London Cockneys

14 October 2021

This week guest writer and Croydon-based foodie enthusiast Helena reviews local institution (and anomaly) Cockneys of Croydon. I love pie and mash so I feel compelled to try every place that serves it because it...
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Now that’s smooth

2 September 2021

It was a friday night so of course cocktails were in order with a side order of live jazz music. So where in the blazes can you head to for that? None other than...
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From Egypt with love

19 August 2021

Comfort food that is fresh, tasty and has health benefits… don’t think these three go together? Well think again! Ever heard of Koshary? Well, you may have, but we certainly hadn’t and so when...
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Purley date night

1 July 2021

After a year of having limited opportunities to go out and about to restaurants for dinner, this week I’ve been planning a date night. Being central Croydoners, we are well used to having a...
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London’s taste of Barbados

10 June 2021

Croydon you are spoiling us with the extremely scrumptious taste bud teasers available at the one, the only, Big Mike’s Calypso Kitchen. Bringing flavours of the Caribbean to Croydon’s Boxpark, Big Mike’s is refreshingly...
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Vegan Delights

3 June 2021

All you Vegan non-believers get ready for a love affair with Vegan Express. Your taste buds will be dazzled and your pallet enriched with what I personally think is some of the best vegan...
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Croydon’s modern tudor kitchen

18 March 2021

If you take a look at my Instagram account you’ll see that I really only post pictures of two topics. One is wine and grapes, the other is grilled, smoked and rotisserie food. So,...
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A Royal meal and a view

19 November 2020

This time of year as the evenings draw in and the weather gets all wintery I always fancy some comfort food by the time we reach a Friday evening. Add in a second lockdown...
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Heavy hitters on the coffee scene

5 November 2020

We first came across 80 Stone Coffee Roasters when we noticed that the new Matthews Yard were serving coffee from a local roaster. We hadn’t realised there was a coffee roaster nearby so we...
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Back in the yard

1 October 2020

At the start of 2020 the sad announcement was shared that our beloved local gem, Matthews Yard would be closing. Over the years we had enjoyed many a pint and too much wine, in...
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Elbow high-five

10 September 2020

Adventures have mostly been put on hold this year for obvious reasons, but in recent weeks I’ve been masked up, with anti-bac at the ready and ditched cash for contactless as I’ve headed back...
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Top takeaways, take 2

23 April 2020

As we entered our new world of lockdown in the second half of March, we began our ‘Croydon at home’ series to help us all to still fly the flag for Croydon from our...
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Quizantine

9 April 2020

If you’re missing your local boozer, you’re certainly not alone, but being in quarantine doesn’t have to mean that you miss out on the socials that normally take place in the pub. I sort...
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Top takeaways, take 1

20 March 2020

This week, we have all entered a new and rather scary world, with all the issues the Coronavirus brings with it. Arts, culture, leisure and entertainment won’t be as we know it for a...
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Fantastic Mr Fox

31 October 2019

For a good while now Surrey Street and its environs has been one of our main areas of choice to spend an evening out with friends. From having the creative space of Matthews Yard...
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New Kid in the park

2 October 2019

Boxpark Croydon has seen quite a few comings and goings in its shipping containers over the past three years, but if the food formula is right, then the good eateries tend to stay. August...
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Sanderstead gets a taste of the Med

14 August 2019

Those who live or work in Sanderstead will know that whilst us locals love a good curry and can often be found indulging in a large cod and chips from several of the fantastic...
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19,500 pints of beer or so

19 June 2019

In recent years, craft beer has really kicked off in a big way. Once dominated by overseas super brands, we’re now seeing the likes of Brew Dog and Camden Lager holding their own and...
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Purley valentine

30 January 2019

We have finally made it through the blue month of January folks, and tomorrow we enter the red month of love. Yes, it’s only two weeks today until Valentine’s Day! Whether you like to...
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An ace new pub in the pack

13 December 2018

A few weekends ago we popped by the ace new pub in town, the Joker Croydon (see what we did there?), which sits in the heart of the South End restaurant quarter. Seasoned Croydonians...
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A charity shop twist

3 October 2018

We have a new café on the block in Croydon town centre. And one with a rather unique selling point, as it forms part of the newly opened Crisis charity shop on Crown Hill....
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red, white, green

6 July 2018

Croydon’s culinary scene is ever growing and as a borough we are truly blessed for the diverse range of cuisine on offer. From Southend to Boxpark, you can travel the globe with your taste...
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Calling the veggie shots

4 May 2018

Once upon a time, not so many moons ago, Croydon’s high street just beyond the strip, appeared to have lost its buzz. Aside from Surrey Street Market and Matthews Yard, there seemed to be...
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X definitely marks the spot

29 March 2018

Have you been to Croydon’s hotel district lately? I’m talking about when you head out the yellow back exit of East Croydon station and walk down Lansdowne Road to the Whitgift Centre. If you’re...
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Ready Steady Cook, South Norwood

15 February 2018

Ever wondered what happens to all that wasted food in supermarkets? No? Well South Norwood residents Laura Whittall and Paul Mitchell did more than wonder, they collect unwanted food every saturday morning to cook...
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Roaring fires, happy hills

8 February 2018

One of the things I like most about winter is wrapping up warm, heading out into the countryside for a bit of fresh air and ending the day in front of a fire in...
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A splash of colour with your coffee

17 January 2018

I’m a relative newbie to Art Rebellion, Coulsdon’s quirky combined café and art gallery. Nestled conveniently between Coulsdon Town and Coulsdon South train stations, I first visited for a private view of artist Bareface’s...
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Four seasons of Parklife

13 December 2017

Every park should have a café – it’s a place to escape the rain, quench your thirst on a hot summer’s day or enjoy a bite to eat and a hot drink to warm...
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Beating the drum for Croydon

26 October 2017

If music be the food of love then look no further than Beats & Eats for your fix of some mighty fine live music and food to send your taste buds soaring. With their...
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Boxpark bites

10 October 2017

When Boxpark landed next to East Croydon station to a fanfare of Grime music and Boxercise, it also brought with it an array of eateries and food. With forty different restaurants, cafes, bars and...
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The Blackbird Bake Off

16 August 2017

Close your eyes and try to imagine the smell of freshly baked bread, coffee and something mouth wateringly sweet and delicious. No it’s not the sinister gingerbread house from the Grimm fairy tales and...
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A winning combination

26 July 2017

Since the age of being able to roll a dice, I’ve loved a good board game, so it was no surprise that I carried on this path throughout life and even transcended into the...
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500 degrees of pizza

18 July 2017

Croydon needs and deserves good pizza. Decent pizzerias have popped up every now and then and whilst Pizza Express and the like have their place they can’t always deliver what I and other Croydonians...
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A world away from Weetabix

30 May 2017

I strongly believe that Croydon’s diversity is one of its greatest assets. I also believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Surely nothing could be better than combining these beliefs...
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Karnavar or herbivore

10 May 2017

Croydon isn’t short of a curry house or two and it can take something special to stand out from the crowd. From the several visits we’ve paid to Karnavar over the past few months...
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The Brgr Boys

5 April 2017

Brgr&Beer celebrate two years of business on Saturday 15 April with a birthday bash at Matthews Yard. We caught up with the guys to talk about their Brgr highs and lows. Croydonist: Tell us...
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mud, mud, glorious mud

27 March 2017

Croydon has well and truly landed as the home of brunch. In fact we Croydonians are quite spoilt for choice. Breakfast being my favourite meal of the day, I’m always on the lookout for...
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Yum, Yum, Yumn…

21 February 2017

Croydon is well and truly on the map these days as a slice of foodie heaven. Roll a world map out on the table (we all have one of those right?), close your eyes...
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Paradise on a plate

31 January 2017

After the excesses of the Christmas and New Year break, I often find myself with a hankering for the clean, fresh and warming flavours of Vietnamese food. Vietnamese cuisine is wide and varied in...
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The year of the goat

18 January 2017

Okay, 2017 is actually the year of the rooster in the Chinese calendar, but it’s definitely the year of the goat for South Norwood, with its new pub, the Shelverdine Goathouse*. Opening at the end of...
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Smoothly does it

5 January 2017

Bleak winter mornings, limited daylight and a frosty chill in the air. That pretty much sums up January for most, although I do quite like winter, but that first month of the year is...
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Eyes down, sunny side up

14 December 2016

It’s been just over a month since The Breakfast Club, and indeed Boxpark Croydon, opened their doors to an eagerly awaiting public. Having won the hearts of many of London’s East Enders, The Breakfast...
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Little Bay, big personality

28 November 2016

I have been dining at Little Bay in South Croydon all my adult life. For those of you who don’t know it (first of all why not, and secondly why the hell not) the...
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Playground: No kids allowed

21 November 2016

It’s cold, it’s raining (or it was yesterday), and I’m not getting enough sunlight. You know the story, get up and leave the house, and it’s dark outside. Exit the office, and guess what?...
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Eat, drink, play the Croydon way

4 November 2016

Monday 31st October saw the fences come down and the shutters open for Boxpark Croydon – the latest addition to our ever expanding food and entertainment spaces in the borough. Spearheading casual dining on...
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Does and dough

2 October 2016

If you’re a pizza fan looking for that something a little different from the norm, then look no further than Four Hundred Rabbits. Situated in the triangle area of Crystal Palace (the Croydon part),...
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Croydon’s Box of Delights

26 September 2016

Croydon has been at the forefront of many exciting things in its time – world record breaking flights, innovation in aviation and rail – plus it has a rich history in arts and entertainment.  In fact, Croydon was...
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A Dog and Bull story

9 August 2016

Once upon a time (let’s say Anglo-Saxon times), there was a market in Croydon, which went about its business of trading livestock and produce. In those days (or near about) a pub stood on...
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Boulevard of dreamy dinners

19 July 2016

Music trivia here… ‘Closed mouths don’t get fed on this Boulevard’ is a quote from which song? No idea? It’s that old classic song from Ace Hood ‘Hustle Hard’ of course silly, and leads...
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In our back yard

29 June 2016

When I first visited Matthews Yard for a charity gig night a few years ago, it felt like I’d wandered through a portal to a different world just off Surrey Street Market. I’d lived...
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Meatballs, Zombies and adult Lego

14 June 2016

I have a secret I’m going to share. Deep breath. I. Like. The food. In. IKEA. Now, you’re probably thinking ‘so what’. But I like it enough that a few years ago I even...
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Lord of the Pies

10 June 2016

Many places claim to serve pies when what they actually serve is a stew with a pastry lid. THIS IS NOT A PIE. No, really it isn’t, well not a proper pie anyway. To...
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Simply Not Cricket (Or An Egg)

11 May 2016

There are lots of things in this world that are oval. Eggs are oval… in fact I think most eggs are, but please do correct me if I’m wrong. Moving on, we have the...
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