Look Mum No Hands!
49 Old Street London EC1V 9HX
Started by three friends who liked riding bikes and drinking coffee, Look Mum No Hands! is a café and bike workshop combined. It’s right on busy Old Street, which makes it popular with cycle commuters and couriers. There are wheel rims hanging over the counter and a huge front window ensures the place has plenty of natural light. The free wi-fi means you’ll usually see a few laptops out and there are power points by the bar stool seating at the window. There’s also a courtyard garden for warmer days. Inside, the mismatched, old wooden school chairs and tables, along with the cool music, add to the relaxed vibe. LMNH is open all day and the breakfast options include porridge and homemade muesli, toasted crumpets/muffins/bagels, sausage or bacon sandwiches; the coffee is decent and the tea loose leaf and in lots of varieties. The menu is seasonal and the salads and specials change daily. Pies are popular, as are the soups, and the homemade cakes are worth visiting for alone (the Guinness cake is a classic). In the evening, LMNH becomes a bar and serves a variety of beers and wines, including their house beer, Slag (as tasty as it is memorably named). LMNH is also family-friendly (high-chairs available), dog-friendly (both in the café and in the courtyard garden), and a fine place to relax with the Sunday papers.
