The excellent Arfa Shah returns to the Café, with her dazzling synergy of Asian and European vegan and vegetarian dishes. “I have a passion for cooking and have been cooking for over 20 years,” she tells us. “I am an innovative chef with a creative flair in a five star hotel (Michelin star). And I’ve adapted my style to accommodate classic European with Asian cuisine.”

Back with us at the Bonnington Café for his regular Vegan Thursdays is former longtime resident cook Misiek, whose Polish-influenced dishes are bursting with seasonal flavours!

Hind is from Syria and came here six years ago. She studied philosophy in Syria and wanted to find a new home. It was hard for her to feel like she belonged in a different country. She thought about how to create a place that felt like home. Hind decided to use cooking to show her culture. She started making her mom’s recipes and really liked cooking. She added her own ideas and then started her own business called Utopia.

Lara works for a charity called Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group (GDWG) which supports people who have experienced immigration detention in the UK (www.gdwg.org.uk), and over the past few months Elwood and her have been working on putting together a recipe book. The book is full of recipes from people in their community; some of these recipes are from people with lived experience of immigration detention, others are from staff and volunteers. They launched the recipe book by running a supper club on the 4th of May at the Bonnington Cafe. The idea was to raise awareness of immigration detention and to celebrate the community at the heart of their work; they therefore thought that Bonnington Café would be a very fitting organisation to approach due to our community focus and support in platforming different cuisines and cultures. They are now doing a second fundraiser with the finished/published book.

To book follow the link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tales-from-our-table-tickets-1706038500079?aff=oddtdtcreator

Lila has been a vegetarian for 30 years and comes from a Mediterranean background. Over the years, her rich palate and decision to substitute meat with creative alternatives has allowed her to explore and experiment with food and flavours, leading her to come up with some truly amazing recipes.

Whether you’re a seasoned vegetarian, a curious foodie, or simply looking to add more plant-based magic to your meals, she’s here to inspire you with dishes that are as delightful to the palate as they are nourishing for the soul. Come and explore the endless possibilities of new flavours.

Welcoming warm space, free Wi-Fi and pay what you can vegetarian snacks and lunch. We will be cooking with food donated by City Harvest and fresh seasonal herbs from Roots and Shoots.

Our community lunches provide a “real life” cafe training opportunity to neurodiverse young adults currently in training at Roots and Shoots horticultural college in Kennington.

The cafe is open from 11-2PM serving cake, coffees, teas and other drinks as well as a starter and a main for anyone in need!

Newish to the Bonnington Café are Twodogs’ Jen and Vic, who are bringing US vegetarian comfort food with a British accent.

It’s all the food you’ve heard about from America and the local, regional things you might not have. Cooked from scratch using seasonal British ingredients. Incorporating elements of British cuisine. Their food is fun, tasty and gives respect to both nations’ history and food cultures.

They are doing Tacos Tuesday now and it’s a bargain- everything £4!!

The excellent Arfa Shah returns to the Café, with her dazzling synergy of Asian and European vegan and vegetarian dishes. “I have a passion for cooking and have been cooking for over 20 years,” she tells us. “I am an innovative chef with a creative flair in a five star hotel (Michelin star). And I’ve adapted my style to accommodate classic European with Asian cuisine.”

Back with us at the Bonnington Café for his regular Vegan Thursdays is former longtime resident cook Misiek, whose Polish-influenced dishes are bursting with seasonal flavours!

Hind is from Syria and came here six years ago. She studied philosophy in Syria and wanted to find a new home. It was hard for her to feel like she belonged in a different country. She thought about how to create a place that felt like home. Hind decided to use cooking to show her culture. She started making her mom’s recipes and really liked cooking. She added her own ideas and then started her own business called Utopia.

Elwood King joined us last month by organising a benefit cookbook launch evening at the Bonnington in collaboration with Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group.

Effra’s Table brings together cooks who have lived along the path of the River Effra – now gathering at the river’s end in Vauxhall, at the beloved Bonnington Café, to share simple, seasonal, wholesome, and hearty dishes with the community around us.

Our focus is on fermented foods, seasonality, and an ever growing curiosity in how we grow, cook, and eat. 

We donate 3% of the takings from Effra’s Table to Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group who support people affected by immigration detention.

Lila has been a vegetarian for 30 years and comes from a Mediterranean background. Over the years, her rich palate and decision to substitute meat with creative alternatives has allowed her to explore and experiment with food and flavours, leading her to come up with some truly amazing recipes.

Whether you’re a seasoned vegetarian, a curious foodie, or simply looking to add more plant-based magic to your meals, she’s here to inspire you with dishes that are as delightful to the palate as they are nourishing for the soul. Come and explore the endless possibilities of new flavours.

Welcoming warm space, free Wi-Fi and pay what you can vegetarian snacks and lunch. We will be cooking with food donated by City Harvest and fresh seasonal herbs from Roots and Shoots.

Our community lunches provide a “real life” cafe training opportunity to neurodiverse young adults currently in training at Roots and Shoots horticultural college in Kennington.

The cafe is open from 11-2PM serving cake, coffees, teas and other drinks as well as a starter and a main for anyone in need!

Newish to the Bonnington Café are Twodogs’ Jen and Vic, who are bringing US vegetarian comfort food with a British accent.

It’s all the food you’ve heard about from America and the local, regional things you might not have. Cooked from scratch using seasonal British ingredients. Incorporating elements of British cuisine. Their food is fun, tasty and gives respect to both nations’ history and food cultures.

They are doing Tacos Tuesday now and it’s a bargain- everything £4!!

The excellent Arfa Shah returns to the Café, with her dazzling synergy of Asian and European vegan and vegetarian dishes. “I have a passion for cooking and have been cooking for over 20 years,” she tells us. “I am an innovative chef with a creative flair in a five star hotel (Michelin star). And I’ve adapted my style to accommodate classic European with Asian cuisine.”

Back with us at the Bonnington Café for his regular Vegan Thursdays is former longtime resident cook Misiek, whose Polish-influenced dishes are bursting with seasonal flavours!

Hind is from Syria and came here six years ago. She studied philosophy in Syria and wanted to find a new home. It was hard for her to feel like she belonged in a different country. She thought about how to create a place that felt like home. Hind decided to use cooking to show her culture. She started making her mom’s recipes and really liked cooking. She added her own ideas and then started her own business called Utopia.

The excellent Arfa Shah returns to the Café, with her dazzling synergy of Asian and European vegan and vegetarian dishes. “I have a passion for cooking and have been cooking for over 20 years,” she tells us. “I am an innovative chef with a creative flair in a five star hotel (Michelin star). And I’ve adapted my style to accommodate classic European with Asian cuisine.”

Welcoming warm space, free Wi-Fi and pay what you can vegetarian snacks and lunch. We will be cooking with food donated by City Harvest and fresh seasonal herbs from Roots and Shoots.

Our community lunches provide a “real life” cafe training opportunity to neurodiverse young adults currently in training at Roots and Shoots horticultural college in Kennington.

The cafe is open from 11-2PM serving cake, coffees, teas and other drinks as well as a starter and a main for anyone in need!

Newish to the Bonnington Café are Twodogs’ Jen and Vic, who are bringing US vegetarian comfort food with a British accent.

It’s all the food you’ve heard about from America and the local, regional things you might not have. Cooked from scratch using seasonal British ingredients. Incorporating elements of British cuisine. Their food is fun, tasty and gives respect to both nations’ history and food cultures.

They are doing Tacos Tuesday now and it’s a bargain- everything £4!!

The excellent Arfa Shah returns to the Café, with her dazzling synergy of Asian and European vegan and vegetarian dishes. “I have a passion for cooking and have been cooking for over 20 years,” she tells us. “I am an innovative chef with a creative flair in a five star hotel (Michelin star). And I’ve adapted my style to accommodate classic European with Asian cuisine.”

Laila is back with us after travelling for a while in South-East Asia and living in Australia for a while. She cooks tasty vegetarian/vegan dishes with an Asian/Persian influence (from her Iranian roots).

Elwood King joined a couple of months by organising a benefit cookbook launch evening at the Bonnington in collaboration with Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group.

Effra’s Table brings together cooks who have lived along the path of the River Effra – now gathering at the river’s end in Vauxhall, at the beloved Bonnington Café, to share simple, seasonal, wholesome, and hearty dishes with the community around us.

Our focus is on fermented foods, seasonality, and an ever growing curiosity in how we grow, cook, and eat. This one’s focus is on Palestine and they have invited a family to come and cook together!

We donate 3% of the takings from Effra’s Table to Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group who support people affected by immigration detention.

Hind is from Syria and came here six years ago. She studied philosophy in Syria and wanted to find a new home. It was hard for her to feel like she belonged in a different country. She thought about how to create a place that felt like home. Hind decided to use cooking to show her culture. She started making her mom’s recipes and really liked cooking. She added her own ideas and then started her own business called Utopia.

Lila has been a vegetarian for 30 years and comes from a Mediterranean background. Over the years, her rich palate and decision to substitute meat with creative alternatives has allowed her to explore and experiment with food and flavours, leading her to come up with some truly amazing recipes.

Whether you’re a seasoned vegetarian, a curious foodie, or simply looking to add more plant-based magic to your meals, she’s here to inspire you with dishes that are as delightful to the palate as they are nourishing for the soul. Come and explore the endless possibilities of new flavours.

Welcoming warm space, free Wi-Fi and pay what you can vegetarian snacks and lunch. We will be cooking with food donated by City Harvest and fresh seasonal herbs from Roots and Shoots.

Our community lunches provide a “real life” cafe training opportunity to neurodiverse young adults currently in training at Roots and Shoots horticultural college in Kennington.

The cafe is open from 11-2PM serving cake, coffees, teas and other drinks as well as a starter and a main for anyone in need!

Newish to the Bonnington Café are Twodogs’ Jen and Vic, who are bringing US vegetarian comfort food with a British accent.

It’s all the food you’ve heard about from America and the local, regional things you might not have. Cooked from scratch using seasonal British ingredients. Incorporating elements of British cuisine. Their food is fun, tasty and gives respect to both nations’ history and food cultures.

They are doing Tacos Tuesday now and it’s a bargain- everything £4!!

The excellent Arfa Shah returns to the Café, with her dazzling synergy of Asian and European vegan and vegetarian dishes. “I have a passion for cooking and have been cooking for over 20 years,” she tells us. “I am an innovative chef with a creative flair in a five star hotel (Michelin star). And I’ve adapted my style to accommodate classic European with Asian cuisine.”

Back with us at the Bonnington Café for his regular Vegan Thursdays is former longtime resident cook Misiek, whose Polish-influenced dishes are bursting with seasonal flavours!

Hind is from Syria and came here six years ago. She studied philosophy in Syria and wanted to find a new home. It was hard for her to feel like she belonged in a different country. She thought about how to create a place that felt like home. Hind decided to use cooking to show her culture. She started making her mom’s recipes and really liked cooking. She added her own ideas and then started her own business called Utopia.

Vida is our new Persian cook and describes her cooking as a symphony of flavours. It lies a delicate balance of sweet and sour, earthy and fragrant, rich yet subtle. Herbs are used abundantly, not just as garnishes but as foundational elements. Saffron, dried limes, turmeric, rosewater, pomegranate molasses, and cinnamon infuse dishes with complex aromas and deep hues.
Persian cuisine is much more than a collection of recipes — it is a living tradition, a story told in spices, stews, and shared tables. Whether you’re biting into crispy tahdig, savouring the tartness of a pomegranate-laced stew, or enjoying the aroma of freshly brewed cardamom tea, you’re tasting centuries of culture and care.

Newish to the Bonnington Café are Twodogs’ Jen and Vic, who are bringing US vegetarian comfort food with a British accent.

It’s all the food you’ve heard about from America and the local, regional things you might not have. Cooked from scratch using seasonal British ingredients. Incorporating elements of British cuisine. Their food is fun, tasty and gives respect to both nations’ history and food cultures.

Welcoming warm space, free Wi-Fi and pay what you can vegetarian snacks and lunch. We will be cooking with food donated by City Harvest and fresh seasonal herbs from Roots and Shoots.

Our community lunches provide a “real life” cafe training opportunity to neurodiverse young adults currently in training at Roots and Shoots horticultural college in Kennington.

The cafe is open from 11-2PM serving cake, coffees, teas and other drinks as well as a starter and a main for anyone in need!

Newish to the Bonnington Café are Twodogs’ Jen and Vic, who are bringing US vegetarian comfort food with a British accent.

It’s all the food you’ve heard about from America and the local, regional things you might not have. Cooked from scratch using seasonal British ingredients. Incorporating elements of British cuisine. Their food is fun, tasty and gives respect to both nations’ history and food cultures.

They are doing Tacos Tuesday now and it’s a bargain- everything £4!!

The excellent Arfa Shah returns to the Café, with her dazzling synergy of Asian and European vegan and vegetarian dishes. “I have a passion for cooking and have been cooking for over 20 years,” she tells us. “I am an innovative chef with a creative flair in a five star hotel (Michelin star). And I’ve adapted my style to accommodate classic European with Asian cuisine.”

Back with us at the Bonnington Café for his regular Vegan Thursdays is former longtime resident cook Misiek, whose Polish-influenced dishes are bursting with seasonal flavours!

Hind is from Syria and came here six years ago. She studied philosophy in Syria and wanted to find a new home. It was hard for her to feel like she belonged in a different country. She thought about how to create a place that felt like home. Hind decided to use cooking to show her culture. She started making her mom’s recipes and really liked cooking. She added her own ideas and then started her own business called Utopia.

Lila has been a vegetarian for 30 years and comes from a Mediterranean background. Over the years, her rich palate and decision to substitute meat with creative alternatives has allowed her to explore and experiment with food and flavours, leading her to come up with some truly amazing recipes.

Whether you’re a seasoned vegetarian, a curious foodie, or simply looking to add more plant-based magic to your meals, she’s here to inspire you with dishes that are as delightful to the palate as they are nourishing for the soul. Come and explore the endless possibilities of new flavours.

Welcoming warm space, free Wi-Fi and pay what you can vegetarian snacks and lunch. We will be cooking with food donated by City Harvest and fresh seasonal herbs from Roots and Shoots.

Our community lunches provide a “real life” cafe training opportunity to neurodiverse young adults currently in training at Roots and Shoots horticultural college in Kennington.

The cafe is open from 11-2PM serving cake, coffees, teas and other drinks as well as a starter and a main for anyone in need!

Newish to the Bonnington Café are Twodogs’ Jen and Vic, who are bringing US vegetarian comfort food with a British accent.

It’s all the food you’ve heard about from America and the local, regional things you might not have. Cooked from scratch using seasonal British ingredients. Incorporating elements of British cuisine. Their food is fun, tasty and gives respect to both nations’ history and food cultures.

They are doing Tacos Tuesday now and it’s a bargain- everything £4!!

The excellent Arfa Shah returns to the Café, with her dazzling synergy of Asian and European vegan and vegetarian dishes. “I have a passion for cooking and have been cooking for over 20 years,” she tells us. “I am an innovative chef with a creative flair in a five star hotel (Michelin star). And I’ve adapted my style to accommodate classic European with Asian cuisine.”

Back with us at the Bonnington Café for his regular Vegan Thursdays is former longtime resident cook Misiek, whose Polish-influenced dishes are bursting with seasonal flavours!

Hind is from Syria and came here six years ago. She studied philosophy in Syria and wanted to find a new home. It was hard for her to feel like she belonged in a different country. She thought about how to create a place that felt like home. Hind decided to use cooking to show her culture. She started making her mom’s recipes and really liked cooking. She added her own ideas and then started her own business called Utopia.

Lila has been a vegetarian for 30 years and comes from a Mediterranean background. Over the years, her rich palate and decision to substitute meat with creative alternatives has allowed her to explore and experiment with food and flavours, leading her to come up with some truly amazing recipes.

Whether you’re a seasoned vegetarian, a curious foodie, or simply looking to add more plant-based magic to your meals, she’s here to inspire you with dishes that are as delightful to the palate as they are nourishing for the soul. Come and explore the endless possibilities of new flavours.