10 Best Places To Eat Out In East Dulwich: From Georgian Wine To Dogs That Dine

1. Oru

This cafe / wellness / co-working emporium is a central hub in East Dulwich. You can come here for your morning yoga session in the wellness area, sip on an oat flat white afterwards, head upstairs for a quiet few minutes of tapping at your laptop and then mosey back on down for lunch.

This yuppy haven is decorated with lush green plants from top to toe and you’re always heartily welcomed by the people who work here. Grab a table and dine on this healthy seasonal plant-based menu. The kitchen puts a unique Sri Lankan twist on the dishes, from potato dahl with red lentils, creamy potatoes, turmeric and mustard seeds to grilled cheese toasties with rocket, almond and wild garlic pesto.

If you’re coming here for breakfast then sample some of the homemade passionfruit jam – it’s lip-smackingly good (you can buy some to take home for a fiver). Dogs are welcome (resident dachshund Wolfy leads the way) and on Fridays to Sundays laptops are banned – so leave your brain-frazzling device at home. If you’re stopping by on Fridays, join the community meditation sessions at 12pm. They’re free and afterwards you can indulge in a deliciously decadent chocolate brownie. What’s not to love?

3. Signoria

“Signoria” in Italian means lordship, which is a subtle nod to this eatery’s placement on East Dulwich’s Lordship Lane. This restaurant may be tiny, but its tribute to Italian food is mega. There’s a small larder of foods that you can take home with you, from different-shaped pastas, rich tomato sauces and decadent chocolate spreads. But buying fresh is best, and there’s lots to choose from.

It’s all about eating the classics here. Try pappardelle al ragù or porchetta, slow-roasted pork with salad and mash for mains, followed by tiramisu or panna cotta for dessert. You can also purchase fresh focaccia sandwiches with an array of veggie and meaty middles. Take your plate and pop out the back into a small courtyard, take an alfresco seat on the pavement or plonk yourself inside.

Feeling hungover? The eccentric brothers who run this joint also serve the best fruit smoothies in the land, which will course through your veins and leave you feeling much brighter.

5. The Little Blue Brick

This cute veggie cafe is hidden around a quiet residential corner. You’ll see a signpost for it on Lordship Lane, but if you bypass that, it’s like you’ve stumbled upon a secret. The cafe is covered in the glossy blue bricks of the old dairy that used to be inside. There aren’t many covers here so you might want to book.

The menu is packed full with brunch options and it is honestly one of the best veggie brunches you’ll find (I see you rolling your eyes, you meat eaters, but it’s true). The homemade beans and ketchup, veggie sausage, eggs, toast and fresh slices of avo will have you raring for the day ahead.

7. Luca’s Kitchen and Bakery

After you’ve finished spending a house deposit on North Cross Road on that eye-wateringly expensive dress, hat, and colourful throw you didn’t know you needed, find solace at Luca’s. This cute little independent bakery and cafe serves up fresh bread, cakes and pastries everyday alongside specialty fresh coffee.

Lunch here is very relaxing, even thought there are reams and reams of menu pages to get through. Once you’ve got over the stress of choice, there’s plenty to keep your tastebuds satisfied. Dive into sausage and kimchi toasties, spinach and mozzarella arancini, or a classic BLT burger.

9. Yard Sale

If you’re looking for the best pizza in Great Britain (and we are not exaggerating), then you’ve come to the right place. Yard Sale pizzas are the cheesiest, most flavourful slices of thin dough you will ever come across. It’s mainly here for delivery but there are a few seats inside for those that don’t have a home to go to.

The East Dulwich restaurant is actually one of nine shops from Yard Sale, which serve up handmade pizzas. Each pizza comes with slow-cooked tomato sauce and Fior di Latte mozzarella. You can opt for some tasty veggie options such as garlic-roasted aubergine with parmesan crumb and basil or go full meat feast with fennel sausage, marinated Italian broccoli and chilli flakes.