# Cable Cafe & Bar, 8 Brixton Road, Brixton (close to the Oval)



## soonplus (Nov 15, 2011)

Opening today, used to be a "greasy-spoon"-type place before it closed - apparently it's been closed for several years

it's now reopening, under the same management as the Scooterworks Caffe on Lowermarsh street

should be a pleasant coffeehole

that is all


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## Brixton Hatter (Nov 15, 2011)

I like that row of shops - there was a thread about it a while back. I think they must pick up a fair bit of business from people working in the offices around Kennington/Oval, cos lots of the shops are busy around lunchtime selling sandwiches and coffees etc.

I remember the Cable Cafe, though I never went in, which is surprising, given my penchant for a greasy caff. I think it must have closed around three years ago iirc. Will have to check it out the new place....


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## Puddy_Tat (Nov 15, 2011)

I tended to have lunch there fairly often when I worked in Kennington.  It did a good solid cooked lunch sort of thing then.

Eek.  That was Autumn / Winter 1986/7.  Excuse me while I feel old.

The "Cable" in the name comes from the cable trams that ran from Kennington to Brixton (Brixton Hill was too steep for the horsies to cope with).  The (now) Italian Church building at 20 Brixton Road was the site of a small tram depot and later an electrical sub-station for the electric trams that replaced horse and cable cars.  I'm unable to establish to what extent the building was re-built or demolished and re-constructed.  More waffle on this here thread.


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## ShiftyBagLady (Nov 16, 2011)

Yes, this is a very good addition. I won't let Mimi's go out of business but I'm quite glad to have another cafe/bar and they are good people


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## jane78 (Nov 18, 2011)

soonplus said:


> Opening today, used to be a "greasy-spoon"-type place before it closed - apparently it's been closed for several years
> 
> it's now reopening, under the same management as the Scooterworks Caffe on Lowermarsh street
> 
> ...



I hope they are doing a better job with this new one in Brixton (he menagement of Scooterworks Caffe is long gone. The italian lady who created it - Fifi, where are you?- is not there anymore: the cafe is now called Scootercaffe and is well different from the old one. It is definitely worst). Will have a look tomorrow!


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## editor (Jun 11, 2013)

I've not heard of this place before (but then it is in the Oval!). Anyone been? It looks a bit old school...







https://plus.google.com/114682952185286488096/about?gl=uk&hl=en


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 11, 2013)

It used to be a greasy spoon popular with police

It may even at one time be the same one that used to serve Pie and Mash


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## Spark (Jun 11, 2013)

I've had coffee there which was very nice.  I've been meaning to go in the evening but not made it yet.  They have live music on Tuesdays.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 11, 2013)

ignore


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 11, 2013)

Here's how it usd to lookwhen it was shut

http://www.citikey.co.uk/display/cable-restaurant-snack-bar-1CGHK


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## trabuquera (Jun 11, 2013)

It's faux and arty and the coffee's not very good. But they are friendly and it's a good darkened bolthole for days you might feel fragile and not be up to a full pub ambiance... or if you are stranded up there in the chilly far north (of Brixton Road)


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## peterkro (Jun 11, 2013)

Years ago it was one of the only greasy spoons open on a Sunday.


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## Frumious B. (Jun 11, 2013)

I've been a couple of times in the daytime. Good coffee, I thought. Lots of yummy mummies and nu media professionals. A more prosperous, upmarket vibe than anywhere in Brickers, more people with iMacs and stupid facial hair. It's owned by the same person as Scooter Café near Waterloo. You're not allowed a flat white in either place because the owner says it's not a bona fide Italian way of having coffee or something. But at Cable they did me a flat white anyway because the owner wasn't there.


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## cuppa tee (Jun 11, 2013)

'Her indoors' and some mates chose this place for a girls night out as
Some of the mates don't like pubs. In her opinion the beer was a bit pricey
but the cocktails were better value
the general feeling was it was pleasant if a little bland
however the night took a turn for the worse when a pissed up yuppie chap
started hassling them and freaking them out with weird stalker antics and
tales of his sad love life. She has not returned, however she does not hold the 
management responsible. I have passed it many times but haven't been tempted in 
as I don't have a mac book or iPad and I'd feel like the odd one out.


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## Belushi (Jun 11, 2013)

It's pleasant enough when I've been there.


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## Manter (Jun 11, 2013)

Never been there at night, but they do decent coffee and cake (they have those portuguese custard-y thing) during the day and I like the decor.  You can take your own food if you want to eat, which is pragmatic.  Very like the place that used to be my local on orchard street in NYC- it has a distinctly Lower East Side vibe IMO.

(oh god, I just used the word vibe.  And I own an ipad.  I think the pitchforks and flaming torches may be along shortly....)


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## Belushi (Jun 11, 2013)

If I was down that way during the day I'd go to Mimi's deli rather than Cable.


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## cuppa tee (Jun 11, 2013)

Manter said:


> Very like the place that used to be my local on orchard street in NYC- it has a distinctly Lower East Side vibe


I think I know the place you mean 


Belushi said:


> If I was down that way during the day I'd go to Mimi's deli rather than Cable.


I'd go to De Leito's


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## Manter (Jun 11, 2013)

cuppa tee said:


> I think I know the place you mean


woman that owns it owns the vintage shop a block up?  Insane pug that headbutts your leg for attention?  Stairs down to extra seating that make you feel you are going to break your leg any moment?!


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## Manter (Jun 11, 2013)

Belushi said:


> It's pleasant enough when I've been there.


I go to both.  No loyalty, me


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## cuppa tee (Jun 11, 2013)

Manter said:


> woman that owns it owns the vintage shop a block up?  Insane pug that headbutts your leg for attention?  Stairs down to extra seating that make you feel you are going to break your leg any moment?!


I was by no means a frequent visitor but the pug rings a bell, he/she must be getting on a bit nowadays


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## Manter (Jun 11, 2013)

cuppa tee said:


> I was by no means a frequent visitor but the pug rings a bell, he/she must be getting on a bit nowadays


I think it's pickled or had some strange manhattan youth treatment- it's been doddering around headbutting the unwary for as long as I can remember


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## shygirl (Jun 11, 2013)

The staff there are friendly, the place has a cosy, homely feel to it and I go in with just a paper to read.  Aint noticed anyone looking at me oddly for not having an ipad.


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## cuppa tee (Jun 11, 2013)

Manter said:


> I think it's pickled or had some strange manhattan youth treatment- it's been doddering around headbutting the unwary for as long as I can remember


A manhattan youth treatment as practised by William Burroughs possibly but that would be be wrong.


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## cuppa tee (Jun 11, 2013)

shygirl said:


> The staff there are friendly, the place has a cosy, homely feel to it and I go in with just a paper to read.  Aint noticed anyone looking at me oddly for not having an ipad.


iPad insecurity would be my problem not anyone else's


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## Puddy_Tat (Jun 11, 2013)

I used to have lunch there now and then when I worked just up the road from there, but that was in 1986/7.  eek: again)

Can't remember it being popular with coppers then, but it did get bus crews who had breaks at Kennington using it regularly.

It's changed a bit since then...

And as I think I've said on another thread it got mentioned on, it takes its name from the Kennington end of the Brixton Hill cable tramway.  The Italian Mission church a few doors down was a tramways electric sub-station in electric tram days, and was on the site of / a reconstruction of* a small cable tram depot.

* - I can't establish this either way


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## editor (Jun 11, 2013)

Manter said:


> Very like the place that used to be my local on orchard street in NYC- it has a distinctly Lower East Side vibe IMO.


<derail>What local was that?</derail>


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## Manter (Jun 12, 2013)

editor said:


> <derail>What local was that?</derail>


88Orchard. Apparently been redecorated recently, but the pug is still there! Maybe they're cloning it...


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## cuppa tee (Jun 12, 2013)

Manter said:


> 88Orchard. Apparently been redecorated recently, but the pug is still there! Maybe they're cloning it...


Yep.... Same place I remember  nice cup of chai iirc.


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## editor (Nov 14, 2014)

I finally got around to visiting the place and really liked it. 






Short review here: http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2014/11/cable-bar-cafe-8-brixton-rd-london-sw9-6bu-review-and-photos/


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## Puddy_Tat (Nov 14, 2014)

have two threads been merged here, or did i not notice i'd posted on the same thread 2 years previously?


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## Jangleballix (Nov 14, 2014)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> It used to be a greasy spoon popular with police
> 
> It may even at one time be the same one that used to serve Pie and Mash


MI5 used to keep their Q cars in the old Decca building directly opposite, apparently...


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## Puddy_Tat (Nov 15, 2014)

editor said:


> I finally got around to visiting the place and really liked it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 at the argument 

are mere web barons allowed to use the majestic plural now?


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## editor (Nov 15, 2014)

The web baron majestically arrived with a friend and regally wrote an account of both our experiences. Next time I shall bring my crown.


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## editor (Nov 15, 2014)

Puddy_Tat said:


> have two threads been merged here, or did i not notice i'd posted on the same thread 2 years previously?


I merged both threads like a despotic baron.


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## editor (Nov 17, 2015)

They're putting on regular free live gigs - mainly jazz/soul/r'n'b - and there's a gig on tonight:






Live soul and swing tonight with the Drying Tears at the Cable Cafe, Brixton Road, SW9, 17th Nov


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## OvalhouseDB (Nov 18, 2015)

I tried to go in there to meet someone yesterday morning - no space!
It's really popular. Probably currently picking up business from the temporary closure of the business centre café across the road.


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