New cafe, Stepney’s, to open at Stepney City Farm in May

The cafe at Stepney City Farm has been closed since November but will reopen as Stepney’s with thanks to the founder of Roman Road’s Mae + Harvey.

After months of closure, Stepney City Farm will reopen its café in May, with new owners, a fresh refurbishment and a seasonal, family-friendly menu.

Stepney’s will reopen with thanks to Natasha Sayliss, founder of Roman Road’s popular brunch spot Mae + Harvey and close friend Florence Creffield, a chef and baker who has been a part of the Bonnington Café in Vauxhall since 2015. 

Located in the same space, the café will undergo a refresh with a new open kitchen, plum and cream checkered floor, fresh white walls, and an injection of colour in the outdoor seating area.

The café will source ingredients directly from the farm whenever possible, including fresh, halal-friendly meat, herbs, fruits, and vegetables.

While the menu is still in development, expect accessible breakfast and lunch options like fish finger or bacon sandwiches, soups, tarts, toasties, roast chicken and chips, plus daily lunch specials and freshly baked goods courtesy of Chef Florence.

Draft beer and wine will also be available with the cafe set to stay open into the long summer evening. There will be scope for BBQs, suppers or just a simple bowl of chips and a pint. The café will open during the day on Tuesday to Friday from 10 am, the same time as the farm.

The café was previously the family-run Allotment Kitchen, known for its rustic, seasonal dishes and locally grown produce, but closed in November 2024.

Stepney’s is bringing fresh hope for a quality café offering in the Stepney Green area, which, besides a few spots like the family-run, halal-friendly, Cabin, is thin on the ground for options.

Though new to running a farm café, Natasha Sayliss has already made a name for herself in the local food scene with Mae + Harvey, a popular all-day café offering brunch, coffee, and midweek dinner specials such as fennel salami with poached pears and honey. Their ‘legendary’ chicken sandwiches have also earnt them a spot in Time Out’s Best Brunches in London.

Stepney City Farm is located just off Stepney Way, between Stepney Green Park and St Dunstan’s Churchyard. It is free to visit the animals, and a variety of events are on offer, including volunteering and yoga. 

The 4.5-acre working farm is currently home to Kinda Grind, a coffee vendor selling vegan coffees and hot chocolates from a converted pink horsebox. 

A Farmers’ Market is also held nearby every Saturday on the north drive off Stepney Green, from 10 am to 4 pm. Stepney City Farm sells vegetables, fruit, herbs, eggs, compost, honey, and greeting cards, depending on availability.

If you liked this read The best vegan cafes near Roman Road.