Run by Nevio Pellicci (who was born on the premises, 79 years ago), this unpretentious East End gaff is a true classic - a glorious post-war original (founded in 1900; furnished in 1946), now preserved for posterity by a recent Grade II listing. According to English Heritage, the place is a vision of "custard yellow Vitrolite", Univers steel lettering, and "rich deco-style marquetry panelling". As well as Maria Pellicci's home-made grub (pastas, puddings, piles of real chips), it offers sepia-print family portraits of pre-war Pellicci's, real East End banter ("did you want gravy with your liver, Reg?") and an impressive visitors book boasting a life-time of Pellicci enthusiasts from the Kray twins to Robbie Williams.

Closed and boarded up for two years, Alfredo's caff (a north London institution since the 1920s), looked like a gonner. Then it was bought by the Sausage & Mash micro chain and after a meticulous restoration was born again - complete with Alfredo-style cafe decor (steel-trimmed blue laminate tables, bent-wood chairs, original Vitrolite signs, white china mugs, glass-globe lamps), and classic British comfort food. It's posher and pricier than the average greasy spoon but it has the classic hallmarks (ketchup, mushy peas, crumble and custard), plus proper mash, gourmet sausages, and pinot grigio. The customers: Camden Passage trendies and the occasional celeb (actor, Toby Stephens and Little Britain's David Walliams among others). I had wonderful parents,” says Nina with a big smile. “My mother was a very friendly lady. Within minutes she knew your life history. I think Daddy tended to spoil me – at 21 he bought me a brand new red mini!” But her early years were tough – the youngsters (Nina’s the third child in a family of four, and all the rest are boys) were evacuated during the war to Tamworth, Staffordshire. “We were all near but not together,” remembers Nina. “My parents did it for safety, they stayed in London. But I had a wonderful five years as the people (I stayed with) looked after me like a princess – I stayed in touch until they died. There were no animals, but there was a lovely big field to play in. You’d hear doodle bugs pass over. I think they were heading to Birmingham. And we had bomb shelters – it’s where I learnt to knit and do jigsaw puzzles.”After I married I moved to Barnet with my husband, Elio. We ran a café in the High Street next to the Mitre pub. It used to be called The Terminus, because that’s where the trams turned around. But now it’s called Georges.” Life felt very Italian. Mum always spoke Italian to me. We bought pasta at Gazzano’s, an Italian deli down Clerkenwell Road.” The family also went to church at St Peter’s in Hatton Gardens which Nina says “ is like a miniature Vatican inside.” As the years passed the Italians around Clerkenwell moved. Nina says they went to “Highbury, then Finchley and then on further afield. There’s a very big community in Hoddesdon, Herts.” There are also framed photos of Nina’s parents meeting the Pope, socialising with champion boxer and Question of Sport TV star Henry Cooper (who “married an Italian girl”) and family snaps of her daughters, Lisa and Rita, and the grandchildren Leo and Rosa.

Nearby: Fellow cafe classics the Amalfi (Sorrentine-style 1960s trattoria in Old Compton Street), and the Lorelei (Italiano caff in Bateman Street). When it was quieter I’d start preparing for the next day. I loved to go to the meat market (at Spitalfields) as the chaps made a fuss of me. There was no nastiness. I used to drive down and then had to give a two and six tip*. I was 17 when I took my driving test, and only 18 when I drove my mother to Italy. My dad had such confidence in me.” Here she laughs, adding, “To be truthful there wasn’t the traffic. Driving was great fun – once a week I used to drive Mum to the West End, park the car, and we’d go shopping!” The customers: The world and his wife: hookers, plain-clothes policeman, numerous actors (Ewan McGregor during rehearsals for Guys And Dolls).The customers: Stand-up comedian Dave Gorman, taxi drivers, market traders, half the cast of EastEnders.