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Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part 6)

January 23, 2013
by the gentle author

With the icy blast howling through the East End, Contributing Photographer Colin O’Brien and I had no choice but to seek refuge at E.Pellicci, London’s best-loved family run cafe, at 332 Bethnal Green Rd. We arrived at seven o’clock and tucked in to bacon and eggs before dawn, and then Colin set to work to make these portraits of the early birds.

Quentin Croucher – “I’ve been coming here all my life…”

Daniella Parker – “I first came to Pelliccis five years ago and now I come once or twice a month.”

Terry Martin – “I first came here thirty years ago and I’ve been a regular for twenty-five years.”

Samantha Lomonaco – “I’m American but I’m visiting from Japan, I’ve come all the way from Tokyo to get real cannelloni.”

Joseph Surry, Specialist Lead Plumber “I first came here about four years ago, and now I drop in whenever I’m passing through or doing a job locally.”

Micha Kanis – “I discovered this place two years  ago and now I come here when I’m hung over – I haven’t had any sleep, I’ve been up all night drinking Jack Daniels.”

Miah Anhar – “I’ve been coming to Pelliccis for a long time, quite a few years. I come every day for breakfast and then tea. The staff are very good and always happy.”

Paul Tremmel – “I’ve been coming here for two years and I come once a week. I am Maria Pellicci’s neighbour.”

Kevin Brennan “I’ve been coming in here for fifteen years, I come in here a lot.”

Chris Punter, Artist – “My first time here!”

Liz Seabrook “I just got here two minutes ago. It’s beautiful, very atmospheric, and the food looks good.”

Mark Mulcahy, Musician – “This is my favourite place in London. I come here every seven years.”

Michaela Cucchi – “I’m forty-six and I’ve been coming to Pelliccis since I was forty-tw0. My grandparents used to come in here.”

Joseph De’Ath – “I’m only young, I’ve been coming three years. I come every day for lunch.”

Bruna Pellicci – “I used to do the washing up in here when I was seven years old. Now I come in every morning on my way to work, I’m a computer administrator for a law firm.”

Photographs copyright © Colin O’Brien

You may like to take a look at

Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits ( Part One)

Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part Two)

Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part Three)

Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part Four)

Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part Five)

and read these other Pellicci stories

Maria Pellicci, Cook

Pellicci’s Celebrity Album

Pellicci’s Collection

Maria Pellicci, The Meatball Queen of Bethnal Green

Colin O’Brien at E.Pellicci

and see these other Colin O’Brien stories

Colin O’Brien, Photographer

Colin O’Brien’s Clerkenwell Car Crashes

Colin O’Brien’s Kids on the Street

Gina’s Restaurant Portraits

Travellers’ Children in London Fields

Colin O’Brien’s Brick Lane Market

Colin O’Brien Goes Back To School

At Colin O’Brien’s Flat

3 Responses leave one →
  1. Cate permalink
    January 23, 2013

    Mark Mulcahy, ace musician. First heard about him when he was in Miracle Legion and I bought their EP The Backyard.

  2. Vicky permalink
    January 23, 2013

    Colin O’Brien must be the best portrait photographer on the planet, well in this part of the world anyway.

  3. January 23, 2013

    So many happy faces seeking refuge from the icy elements. I think I’d be smiling too awaiting my bacon and eggs! I love your blog 🙂

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