Comments on: Keren Luchtenstein’s Cafes

By: Michael shilling

Michael shilling — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:47:51 +0000

In my youth, in 1976 i worked as a saturday boy in Lusardis cafe. I recall serving ice creams in the summer through that opening window on the right as you look at the outside. I can inform you that on your inside view, that lady is clearly Rose the owners wife with husband John doing the cooking in the kitchen upstairs. This meant all the meals & plates etc went into a dumb waiter to get to & from the kitchen. Invariably there would be the odd accident with a plate sticking out a little ! Rose always had her long red hair up in a sort of bun/beehive. I also remember Arthurs cafe being our nearest competition & we would get their regulars come to us during their annual 2 weeks holiday closure & visa versa for us. John & Rose lived away from the cafe in Dalston but for their holdays they either went back to Italy or redecorated the cafe. Lusardi’s were so busy on saturdays they employed at least 4 or 5 of us youngsters ! Happy days, but hard work on your feet all day.

By: Nicholas Sack

Nicholas Sack — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:25:33 +0000

Cracking photographs, Keren: beautifully composed and brimming with life. They should be widely seen; have you thought of publishing, for instance with Café Royal Books?

By: Marcia Howard

Marcia Howard — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 09:24:15 +0000

I remember drinking my first Frothy Coffee, albeit in our local Milk Bar which had a Juke Box in it. Friends all congregated there on a Sunday afternoon, feeling very sophisticated (I didn’t even like Frothy Coffee!)

By: Dave Collins

Dave Collins — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 21:26:34 +0000

Rossi’s are still going strong in Southend (on the seafront) – worth a visit if you’re ever out this way

By: achim

achim — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:59:58 +0000

When these photos were taken, I was touring the UK for the first time. As my own photos have more or less the same colour cast, I feel like I’ve been transported back in time.

The small cafés and pubs each had their own charm, just like today. The typography and designs of the shops alone were all individual, and sometimes less was more in this respect. Impressive!

Love & Peace
ACHIM

By: Cherub

Cherub — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 13:15:32 +0000

How I miss cafés like this, they are hard to find now. You got decent food, a good cup of tea and some cheery banter. Today’s chains just haven’t got it. I can’t believe my city in Switzerland has Starbucks, there are so many nice traditional bakeries with cafés attached that are better.

By: Sarah B Guest Perry

Sarah B Guest Perry — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 12:20:38 +0000

These are great!

By: Annie S

Annie S — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 09:16:20 +0000

Great photos!
Just to add, the Hope Cafe on the Holloway Road is still going strong.

By: Winnie

Winnie — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 08:12:09 +0000

My goodness these are a real trip down memory lane. Fantastic. Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos.

By: Chris Miles

Chris Miles — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 06:38:21 +0000

Keren

These are absolutely wonderful! I was also photographing cafés in the East End at about the same period of time but I was using black-and-white film and most of my subjects were already derelict so it’s a real pleasure to see your images in colour when there was still life in these amazing institutions.

Cafés have continued to be a source of fascination for me over the last 50 years and I’m sure that there would be an audience for a book of your work. Craig Atkinson at Café Royal books would I’m sure be interested.

Great to see these, thanks for dusting them off!

Chris.