Deptford is an area of London I only learnt of when my best friends moved there a year ago. It can be a bit rough… I had a particularly nasty run-in with an undercover policeman there on a train (he wrongly accused me of travelling without a ticket), but there are a few gems: gorgeously retro pie shops that still have their old signs, cute and quirky cafes, and some genius vintage shops, with second hand designer goods at extra low prices.

A few weekends ago, on a day out with the girls we walked down the High Street and ended up at the Deptford Project, a 35 tonne 1960s South East Train carriage that arrived in Deptford on Valentine’s Day 2008. Conceptualised by Raw Nerve and lovingly converted into a café/bistro by Studio Myerscough, this colourful venue is brightening up downtown Deptford.

The outside of this wacky train is painted in technicolor camouflage pattern, the inside is fun and kitsch with groovy lights and a fabulous sofa; little tables and stools are packed in to seat as many visitors as possible. I loved the stools which each had a different quirky quote, ‘hot seat’ and ‘window seat’ are two I remember. The toilet is outside in a shed, but not just any shed, it is fully decorated in Elvis Presley pictures and memorabilia.

The food is home-made from locally sourced ingredients and the coffee comes from sustainable farming projects around the world. We had lovely frothy cappuccinos, though disappointingly they arrived lukewarm. My friends abstained from indulging in the tempting cake, I couldn’t display the same self discipline and ordered a slice of their epic chocolate and orange. The cake was moist and full of flavour, with full fat, creamy chocolate icing, the portion was absolutely massive.

The Deptford Project has a great vibe, everyone is having a good time, enjoying the food, atmosphere and creative spirit.

Visit the website here.

The café is open:
Weekdays 9-5.30
Saturday 9-5.30
Sunday 10-4