Five years ago this month, Max Rocha opened Cafe Cecilia on the Regents Canal in Hackney. The polished restaurant, incongruously below a modern block of flats, leant on Rocha’s time cooking at institutions like St John Bread and Wine, The River Cafe and Spring, and quickly became a hotspot for east Londoners and the fashion crowd (staff uniforms are by Rocha’s fashion designer sister Simone Rocha).
While hype around the restaurant was huge, inside the experience and cooking was quiet and understated – and has more than held up half a decade later. Dublin-born and -raised Rocha draws on his Irish roots and British produce to create seemingly simple – yet clever and sharply executed – dishes, many of which (Guinness bread ice-cream, most notably) have become London institutions in their own right.
“It feels really surreal to be celebrating five years of Cafe Cecilia,” Rocha tells Broadsheet. “It feels like a totally different restaurant from the one I opened five years ago. It’s been constant learning and today I feel incredibly lucky for the team, suppliers and customers that have been in the door.”
As the beloved restaurant hits its first five years, Broadsheet asked Rocha where he heads when he’s not behind the pass – from his pick for a hit of Irish culture to the spots he books for a date.
Hi Max! What’s exciting you about London’s restaurant and dining scene at the moment?
Soho: it feels like Soho is the beating heart of London’s restaurant scene. Impala is so brilliant, as well as Mountain, and I have no doubt Kid will be wonderful, too. Then there are the institutions like Quo Vadis and Koya, which never disappoint. It was such a shame to see 10 Greek Street close, what a Soho staple for so many years.
Cafe Cecilia aside, where do you head for a hit of Irish culture in London?
The soda bread at Quince Bakery is wonderful.
The Guinness bread at Cecilia has become a bit of a London icon. But which other breads around town do you rate?
I love the Hackney Wild loaf from E5 Bakehouse. The bread course at Noble Rot Mayfair is brilliant, and I really like Brick Lane Beigel Bake bagel too, just toasted with butter. It’s so great. One of our chefs lives by there and sometimes picks up a bag of bagels for the team, it’s the best.
Similarly, your Guinness bread ice-cream is a huge hit. Where else in London do you love for an ice-cream?
The Chin Chin Dessert Club on Greek Street, it’s such a fun ice-cream shop! Marshmallow and ice-cream, what else could you want?
Which other restaurants around Broadway Market do you love?
Miga is my favourite restaurant in the area, every time I go I’m so happy. Also Brawn is brilliant and Koya Ko is one of my favourite lunch places. Oh, and Dalla is really great.
Where do you head for a coffee?
Maison Bertaux in Soho. They also do the best scones in the world and such wonderful customer service.
It’s date night. Where are you going?
Rita’s in Soho or Noble Rot Mayfair.
Where in London do you take out-of-towners?
Smoking Goat for chicken wings, Mountain for a steak and Maison Bertaux for scones.
What’s a hidden London gem more people should know about?
What’s your bucket list restaurant?
It has to be Chez Panisse [California]. Someday I’ll get there!
