‘Down the Caff’: Bethnal Green Road’s famous E Pellicci café launches new podcast

If E. Pellicci’s walls could talk, they would tell some fascinating tales about the celebrities who have dined there – and now a new podcast will bring the walls to life. 

E. Pellicci, claimed to be London’s oldest café by the owners, is a family affair. Nev and Anna, grandchildren of the founders, run it with their mother Maria and cousin Tony. 

You will surely have noticed the diminutive cafe on Bethnal Green Road, noticeable for its thirties shopfront and long queue of customers.

The wooden panelled walls are lined with framed photos of celebrities. Tea is served in traditional white catering-style cups and saucers. Classic, greasy spoon dishes are served at the hatch from the kitchen at the back.

After decades of serving old-school eggs and chips, Pellicci has joined the 21st century and launched a podcast “Down the Caff”. 

‘It’s a play on words. “Let’s go down the caff’’’, says Anna when asked about the story behind the name of their new venture.

Each episode will include three segments. The first will quiz celebrity guests about their lives and journey into showbiz. In the second, guests will take questions from locals and enjoy their favourite dishes. In the final segment, Mama Maria will prepare her version of the guest’s ‘home comfort’ dish.

Launched on May 19, the first 40-minute episode featured Ray Winstone who chatted about being on set with Guy Ritchie and wanting to ‘clump’ Jack Nicholson while enjoying his double pudding and mash comfort dish with a side of beans and a whole lot of gravy.

The show is, says Nev, ‘a bit of everything: their relationship with food, what they eat when they’re away, their stories here.’

“Down The Caff” has premiered on YouTube and Spotify as a weekly video podcast, and it will be accessible on all major podcast platforms as an audio podcast. 

The pre-recorded series has a lot to look forward to. The podcast already has an extensive lineup with appearances from Kevin Rowland of Dexys Midnight Runners, EastEnders’ Jessie Wallace, musician Tom Grennan, and social media influencer Grime Gran.

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