Classic Cafes | Marylebone Cafe special

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IMarylebone Cafe: The Negri's of Wigmore Street

Marylebone Cafe

Plain-style caff on the verges of Marylebone/Wigmore Street. Good exterior mosaic tile patterning and a big bold nameplate. Decent booth interior.

"This cafe holds many memories for me as my parents John and Alma Negri were proprietors for many years from the late 50s to the late 60s. My paternal grandparents ran it before that.

I remember seeing my auntie Brenda on the evening TV news in 1963, crossing Wigmore Street, with a tray of tea and biscuits: they were for Christine Keeler and John Profumo when they had just been arrested.

The old phone (it needed four old pennies with buttons A and B to press) was in a corner at the top of the cellar stairs, and was where the local junkies would slip into to have a fix. We also had the Restaurant next door (is it a travel agents now?)

We only opened at lunchtimes and it was run by my dad's twin sisters, Anna and Maria. I think they were as big a draw as the steak and kidney puddings..." (Peter Negri)

Memoire of Peter Negri to follow... 12 Jan 2005