The Sicilian Delicatessen Herne Hill — Restaurant in London

Ah, The Sicilian in Herne Hill—where the sandwiches are stacked higher than the leaning tower of Pisa and the coffee is strong enough to make even the most stubborn nonna crack a smile. The produce is so fresh it practically sings "O Sole Mio" as it’s sliced, diced, and piled into your panini. Truly, it’s a little slice of Italy right in the heart of Herne Hill.

But as the old saying goes, "Non tutto è oro quel che luccica"—not all that glitters is gold. And here, that glittering sandwich counter is hiding a little secret: the loo that time forgot. It’s the kind of place where you might wonder if Dante himself would have considered adding a tenth circle to his Inferno. Let’s just say, it’s not exactly "bella figura" in the hygiene department.

You might find yourself enjoying a delicious caprese sandwich, but as soon as you think of the facilities, you’ll be tempted to shout, "Mamma mia!" You’ll start wondering if that heavenly aroma of freshly brewed espresso is masking something far less divine. Perhaps it’s best to savour your meal and keep those lavatorial thoughts far, far away.

Now, don’t get me wrong—the food is "così buono," so good it might make you forget all about the dubious state of the lavatories. But if you do happen to need a pit stop, I’d recommend holding off until you’re back on more familiar (and cleaner) territory. Or, you know, consider it part of the full Sicilian experience: a bit of culinary delight with just a sprinkle of danger.

In the end, The Sicilian is a must-visit for lovers of mouth-watering sandwiches, perfectly brewed coffee, and a taste of la dolce vita. Just maybe hold off on exploring the facilities—or at least arm yourself with some hand sanitiser and a sense of humour....

As a frequent customer at ‘Sesami’ next door, I was intrigued to see how this much shinier, new deli would compare. The guys were really nice and on the surface it all looks great. I ordered a panini and pistachio croissant to take away. The Panini was really, really awful. The bread must have been days old, I had to throw away the majority of it because it was so stale. It said fresh mozzarella on the board but I’m 100% certain none was used. Some grated cheddar in there and maybe the tiniest bit of mozzarella but for £7 you should be doing much, much better. Stick to cheaper places and get way more...

Food and drinks weren't ideal... Ordered the lentil and sausage soup which was also meant to include veg, think I was given the dregs of the pot as it was basically lentils in broth (no sausage) with one sad carrot chunk and a few pieces of onion. The server also microwaved the bread that goes with it so it was rock hard and dehydrated. Even though we were sitting in (and told the staff this when we ordered), or hot drinks were served to us in paper cups rather than the crockery sitting on top of the coffee machine. Think the staff need some training and standards...