Italo Deli, Bonnington Square: A Little Slice of Italy in Vauxhall

Hidden among the leafy streets of Bonnington Square, just a few minutes from Vauxhall station, Italo is one of those independent neighbourhood cafés that makes living in this part of London feel rather special.

One of the things I enjoy about living around Kennington and Vauxhall is discovering places that feel completely removed from the busy streets surrounding them.

Bonnington Square is probably one of the best examples.

Just a short walk from Vauxhall station, with its constant flow of commuters, buses and traffic, you suddenly find yourself in an extraordinarily green little residential square.

And tucked into the corner, surrounded by trees and an abundance of planting, is Italo.

Part Italian delicatessen, part café and very much a neighbourhood institution, it's exactly the sort of independent business I like highlighting in these local guides.

But the story of the square itself is every bit as interesting as the café.

A Little Italian Deli in the Middle of Vauxhall

Italo is at 13 Bonnington Square, and there's something immediately appealing about its understated appearance.

It isn't a big, polished coffee shop or a branch of one of the chains you'll find around London.

Instead, it's a small, characterful deli filled with Italian produce, good coffee and freshly prepared food.

Inside, you'll find everything from cured meats and cheeses to pasta, pantry staples, wines and other ingredients you might not necessarily pick up during your weekly supermarket shop.

But the real attraction is the kitchen.

The menu changes regularly, with freshly prepared lunches, generous sandwiches and dishes that reflect the deli's Italian influences.

It's the sort of place where you could pop in intending to grab a coffee and find yourself rather tempted by whatever happens to be coming out of the kitchen.

And I think that's part of the appeal of a genuinely independent café. You're not simply choosing something from a standardised menu that's identical in every neighbourhood across the country.

There's a little more personality to it.

Coffee, Lunch and a Proper Neighbourhood Atmosphere

One of the things that makes Italo particularly appealing is its setting.

On a sunny day, the square's greenery creates an almost Mediterranean atmosphere, with trees, plants and outdoor seating giving the whole area a relaxed feel.

It's quite easy to forget just how close you are to one of London's busiest transport interchanges.

The café serves coffee, lunch and weekend food, with a changing menu rather than an enormous permanent selection.

Italian meats, fresh bread, cheeses and seasonal ingredients all feature prominently.

It's also somewhere you can pick up ingredients to take home, making it just as much a useful local deli as somewhere to meet a friend for coffee.

And the atmosphere feels very much in keeping with Bonnington Square itself.

There's a strong sense that the café is part of the neighbourhood rather than simply a business that happens to occupy a unit there.

That distinction matters to me when thinking about what makes an area enjoyable to live in.

You can find a coffee almost anywhere in London. Finding somewhere with genuine character is rather more satisfying.

Bonnington Square Has a Fascinating History

What makes Italo's location particularly interesting is the extraordinary story of Bonnington Square.

The square was originally developed in the 1870s, primarily to provide housing for railway workers.

By the late 1970s, however, its future was looking decidedly uncertain.

The Greater London Council had acquired the properties, with plans to demolish the area and replace it with educational facilities.

As residents moved out, houses were left empty and the neighbourhood fell into decline.

But rather than disappearing, Bonnington Square became something quite unexpected.

During the late 1970s and 1980s, squatters moved into the empty properties and began establishing a new community.

They created housing cooperatives, a vegetarian café, community spaces and gardens, gradually transforming what had been a largely abandoned residential square.

Eventually, the residents secured a longer-term future for the buildings through cooperative housing arrangements.

It's a remarkable example of how a neighbourhood can be transformed by the people who live there.

And when you walk around Bonnington Square today, you can still see that independent, slightly unconventional character.

The Pleasure Garden: A Hidden Green Oasis

Directly opposite Italo is another reason to visit the square.

The Bonnington Square Pleasure Garden is a small but rather extraordinary communal garden.

The space was originally a bomb-damaged site from the Second World War, later used as a playground before becoming neglected.

In the early 1990s, local residents came together to transform it into the beautiful green space it is today.

The Bonnington Square Garden Association was established, and with the involvement of residents, designers and volunteers, the garden began taking shape.

Among those involved was renowned garden designer Dan Pearson, who helped develop the planting scheme.

Rather than creating a traditional formal London square garden, the residents chose something much more adventurous.

The result is a wonderfully lush mixture of exotic plants, architectural foliage, mature trees and winding paths.

There's also a rather unexpected piece of industrial history: an enormous nineteenth-century iron wheel rescued from a local marble works.

It's a particularly interesting garden because it feels as though the greenery has gradually taken over the space.

And that's really part of the charm.

It isn't perfectly manicured in the way some of London's more formal gardens are. It has a slightly wild, tropical quality that feels unusual so close to central London.

The name itself is a nod to the historic Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, once one of London's most famous entertainment destinations.

A Neighbourhood With a Creative Streak

Bonnington Square has long attracted people working in creative industries, design, architecture and the arts.

And that legacy is still visible in the area today.

The gardens, community spaces and housing cooperatives are reminders of a time when residents took a very different approach to shaping their neighbourhood.

Italo fits rather naturally into this setting.

It's an independent business that reflects the square's long-standing preference for individuality over uniformity.

The deli also hosts supper clubs and private events, offering something beyond its regular daytime café service.

Nearby, the Bonnington Café continues another strand of the area's community history as a vegetarian and vegan restaurant with a distinctive community-run model.

It's quite unusual to find so many connections to a neighbourhood's history still visible in its everyday businesses.

And that's exactly the sort of thing that makes an area interesting to explore.

Why Independent Places Like Italo Matter

When we talk about the appeal of living in Vauxhall, the conversation often starts with transport.

And understandably so.

Vauxhall has excellent connections, with the Victoria line, National Rail services and numerous bus routes all within a relatively small area.

But transport connections alone don't necessarily make somewhere enjoyable to live.

For me, it's the smaller things.

It's being able to walk to an independent café rather than another chain. It's discovering a beautiful little garden tucked between residential streets. It's having interesting architecture, local businesses and a sense of community on your doorstep.

Those are the things that can turn somewhere from a convenient place to live into a neighbourhood you actually enjoy spending time in.

Bonnington Square is a particularly good example because it's so close to the hustle and bustle of Vauxhall, yet feels completely different.

And Italo is part of what makes it worth visiting.

What It Means for Living in Vauxhall and Kennington

One of the things I want to achieve with these local guides is to show people what living in an area actually looks like.

A property listing can tell you how many bedrooms an apartment has, what floor it's on and how far it is from the nearest station.

But it can't always convey the character of the surrounding neighbourhood.

That's why I think places like Italo and Bonnington Square are worth highlighting.

For anyone buying around Vauxhall Grove, Kennington Lane, Oval or the surrounding streets, it's reassuring to know there are interesting local places beyond the obvious attractions.

You have Kennington Park, the historic Oval cricket ground, neighbourhood pubs such as The White Bear and independent cafés like Italo, all within a relatively compact part of south London.

And of course, you're still within easy reach of the Thames and central London.

For me, it's these little pockets of character that make Kennington and Vauxhall such enjoyable places to live.

You don't need to travel across London to find somewhere interesting.

Sometimes, it's just around the corner.

Visiting Italo Deli, Bonnington Square

You'll find Italo at 13 Bonnington Square, London SW8 1TE, approximately five minutes' walk from Vauxhall station.

It's an easy walk from the surrounding residential streets of Kennington, Oval and Vauxhall.

The deli serves coffee and freshly prepared food, alongside a selection of Italian produce, cheeses, cured meats, wines and pantry ingredients.

It also hosts occasional supper clubs and private events.

If you're visiting, it's worth taking a few extra minutes to explore Bonnington Square itself and the beautiful Pleasure Garden opposite.

Website: www.italodeli.co.uk