Lilly Vanilly

I don't think there's anywhere I would rather spend a Sunday afternoon than amidst the hustle and bustle of Columbia Road Flower Market and the experience was made even better last weekend by the discovery of this absolutely brilliant new spot. Not being able to get a seat is always a good sign, though that was of course also something to do with it being pretty small and cosy inside. Nevertheless it was brimming with customers queuing for expertly made coffees and ogling over the finest selection of enormous cakes, brownies, huge oozing wads of fresh focaccia and other delights (all freshly made that morning in the open kitchen behind the counter).

The coffee, Colemans, from an independent roastery run by a young man in Bermondsey was superb and made two delicious flat whites.

Now soup is normally something I would find it hard to drum up any real enthusiasm for but the pea, mint and horseradish concoction that two friends opted for was absolutely sensational - unanimously voted the best we had ever tasted and I was ordered to run in and ask the lovely chef for the recipe. He was most obliging and went to painstaking lengths to talk me through every detail. In fact all the staff were hugely friendly and as excited about the place as I was.

A sign on the bar advertises 4 hour courses with "The Breaducator" on a saturday ... I'm definitely checking that out

St Ali

It was on an otherwise miserable rainy Thursday morning - the first in January - when we finally made it to this much lauded spot that has been on the hit list for a VERY long time.

The deco inside is brilliantly thought out -it's spacious and on two floors with bare brick walls, chunky dark wooden tables, a living wall of plants and skylight above the huge espresso machine (the first in the UK apparently!).

Top marks for presentation - milk came alongside the jugs of coffee in little glass bottles on individual trays - but I must say I was somewhat disappointed by my coffee. I think this was more to do with the fact that we opted for filter rather than my preference of espresso based flat whites or americano's as well as perhaps slightly overly high expectations having read so much about the place.

I also felt it slightly lacked a cosy buzz and for some reason didn't have that wondrous smell of coffee lingering in the air.

The lunch / dinner menu looked AMAZING though so I am definitely going back for that.

GAILS, Northcote Road

you CANNOT beat this for Saturday brunch

Whether you're after a cuppa and the best selection of cakes for miles around or an unbeatable breakfast ... Gail's will never let you down.

My pancakes served with pears stewed in maple syrup and organic greek yogurt sprinkled with pecans certainly didn't.

DAYLESFORD - Pimlico

Granted it's not independent or quirky and not exactly easy on the wallet but, in the name of fantastic food, delicious coffee and a lovely place to while away a morning - this plays certainly warrants a mention.

Downstairs is a burning wood fired oven from which fresh breads emerge by the second and a shop selling all manner of delicious organic produce; fresh fruit and veg, cheeses, cakes, wines, meats ... to name a few.

I type now from the cafe upstairs - a lovely big room with wooden tables and three coveted window seats with a view out onto the Orange Sqaure.

The coffee - Dalyesford's own blend may not quite live up to niche blends such as square mile and Monmouth but it's still delicious and served lovely and strong.

The food is all sensational - for a healthy breakfast you could try the enormous portion of bircher muesli (teaming with goji berries and topped with sliced apple) but the undeniable highlight is the eggs benedict - i challenge anyone to find a better one in the capital ...

Sacred (Westfield)

Working over the road means this is now my daily treat, and what an absolutely sensational treat it is, especially after an early morning dip in the freezing Serpentine.

The coffee far FAR exceeds that of anywhere else nearby; organic, fairtrade Ethiopian beans served by the friendliest bunch of Kiwi's (some Aussie's too) whose passion for coffee makes them extra keen to get it just right - and they do.

Oh and if you ask the right barista (namely the lovely Prudence) nicely, you could end up with a work of art that looks too good to drink.

Nipping back to Nude (Brick Lane)

... this time for a spot of lunch. Still as wonderful as I remembered and the food - mine a mushroom and goats cheese omlette topped with rocket - my friends the most enormous portion of eggs benedict I've ever seen - was simply fantastic.

And then the best part - Nude's own coffee, roasted just around the corner, and a homemade gooey chocolate brownie.


The imaginative salads, this time angel hair noodles with green beans, pawpaw and cashew nuts, are also delicious and, as with everything else, come in huge portions.

I did have to wait a while for the food as they forgot the order but was very worth the wait and they gave me my coffee for free so definitely 100% worth it.

Leila's (Shoreditch)

Tucked away on the corner of Arnold Circus - a skip away from Columbia Road - this place is a true gem. We perched on wooden benches in the sun outside. Inside is small and bustling with an open kitchen, garlic, pots and pans hang from the roof and it's a constant hive of activity - baking, peeling, slicing, coffee making and the slow cooking of the speciality; eggs either with sage or serrano ham.

We settled on two perfectly made velvety and suitably strong flat whites (the beans roasted independently round the corner) and the eggs - mine with sage my friend with ham - which were absolutely sensational. Served in old school china frying pans, covered in olive oil and cooked to perfection.

The croissants and home made jam were delicious too.

Why Time Out did not give this place 5*s is completely beyond me - perhaps best they didn't as if everyone knew about it the queue would be even longer ...

L'eau a la Bouche - Broadway Market

LENT IS OVER ... first coffee in 2 months!!

To decide where to get your coffee from in the foodie paradise that is Broadway Market is a near impossible task. Passing the buzzing Climpson and Sons, Merito stall and numerous wonderful gems we opted for this bustling deli/cafe. Sat at an outside table sipping truly sumptuous flat whites with a delicious almond croissant and rye toast (from Clarke's) to the dulcit tones of the next Adele strumming away. There are few better spots to watch the world go by.

Inside you can cosy up at wooden tables amidst a deli brimming with cheeses, breads, cakes, wines, pasta's etc

The Department of Coffee and Social Affairs

We found this hidden gem tucked away on the trendy Leather Lane, just a stone's throw from City life, yet totally immersed in the lively, almost gritty, buzz of Leather Lane market. Everything about The Department of Coffee and Social Affairs seems to fit the bill of London cool with a twist of sophistication. Take the name for a start. Then comes the spacious interior with its wooden floorboards, exposed brick and concrete walls and display of modern works of art. And last (but in no way whatsoever least) the passionately created, deliciously smooth and filthily rich coffee.

The food menu could be criticised for it's limited selection, but to be honest for people like us, who all too often get whisked away in a whirlwind of indecision when faced with too much choice, that proves an easy bonus. And anyway, with the amazing market street stalls selling all sorts of culinary delights on the doorstep I'm not sure if I would want much more. We sat in the window seats, snuggled up with our giant slices of toast and jam, absorbing every sniff and sip of our warming coffees, putting our little world's to right whilst watching the snowy morning unfold outside. The perfect start to a busy working day and writing this I cannot for the life of me work out why I haven't been doing it more often…

Music Notes and Coffee

Unless you are very well educated in the world of coffee, it's as if the staff here are talking Russian ... such is the level of their dedication to making coffee making a true art.

And it definitely pays off. My flat white was ... i would venture to say ... the best I have tasted yet ... milk steamed to velvety perfection and the square mile beans - exquisite ... after polishing my cup clean and sipping the dregs from my companions cup when he nipped to the loo ... I was still left craving another ... always a good sign!

... write up in progress ...

Kennards

Now go to this place almost every day before work and LOVE it! The staff are unbelievably friendly and, as well as delicious own blend coffee with organic milk, they sell a large selection of food including fresh, organic fruit and veg, wonderful homemade cakes and amazing, healthy but hearty homemade meals to eat in or take away.

The enormous casks of olive oil are just one of the reasons that this place is almost as pleasing to the eye as it is to the stomach!

Espresso RoommmMMMMmmmm

Mmmm mmm mmmm ... the coffee from Espresso room is simply the finest … and wow it is strong (perhaps won't go for the large next time!)

Tiny little wooden box of a place tucked away in a back street - hidden from all but those lucky enough to be in the know … and it is certainly buzzing with them - eagerly enjoying or waiting for their beautifully decorated flat whites - the queue spilling out onto the street.
and
Wondrous selection of croissants from Clarke’s (or cakes from Bee’s).

Beans were Square Mile's wonderful new Spring blend; in coffee lingo it's soft, bright fruit flavours with a nutty body and toffee on the end. It consists of 2 single origins: 80% Del Obispo - Huila, Colombial 100% Caturra variety, washed process and 20% Fazenda Monte Alegre - Minas Gerais, Brazil


I don't really know what that means but I do know that it is absolutely epic and after one I know it's going to be a great day!

Taylor Street Barista's @ Source, Richmond

If I start my morning with a coffee and an almond croissant I can be certain it's going to be a great day.



If my coffee looks like this and tastes rich and velvety ... the croissant is warm, gooey, fresh and oozing with sticky almond cream and I am sitting in the spring sunshine looking out over Richmond Park ... I am already in heaven.



(The cafe itself is next to the station but we drove up to munch, looking out over the best view in London. The whole experience was pretty perfect.)

Cafe THQ

Can you see what's happening? When I started this blog, the trips to London's gems were few and far between. Now there's no denying, I'm hooked! Adore discovering these delights, sampling new and wonderful blends and of course, meeting the amazing people who make them.

T.HQ is a lovely organic spot on the busy Greys Inn Road. The staff are wonderfully friendly, the coffee is incredible and the array of homemade cakes and muffins, enormous both in size and variety, have to be seen to be believed!!

Megan's .... again .... and again!

Know we've already written about this delight, but it has become my guilty pleasure this week!

The coffee they serve; the organic fairtrade variety from Torelli, is absolutely superb and the selection of homemade cakes is second to none.

In this snowy weather it is the most welcome retreat.

Thank you Megan!