Lightbody - Café London

BRUNCH, LUNCH, COFFEE AND AFTERNOON TEA

EDITED BY ZENA ALKAYAT

REVIEWS BY NICKY EVANS, PIPPA BAILEY, ANDY HILL AND NICOLA TRUP

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KIM LIGHTBODY

London is home to brilliantly brewed coffee, unparalleled cake stands and perfect cups of tea you just have to know where to find them. And thats where this guidebook comes in.

From hundreds of cafs, coffee shops and afternoon tea destinations across the city, Caf London sorts the spectacular from the merely mediocre by handpicking 100 of the very best places to pull up a chair and take respite.

Chapters cover all of your caf needs, helping you find the best brunches to kick start your weekend, lovely lunches to enjoy with friends, the silkiest lattes to lounge over, and the fluffiest cakes and fanciest afternoon teas to indulge in. At the end of each chapter, youll also find seven more extra special places that just had to be squeezed in.

So whether youre after a simple brunch in a neighbourhood hangout, or a glamorous afternoon in the company of some loose-leaf tea and fondant fancies, this insiders guide is your essential companion.

This New York export has become a favourite among Londoners, and cafs across the capital are scrambling to meet demand. The following eateries are the cream of the crop for indulgent late breakfasts.

LOWRY & BAKER

A visit to the cosy (some may say slightly cramped) Lowry & Baker is a bit like having brunch in someones ramshackle kitchen. The narrow space is crammed with borderline-rickety furniture sometimes sent wobbling by the jostles of staff members, brunchers and people milling by the door waiting keenly for a table and features a counter topped with brilliant cakes and bakes. Its homey, cute and very popular with Notting Hill locals, particularly at the weekends, when the kitchen dishes out an excellent brunch menu. The typical brunch elements are served in classic combinations smoked salmon, avocado, eggs and the coffee is Monmouth. If youre making a day of it among Golborne Roads market stalls and shops, this is a lovely little retreat.

339 Portobello Road, W10 5SA.

No phone.

www.lowryandbaker.com

Ladbroke Grove tube.

CARAVAN

The food paradise of Exmouth Market a pedestrianised street brimming with restaurants (and sometimes food stalls) has seen many businesses come and go over the years, but Caravan has remained a successful constant. The dining room, with its careworn tables, bistro chairs, eclectic prints and bare bulbs, looks the part in this cool but chic part of town, and it occupies a prime street-corner spot with windows overlooking the market (bag a bench outside to get closer to the action). Tuck into an all-day menu of inspired east-meets-west sharing plates, such as fragrant spiced quail with tahini-laced yoghurt and vibrant chickpea salad they make for perfect brunches and laid-back, lazy lunches alongside more classic sourdough/egg options. Dont leave without ordering a top-notch espresso, made with a blend of beans roasted on site or try one of the regularly changing filter coffees.

11-13 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QD.

020 7833 8115

www.caravanonexmouth.com

Farringdon tube.

BRANCHES: Kings Cross N1C 4AA.

TINA, WE SALUTE YOU

This tiny corner caf in Dalston has a devoted local fanbase, no doubt drawn in by the small but perfectly formed menu of essentials. Theres excellent coffee by Alchemy, a couple of tempting homemade cakes and a short brunch menu starring offerings such as a stack of fluffy pancakes, brioche French toast, and poached eggs with avocado. A convivial communal table topped with condiments from Marmite to Nutella makes the tight squeeze bearable, but if you want to stretch your legs theres a larger branch by the Olympic Park: this one has space for a more comprehensive all-day menu, as well as beer and cocktails, and is brilliantly located alongside green lawns and a childrens play area. Both cafs make a fuss over Tina not the owner, but rather the subject of a kitsch 1960s painting by JH Lynch.

47 King Henrys Walk, N1 4NH.

020 3119 0047

www.tinawesaluteyou.com

Dalston Kingsland Overground.

BRANCHES: East Village E20 1FT.

LANTANA

Hidden down a boutique-lined alley off hectic Goodge Street, Lantana is usually filled with the areas arty types. The close-set tables and high perches arent everyones cup of tea you wont find mummies with buggies or all-business executives here but for informal meet-ups, Lantanas brand of casual all-day Antipodean-style brunches are just right. On the menu, towering breakfast burgers filled with sausage, bacon, egg, smoked cheddar and spinach vie for attention with the likes of poached egg and smashed avocado on sourdough, or French toast with banana and pecans. The drinks list is all about the Alchemy coffee, with a few wines and beers too. Larger groups should head to the communal table downstairs but if you cant get a seat, theres a Lantana takeaway next door.