Coffee and cake report

The snow is back in London and sadly, the brief springtime dazzle has passed. I’ve dragged my old black coat (with the torn brocade lining) out from under the bed and gone off with my fella to hibernate with a slice of cake, a good cup of coffee and a newspaper.

Admittedly it’s not the most exciting of past-times but nary a weekend goes by without a few hours passed in a café. At first we ventured only to the (UK only) chains – Coffee Republic, Caffe Nero, Eat, Pret, etc. But happily we’ve been experimenting the past few years. And so here are a few for you to try. I’m talking purely cafes here- no table service, just order at the counter. This is west-London centric as per usual.

1. Café Delice on the Fulham road in South Kensington – a sweet unassuming café run by cheerful friendly staff, who are always on hand with a latte and a loaf cake. The chocolate loaf cake is what to have here – dense with lots of cocoa.

2. Nouveaute at Habitat on Regent Street – a gem where one can escape from the rain, and the other shoppers and scoff some lovely cookies and muffins. Lots of big squishy chairs for relaxation as well.

3. Progreso – there’s a location in Notting Hill and one in Covent Garden. Colin Firth’s a founder. Their cakes are good (though we still lament the mocha cake no longer in stock) and everything’s fair trade. And there are photos of dogs on the wall and great playlists.

4. And finally, if you’re ever heading down Fulham-way check out the café in the Nomad Bookshop (see photo!) for a latte in a Penguin classics mug and a lamington! Yes, there are kids there but they are well behaved- we’re talking SW6!

Got any other great place for coffee and cake? Please comment!

P.S. Shout-out to my new readers KV (who you’d think would have enough of me at work) and MD. Welcome to the band of 5!