29 June 2017
Long Weekend in London: Bex's Guide
As I have to fit my travel plans around a full-time job, I often spend only three or four days in any one city, and I spend a lot of time researching and planning the perfect trip. My agenda usually includes a few key sights and some fun places to eat, drink and, especially, caffeinate. I’ve produced various ‘three days in…’ or ‘four days in…’ city guides, but it’s been a while since I compiled a guide to my favourite places in my own city, London.
27 June 2017
The Caffeine Chronicles: 200 Degrees and St Martin's Tea & Coffee, Leicester
During my recent weekend trip to stay with friends in Leicester, I wasn't expecting to have time to check out many coffee shops. Nor did I have any time to do any research, but having enjoyed an espresso from Leicester-based St Martin's Coffee Roasters at this year's London Coffee Festival, I did have at least one café on my list — and one that is relatively close to both the train station and my friends' house.
26 June 2017
A Weekend in Leicester
Despite my life-long interest in 15th- and 16th-century English history — a passion I inherited from my dad — I had never managed to visit the city of Leicester, whose connection with the Plantagenet king Richard III has been in the news fairly regularly over the past few years, displaced only by a certain football team. My only previous visit to Leicestershire was when I did my PADI Open Water training in the murky quarry of Stoney Cove back in 2002, so it was high time I returned to the county.
23 June 2017
Long Weekend in Cannes: Bex's Guide
Update (2026): Check out my complete Cannes travel guide for a more comprehensive and updated version of this guide.
20 June 2017
The Caffeine Chronicles: Half Cup
With so many great coffee shops in the immediate vicinity of King’s Cross these days, it’s rare that I venture down into Bloomsbury on my lunch break. Half Cup is close enough to St Pancras station to count as being part of the King’s Cross neighbourhood in some classifications, although I still think of it as being in Bloomsbury.
Geography aside, I wandered over for coffee and all-day breakfast on the day after the recent UK election. I had stayed up way too late watching the results come in and by lunchtime, I was in need of caffeine and comfort food. Happily, Half Cup provided both in equal measures.
To get to the seating area, you will need to enter the antechamber, which houses the coffee bar where you can order Nude coffee, all-day breakfast, snacks and sweet treats. I ordered a piccolo (£2.50) and the coffee of the day was Nude’s East Blend, a chocolatey, nutty El Salvador–Brazil combination.
My piccolo was good, if perhaps slightly under-extracted. The East Blend worked well with milk, though, and had a smooth, creamy taste. The breakfast brioche was everything I wanted from a post-election lunch: the bacon was crispy, the egg suitably runny and the avocado flavoursome.
I didn’t realise while I was there, but Half Cup also serves craft beers, including their own Half Cup Pilsner, and a range of bottle beers and wines — handy if you’re there later in the day than I was, or don't have to go back to the office; they open until 7 pm on weekdays and 5 pm at weekends.
Geography aside, I wandered over for coffee and all-day breakfast on the day after the recent UK election. I had stayed up way too late watching the results come in and by lunchtime, I was in need of caffeine and comfort food. Happily, Half Cup provided both in equal measures.
The coffee shop is located a few blocks south of Euston Road on a smart, red-brick block on Judd Street. There are a few tables out on the broad pavement for days when the weather has been as pleasant as this week. In less clement climes, there is a whole room in Half Cup — decorated with colourful, vibrant murals on the walls — dedicated to customer seating. It’s a bright and funky space, as conducive to working as it is to chats with friends and small meetings.
To get to the seating area, you will need to enter the antechamber, which houses the coffee bar where you can order Nude coffee, all-day breakfast, snacks and sweet treats. I ordered a piccolo (£2.50) and the coffee of the day was Nude’s East Blend, a chocolatey, nutty El Salvador–Brazil combination.
They also had a Colombian decaf espresso in the hopper. There aren't any hand-brewed filter options available but they do serve matcha, beetroot or turmeric lattes (£3), if they are your thing. The food menu looked good too, and the breakfast brioche (£6) seemed to satisfy all of my basic breakfast food groups — avocado, poached egg and bacon — so I ordered one of those.
My piccolo was good, if perhaps slightly under-extracted. The East Blend worked well with milk, though, and had a smooth, creamy taste. The breakfast brioche was everything I wanted from a post-election lunch: the bacon was crispy, the egg suitably runny and the avocado flavoursome.
I didn’t realise while I was there, but Half Cup also serves craft beers, including their own Half Cup Pilsner, and a range of bottle beers and wines — handy if you’re there later in the day than I was, or don't have to go back to the office; they open until 7 pm on weekdays and 5 pm at weekends.
The staff were very friendly and the bustling ambiance made it a lovely place to spend a lunch break, and the visit has encouraged me to try to venture out of King’s Cross more often at lunchtime, which is much easier some days than others…
Half Cup. 100–102 Judd Street, London, WC1H 9NT (Tube: King's Cross). Website. Instagram.
For more great coffee spots near King's Cross, check out my King's Cross coffee guide.
16 June 2017
The Caffeine Chronicles: CREAM (CLOSED)
UPDATE (January 2019): CREAM is now permanently closed.
During the London Coffee Festival, recommendations for pre- and post-festival brunch came thick and fast on social media, but one name kept coming up: CREAM. Located on New Inn Yard, a quiet street just west of Shoreditch High Street, CREAM serves coffee from Hackney-based Dark Arts and a creative, dynamic food menu in an industrial-chic, warehouse-like space.
The cafe is south-facing and so when I arrived just before noon on a sunny Saturday, the space was bathed in gorgeous light and the front doors were fully open so that you could sit at one of the tables next to the pavement if you wished. I was definitely getting Portland vibes, although I was also unusually lucky with the weather when I was in Oregon.
There is plenty of table space inside, with smaller tables on one side and bigger, communal ones next to the counter. I was also very taken by the chairs, which were as comfy as they were cool. I'm a sucker for a good pendant light too, and CREAM makes excellent use of them, although they were more decorative than functional on such a sunny day.
There were seven dishes on the all-day menu — mostly classic brunch dishes with interesting twists. Veggies are well-catered for here — I was tempted by the bean burger, but I ended up ordering the only dish with meat in it, the pancetta hash with a poached egg and pea shoots (£9). I also ordered a piccolo with Lost Highway, a Brazilian coffee from Dark Arts (who always pick great names for their coffees).
I took a seat at one of the bigger tables and got on with some writing — luckily, I'd brought my Moleskine notebook because CREAM has a no-laptops policy at the weekend. The coffee arrived swiftly and was very nicely prepared and had chocolatey, nutty notes that were accented by the milk of the piccolo.
The pancetta hash was delicious too, combining a variety of textures and savoury flavours. The barista asked if I wanted some bread on the side and I said no, which was fine for me, but if you're looking for a more substantial brunch, you might want to go for the bread. Or you could save room for pudding: the cakes on the coffee bar looked great.
Perhaps the sunshine was drawing the denizens of Shoreditch out into the sunshine, but CREAM was bustling without being excessively busy, which is often the case in this part of town during weekend brunch hours. Instead, I could enjoy my food and coffee at a relaxed pace while indulging in some Shoreditch people-watching. Overall, it's a lovely spot and well worth a visit.
CREAM. 31 New Inn Yard, London, EC2A 3EY (Shoreditch High Street Overground). CLOSED
During the London Coffee Festival, recommendations for pre- and post-festival brunch came thick and fast on social media, but one name kept coming up: CREAM. Located on New Inn Yard, a quiet street just west of Shoreditch High Street, CREAM serves coffee from Hackney-based Dark Arts and a creative, dynamic food menu in an industrial-chic, warehouse-like space.
The cafe is south-facing and so when I arrived just before noon on a sunny Saturday, the space was bathed in gorgeous light and the front doors were fully open so that you could sit at one of the tables next to the pavement if you wished. I was definitely getting Portland vibes, although I was also unusually lucky with the weather when I was in Oregon.
There is plenty of table space inside, with smaller tables on one side and bigger, communal ones next to the counter. I was also very taken by the chairs, which were as comfy as they were cool. I'm a sucker for a good pendant light too, and CREAM makes excellent use of them, although they were more decorative than functional on such a sunny day.
There were seven dishes on the all-day menu — mostly classic brunch dishes with interesting twists. Veggies are well-catered for here — I was tempted by the bean burger, but I ended up ordering the only dish with meat in it, the pancetta hash with a poached egg and pea shoots (£9). I also ordered a piccolo with Lost Highway, a Brazilian coffee from Dark Arts (who always pick great names for their coffees).
I took a seat at one of the bigger tables and got on with some writing — luckily, I'd brought my Moleskine notebook because CREAM has a no-laptops policy at the weekend. The coffee arrived swiftly and was very nicely prepared and had chocolatey, nutty notes that were accented by the milk of the piccolo.
The pancetta hash was delicious too, combining a variety of textures and savoury flavours. The barista asked if I wanted some bread on the side and I said no, which was fine for me, but if you're looking for a more substantial brunch, you might want to go for the bread. Or you could save room for pudding: the cakes on the coffee bar looked great.
Perhaps the sunshine was drawing the denizens of Shoreditch out into the sunshine, but CREAM was bustling without being excessively busy, which is often the case in this part of town during weekend brunch hours. Instead, I could enjoy my food and coffee at a relaxed pace while indulging in some Shoreditch people-watching. Overall, it's a lovely spot and well worth a visit.
CREAM. 31 New Inn Yard, London, EC2A 3EY (Shoreditch High Street Overground). CLOSED
14 June 2017
The Caffeine Chronicles: Modern Society (CLOSED)
UPDATE: Modern Society has now permanently closed.
I couldn't have picked a better day for it: the sun streams in through the south-facing front windows on clement days, bathing the cafe and shop in light. After the light, the next thing I noticed was the gorgeous, mainly monochrome design.
The sleek, marble-topped coffee bar occupies a space near the door, while a trio of small bistro tables — marble again, but this time a dark green — line the front windows. Further into the shop, there is a beautifully curated collection of clothes and homewares. Intentionally, I didn't go to check out the brand of the candle that was burning when I arrived because I'm a sucker for such warm, tobacco-accented scents and I have too many candles already!
The coffee menu is simple: espresso is £2, and you can have a 4-, 6- or 8-oz espresso with milk (for £2.20, £2.60 or £3, respectively), or a filter (£2.50) or Chemex (£3.50). They also offer a few sweet treats and serve a simple food menu with granola, and avocado and/or eggs on toast.
I asked the friendly baristas which coffee they were serving through the Chemex and they showed me the new Kenyan Esme coffee they had just got from Assembly, one of my favourite London roasters. I was sold! I took a seat in the sunshine and caught up with some writing while the baristas prepared my coffee.
The coffee was very good indeed, with some very nice grapefruit and berry notes coming through. I don't drink Chemex-brewed coffee very often but when it's brewed well, as at Modern Society, it produces a really great tasting cup. Unfortunately, my sunny position didn't translate to particularly stunning photos, but I also love Modern Society's presentation, with the brass band wrapping around the glass flask. Plus, I'm a sucker for a good tray.
Although it was never packed, there was a constant stream of customers drawn in by the shop, the beautiful coffee bar — or perhaps the fun signage. The baristas were knowledgeable and very welcoming and it's reassuring to know that even on a sunny Saturday in Shoreditch, it's possible to find somewhere calming and cool to enjoy a great cup of coffee.
Modern Society. 33 Redchurch Street, London, E2 7DJ (Shoreditch High Street Overground).
The coffee menu is simple: espresso is £2, and you can have a 4-, 6- or 8-oz espresso with milk (for £2.20, £2.60 or £3, respectively), or a filter (£2.50) or Chemex (£3.50). They also offer a few sweet treats and serve a simple food menu with granola, and avocado and/or eggs on toast.
I asked the friendly baristas which coffee they were serving through the Chemex and they showed me the new Kenyan Esme coffee they had just got from Assembly, one of my favourite London roasters. I was sold! I took a seat in the sunshine and caught up with some writing while the baristas prepared my coffee.
The coffee was very good indeed, with some very nice grapefruit and berry notes coming through. I don't drink Chemex-brewed coffee very often but when it's brewed well, as at Modern Society, it produces a really great tasting cup. Unfortunately, my sunny position didn't translate to particularly stunning photos, but I also love Modern Society's presentation, with the brass band wrapping around the glass flask. Plus, I'm a sucker for a good tray.
Although it was never packed, there was a constant stream of customers drawn in by the shop, the beautiful coffee bar — or perhaps the fun signage. The baristas were knowledgeable and very welcoming and it's reassuring to know that even on a sunny Saturday in Shoreditch, it's possible to find somewhere calming and cool to enjoy a great cup of coffee.
Modern Society. 33 Redchurch Street, London, E2 7DJ (Shoreditch High Street Overground).
12 June 2017
A New Pizzeria on Bellenden Road — Made of Dough Review (CLOSED)
Update: Unfortunately, Made of Dough has now permanently closed.
Last weekend was their soft launch so we and — thanks to an impressive array of London media and blog mentions — many others headed down to Peckham on Saturday evening to check it out. We got there just before 6:30 pm, which was lucky, given that over the next few minutes, the queue seemed to grow exponentially.
We were a group of three and had to wait about an hour for a table but twosomes and those willing to eat at the bar were seated more rapidly. We soon reached the bar, which is at the front end of the long, narrow restaurant, and could order from the drinks menu, which included beers, wines and Italian-influenced cocktails.
Given the weather, the Amalfi lemon bellinis were proving popular, although not as much as the spritzes — made, I believe, with Prosecco, Aperol, gin and San Pellegrino aranciata — which I tried and which slipped down very nicely with my pizza. One of our group tried the bellini, which was nice but very sweet and came with more foliage than needed given that the gin was also rosemary- and thyme-infused.
I'm glad we waited for a table because we got to sit in the small patio area at the back of the restaurant, which was perfect for such a warm, sunny evening. The interiors are similar to the space's Beautiful Pizza Boys days — exposed-brick walls, hip pendant lights and simple wooden furniture — although less colourful and a little more bling. The pizza oven remains in the centre, which means the delicious smell of pizza wafts throughout the restaurant, helping me build up my appetite while I waited.
The pizzas start at £6.75 for a margherita, with the most expensive being the truffle pizza (£11). One of the pizzas includes lamb merguez from Flock & Herd, the excellent butcher across the road, while another has grilled artichoke hearts, rosemary, cold-pressed garlic oil and lemon.
Given the weather, the Amalfi lemon bellinis were proving popular, although not as much as the spritzes — made, I believe, with Prosecco, Aperol, gin and San Pellegrino aranciata — which I tried and which slipped down very nicely with my pizza. One of our group tried the bellini, which was nice but very sweet and came with more foliage than needed given that the gin was also rosemary- and thyme-infused.
I'm glad we waited for a table because we got to sit in the small patio area at the back of the restaurant, which was perfect for such a warm, sunny evening. The interiors are similar to the space's Beautiful Pizza Boys days — exposed-brick walls, hip pendant lights and simple wooden furniture — although less colourful and a little more bling. The pizza oven remains in the centre, which means the delicious smell of pizza wafts throughout the restaurant, helping me build up my appetite while I waited.
The pizzas start at £6.75 for a margherita, with the most expensive being the truffle pizza (£11). One of the pizzas includes lamb merguez from Flock & Herd, the excellent butcher across the road, while another has grilled artichoke hearts, rosemary, cold-pressed garlic oil and lemon.
Because I prefer tomato sauce to fresh cherry tomatoes on my pizza, I ordered a margherita with serrano ham rather than the serrano pizza (which also came with baby kale — not my choice of pizza topping). We were all very happy with our pizzas: the bases were great (chewy, puffy and very moreish), and the toppings were high quality and generously portioned. The pizzas themselves were of a good size too.
As it was 50% off everything, we tried several of the salumi side dishes (£3.50 or £4 each), including the olives, which came with pane carasau (Sardinian flat bread); spicy salchichón with peppercorns; carpaccio di zucchini; and cavolo nero with celeriac and pomegranate. I don't eat courgettes, so I only tried the other three dishes, which I enjoyed very much; the courgette did seem to be the weakest link anyway.
I didn't strictly need a dessert but I couldn't resist the call of the motherf**king [sic] peanut and vanilla gelato shake (£4.90). It was delicious and came in a rather fun cup. Sadly, it slipped down all too quickly.
Given how busy it was — the queue was still well out the door when we left — the staff were friendly and welcoming. Although I very much hope Made of Dough continues to thrive in its Peckham home, I also secretly hope that it will be a little easier to get a table in the future. There are a couple of seats in the window where you can wait with a drink, it's not very relaxing sitting next to the queue, and they can't serve drinks at the seats on the pavement out front.
Made of Dough. 182 Bellenden Road, London, SE15 4BW (Peckham Rye Overground). CLOSED
As it was 50% off everything, we tried several of the salumi side dishes (£3.50 or £4 each), including the olives, which came with pane carasau (Sardinian flat bread); spicy salchichón with peppercorns; carpaccio di zucchini; and cavolo nero with celeriac and pomegranate. I don't eat courgettes, so I only tried the other three dishes, which I enjoyed very much; the courgette did seem to be the weakest link anyway.
I didn't strictly need a dessert but I couldn't resist the call of the motherf**king [sic] peanut and vanilla gelato shake (£4.90). It was delicious and came in a rather fun cup. Sadly, it slipped down all too quickly.
Given how busy it was — the queue was still well out the door when we left — the staff were friendly and welcoming. Although I very much hope Made of Dough continues to thrive in its Peckham home, I also secretly hope that it will be a little easier to get a table in the future. There are a couple of seats in the window where you can wait with a drink, it's not very relaxing sitting next to the queue, and they can't serve drinks at the seats on the pavement out front.
Made of Dough. 182 Bellenden Road, London, SE15 4BW (Peckham Rye Overground). CLOSED
08 June 2017
The Caffeine Chronicles: Canada Water Cafe
Canada Water is only a mile or so down the road from my Bermondsey home but beyond visits to Hawker House, the multiplex cinema and the Decathlon store, I only tend to go there when I'm running east along the Thames Path. But I'd heard good things about Canada Water Cafe, a neighbourhood eatery serving Union coffee and an Italian-influenced all-day menu, and stopped by for some coffee and cake on Saturday.
The geography of Canada Water and Surrey Quays can be a little confusing, but the cafe is located on Surrey Quays Road, a couple of minutes north-east of Canada Water Tube station and the Canada Water library with its unique architectural design. You can spot it easily from the colourful awning and the cheery tables and chairs set out on the terrace out front. I had already eaten lunch and I figured that on such a sunny day, it would be pretty busy at lunchtime, so I wandered over to Decathlon to pick up a few bits of kit before arriving at Canada Water Cafe just after 2:00 pm.
It was still busy — the outdoor tables were, unsurprisingly, popular with the brunch crowd so I took a seat indoors. The decor is quirky with old-fashioned wooden tables and marble floors contrasting with more modern tables and huge, colourful pendant lamps. Colourful posies of flowers adorned each table, which is always a nice touch. It was just a shame that I couldn't keep all the ketchup bottles out of my photos!
The food menus were extensive and tempting, making me wish I hadn't already eaten. The 'breakfast' section, served all day on weekends and bank holidays, included a variety of egg- and/or toast-based dishes. The Italian influences came out more strongly in the 'brunch' menu (served from noon), which offered various pastas, salads and bruschette. There are also several cocktails, wines, beers and soft drinks in case you aren't in the mood for coffee.
But I was, of course. The coffee comes from Union and as well as the usual gamut of espresso-based drinks, there were a couple of single-origin coffees available as a V60- or Aeropress-brewed filter coffee. I decided to go for the Balcones Especial coffee from Peru, brewed through the V60 (£3). I thought the jammy, fruity notes would go nicely with a slice of lemon and polenta cake but they were all out, so I went for the chocolate and almond cake (£3.50) instead; such hardships, I know...
My coffee was brewed very nicely and the subtle raspberry and apple notes came through well. I'm not sure the chocolate cake was the best partner for this coffee, but it was delicious: moist, rich and with plenty of almond slivers.
The staff were very friendly, despite being extremely busy, and there was a lively but relaxed ambiance. Naturally, I'll be going back both to try a piccolo and to sample the cocktails and pizza menu (yes, Canada Water Cafe has a lot going on!), which is available during the week and on weekend evenings. It's a very fine neighbourhood spot that I should have discovered sooner.
Canada Water Cafe. 40 Surrey Quays Road, London, SE16 7DX (Tube: Canada Water). Website. Instagram.
The geography of Canada Water and Surrey Quays can be a little confusing, but the cafe is located on Surrey Quays Road, a couple of minutes north-east of Canada Water Tube station and the Canada Water library with its unique architectural design. You can spot it easily from the colourful awning and the cheery tables and chairs set out on the terrace out front. I had already eaten lunch and I figured that on such a sunny day, it would be pretty busy at lunchtime, so I wandered over to Decathlon to pick up a few bits of kit before arriving at Canada Water Cafe just after 2:00 pm.
It was still busy — the outdoor tables were, unsurprisingly, popular with the brunch crowd so I took a seat indoors. The decor is quirky with old-fashioned wooden tables and marble floors contrasting with more modern tables and huge, colourful pendant lamps. Colourful posies of flowers adorned each table, which is always a nice touch. It was just a shame that I couldn't keep all the ketchup bottles out of my photos!
The food menus were extensive and tempting, making me wish I hadn't already eaten. The 'breakfast' section, served all day on weekends and bank holidays, included a variety of egg- and/or toast-based dishes. The Italian influences came out more strongly in the 'brunch' menu (served from noon), which offered various pastas, salads and bruschette. There are also several cocktails, wines, beers and soft drinks in case you aren't in the mood for coffee.
But I was, of course. The coffee comes from Union and as well as the usual gamut of espresso-based drinks, there were a couple of single-origin coffees available as a V60- or Aeropress-brewed filter coffee. I decided to go for the Balcones Especial coffee from Peru, brewed through the V60 (£3). I thought the jammy, fruity notes would go nicely with a slice of lemon and polenta cake but they were all out, so I went for the chocolate and almond cake (£3.50) instead; such hardships, I know...
My coffee was brewed very nicely and the subtle raspberry and apple notes came through well. I'm not sure the chocolate cake was the best partner for this coffee, but it was delicious: moist, rich and with plenty of almond slivers.
The staff were very friendly, despite being extremely busy, and there was a lively but relaxed ambiance. Naturally, I'll be going back both to try a piccolo and to sample the cocktails and pizza menu (yes, Canada Water Cafe has a lot going on!), which is available during the week and on weekend evenings. It's a very fine neighbourhood spot that I should have discovered sooner.
Canada Water Cafe. 40 Surrey Quays Road, London, SE16 7DX (Tube: Canada Water). Website. Instagram.