22
Middle Lane, London, Crouch End N8 8PL
Crouch
End packs an unexpected punch with a high concentration of cafes in a fairly
small radius on and around the high street.
The Haberdashery is just off the main
road, tucked into a quiet side street. It has won a few awards (Best Coffee Shop in London (London Lifestyle Awards) and Best
Caffeine Fix in London (Grazia
Magazine) to name but two), so I came with high expectations.
The verdict? Well, a little mixed. The Haberdashery gets top marks
for its “eclectic and vintage décor” (as
described on their website). It
really is quite sweet, with a wall feature comprised of colourful tea cups, crocheted tea-cosies in the shape of owls on shelves and artwork decorating the
whitewashed wood-panelled walls.
I enjoyed their Victoria Sponge with filling that
tasted of real strawberries, although the sponge itself was a tad dry. Ben’s
Orange Polenta cake was the real winner, and I managed to sneak in a few
mouthfuls when he wasn’t looking.
 |
| If you look carefully you can see where a mouse has nibbled Ben's cake |
But… there is a but.
I thought the prices were a little on the high
side and at the top end of what one would pay for a slice of cake.
The ambiance
was destroyed by the overbearingly loud 1950s rock & roll music
(rockabilly?) cutting through the small space, drowning out any hope of
actually relaxing with one’s own thoughts. I regretted not sitting outside in
the tiny rear courtyard, but the weather was too chilly for me.
On both occasions we have visited, the staff seemed
rather obsessed with where customers sat (and could not sit). This might be to
maximise the ratio of number of customers per table, but it felt a little
OTT, kind of like when you visit someone's house and aren't allowed to sit in their "special chair". That said, Ben and I have such a chair at home, covered in expensive plush fabric and even our cats know not to sit on it. Now that I have put that into words, it does sound pretty strange.
But back to the cafe.
Perhaps reflective of the area’s distance from
central London and plethora of “family homes” in the vicinity, The Haberdashery
was at times too crowded with strollers and little people, making it feel more
like a parent’s club than a hip urban hangout.
Even so, it’s a great place to visit if you’re in
the area even if just to see the cutesey interior.
CakeMyDayLondon Rating
