Loafing (E9 7HJ)

79 Lauriston Rd, London, Greater London E9 7HJ
http://www.loafing.co.uk/

This is the quintessential cake cafe and no self-respecting cafe reviewer would leave this place off their list of places to review. And since I definitely respect myself... 

Loafing has many points in its favour. It's cosy. It's busy. It's rustic. It's cute. It has lots of cakes... a veritable plethora of them enticingly arrayed in the window to tempt passers-by. Prices are reasonable. 

The toilet has lovely smelling handwash and moisturiser. 

There is seating out the front, inside and in a small internal courtyard out the back. Yet even so, finding an unoccupied table often proves a challenge. It's hugely popular...deservedly so. 

So is there anything to complain about? A few minor points... nothing to do with the cakes however. 

I don't like self-serve cutlery housed in over-sized drinking glasses on tables. Smacks of a burger joint, and this cafe should elevate itself above that. 

The seat at the end of the counter next to the wash basin is to be avoided at all costs unless you enjoy getting water dripped down your back while dining. 

But I don't want to end this review on a bad note, because it's a fantastic place and other cafe owners would do well to take a loaf leaf out of Loafing's book. 

CakeMyDayLondon Rating

St David Coffee House (SE23 3EP)

5 David's Rd, London, Greater London SE23 3EP
http://www.stdavidcoffeehouse.co.uk/

While running some errands in the Forest Hill area, Ben and I decided to visit St David Coffee House. It’s the café that comes up most often when searching the internet for “Forest Hill café”, so it seemed the most logical place to go. Low hanging fruit right?

This has to be located in one of the noisiest locations we’ve yet been to, alongside a main road heaving with traffic. Yet once inside the door I forgot all about the cacophony outside.

This café is such a great find. It’s quirky, with mismatched chairs and old mirrors on the walls, and also features modern artwork for sale. It’s a little like sitting in an upmarket junk shop.

Our table had its very own wind-up toy robot, so what’s not to like?

The interior is really cosy, so perfect for cold wintry days. There is also seating on the terrace outside the front if you’re in need of fresh air.

Service was a little on the clunky “slam down your plate” side, and the toilet is located in the middle of the kitchen, but these are relatively minor gripes all things considered. The staff were a friendly and relaxed bunch.

The cake selection, though limited, was scrumptious and my tea was served in a boxy, angular tea-pot, just the way I like it. Or not. I mean, the flavour of tea is indifferent to the shape of its vessel, isn’t it? 

But still, I did like the teapot. And the robot. And the cake. And the cafe.

CakeMyDayLondon Rating

Electric Elephant (SE17 3AE)

186a Crampton Street, London SE17 3AE

http://www.electricelephantcafe.co.uk/

I love elephants. Not in an obsessive way, but seriously, who doesn't like elephants? So I had high hopes for the Electric Elephant, because I love electricity too, and I thought I could cover both my passions in one fell swoop. 

After coming here, I debated whether or not to write a review because our time here was rushed, much like the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland (No time to say hello, goodbye!). 

However, since I'm unlikely to visit this area in the near future, I figured I may as well do a write-up. 

I loved the setting of this cafe. It's on the corner of a lane of brick coach houses which are accessed via a private gate. The interior is small and cosy and creatively decorated, but we decided to sit outside and top up our vitamin D levels.

Sadly, the cake selection on the day we visited wasn't particularly enticing.

Bread pudding, a few brownies, a lemony thing and something else (queue sad face). We skipped the brownies but sampled the other three items on offer.

Since there isn't much else in the way of funky cafes around the Elephant and Castle area (unless you're a fan of the greasy spoon), it's still your best bet and a jolly nice place to hang out for a while. 

CakeMyDayLondon Rating

Deli Di Luca (TN16 1AW)

4 Market Square, Westerham

Typically, when one refers to a crowd as “eclectic” I tend to picture arts students and history majors mingling with goth punks, ravers and metal heads. 

However, when I describe the clientele of Deli Di Luca café as being eclectic this is not the image I want to convey. Rather, the customers range from someone’s grandma and her friends, to middle-aged people with babies, from owners of country estates who have just been for a bracing walk or horse ride, to passing cyclists looking for a coffee top-up. 

And then there are people like me, who are merely in search of great cake.

Our patronage of Deli Di Luca was borne out of desperation during a weekend drive in the countryside; cafes were thin on the ground, so we hit Westerham in hopes of finding something suitable. 

I really like Westerham, although a friend describes it as being “full of chavs”. I respectfully disagree. 

On a sunny day the combination of old red-brick houses, blue sky and verdant grass on the village green makes for an altogether charming picture. If I could afford to buy a country house I’d probably buy one in Westerham.

But back to the cakes.

I will never say no to a pink cake. 

Deli Di Luca’s delivers on the cake front. Sure, the décor is a little lacking in oomph (although I quite like the parquet oak tables and painted chairs at the front of the café by the windows). The service is dreadfully slow (but very polite), and the staff often forget to provide you with items as basic as eating implements.

But back to the cakes.

They are wonderful and come in all sorts of colours and flavours. A particular favourite is the raspberry and white chocolate with lashings of icing. I am also partial to the orange polenta, the chocolate, the carrot and the lemon drizzle to name but a few I’ve sampled.

This is my go-to café when we’re in the area and in need of sustenance. I’m sure Sir Churchill would approve.

CakeMyDayLondon Rating

Tina We Salute You (N1 4NH)

47 King Henry's Walk, London, N1 4NH

http://tinawesaluteyou.com/

This place always features on coffee write-ups, so it was somewhere I deemed necessary to visit. Perhaps the danger in reading reviews in advance is that you expected your Mind-To-Be-Blown by the promise of fantastic cakes and cutting edge design. 

The cafe's USP is that every 8 weeks the owners take the walls back to a blank canvas and invite local artists to re-decorate the interior. The day I visited, the interior was predominantly grey and white, with only one wall covered in artwork… not striking enough for me to clearly recall (or attempt to describe) it. But even so, I do like the concept and salute them for promoting local talent.

We sat at a large communal table which made the most of the small space inside (there is seating outside along the front as well). Perplexingly there did not seem to be a washroom, so customers were directed to facilities in their friend’s pub across the road. I’m not sure whether this is a permanent arrangement or just a temporary glitch.

This scene needs more colour. Maybe a sponge cake or something?

As for the cake? I was disappointed. There was a meagre selection on offer: tiny brownies, some forlorn cupcakes and a few other miscellaneous items. To be fair, it was after 4pm on a Sunday, so maybe the selection earlier in the day would have been more inspiring. 

I opted for a gingery banana slice, which Ben took more of a liking to than did. I preferred his Amaretto crunch cake, but by the time I realised I liked his better he’d already finished it.

I think I prefer the name to the experience. Sorry. 

CakeMyDayLondon Rating