London's Cafs, Coffee Shops & Tearooms - David Hampshire

This book is a celebration of London's flourishing independent cafs, coffee shops and tearooms - and venues serving afternoon tea and breakfast/brunch - all of which have enjoyed a renaissance in the last decade and done much to strengthen the city's position as one of the world's leading foodie destinations. Londoners and visitors now enjoy artisan coffee and specialist teas from around the world, along with delicious homemade food influenced by the wealth of immigrants who have made London the world's most multicultural city.
The number and variety of independent cafs in London has flourished in recent years and if London never had a caf culture a few decades ago, it certainly does now! The quality and variety of food and drink on offer has also improved beyond recognition in the last few decades, with many cafs' now serving food that's indistinguishable from a
quality restaurant - except when it come to the bill - which is invariably much lower. In fact if you want to eat a great lunch (and increasingly dinner too) in London and don't want to pay a fortune, a caf is your best bet.
Coffee sales in Britain have expanded rapidly in the last decade, along with the growing number of independent (and chain) coffee shops. Britain's love affair with the bean has gone, quite literally, from strength to strength; not so many years ago it was difficult to find a caf serving anything but insipid filter coffee, but now fresh bean-powered brews are everywhere, thanks in huge part to a legion of expat baristas and roasters from Down Under.
The British are famous for their love of a good cuppa (tea) - which, as every Brit knows, cures all ills - although nowadays it's just as likely to be a delicate white, energising green, aromatic and complex Oolong, or a mysterious aged Puer, as builder's brew. London has an abundance of specialist tearooms - many with expert 'tearistas' (tea baristas) on hand to advise you - where you can enjoy fine teas in a delightful traditional setting.
Tea is also a vital component of the quintessentially English diversion of afternoon tea, with London's premier hotels - plus many restaurants, cafs and tearooms - vying to produce the most lavish and original afternoon tea, consisting of exquisite teas and divine cakes, pastries and savouries - and optional champagne.
If there's one meal that the British can claim their own, it's the great British cooked breakfast, which is world-famous. This traditionally takes the form a huge fry-up - the full English - but nowadays it's just as likely to include a wealth of tasty and original dishes with influences from around the globe. Likewise brunch - a combination of breakfast and lunch - which Londoners have taken to with a passion in recent years. Nowadays many top restaurants, hotels and cafs specialise in brunch, particularly at weekends.
With a copy of London's Cafs, Coffee Shops & Tearooms - featuring over 250 venues - you'll never be lost for somewhere to enjoy a great cup of coffee or tea and some delicious food. We hope you enjoy discovering the city's burgeoning caf culture as much as we did.