I am 100% guilty of searching for 'instagrammable cafes in London' every now and then, somehow my £7 slice of cake feels justified if it gets posted on the 'gram. But I often find that amongst the blog posts, and hash-tagged photos there's so much repetition, everyone seems to be hitting the same few spots and not delving any further a-field! Whilst I can't deny that the stunning flower-guarded door of Peggy Porschen or the whimsical wonderland that is El&n deserve the hype they receive, I wanted to provide some equally adorable, but slightly-less pink, alternatives!
First up we have Katsute100, a Japanese tea shop that also serves a delicious array of cakes and sweets! I have been to the Islington branch (they have recently opened a secondary branch on brick lane) 5+ times since my arrival in London in September, and I think I fall in love with it a little more each time I visit! The absolute star-of-the-show for me is their strawberry shortcake and yes, it does taste as great as it looks!
If you're a lover of matcha this is absolutely the place to be- with matcha even featuring in a handful of their desserts. It's needless to say that the teas are also wonderful, I am a lover of Hojicha (a roasted green tea) and was pleasantly surprised trying a 'Hojicha iced latte' for the first time, who even knew that was a thing?! As well as teas and desserts, you can also try a tipple of Japanese whiskey or Sake, I believe they also have cocktails which incorporate their alcohol selection on the menu (although I'm yet to try!). I don't think I can speak highly enough of this place, it's become my favourite wee spot to take my uni work when I get sick of my room!
Next up on the list is another Japanese cafe, this time it's moko made in Hoxton. I found moko made on instagram and was instantly drawn to their daily special illustrations (shown below)! Each day of the week, a different meal is prepared for (around) lunchtime, most coming with delicious miso soup or salad.
When I visited, the special was the pork katsu sandwich, and it was delicious! As well as a tasty meal offering and a selection of other Japanese snacks, such as various onigiri (filled rice balls), moko made also have a vast selection of pastries and desserts which are displayed as you enter. One of the most lovely aspects of this cafe, is their support for local artists and designers. With incredible artwork lining their walls and a selection of ceramics and cards in the window, there is something interesting to see everywhere you look!
Finally, I want to talk about Lily Vanilli Bakery, which actually isn't too far from moko made! Located just across the road from the Columbia Road flower market, Lily Vanilli is open Thursday- Sunday and offers a gorgeous selection of cakes and pastries. The first time I visited, I'd left it too late in the day and there was no cake left but, let me tell you, the sausage rolls do. not. disappoint. Potentially the best sausage roll I've ever had, and that's coming from a Northerner! The only cake I've managed to eat there was a lovely chocolate and caramel cake however, the pictures I took don't do it justice so please instead enjoy the photographs of my latte instead (isn't the cup just the cutest?!)
You will definitely be hearing more about Lily Vanilli in the coming weeks as I recently visited her afternoon tea at the Theare Royal Drury Lane, and have lots of thoughts and photos to share! Is it really worth that £50pp price-tag? (can't believe I've left you on a cliffhanger there)
I hope you enjoyed this small ramble about some of London's more hidden cafe spots, I can certainly post more of these in the future! The instagram pages of the locations mentioned are all linked below, so please go and check them out and pay a wee visit if you're in the area!
- love
Hannah
katsute100: https://www.instagram.com/katsute100/
moko made: https://www.instagram.com/mokomadecafe/
Lily Vanilli: https://www.instagram.com/lily_vanilli_cake/
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