Marylebone, Sandwiches, Cakes, Etc Restaurant Guide

Lady Bamford’s quartet of London ‘rus in urbe’ cafés should have caught the zeitgeist, with their focus on home-produced organic ingredients from her estate. But the offering is variable, with food that’s too often slated as “poor”; or incidents of “staff hanging around not knowing what to do”. The Pimlico branch scores the best of the bunch, but it’s worthy of note that visitors to the Daylesford farm mothership in the Cotswolds report an altogether different and “delightful” experience.

2021 Review: “Perfect coffee every time” keeps caffeine fiends crawling back to this small and serious chain. “Baking from Fortitude Bakehouse is a good complement”.

“Great coffee and extremely moreish light snacks” is the simple-but-winning formula at this ethical and sustainable Scandi-style roastery that started life in Richmond six years ago and now has outlets scattered across some of central London’s foodie enclaves.

“One of the original Aussie coffee shops”, founded in 2009 by Melburnian Peter Dore-Smith and now with two branches in Fitzrovia serving “fabulous artisanal brews”. They make a “perfect escape from the chain experience of nearby Oxford Street” with their “great service and vibe”, “fresh sandwiches” and “very good lunchtime salads”.

Bianca Tavella’s ground-breaking non-profit moved from Mayfair to splendid new Covent Garden premises in early 2023, bringing tasty treats, light lunches and a proper caffeine hit to guests, while its workforce of young people with learning difficulties get their first proper shot at a job. This social enterprise is a winner, too: 100% of its graduates move on to paid employment, against the UK’s 95% unemployment rate among adults with learning difficulties.

Jet-set living for the price of a (admittedly relatively expensive) croissant and a coffee? That’s the promise of this new café within Claridge’s, serving up toasties, crepes and cakes in a new space with a small art gallery attached designed by John Pawson.