Tag Archives: cafe

Baden-Baden | Tracking the Lion Man

Back on the track of the Lion Man … From Basel, the next stop on the tour was the historic spa town of Baden-Baden, Germany. Generally speaking, travelling from Basel to Baden-Baden should have been a piece of cake (black … Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Drink, Food, Germany, Hotels, Luxury, Shopping, Tracking the Lion Man, Travel, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Basel | Tracking the Lion Man

Welcome back to Tracking the Lion Man, a series of posts about my trip to Switzerland and Germany en route to the city of Ulm to view the Löwenmensch (Lion Man) of Hohlenstein-Stadel – a prehistoric sculpture carved out of mammoth … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Basel, Design, Drink, Food, Germany, Museums, Restaurants, Shopping, Switzerland, Tracking the Lion Man, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Roasting Plant Brings Javabot (and Great Tasting Coffee) to London Bridge

New York-based Roasting Plant Coffee opened its first roastery/cafe in London this week, bringing with it Javabot – an automated roasting system and sleek piece of cafe-theatre kit. Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Design, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

(Northern) California Dreamin’ | Berkeley

We’re heading south now, down Highway 101 to Berkeley, home of the Free Speech Movement, the top public university in the USA and my Alma Mater. Continue reading

Posted in (Northern) California Dreamin', Art, Books, California, Celebrities, Coffee, Drink, Food, Hotels, Movies, Museums, Pizza, road trip, Shopping, Travel, USA, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Where to Dine in Dublin | Oxmantown

Oxmantown’s Black Pudding breakfast sandwich was a morning meal worth waking up for – particularly with its rather kindly price of €5.90. An assemblage of Jack McCarthy’s “Queens” black pudding with tomato relish, pickles, aioli, and rocket on supremely spongy sourdough, it hit the spot and kept any inkling of hunger at bay well past my usual lunchtime. Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Drink, Dublin, Food, Ireland, Restaurants, Travel, Where to Dine in Dublin | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Falling for Scotland in Autumn | Glasgow

It’d been years since either Kemey or I had been to Glasgow and our two-night (and really only one full day) pit stop proved far too short. Nonetheless we had an amazing time and loved discovering how much more delicious the city had become since we’d last been there. Continue reading

Posted in Art, Bars, Coffee, Drink, Falling for Scotland, Food, Hotels, Restaurants, Scotland, Shopping, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coffee Island, Upper St Martin’s Lane

Coffee Island new café near Leicester Square aims to provide customers with sustainably sourced coffee brewed in a variety of methods and offered as customised blends. Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Drink, Food, London, Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Piadabar: New Italian Takeaway in the Heart of Soho

Piadabar is a new Italian takeaway on Bateman Street in Soho that serves authentic piada (Northern Italian flatbread), traditional cheeses and cured meats, amazing homemade desserts, excellent espresso and more. It’s a brilliant spot to drop by for a quick sandwich or snack – whether on your way to work in the morning, during lunch or even after a late night out playing weekend warrior (Piadabar is open until 1am on Friday and Saturday nights). Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

London Daily Photo: Kentish Town

Posted in London, London Daily Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Good Stuff

Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Continue reading

Posted in Books, Chocolate, Coffee, Drink, Food, Good Stuff, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

London Daily Photo: Hackney Heart

Posted in London, London Daily Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

La Giaconda Café Bar Restaurant on Denmark Street

Following a major refurbishment, Denmark Street’s landmark rock ‘n roll restaurant, La Giaconda Café Bar Restaurant brings together a quality caff experience and a fine dining options in the heart of Soho. Continue reading

Posted in Celebrities, Coffee, Drink, Food, London, Music, Restaurants, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

illy Regent Street

I don’t know about you and your line of work but as for me and mine, I run around all over town all day long. Often I find I’ve got time to kill between meetings and events. Sometimes it’s just 20 minutes, other times it might be a couple of hours. And just because I have time to kill doesn’t mean I have time to dawdle. I need to get in somewhere fast and park it during such spare moments – where I can tackle my inbox, draft my next blog post, maybe grab a bite to eat and (most importantly) have a cup of coffee. With the recently opened illy Regent Street, being able to do all this stuff in a seriously stylish and comfortable setting just became a real option for me. Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Design, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

London Daily Photo: Circles and Lines

Posted in London, London Daily Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ergon, Greek Deli + Cuisine in Marylebone

Ergon is a newly opened Greek deli and restaurant in Marylebone. Its menu features dishes designed by Dimitris Skarmoutsos, Greece’s best know celebrity chef. The shop sells products only from independent Greek producers. And, in the face of the the gargantuan econonomic meltdown, this startup business managed to expand across Greece and actually make a profit. Now with its Picton Place shop launched just before the new year, Ergon aims to bring an authentic taste of Greece to London. The reasons to visit are many. But if you need just one reason go, make a take home jar of the cod roe spread. That stuff is gorgeous. Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Barista Skills (espressoCrazy) #illyschool

Recently, I helped organise and host an intimate coffee tasting and training session for a select group of London bloggers. Leading the event was Marco Arrigo – Head of Quality for illy Coffee in the UK – who provided our guests with a hands-on chance to hone their skills making perfect espresso-based drinks, along with a fun and informative ‘beans to cup’ lesson about the history and chemistry of coffee. Marco has trained hundreds of baristas throughout the UK. His course usually takes three days, but he crafted this this one to be a three-hour crash course session especially for bloggers. Continue reading

Posted in Blogs, Coffee, Drink, espressoCrazy, London, Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kamps: New German Backerei Café on Tottenham Court Road Near Warren Street

Kamps is a new German backerei café on Tottenham Court Road near Warren Street station. Stop by for a coffee (artisan wood roasted in Oxford) and a pastry, an especially budget friendly and tasty breakfast or a loaf of bread baked fresh in-store. Not yet open a full week with no marketing , the clean little shop is making fans quick. After my recent visit I can see why. Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

All Day Soho Dining at Damson & Co on Brewer Street

Two current trends in the London dining scene at the moment are creating all-day-dining menus and adding a gratuitous “& Co” to the end of your business’s name. Newly opened Damson & Co twirls a double braid of zeitgeist to offer the constant flow of Soho shufflers a handy little place for a full-on dinner or a dabbling dash with libation – be it booze, fresh juice or quick shot of espresso. Continue reading

Posted in Beer, Coffee, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Win a Free Illy IperEspresso Coffee Machine

Quality Italian espresso at the press of a button in your own home? Oh yeah! I’ve got a nifty IperEspresso Coffee Machine from Illy up for grabs. Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Competition, Discounts and Special Offers, Drink, Food, Freebies, Shopping, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

London Daily Photo: At the Beanotown Cafe

Southbank Centre celebrates 75 years of Beano.

Posted in London, London Daily Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Carpo: Great Greek Snacks at Piccadilly Circus

Carpo, an emporium and cafe offering a simple selection of “nuts, chocolate and coffee” (there’s dried fruit and a few other products as well) has recently opened near Piccadilly Circus. So what? So … fantastically flavoursome pistachios, delectable honey with a hint of thyme, exquisitely juicy candied mandarins, figs covered in chocolate that are worth dropping whatever you’re doing at this very moment to rush over for a taste of and a whole lot more – that’s what. Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Drink, Food, London, Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

London Daily Photo: Cafe Dusk

Posted in London, London Daily Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

London Daily Photo: While it Lasts

Posted in London, London Daily Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

New Flagship Benugo is Welcome Addition to Covent Garden Dining Scene

I’m pleased to report that Benugo has recently opened a new flagship cafe at the corner of Long Acre and Bow Street near Covent Garden. The new venue is great news (for me at least) because I find myself bopping through that part of town all the time, and Covent Garden dining options are rather hit or miss in my opinion. Minus a few frugal exceptions, all the hits that I can think of around there are all pretty expensive too. Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

London Goes Scandinavian (OneTravel)

If next time you find yourself doing something especially fashionable in London and for a split second you forget where you are and start wondering if you’re actually in, say, Malmo or Reykjavik, you’d be forgiven. London, it seems, is … Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Design, Drink, Food, London, OneTravel, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dreyfus Cafe, Lower Clapton Road, Hackney E5

Dreyfus Cafe is little independently owned cafe just down the street from my flat. It’s been open about a month and is a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. I’ve popped my head in a few times for coffee over the … Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Handy Scandi Christmas Gifts from Scandinavian Kitchen

When Danish/Swedish tag team Bronte (from Denmark) and Jonas (from Sweden) opened Scandinavian Kitchen in 2006, the plan was simply to make available to themselves and their ex-pat communities all the food and drink they missed from back home. Little … Continue reading

Posted in Beer, Christmas, Coffee, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Where to Dine in Knightsbridge (OneTravel)

With Hyde Park, a wealth of museums and some of Europe’s most fashionable shops all here, knowing where to refuel in Knightsbridge could prove crucial to your London visit. Read my complete post at the OneTravel blog.

Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, London, OneTravel, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

This Bright Field (Blue Tomato)

This Bright Field is a welcome addition to the East London dining scene. Sourcing British regional produce to create straightforward and prettily presented seasonal dishes, head chef Matt Casey (formerly of Koffman’s and The Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room) and his … Continue reading

Posted in Beer, Blue Tomato, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Five Great New Local Joints in East London (OneTravel)

All eyes seem to be on the London 2012 Games at the moment. But beyond the Olympic Stadium and the admittedly very exciting Olympic hoopla, some more locally based achievements of the foodie variety are taking place which hopefully after this historic … Continue reading

Posted in Beer, Coffee, Drink, Food, London, London 2012, OneTravel, Pubs, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Best Meal in Ages! @ThisBrightField, Bethnal Green

Saturday night, Kemey and I went to see one of the best movies I’d seen in ages, Ai Wei Wei: Never Sorry. The engaging documentary about Chinese artist and activist, Ai Wei Wei, was inspiring to say the least. Not … Continue reading

Posted in Food, London, Restaurants, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

London Daily Photo: Greco-Olympic Breakfast

Taken with the Nokia 808 Pureview, the next breakthrough in photography featuring a 41 megapixel sensor camera with Carl Zeiss lens. More specs here.

Posted in London, London 2012, London 2012 with the Nokia 808 PureView, London Daily Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Great Little Scandi Cafe – Cooper & Wolf – Opens on Chatsworth Road E5

The vibe is eclectic and homespun, Scandi with a touch of Clapton edge. And the people behind the counter came across as incredibly appreciative of our patronage, very accommodating and especially cool managing a full house after only being open a short time. Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Free Coffee @ The Electric Elephant, SE17

This is a very informal arrangement and the Electric Elephant is a modest kinda place. But if you swing by this lovely little Southwark cafe and mention that you read about it on my blog (maybe you can show this … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Coffee, Food, Freebies, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

London Daily Photo: Homerton High Street

Posted in London, London Daily Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment