The venerated London Review Bookshop has expanded its repertoire to cakes, coffees and teas for the Bloomsbury set.

The Venue
Nestled alongside the London Review Bookshop, this little cake shop is a haven for bookworms looking for a snack whilst they read. Although quite small, the shop’s large windows let lots of light in and the large table towards the back is perfect for bigger groups. The walls are lined with (what else?) books from next door, as well as a few art prints. Cakes are displayed in a glass case next to a low wooden counter.

The Atmosphere
The staff are really friendly, and if you become a regular customer they might just keep your favourites on hand for when you pop in. This being a cafe in a bookshop, it comes as no surprise that everyone is either reading or writing whilst they sip their drinks or munch their cakes. Clientele is mostly older, book-loving folks from nearby offices as well as employees at The British Museum.

The Food
Although this is a cake shop, there are some sandwiches on offer as well, made fresh daily. Options to look out for include cornichon pate on sourdough bread, Camembert and chutney and mozzarella, tomato, pesto and spinach.

The pieces de resistance, however, are the cakes and pastries. These are taken from some of the finest bakeries in the capital, such as Paul, Le Pain Quotidien, Manna in Primrose Hill and Flour Power in Surrey Quays. Although it varies depending on what’s available on the day, if you see any of these, be sure to grab a bite. One of the most requested is a vegan blueberry cake: soft, sweet and topped with juicy blueberries, it tastes like blueberry crumble in cake-form – you won’t even be able to tell that it’s made without dairy products. Also be sure to try the moist Chelsea bun, packed with dozens of currants, apricot cake layered with custard and heavy, gooey, uber-chocolatey brownies.

The Drink
There’s a variety of drinks on offer, including Monmouth organic coffees, Green & Black’s hot chocolate, Fentimans soft drinks and Luscombe organic juices. Teas are of the fresh variety – no bags to be found – and particularly recommended types include the Whole Rosebud Chinese black tea and the Flowering Osmanthus, a peachy green tea that looks like mushrooms when dried but opens up into a beautiful flame-coloured flower when it hits the water. It’s poured from a glass teapot into a small, glass, handle-less cup on top of a slatted wood board and smells nearly as beautiful as it looks .

The Last Word
Coffee, tea, cake and books – the perfect way to spend a lunch hour.

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