There are some things that I have come to expect from a new London(ish) café.
- Slate bar
- Exposed brick work
- Designer 'naked' light bulbs
- Black exterior
- Young, Uber-cool Co-eek (coffee geek) behind the counter - sporting either some sort of trilby/stylised facial hair/asymmetric barnet/new romantic makeup
- Synesso
- Square Mile Coffee
Call me revolutionary but, whilst I love all of these things, sometimes you want a change from the norm.
Enter stage left: St. David Coffee House.
Believe it or not, it actually fulfils only one of these requirements. Yes, I said one. Only one. And if you don't know which one then you haven't read the title.
Out with the minimalist industrial design and two fingers to the achingly-cool artiste baristas. In with the 60's/70's inspired retro-chic, and intimate and comfortable surroundings.
First Impressions
Located in Forest Hill (Southeast London), only thirty seconds walk from the station, this beautifully presented cafe instantly has curb appeal. (Okay, I sound like an estate agent, but it's all true). Although it's close to the main road, it is actually set on a raised pavement which means that there are a couple of seats outside next to the railing. It's made all the prettier by the greenery out front and some flower baskets over the railings.
Details
As you enter, you are presented with a mixture of comfortable wooden chairs and solid tables, my favourite of which is a long table that runs the full length of a sash window which opens fully - ideal for when the weather is good.
Whitewash walls are decorated with retro mirrors, old books, pictures and general 'stuff', the majority of which can be purchased if any particular item takes your fancy. Lisa and Dan (the owners) recently renovated their house in Dulwich, and Lisa saw this as an opportunity to disperse some of her more unique objet d'art.
The bar is located at the rear along with lots of artisanal goodies that tempt you to part with a little more cash.
Another really cool feature is that they stock a selection of used books: some of which are for sale and some that you can just swap with a book that you have finished. Whilst this isn't a new idea it's one that I, as a coffee house bohemian, appreciate.
Need to Know: St David Coffee House Although St David has only been open for just under two weeks, it's already got a bit of a following, as this area has been sadly lacking a quality coffee drinking establishment for...well, ever (the nearest of alternative being Browns of Brockley). I have manged to visit twice since opening, and what I really like about them is that they are focused on the quality of their offering - when they ask you if you enjoyed their coffee, they want an honest answer. With that sort of attitude things will just get better and better.
Coffee: Square Mile Coffee
Machine: Rancilio Classe 10 S
Grinder: Anfim Milano
Address: 5 David's Road, London SE23 3EP
Nearest Train Station: Forest Hill Map me...
Hours: Mon-Fri: 08:00 - 18:00. Sat: 09:00 - 17:00.
Sun: 09:30 - 15:30
Site: Coming soon...maybe...
Drinks
They have the usual range of espresso based drinks (see below), all containing a double shot: it would be great to see them move into filter coffee at some time as they already sell the beans and have a lovely little bar that would suit pour over and aeropress perfectly (see second photo).
Additionally, they actually ask you if you want chocolate on your cappuccino and don't just assume. On both visits that I have made, I have had a cappuccino - but on the second visit I also sampled a machiatto, a flat white and a couple of espressos: I can happllly confirm that all of the drinks were made well and consistently.
They also sell a range of Suki teas and quality soft drinks.
Food
A selection of lovely foods scatter the counter - cakes, pastries, sausage rolls, slices of watermelon, etc - and we enjoyed a vanilla madeline that complemented the caramel of the espresso perfectly.
Conclusion
It's great to have a new location in Southeast London that serves quality coffee in an unexpected environment: one that you are immediately at ease in and don't feel that you require a PhD in cool to be seen in. It takes some of the best beans and support from Square Mile, and wraps it up in a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere.
Another worthy addition to the coffee map...
Disclaimer: This review was in no way influenced by the bag of delicious leftover pastries that Lisa and Dan gave us to take home at the end of the day when they were closing up shop. Well, maybe just a little.
Just Fab , I love it !!!
Iris
Posted by: Iris Borgers | 11/13/2010 at 02:49 PM