Ginger & White - Silver Place W1

Coffee drinkers of leafy Hampstead (and now Belsize Park also) will be aware of Ginger & White, serving quality caffeine to NW3 for some years now.  Walking through Silver Place in Soho last week (taking the alleys and small streets as is my wont) I stumbled across the newest member of the Ginger & White stable, a rather lovely cafe in W1.  Staffed by a couple of friendly handsome chaps, the coffee was top notch, the vibe more relaxed than I remember from their super busy Hampstead cafe and the location spot on.  So if you have resisted dropping in to Fernandez & Wells or Flat White (depending on which direction you are coming from) then you could do a lot worse than drop in to this little gem.

Ginger & White - Hampstead NW3

I don't often get up to Hampstead and whenever I do I am struck down with a severe case of suburb-envy.  Oh it is lovely up there.  I had to go and pick up my friend Neil and I was a bit early so decided to park (only possible because it was a Sunday) and seek out Ginger & White, as I had read such good things about it.  Located in cute Perrins Court, which runs off the High St, just near the tube, my first impressions of Ginger & White were "looks cute" then "oh crap, it looks really busy" and it was, heavingly so.  I always think it is the test of a cafe how they deal with too many customers and these guys seemed to be doing...OK.  I hate the feeling of ordering something and then standing around feeling more and more awkward waiting for your coffee/salad/long island ice tea and at G&W I was just beginning to think "for f*ck's sake get a move on" when the coffee came.  And it was delicious, really good in fact - they use Square Mile beans and the over-worked barista poured an exemplary flat white.  I also (and those that know me will be surprised by this) enjoyed a lovely friand - although I had well and truly devoured it by the time my coffee arrived.  Sometimes I think there are just way too many people in London, at least at the places that are good - anyway at the risk of sounding like a grumpy old man, if you are wandering round the leafy streets of NW3 make sure you take time to pop in to Ginger & White, they make great coffee.  Just try and pick a quiet time.