Trattoria Sapori

This bustling cafe/restaurant http://bit.ly/eunju4 is a real treat for people who love authentic Italian food.  There always seems to be something new to try, from delicious cakes to savoury pastries and now, beautifully presented salads.  This is in addition to everything you would expect to see in an Italian restaurant, ie pizzas, pastas etc.  It is very popular with families with an imaginative children's menu and they even have a story telling session once a week.

There is an outdoor seating area which is a lovely sun trap; tasty ice creams are a treat in the middle of the day. Fresh flowers are a delightful touch and reused furniture and artefacts help create the ambience inside.


Monday night is film night when you can enjoy a film, pizza and drink for only £10. The Trattoria is also very popular as a delicatessen, selling olive oil, Italian breads, pancetta etc.  

Garden Cafe Bistro

Okay, so it might seem like I was being lazy here, but it was raining on Friday and this cafe is so close to our office ... This is the third cafe to try and make its way in the two years I've been working here.  They deserve a shout out for the success they are making in a venue which isn't really in the main run of places.


The owners here took over from two unsuccessful ventures and have really made a go of this business.  Garden Cafe Bistro http://bit.ly/hfYOdW is popular with local workers and, more recently, families.


The staff are very friendly and the chef makes a lovely home made quiche and two types of pasta dish in addition to all the usual lunch choices.  You also get a very nice salad with everything.


For me, it's great to have a good cafe to pop out for a quick break when I'm busy or it's pouring with rain!

Tina, we salute you

I am thrilled to tell you about my first cafe, which is a real gem. I was drawn to 'Tina, we salute you'  http://tinawesaluteyou.com/ when I opened Foursquare to see what places were listed locally and was intrigued by its name.  It was also very handy, just right for a quick lunch time visit.

The cafe has a lovely relaxed feel about it, and there is a huge table with eight seats which reminded me of a family breakfast table with pots of jam and marmalade in the middle.  Coffee was great and I indulged in a piece of white chocolate and raspberry tart which was delicious.  There is an amazing, original loyalty scheme which you must experience.

The best thing, however, is the art. Every eight weeks, the walls are whitewashed and a local artist decorates the walls however they choose.  The latest art is by Edd Bagenal and is brilliant.








And the name?  Tina was the name of a woman, painted by JH Lynch.  More about him here http://www.jhlynch.org/
 

Tina

A New Venture

A perfect swimming spot, Croatia

Having written a quite specialised blog for the past four months, I thought I'd have a go a writing something which would interest a wider readership.


I will mainly be writing about cafes I've visited but anything that I think is interesting may get a mention. And possibly a photo or two.


I've recently been hankering for something a bit different from high street chains, for clothes shopping and for coffee.  I thought I would take advantage of working in London, particularly near Dalston, to explore some alternatives.  Twitter is great for pointing me in the right direction but the first cafe I visited was found through FourSquare.  I was intrigued by its name and it's near our office.


I'll reveal all the details next week.