No 11 Burlington’s Cafe
A down-to-earth café with mismatched furniture, flowery plastic tablecloths, locals, dog-walkers, visitors to Burlington House, an eclectic menu (beans on toast, Greek salad, tasty ciabatta, cakes) and chatty ladies behind the counter. Good value, too.
Burlington’s Cafe, Chiswick House, off Burlington Lane, W4 (020 8987 9431).
A haven for lovers of old-fashioned cream teas and traditional English
favourites, The Greenhouse serves shepherd’s pie, home-made flans,
pasties, gateaux and fruit and honey oatcake.
The Greenhouse, Kew Gardens, 1 Station Parade, Kew, TW9 (020 8940 0183).
No 13 Pavilion Tea House
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A recently refurbished lunch spot next to the Royal Observatory. Hot food includes grilled sardines, chicken-and-leek pie and salmon-and-dill fishcakes. There’s plenty for kids as well.
Pavilion Tea House, Greenwich Park, SE10 (020 8858 9695).Up the hill and overlooking the playground, animal pens and duck pond, the Refreshment House serves its own ice cream, tasty soups, salads and pasta. It has several terrace tables too.
Golders Hill Park Refreshment House, North End Rd, NW3 (020 8455 8010).A regular haunt of Sunday strollers and romancing couples, this old-fashioned tea room on Wimbledon Common does the usual fry-ups plus interesting cakes and other relics of the austerity era. Very busy at weekends.
The Windmill, Windmill Road, Wimbledon Common, SW19 (020 8788 2910).A long overdue opening in the bucolic heart of Nappy Valley, this retreat is sensibly child-friendly, offering a play area, mini-meals and babyccinos. Adults can sit on the shady patio and enjoy home-made modern food such as goat cheese, spinach, spring onion and pine nut tart.
Common Ground, Wandsworth Common, off Dorlcote Rd, SW18 (020 8874 9386).A short menu and unpredictable closing times, but the organic pop, cake, sweets, baby food, panini, pasta and wraps go down well with Crouch Enders and their young. The paddling pool in front is a boon, and packed in summer.
Funyum Cafe, Priory Park, Priory Rd, N8.Visitors venture from all over London to Spark Café for its healthy, creatively prepared dishes, juices and shakes, and its tranquil surroundings. Next to Walthamstow marshes, the café is in the beautiful Grade II-listed White Lodge Mansion.
Spark Café, Springfield Park, Upper Clapton Rd, E5 (020 8806 0444/www.sparkcafe.co.uk).One for architecture fans. The decking overlooks the modern landscaped gardens and the Thames Barrier beyond. The food is cheap. Floor-to-ceiling glass, wood-block flooring and plastic furniture could either be described as ‘funky modern’ or a throwback to the ’70s.
Pavilion Café, Thames Barrier Park, Barrier Point Rd, E16 (020 7511 4111).With its Grade II-listed, Victorian-style gardens, Roundwood Park is one of London’s best-kept secrets. The child-friendly café has a play area. Choices include soup or a panino (£3.50).
Roundwood Lodge Café, Roundwood Park, Harlesden Rd, NW10 (020 8838 1414).
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