Restaurants

It’s all about the ingredients in the ‘tasting café’ at the rear of this Marylebone gourmet shop. The space, though attractively skylit, can get packed at weekends, when local foodies and shoppers cram the central communal table; some couples prefer to wait for one of the three two-person tables. The cheese plate understandably predominates on the daily-changing menu and features selections from the shop’s walk-in cheese room (with detailed descriptions, should you want to buy some to take home), while the house ploughman’s features a pork and veal pie from equally discerning neighbouring butcher, the Ginger Pig. Other plates are geared towards charcuterie and fish, and there are hearty cooked dishes such as, on a recent visit, a delectable gruyère and onion tart. Salads are bursting with individual flavours; a medley of asparagus and peas with lemon, mint and aged feta was suitably robust. Breakfast options range from simple brioche and jam to a full Spanish charcuterie, cheese and bread blow-out. The Florentine coffee is a potent hit and there’s an extensive wine list with advice on pairing. On the whole, staff remain remarkably unflappable and accommodating, even in busy periods.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008