Restaurants

Proper teas – with scones, cakes, hefty sandwiches and a range of blends from a Blackfriars-based merchant – are a major priority at Crumpet. It is, delightfully, a ‘margarine-free zone’, serves high-quality artisan-made bread, and has cakes baked by locals. The other priority here is children (always a good wheeze in this area), which means there are buggies and babes-in-arms everywhere. Families tend to sit in the light, airy back room, where there’s a play area. The menu covers all infant tastes, from toasty fingers, crudités and a babycino on the side, to whimsical dishes called, for example, Rosy Posy pasta and Dylan’s scrumptious chicken: all organic and free range where relevant. Visiting without children, we enjoyed a sedate light lunch of goat’s cheese and walnut salad, and a lovely welsh rarebit accompanied by one of Crumpet’s speciality Smooteas (a tall glass of green tea and grape: a bit insipid). This was followed by a big creamy cappuccino and a nice pot of formosa oolong with a large wedge of luscious lemon cake. Everything is presented with great care, in generous portions, and the high quality of ingredients shines through.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009