St David Coffee House

Anywhere that has original 'Mr Men' books on the shelves wins us over almost right away. Add to that beautifully frothed cappuccino served in charmingly mismatched crockery with good pastries, and we're onside.

Located yards away from Forest Hill Station, this tiny, higggledy-piggledy café would suit Mr Small very well. The diminutive, wisteria-clad premises has five tables wedged inside, all of them busy on our mid-morning weekday visit. Two tiny tables cling to the raised walkway outside, shielded from the main road by herb-filled window pots.

Cake stands, piled high with flaky croissants, millionaire's shortbread, carrot cake, cupcakes and flapjacks (£1.50-£2.90) jostle for space on the bar.

For the savoury minded, there are raw salads of colourful beetroot, carrot and cucumber, and two varieties of very English sandwiches (read: thinly filled). We tried a chorizo, pear and rocket one, and enjoyed the unsual combo.

Staff at St David treat the Square Mile coffee beans with due reverence, describing in detail the summer espresso blend, grinding beans for each cup in an Anfim grinder then using a Rancilio espresso machine (all coffees cost under £2). For tea lovers there's loose-leaf brews, though we found our pot of Earl Grey a little lacklustre in floral notes (£1.60).

Well-loved books are in a corner for exchange or sale. Handmade cards, jams and chutneys from England Preserves (a company based in New Cross), flavoured oils and bags of coffee beans cluster on the shelves amid old typewriters and other rickety, antiquated equipment.

Whimsical art comes courtesy of Paula McGurdy, who often uses the space as her studio, and we can understand why: this is a welcoming spot for a natter or a read and a hot cuppa.