Relay Tea Room

Part of a growing clutch of cheap, characterful eateries in Brixton Village Market, the vintage-minded, boutique-sized Relay Tea Room holds its ground well by specialising in tea (next door's Federation Coffee takes care of the Americano et al) and own-made bakes.

The brews, served in mismatched crockery, come via Taylors of Harrogate and the selection is strong with good black blends among fruity options such as a bright blackberry and elderflower. The real draw, however, is the loose-leaf chai lattes. Of the four flavours blended in-house, our vanilla number was impressive - a gently sweet, creamy chai with an added bay leaf for extra aromatic kick. It made up for the decidedly slim cake selection (we were assured it was a bad time and that there's usually plenty to choose from) and the fact that we'd missed lunch (again, open sandwiches, quiches, soups and stews normally feature).

What was available, however, was lovely. Our fresh-from-the-oven scone was fluffy and expertly baked and an oversized slice of bread and butter pudding great comfort food. It bodes well for the regulars we saw crossed out on the board, from the red velvet cupcakes to classic lemon drizzle and Victoria sponge.