Central London - Bloomsbury - London Review Cake Shop

14 Bury Place WC1A 2JL (nearest tube Tottenham Court Road/Russell Square)

Tucked down a side road opposite the British Museum this tea shop is actually within the London Review Bookshop which is why I've never seen it when passing. The cafe is bright and breezy and the staff are really friendly and helpful.

The cafe is very small but has an excellent and wide range of cakes.I imagine if you came at weekends you'd struggle to get a seat. I had the passiofruit cake which was like a sponge with passionfruit in. How they managed to make it without being soagy I don't know but it was really yummy.

My mum had carrot cake which we both agreed looked great but was too sweet.

Finally, we have to finish on a very bad note. THE TEA. It was £3.25 for a pot of loose leaf tea out of which you got two small cups and the tea was nothing to write home about. In fact I'd say Sainsbury's red label would give you a better cuppa. Which is a shame because it's a nice place and my cake was fab. Perhaps just drink the coffee!

So 3/5- would have got less(for the tea and my mum's cake) but my cake and the surroundings brought it up to a 3.

Central London - Cafe at Foyles

113-119 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0EB (nearest tube Leicester Square/Tottenham Court Road)
Look for a small doorway to the right of Foyles' main entrance.

I had just by coincidence visited two other tea and cake places on the previous two days so by the time I got to the Cafe at Foyles I was all caked out. However there was a wide selection of cakes which all looked great. I will definitely be trying the plum and almond cake in the near future. However, I just had to write about the tea (having had a bad cuppa the day before). If you like strong builders' tea then this is the place for you. £1.60 will buy you a mug of tea so strong that even I had to take the tea bag out after only a few minutes. Excellent tea and excellent value in the heart of London.

East London - Towpath

Regent's Canal Towpath between Whitmore Bridgew  and Kingsland Road Bridge N1 5SB

As the name denotes this hole in the wall is literally on the tow path between Angel and Dalston so not sure what the nearest tube would be. |Came across it on a walk along the canal from Angel to Limehouse. Can't believe how fantastic it was. The selection of cakes was not big but my friend and I both had the rhubarb and fragiapani tart ( 5/5) and I have to say it was the best pastry I have ever had and well worth the £3.25 I paid for it. The coffee was also excellent.

However probably only a place to come to on a good weather day as the seating is very exposed to the elements therefore I can't really give a mark for its ambience.

5/5 for tart and coffee

North London - Angel - Kipferl

20 Camden Passage, N1 8ED (no where near Camden, nearest tube Angel)

Apparently this place is well known for its apple cake but as my mum makes the best one in the world I didn't want it to fall at the first hurdle so I choose the espresso cake.(£2.50). Unfortunately it did not taste of coffee at all just chocolate.More like a slab of chocolate brownie. My friend suggested that what they meant was that the cake would be good with an espresso but either way it was a bit dry and why call it espresso cake then? I give the cake 2/5 for being dry and failing the trade description act.

This time I had a coffee (£2.40) which I enjoyed and as I don't really like coffee is a big compliment.

We sat outside but the interior is okay but I wouldn't say particularly inviting.

Overall I probably wouldn't come here again and I would try somewhere in Angel as there seems to be loads of other independentish places to try.

Overall 2 1/2/5

Central London - Strand Courtauld Institute Cafe

Nearest Tube Charing Cross/Temple Part of the Somerset House complex Somerset House
Strand London WC2R 0RN

My mum and I were going to the gallery so we popped into Tom's diner which is in Somerset House. The cake selection was very poor so we decided to go to the Courtauld Institute Cafe instead. It's out of the way tucked underneath the gallery and you have to go past the gallery ticket office to access it. You just need to say you're just going to the cafe and don't want to visit the gallery and they'll let you through.

The cafe isn't very big but there is an outside courtyard and the room its self feels very homily with comfy sofas as well as chairs and tables.

Here's a picture of their range of cakes. All cakes are in the £3-£4 range. They are all handmade in the kitchen on the premises. I had a nice chat with the chap who makes them more about his scones later...

So my mum had a piece of pistachio and rosewater cake (£3.75)  as we were both intrigued with the idea of rose water in cakes.

Sadly there wasn't really any taste of rose water and the cake was a bit dry. She gave the cake 2/5.

 I chose polenta, almond and lemon cake (£3.50). It was delicious. Moist and really tasty. I gave it 4/5.

We both agreed the tea served was excellent and good value at £1.95 a pot. All served in a proper pot and everything.

So after we chose our cakes and were happily munching on them these babies were brought out. Check them out...

Have you ever seen such beautifully risen scones??  I will definitely be checking these out the next time I go!

I think the dry cake was an exception as mine was great and I've been here before and the cake that time was also good. The tea was good and the surroundings nice.So overall I'll give the cafe 4/5.