Ginger and White has been on my hit list for a while. And then out came the sun. The day had dawned to dust off the bike's winter coat and hit the roads to Hampstead Heath.
Gorgeous.
Finishing off our salads at Gail's on Hampstead High Street (mixed reviews from us, but the cake selection rocks), The Peanut Gallery and I decided a 2nd coffee of the day was in order. Enter Ginger and White.
A staunchly British themed coffee shop, Ginger and White is set back from the main drag in a quiet little pedestrian laneway, Perrins Court. Inside is a big, communal table with crayons (or coloured pencils?) in the middle, suggesting a child friendly attitude that will likely be a selling point for some, but a roomful of childish shrieks and me should never meet before my morning coffee. All is overseen by a large Union Jack painting and a counter laden with cakes, pastries and biscuits. There's talk of salads and sandwiches also being available (like Northfield's Farm's roast beef with horseradish mayo and watercress on onion bread - oh my...), and all ingredients are apparently British and sourced direct from the farm.
But we were there for the Square Mile coffee (currently the Spring brew - a blend from Brazil and Colombia). The flat white was smooth, caramel-y and strong, hitting all the right notes. Admittedly on the basis of only 1 visit at this stage, I have to rate the coffee right up there with that of all my favourite antipodean coffee shops of London. A freshly squeezed orange and grapefruit juice was also lovely.
As far as I know, there are not too many options for a really great coffee in North West London. I don't hang out in Hampstead all that often, but when I do, I know where I'll be sipping my flattie. Thumbs up.
Ginger and White, 4a-5a Perrins Court, London, NW3 (Tel: 0207 431 909)
