Konditor & Cook, Bloomsbury, London

This is a place I go if I feel in need of some good cake (their banana walnut slice is my favourite) and don’t let the lunchtime queue put you off, as there is a separate queue if you are just looking to grab a cake and a coffee.

I have sat at the tables outside, if it’s warm enough and I have always managed to get a seat.

Alternatively, head for Gray’s Inn Field, which is great in the summer, as long as the grass is dry! Note to self.

Agreed---their brownie was really really dry! I liked their choice of cold drinks, but the Illy coffee wasn’t that impressive and 2 pounds for a double espresso was fairly ridiculous.

I checked a package of mini brownies and they said they were good for at least a month---which is pretty much how old my brownie tasted.

Yeah whatever, I’m not nearly as over-the-moon about K&C as so many other peeps, but it’s good stuff nonetheless.

I was pleased today (American Thanksgiving) to see they had a turkey/cranberry/dressing sandwich - which I bought and enjoyed:
http://london.blog.qype.com/?p=153

But, it was just okay. Nice place on an otherwise barren stretch of Gray’s Inn Road but nothing phenomenal.

This branch of the Konditor and Cook serves up a mean lunch to go. They have some delicious gourmet sandwiches, and a number of hot food items including pastas, quiches, and soups that continue to rotate on a daily basis. They also make a mean coffee, so if you happen to fall to their dazzling range of pastries, cakes and slices, you can have something to lessen the sweetness of it all.

Service here is always prompt, efficient and I rarely have to queue to pay or order something. Apparently you can eat in at this branch though I’ve never tried it since it just seems like there’s a continuous stream of people coming and going that I think I’d find it too distracting.