Love this little place - it’s my home away from home, my lunchtime retreat, my coffee parlour, my gossip haunt. Not only do they serve a great capp they also make you feel more than loved by swirling a charming heart into the foam. Well, it makes me smile.

This branch of the burgeoning French coffee shop chain gets busy busy, but the crowd ebbs and flows so you can usually grab a couple of seats. The sandwiches are probably less than low-cal, filled as they are with giant slabs of cheese and other fine ingredients; sweetly named after great French cities or regions it’s fun to order Paris or Lyon - the only downside being the price often seems comparable to a one-way Eurostar ticket… same applies to salads.

There’s free Wi-fi here and plenty of maccers who take full advantage, plus jugs of minty lemony water, foam hearts and my fave oatmeal cookies. What more could a girl want from a Wednesday lunchtime? Perhaps the presence of a couple of W1 worker pals to join in the fun!

This little continental cafe has brought us all the charm of foreign lands. It is nicely hidden away behind Topshop and Miss Selfridge, so is a good place to relax. The cakes are my favorite and although being slightly pricey they are big enough to share. I like to buy a small coffee and sit outside and watch the world go by. It's a truly lovely place to spend a little time.

Although a franchise, forgive me – it involves sweets so it has to be mentioned! A little pricey but so worth it and you can also get free wireless for an hour when you buy a drink.

Not only do they have delicious pastries – escargot and pain au chocolate – but healthy filled bagels, baguettes and rolls. Enjoy coffee, hot chocolate or a pot of tea.

This particular Apostrophe is on a little side street off of Oxford St, the perfect place to relax half way through shopping, away from the crowds.