Leila's shop, Shoreditch, London

Had breakfast here on a Saturday. The food and coffee was top notch, and the quaint country kitchen feel was lovely - I will definitely be back. Only slight down side was the fact that it was pretty crowded & we were squashed into a corner - but have to say the breakfast more than made up for it.

We stopped here for coffee and cakes today and the staff were really friendly and helpful. The coffee was pretty good, although a little on the small side. We had ginger cake, Victoria Sponge and a Portuguese custard tart - all were very tasty. Will definitely pop in again if we are near by.

friendly atmosphere, charming place, excellent food - the attached shop next door offers amazing vegetables and a wide range of delicacies… it's best to visit during the week for a nice bite as weekends seems to be quite crowded

This place used to be over-rated and now even more so, since they expanded and the atmosphere and sense of cool rustic french charm was washed away in aid of cold, hard, commercial cash.

The food is great and the breakfast awesome. No fault there, but Leila's is not quite what it used to be, and the kind of people who frequent it, get worse; looking down their snobby noses at you as they stop over on their way to Columbia Rd flower market on Sunday, hogging chairs needlessly, whilst they let their kids run around the packed shop like wild animals!

The place is best frequented EARLY on Sunday, otherwise forget about it.

I decided to give Leila's a try based on a number of reviews, including the ones on this site and I'm glad I did. I absolutely loved the place. The communal tables, the open kitchen, the butter bowl (is there such a term out there?) and the food. Luckily for me Thursday afternoon turned out not to be their busiest time, so I was able to linger and enjoy my fried eggs with sage and two lattes.
The coffee is indeed excellent even though I agree with char-lotte re temperature. I've been investigating the London coffee scene lately and have imbibed at most of the coffee geek joints out there (the Flat Whites, the Doses, and the like). Leila's is not one of them ostensibly, but their coffee is my favorite so far. They use Monmouth coffee beans and my latte was pleasantly strong and creamy.
Now to food - unlike with coffee I was able to restrain myself and only have one serving of the fried eggs (see picture). They were nicely presented in a cast iron pan (which looked like it was a Le Creuset) with plenty of toasted bread on the side and butter to spread it with. Do not bring your cardiologist along if you're going to order these. Other things on offer looked really tasty too: Serrano, comte and cornichon sandwich (4.5 pounds); fennel salami, cheese, olives and bread (8 pounds); and more. They also have a good selection of sweets, I'm sure I'll get a chance to try all as I will most definitely return.
One thing I'd like to point out is that they now have sitting area separate from the retail shop, so things must be going their way if they're expanding.
Overall great place for a long lunch, quick coffee break or anything in between. Be prepared to share a table, so probably not a good idea to bring a first date here unless you're open to eavesdropping by fellow eaters.

Well now that was a nice surprise. En route from a to b and trying to miss the clatter if Shoreditch High Street I found myself weaving through the late Victorian red brick tenaments that replaced the Old Nichol slum (plug: The Blackest Streets by Sarah Wise- great history of the slum). Out onto Calvert Avenue and there I was stopped in my tracks by Leila’s Shop. Intrigued and thirsty I thought best to stick my head in and sample their coffee. Full to the scuppers with people waiting for the clock to strike 12 when they were to rush up to the Ally Capellino sample sale, there was only a seat for me outside. Table service none-the-less (I had asked for take out but unless you have your own mug it’s sit in only- very eco warrior!). But this didn’t stop me hungrily looking over the place and it’s culinary offerings. Wonderful breads, the best tuna, a great boxes of maldon salt, bricks of dark chocolate. I paid for my delicious but could have been hotter coffee and decided that when I grow up I want to open a place like that.

One of the best coffee places in London. Tucked away near of the track on Calvert Ave, the great looking staff make a great coffee and play good music too.

Just don’t expect take out - if you bring your own mug you’ll be in business!

Don’t mind sharing a table? You gotta, this place is all about the community - they’re avid supporters of the revitalisation of Arnold Circus, once a park for deadbeats and junkies, now venue for family picnics and brass bands.

Walk past this most days on my way to work. Seems vaguely interesting but has an expensive and not-overly-welcoming feel to it despite the cultivated homeliness they’re aiming it.
If the place seemed a bit more approachable and advertised a reasonably-priced breakfast I’d gladly stop there. Never tried the food just the pleasant coffee but the whole experience is like sitting in your own kitchen surrounded by delicious and delightful stuff.

This place is very unusual, it feels like someone's kitchen/homely dining room and I actually found it quite difficult to walk in for the first time as there were a couple of people sitting around a table having a cuppa and no obvious signs of a retail structure. The usual set up for a shop or cafe have been ignored, and once you get over this break in convention you may find yourself enjoying the traditional food on offer (tea, coffee, cakes, lovely looking breads). I couldn't quite get my head around it, but it certainly makes for an unique experience.

This place really is a special experience, you feel like you are eating in your grannys country kitchen, the walls are stocked with home made products such as pasta and jams. The presentation is excellent with eggs and sage presented to you in a frying pan, and lots of fresh crusty warm bread. It feels like you are stepping back in time when you walk into this place. I give it 5 stars!