Fernandez and Wells: Coffee, Cake & Chocolate

Here's another reviewer who works in the area! Even if I didn't work so near Fernandez & Wells, I would definitely make it along in my lunch hour. It's is a true oasis of delicious food at very reasonable prices, friendly staff and by far some of the most delicious coffee on offer in London-town!

I should preface this review with the fact that I work just 200 yds away from Fernandez & Wells.
That said this is a true oasis of great food at very reasonable prices and best of all it's tucked away from the crowds of Oxford street.

As mentioned above it can take a little time for food to arrive during peak feeding times, but the drink is always served very quickly so do I care?

Perfect for a Sunday
Morning return to the world. Friendly staff and a varied menu. I had a black pudding and egg mayonnaise. The black pudding was warmed and the egg mayonnaise had a welcome hint of mustard. ... Certainly different and equally enjoyable.

The perfect start to a lazy Sunday expedition.

Its funny this, how if a place does the basic things right, it usually gets 4 stars, which is an indicator that the standards of cafes, particularly their coffee, are so low, that you just need to provide basics and you have an outstanding cafe in London

This is what Fernandez and Wells does - its nothing that special, basic rustic furniture. Newspapers available. Decent options on pastries etc and specialty coffee brewing - currently a custom blend from Has Bean in Stafford. The place is petite, it's toilet is in a cute little outhouse, the washing sink is next to customers seating - I like these little quirks.

In my view this place has two failures: a style issue; I think the uniforms are pretentious and out of sync with the customers and the food and drinks for sale - and having the [slightly smaller] 'stumpy' on the menu rather than a flatwhite strikes me as pointless and a bit cooler-than-thou.

Secondly, service and coffee were slightly wrong. I should be so ungrateful, but the coffee was rudely and firmly thwacked onto my table [more understandable in a rush] and my piccolo was too hot.

I am being picky, but while F&W has been adulated by Qypers and coffee people for some time and while it is a very good cafe, theres room for improvement.

Cool cafe with rustic style, tucked on beak st. They do delicious cakes and it is certainly a good spot to escape from buzzing regent st!

I use this cafe like my reception area for visitors to Soho. Such is its relaxed atmosphere and outstanding coffee that I know nobody is going to mind waiting there for a few minutes more watching the world pass by. Gorgeous.

This has to rank up there in the list of great places to start the day. The view isn't the best (though on a weekday you get opportunity for a Soho trend spot) but their coffee is well up there, and the charred and slightly chewy puff pastry case of their Pastel de Nata is as good as anything I've had outside Portugal. It's a buzzy little place and, like Soho neighbour Flat White, you'll struggle to get a seat.

I had coffee at Fernandez and Wells today for the first time. Being new to London and not knowing my way around, I was walking around Soho after visiting Berwick Street Market and was willing myself to remember the address of this coffee bar (after reading such enthusiastic reviews), but I hadn't a clue. So it was serendipitous when I found myself on Beak Street and I spotted Fernandez and Wells. For a moment I wondered if it was the same place I'd read about as it was completely empty. But after tasting their coffee I was convinced it was indeed the very same.

Fernandez and Wells is small on space but huge on taste. My flat white was just the right strength, silky smooth and tasted great. I also had a piece of their apple and walnut cake, which was exquisite. All their cakes are freshly made daily I was told and they also do sandwiches, though there didn't appear to be a lot of variety.

A little on the pricey side and they don't take credit card payments unless your purchase over £5 and even then they won't accept all credit cards. But the coffee really is very good and the staff friendly, so I'll definitely be going back.

One of the very best places for a quality coffee in Central London.

This is a contemporary and airily designed "coffee bar", counterpart to the Fernandez & Wells "wine and lunch bar" around the corner.

Popular with the advertising/media types in the area, F&W has a lovely view in the front of the store down one of the streets in Soho. This is one little coffee shop that makes you feel like you are in London (that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned).

You know it's good, since they use Monmouth coffee, and I've seen the baristas from Monmouth in here. F&W has even been mentioned in Monocle magazine, a periodical which I hold in good regard.

Pros
- Very good coffee
- Very nice sandwiches
- Cakes to die for
- The toasted ham, cheese and tomato croissant is a favourite of mine for breakfast, but I have to cut down to once a week lest I die of a heart attack. :)
- Staff are attractive and friendly and usually seem to be happy working there (which adds to your enjoyment of the place).
- Location, central and in quite a trendy area at the moment.

Cons
- Pricey, probably twice as much as any other chain coffee shop. Still you are getting quality ingredients, so this is expected.
- Busy, so gets full, and it may take a while to get your coffee/ order.

So, you've landed up in Soho, you're in need of some really good coffee (and possibly nibbles) plus you're willing to pay for what you get? Head on down to 73 Beak Street.

This busy little place will tick all the boxes and comes with great views down the street to boot - but the experience will cost.

Coffee = really good quality (Monmouth)
Food, pastries = delicious too (if a little limited in terms of choice)
Space = smallish with natural finishes and light

Because snackage can be upmarket… I believe that F&W are part-owned by Randolph Hodgson, the man behind Neal’s Yard Dairy & husband to the woman behind Monmouth Coffee. That would make a lot of sense as Fernandez & Wells are as good as it gets when it comes to prime cheese-related sandwiches - the toasted buttery croissants are a particularly guilty delight - and a decent slug of Monmouth to wash it down.

Quality doesn’t come cheap though, so if you’re used to Subway prices, you’ll be gasping in shock at a £5 buttie. Push the boat out though: if you’ve never had a toastie made with Poilane you’re going to get blown away.

They say you get what you pay for. F&W confirms it. My favourite place for a top notch elevenses.

Come here in the afternoon, strolling around with my boyfriend, looking for a nice place to have a coffee.
Very nice place, minimal, pale colors, not like every coffee chain in London.
Great espresso, I think the best I’ve had since I’m in London (5 months), rich, strong, not too long. Like a proper italian espresso.
We had a slice of carrot cake as well.
Amazing even is slightly different from the classic receipe it was delicious, rich, smooth but not too much.
It’s a bit expensive (£ 2.20 for a coffee is much) but so good.
A couple of fault: the food is displaied on the desk, open, exposed to anybody sneeze, cough, hairs and dust. And I don’t like at all the small corner where they clean cups and cutleries: it looks so dirthy, grey and untidy. It’s such a shame in a so nice place!
By the way, I’ll be bach….

Popped in here for breakfast the other morning. Definitely just a breakfast place (as opposed to a brunch place) but worth the detour on my way to work. Fantastic coffee (Monmouth) and they can make a flat white. Staff were lovely and quite helpful. It wasn’t busy at all while we were there (9.00 - 9.30am)

Food breakfast options weren’t fantastic, but good enough if you’re looking for a pastry or toast or porridge. Tried the ham, cheese and tomato croissant this time. Going to give the Porridge a go next time… yes, I think we’ll be back.

Delicious turkey, stuffing and cranberry sandwich. Short and sweet - If you’re after a festive sandwich and you’re in Soho. This is the place to come!

Truly great quality coffee. The baristas seem well trained. If you are not from the Antipodes you should try a flat white or a stumpy as a refreshing change from lattes and capps.

Also, you must try the natas, portuguese custard tarts, they are the best outside of Portugal.

Very very good. Enjoy.

P.S. Great place in the weekend to escape the shopping crowds. Visit in the hours before or after lunch.

I’m with everyone else - the food is top quality, well served. And yes, the prices reflect that, but that’s what choice is about. A nice touch is the jugs of tap water with glasses - no need to buy a bottle. I would quite like to have eaten my way through the sandwich menu, but I had the chorizo which was cooked separately and then reassembled. Divine.

Most importantly they make and serve great great coffee in a friendly, light non-pretentious environment. When so much average coffee is served in cramped locations by the big chains - this is a bigger claim than it may sound at first. The sparse decor and the location in soho make it just bohemian enough to allow me to feel young and cool - but not too much to put me off. Great croissants etc.

Why cant these guys buy starbucks out? The coffee here is superb - strong but not oppressive and with a nutty after taste rather than a bitter one. What’s more the selection of things to have it with is surely the best in london. every cake and croissant looks like it’s been baked with the personal touch of a true boulanger. i think they have a brilliant way with chocolate in this place - it’s not just plonked into everything - but used subtly and sparingly to give it a really rich flavour. i think the one thing they might improve is their range of soft drinks. they’re delicious but they’re could be more of them.

I love Fernandez and Wells and so does everyone else because this little place is always busy! Best to try and eat here for an early or late lunch to avoid the crowds or get it to take away. Wonderful sandwiches (which to be honest are better for meat eaters, they do a roast pork and apple sauce toasted focaccia one which is supposed to be rather special!), but a few nice things for veggies too usually involving mozzerella, tomato and rocket. I mostly come in here if I’m in the mood for a good coffee or a peppermint tea and something naughty – their cakes are divine. They are hard to resist all piled up on the counter looking tempting. In fact most things in here are tempting so you have to keep coming back to make sure you sample everything!

I had an excellent coffee and the most delious toasted cheese sandwich ever tasted. Lovely small shop and knowledgable friendly staff. Highly recommended.