Café Deco, 62 Gloucester Road, London

This small café is nestled among the busy commercial district of Kensington so pay attention as you walk by or you could miss it. No atmosphere or warm, friendly service here, but the coffee and pastries are worth the sacrifice. Coffee and tea is provided by Herbert and Ward which is a family-run fair trade distributor. The pastries sandwiches and snacks are made downstairs in the kitchen although the croissants are supplied by Delice de France which is a local bakery that distributes ready- to-bake and thaw-and-serve delicacies. The window boasts an array of desserts but the plain or chocolate croissants will satisfy anyone's craving for indulgence. If you are looking for more, the variety of baguettes is above the standard for any Briton having lunch while walking through the rain. Beware, an iced latte here means a whipped blended drink rather than just a coffee with steamed milk over ice. But who needs iced in London anyway. Limited seating is available inside and outside on the sidewalk if you enjoy watching mothers push strollers by, but primarily this place is for people on the go. As is the case with most cafes in London, ""take in"" is more expensive than ""take away"" so if you don't care about a paper cup over a mug, order ""take away"" and then have a seat if you desire.

Review by: Wendy Moore

Posted: Sunday, November 20, 2005