As we round the corner towards colder weather, I find myself taking shelter on a rainy day in one of Hampstead Village’s most popular cafes, Ginger & White. This longstanding Square Mile customer is about as local as it gets, with regulars streaming through on busy mornings like this, picking up a coffee to-go or settling into the cosy surrounds just as I’ve done.
The balance between the British caff, antipodean cafe and homely surroundings is spot-on with reclaimed wood and vintage furniture cementing this home away from home feel. I like to keep it classic when out about so scrambled eggs with salmon is the choice today. The perfectly creamy eggs are from Hillview farm in Cambridge, the smoked salmon is sourced from Chapel and Swan in Suffolk and both sit atop toasted sourdough from Flour Station. Winning.
The accompanying flat white is also delicious, pulled from a La Marzocco FB80 and Victoria Arduino Mythos One setup, and is swiftly followed by a post-food espresso. On top of the impressive spread of baked in house sweet treats, Ginger & White also stock a great selection of homemade spreads, jams, and even cold pressed juice from our friends at Moju.
I opt for a fig and apple muffin which I grab to takeaway for the wet walk back to the station; again sublime. The rain has a habit of making people head inside but on this Thursday at 9am I feel everyone would be here regardless of the weather, with a local customer base like this you know a cafe is doing everything right.
Their sister cafe in Belsize Park is also on my hit list, giving me a good reason to head back to this beautiful part of london.
Ginger & White
4a-5a Perrins Court, London NW3 1QS
@gingerandwhite @gingerandwhitelondon
