Cafe L’Angolo Bianco

Seriously the best place for coffee and pasta I know outside Italy. Food is prepared daily on site and as well as a set menu of sandwiches and salads, daily specials and little treats arrive in tranches through the day. No two days’ offering will be the same and this is part of the fun. At breakfast there might be excellent croissants, delicate little home-​baked biscuits or omelette breakfast sandwiches. There are maybe five or six daily lunch specials: mainly pasta and a rice-​based dish, sometimes a lovely cake, everything delicious. L’Angolo Bianco is a family business run by a warm, hospitable couple. It operates on a human scale and is a fine alternative to the faceless chains that have sprung up everywhere,
(Another reviewer reported that there was no coffee. Don’t let it put you off. She must have visited on the one day the coffee machine was out of order.)

Simple and charming. All-​white and flooded with light, this café is in a corner of Marylebone great for people-​watching, reading (off-​peak times) and chillin. Staff is lovely, food is über-​freshly made, coffee is a big white YES.
A special place in a special ‘hood.

Complete fail on a Tuesday morning — no coffee! And it didn’t look like they had much food on offer either, the counter was empty bar a couple of lone dishes. Unsurprisingly, the place was empty.
The server tried to persuade me to have a green tea instead. Oh well, when I asked whether there were any other cafes nearby she simply said no. A greasy spoon is actually located on the next corner …
Crawford Street is a mystery to me. I walked up and down the entire length of it (well the blocks with shops at least) and got a nice old-​fashioned sense. There’s a pharmacy with original Victorian windows and signage, the most beautiful flower shop, Swedish gift shop …
This area should be buzzing even on a mid-​week morning. No idea who occupies all the buildings but noone seems to live here anymore.

Cute café serving simple Italian-​inspired fare… a few pasta dishes, panini sandwiches, salads, coffees and gelato (though not in the winter!).
One thing I liked was that a regular customer walked in and asked for a certain chicken dish and was told they were out. It wasn’t an example of bad service. It was simply that the café only makes so much food each day and if you are late, you might miss out. In a way it’s better than a place trying to have all sorts of food available to anyone at any time.
It might seat 15 at most, so don’t take your office there. Or Italian family!
Also, don’t ask for gelato when it’s 0 degrees out because they’ll just look at you like you are mad. And they might be correct.

This café is a firm favourite for its good, strong espresso macchiattos and their fluffy omelettes and fresh salads. The service is good, chilled out and personal — and run by a wonderful italian couple.