Caffè Tropea

Enchanting Italian Delights in Russell Square

Caffè Tropea sits like a cunning European secret, nestled comfortably within Russell Square's verdant embrace, hiding its delights beneath the sprawling canopy of ancient plane trees. It offers an experience that might be as close as one can get to dining in Italy without troubling Galileo’s passport office. This charming establishment has maintained its alluring blend of authentic Italian and stalwart English offerings since 1981—an attractive package for both loyal locals and passing tourists alike. Here, the food dances between delectable homemade sausages and comforting full English breakfasts, all while accompanied by coffee selections that mostly please, save for an espresso slip now and then.

Stepping through its doors, the atmosphere is almost operatic—a pleasant buzz of waitstaff deftly maneuvering through eager patrons, sometimes accented with live music on sunny afternoons. The heartwarming clinks and clatters become an infectious score as they orchestrate the balancing act of quality service and culinary prowess—the Anglo-Italian breakfast is particularly heralded by many. Despite occasional trivial lapses, like the disputed queuing etiquette or the elusive poached egg yolk, Tropea rarely wavers on its promises. For once, the irony here rests merely in how this hidden gem could ever commit even the smallest affair of oversight; such blemishes vanish under Russell Park’s dappled sunlight, turning what ought to be a critic’s mild quibble into a mere patina on an otherwise extraordinary canvas. — Penelope Savory