Cake Hole Cafe

up to £8 / British, Vegetarian options

82A Columbia Rd, London

Opening hours

Closed

Sunday 8:30AM-5PM
Monday Closed
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday Closed
Thursday Closed
Friday Closed
Saturday 12PM-6PM

Charming Hideaway: Vintage Vibes, Exquisite Cakes

Nestled behind the fabric of a vintage shop near the whirlwind vibrance of Colombia Market stands a café that seems to emerge straight out of an "Alice in Wonderland" reverie. At my recent visit, this charming hideout pulsated with a nonchalant magic - from shelves laden with delicate tableware to the wafting aroma of freshly baked scones. The café offers solace to those eager for a pause amidst the market's chaos. Dominated by an indiscriminate warmth, it promises robust English tea and delectable Orange Earl Grey cake, each bite bursting with authenticity reminiscent of Versailles' patisseries but at half the cost.

Nevertheless, the haven's compactness breeds social serendipities — interactions born out of shared space lend an unexpectedly invitingly convivial air. However, this unconscious camaraderie is mirrored by occasional bouts of inflexibility. One might find the seating policy intermittently overzealous in safeguarding locales for the exploratory flocks stepping in from outside. It's a small blemish on the otherwise endearing ambiance, where one wishes to linger over charmingly churned clotted cream atop mystical, pillow-soft scones. Under Louise and Mark's attentive stewardship, the café unfolds as a floral-flavored balm against the urban hurry, exuding hospitality that's genuine, leaving you hopeful your next encounter with culinary enchantment lies just beyond the next unfolding morning glory. — Nigel Gourmet