Two Thin Laddies

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.

Two Thin Laddies is a gem of a café. The cosy wood cladding, scrubbed tables and window seats combine to make you feel like you’re sitting in a treasure chest. The hum of contented diners confirms that you are. With staff as friendly as the portions are generous, the menu is a cut above the usual café fare. Salads are tangy and revitalising, while paninis, nachos and wraps are fresh and bursting with filling. The 24-carat specials are chalked on a blackboard: chorizo and mozzarella pasta bake is spicy and smooth in a thick tomato sauce and the ‘world famous’ macaroni cheese oozes Italian herbs. A parade of freshly-baked cakes and crumbly shortbreads are an irresistible conclusion. The yoghurt and cranberry slice is sweet and sharp, yet the chocolate cake is so incredibly moist and dark that it’s difficult to resist going back for seconds. There’s a constant stream of punters for lunch and breakfast, and newspapers and magazines are available for those with time to chill. It’s a fine setting for brunch, and in the summer the outdoor seating is a real sun trap. As cafés go it’s a real sparkler.

• High point: The chocolate cake
• Low point: No time to linger