Name: Abuelo
Address: 26 Southampton Street, London, Covent Garden, WC2E 7RS, UK
Rating: 8

There are plenty of cafes newly-opened around London in recent years that seem to pander to the Instagram aesthetic without really delivering on the food side; beautiful to snap but deeply disappointing to eat at, I’ve visited a few. Covent Garden’s Abuelo however doesn’t disappoint on either, not only is every dish and cake beautifully presented, but they taste pretty darn great at the same time.

Spitting distance from Covent Garden Market, Abuelo is a Australian meets South American coffee house and kitchen serving an all day menu of ethically sourced, organic, farm to table, homely meals. The name Abuelo, Spanish for ‘grandfather’, was inspired by the grandfather of the founders, an Argentinian who baked for the family’s previous bakeries in Australia and passed on traditional Argentinian recipes.

The welcoming scent of tarragon greeted me as I stepped through the door, before I was swiftly seduced by the delicious looking cakes on the counter, delicately scattered with edible flowers. The main room, with its communal dining table, antique spindle chairs and timber fireplace feels like a home from home, and the casual menu of perfected comfort food will undoubtedly have you coming back for more. And more. The menu features a range of tasty breakfast dishes, including the Smashing Pumpkins - roasted pumpkin on activated charcoal sourdough, with goats cheese, rosemary roasted walnut crumble, balsamic vinegar and celery cress - and a truffle mushroom toastie, as well as seriously indulgent sounding comfort food like a BBQ Croque Monsieru, mac and cheese with chorizo and toasted breadcrumbs and Carne Provoleta, Argentinian style hot melted provolone cheese, slow cooked organic beef brisket, caramelised onion and walnuts. This is one to add to the list for a rainy day when you need a cosy meal.

I indulged my sweet tooth with the honey whipped mascarpone on sourdough with fresh figs and crushed pistachios - a delightful concoction to savour that not only looked the part, but tasted delicious. Washed down with some of their excellently moreish coffee, I may have also indulged in a slice of delicately moist sponge cake, decorated with flowers, one of several baked fresh every day.

With a wine, beer and cocktail list and sharing plates to boot, Abuelo is a jewel of a find for any hour of the day.

Abuelo

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