#hammersmithcafe

Leo Tsattalios You don’t have to be on a plant-hunting expedition to enjoy the delicious delights of the W6 Garden Centre Cafe Tucked away in a peaceful setting among a superb selection of indoor and outdoor plants, The W6 Garden Centre Cafe on the edge of Ravenscourt Park (just off King Street) is very special. Serving homemade restaurant-quality vegetarian and vegan dishes, it is a secret gem. The Manager Leo Tsattalios, chef Anton Petrov and their team have created a haven from the hustle and bustle of London. ‘Our vision was to create a cafe that complemented the garden centre and reflected its service,’ explains Leo. ‘It made sense to offer the best plant-based food in such a life-enhancing plant-based space. Converting the menu to meat-free was challenging, and it’s why we insist on the highest standards. We want to say, “this is excellent food, don’t put any labels on it.”’ Leo and Anton constantly refine the menu according to the seasonality of the ingredients. Asking Chiswick resident Leo for recommendations is invidious – he’s passionate about every dish! – but on the breakfast menu his personal favourites are the homemade granola with oat milk and fruit compote and organic porridge with berry compote. ‘For brunch I’d recommend Tamari mushrooms and cashew cream on sourdough bread,’ he adds. ‘And I’d love meat-lovers to try our veggie burger. It took us three months to perfect the recipe: it’s a chorizo-style patty with homesmokedtomato ketchup, onion relish, celeriac and apple coleslaw and paprika crisps.’ With a children’s menu, tempting gluten-free cakes, speciality coffee, superfood lattes, a range of freshly pressed juices – not to mention treats for canine clients – and plenty of indoor and outdoor space, W6 is the perfect place to meet friends and enjoy some quiet in a green environment. ‘We’re so lucky to work here,’ says Leo. ‘We care about what we do and we try to cater for everyone.’ Quote #ChiswickLocals or bring this article (print or digital) and you’ll receive a 10% discount in the Cafe and Garden Centre. Valid June and July 2019. W6 Garden Centre Cafe 17 Ravenscourt Avenue, Hammersmith W6 0SL +442085637112 [email protected] http://w6gardencentre.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/w6gardencentre/ https://twitter.com/W6gardencentre https://www.facebook.com/W6gardencentre/

Anton Petrov

Helen and Gobi Located in the heart of Brackenbury Village, Pekoe Mellow is the perfect place to meet friends, eat, drink and relax Soon after it opened Pekoe Mellow, the new tea house (and much more besides) on the ex-Brackenbury Cafe site, acquired a happy regular. ‘A lady asked for a tea that was very strong, not Assam and not smoky,’ recalls Helen Deighan. ‘So, I made a blend just for her – she now has her own bespoke cup each time she comes in.’ Pekoe Mellow is owned and run by Helen and her husband, Gobi, a former teacher and pharmacist respectively. ‘We were inspired by the traditional 17th century English coffee and tea houses where people gathered to relax, drink, eat, chat and share ideas,’ explains Gobi. ‘We want Pekoe Mellow to be a community focal point. We’re putting on a programme of free events – storytelling and activities for children, talks, hosting a book club – and we’re always open to other ideas.’ The impressive variety of teas on offer are sourced directly from leading estates in Sri Lanka, where Gobi spent part of his childhood, or blended in-house by Helen (I definitely recommend her delicate take on classic English Earl Grey using bergamot oil). Customers can buy the teas to take home and in the future Helen will be holding blending classes (check website for details).

Gobi and Helen have put together a food menu that perfectly complements the teas. They serve fresh breakfasts, delicious home-cooked lunches, salads, sandwiches, pastries, dishes of the day and, of course, High Tea, Afternoon Tea and Cream Tea with tempting cakes. ‘We’ll also have Sri Lankan Afternoon Tea,’ smiles Gobi. ‘Rather than sweet treats, we eat savoury snacks such as Jaffna rolls (marinated lamb in filo pastry) and vadas (spicy lentil doughnuts).’ Pekoe Mellow delivers to local homes and offices and it will soon be open until 8pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and licensed to serve alcohol, including Gobi’s tea-infused cocktails. ‘This is our first business, so it’s very exciting,’ says Helen. ‘We've had a really warm welcome. We’d love everyone to come along and take tea with us.’ Pekoe Mellow Tea House 22 Aldensley Road, Hammersmith, W6 0DH +442087487388 [email protected] http://www.pekoemellowtea.com/

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Pekoe Mellow Tea House 22 Aldensley Road, Hammersmith, W6 0DH +442087487388 [email protected] http://www.pekoemellowtea.com/

Have you drunk your favourite cake? Or eaten a cocktail? Welcome to the Caketail Club... You may have noticed a new business on King Street called The Caketail Club. That name is not, as you might think, a signage error. Far from it! In fact, it perfectly describes an exciting dining concept where customers can drink cakes, eat cocktails and enjoy delicious savoury dishes. The Caketail Club is owned by the Patel family – mum and dad (Mala and Shashi) and daughter and son (Tanvi and Sameer). ‘We’re real foodies,’ admits Sameer, who by day is a structural engineer. ‘My mum used to run a cake-baking business from home. We had been thinking of opening a shop – but when this fantastic space came up, we wanted to try something different.’ The focus is on a fusion of cakes and cocktails, but with a twist! Hence you can order Caketails, in other words cake-flavoured cocktails (Pineapple Upsidedown Cake, Bourbon Black Forest, Chocolate Cake Martini) and cocktail-flavoured cakes (Espresso Martini, Raspberry Mojito and Dark and Stormy). In addition, customers can eat their cocktails as alcohol-infused nitrogen ice creams, enjoy home-made gelatos and order bespoke cakes for special occasions. ‘We developed a global savoury menu (also a special Christmas menu) to provide more than just desserts,’ explains Sameer. ‘Of course, many customers enjoy a savoury dish before dessert. We also have vegan options, a weekend brunch and a Happy Hour (5-8pm Tues/Wed/Fri and until 9pm on Thurs). Next year, we’ll be introducing cake decorating workshops and Afternoon Tea.’ The premises have been stylishly re-decorated with artworks adorning the walls and an intimate speakeasy feel downstairs that is perfect for private parties. ‘Currently, we’re exhibiting paintings by Karun Soni, who created our murals, and we’d like to encourage local artists to get in touch for wall space to show their works. ‘We’ve had a warm welcome, with many customers becoming regulars – parents enjoy the Caketails while their children go for the desserts. We love to see people eating our food – and it’s a nice way for us to work together as a family too.’ The Caketail Club 268 King Street, W6 0SP +442085639358 [email protected] https://www.thecaketailclub.com