“Let’s get lost in a world made of books, coffee and rainy days”
Oh look, it’s a bank holiday weekend in August and it’s raining…*insert shocked face*. But do not fear, Jacob the Angel is here!
Jacob the Angel is an independent coffee house in Neal’s Yard, the heart of Covent Garden, founded by the geniuses behind Palomar restaurant. It takes its name from Angel Inn, where a man from the Middle East named Jacob opened England’s first ever coffee shop in 1651. But if that’s not enough reason to pay a visit, the café also happens to be a friendly spot serving freshly brewed coffee and food made in-house from locally sourced ingredients.
At this quaint little coffee house you’ll be surprised to find they offer both a breakfast menu and a lunch menu, all cooked from their itsy bitsy, teeny weeny kitchen found directly behind the food counter. For lunch their offer a variety of sandwich and salads, as well as an array of sweet treats to go with your coffee of choice.
First we started with one of their special bite size sandwiches; salmon, cream cheese and cucumber, but with a side order of a soft boiled egg – it is the weekend after all! The egg was cooked to perfection and was the perfect accompaniment to the rich smoked salmon and the fluffiest of rolls.
Then naturally we followed the sandwiches with sweet treats. First we tried the chocolate and coconut slice which sat proudly on the counter and was topped with jewel like sultans. The slice was rich, bitter and creamy and went perfectly with the freshly brewed coffee. The texture of the coconut base was slightly unusual but not unpleasant – it crumbled like a buttery, almond pastry base but tasted of toasted coconut – delicious!
The next treat was the infamous, and so instagrammable, coconut cream pie. There are few words to describe how good this pie was. From the first bite you will just fall in love. The pastry casing was crisp yet soft, and just like a good biscuit it had a beautiful snap to it. The coconut cream was light and not overly sweet but it certainly packed the coconut punch that you want it to. And then came the meringue top… my word, that meringue top… it was just heavenly! There was just enough to top the pie and it gave the pie that toasted marshmallow flavour that you crave.
Looking back now I was clearly on a coconut rampage, but if you’re not a coconut fan, there are plenty of other treats that will most certainly tickle your tastebuds, like the little tahini madeleines below, or perhaps a delightful rum soaked canelé.
So, if you’re in the area and it’s pouring down with rain when nature would usually dictate that it should be a lovely sunny day, or whether you just need a break from all the shopping, grab a seat at Jacob the Angel, admire the beautifully designed coffee shop and rainbow coloured surroundings, and relax with a warming cup of coffee. There is no better place to escape!
Check out their story at jacobtheangel.co.uk and follow them on facebook and instagram!
Cake on Legs 
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