An Ode.

To the tiny street corners and the holes-in-the-walls,

To the providers of meals that make my heart pause,

To the canteens of quirk and of produce so fresh,

To the chefs that contribute new pounds to my flesh,

You bring about magic when you open your doors,

You're like family - I love you - even with all of your flaws.

You give smiles, no judgement and keep secrets of mine,

For a tea, chat and tart, you always have time.

Penniless or not, in my life ye shall stay,

My singular addiction, the humble cafe.

Yes folks, instead of doing what I should be doing (writing smash hit songs), I instead decided to (rather ridiculously) write an ode (yes an ode) (though not in proper iambic meter) to my favourite haunts. It has just become crystal clear that my love of sitting in cafes and indulging myself is probably not normal...

In my defence though, they all genuinely play host to top notch food, passionate owners and good musical vibes (tres important). To me, each spot deserves nothing short of a glowing review (particularly around the time of the day that breakfast is required - Helloo scrambled eggs). All special for different reasons...I suppose you'll just have to try them to see for yourself!

Images: 1,3&6: youeni foodstore (Like an old friend...I might only see them once every few months, but when I do, boy oh boy it's good)  2: HAM - Harry & Mario (My daily) 4: Bread And Circus Wholefoods Canteen (My weekend fling) 5: Alley Break (My new friend. I know I like 'him' but we're still trying to suss each other out properly...)

x

E