Westland Coffee & Wine

Lovely little café with a limited menu which they do very well. Nice sandwiches, pastries, coffee, wine and dinner charcuterie with homemade bread. I shared a vegetarian falafel sandwich which had a nice flavor with cheese and beets, my friends fiancé had a salt beef sandwich, and we shared a blueberry crumble cake and brownie. The brownie was very fudgie and too sweet for me and I could only eat a small bite. My flat white was delicious and my friend enjoyed her cappuccino. The blueberry crumble cake was not overly sweet and I preferred that over the brownie.

Love love love this tiny little coffee and wine place. It’s so miniature but a really great place to just sit and while away the hours. The staff are great and if you have the time they are more than willing to engage in a conversation or two.
I have just started working for Moorfields (which is a mere stones throw from this place) and as I understand it this is the coffee shop of choice for consultants. You will more than likely see the place filled with those consultants catching up on emails, working away on their laptops!
The coffee is really lovely (if a little expensive but hey you pay for quality!) I understand they do food too but I’ve not yet sampled this. The cakes are awesome and it’s also great for takeaway if you are in a rush!
Very much a hidden gem!

I’m in LOVE with Westland Coffee & Wine. IN LOVE.
The backstory: I had seen this darling shop pop up a year or so ago (near Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Restaurant) and was intrigued. Coffee & wine, two of my very favorite things. In the WORLD. How could we go wrong?! I made a vow to pop in.
Then I was pregnant, off the sauce, and never quite made it in. It was always in the back of my mind, this cute little spot tucked just inside Westland Place (off busy City Road), but somehow we kept missing each other. Missed connections, personal-​ad style. Until one day the stars aligned and a colleague and I were nearby for a meeting… around 5pm and: ding ding ding: a quick happy hour to celebrate the end of summer at Westland.
It was superb. Paul (the owner) suggested a lovely rose and a riesling for my pal. and we deliciously soaked up the early dusk hour on the small perches outside. I may have even had another glass. Mmmm, rosy indeed. I left thinking «I’ll be back.»
And I have. It’s quickly become my favorite local for coffee, cake, sandwiches (OMG, the homemade sandwiches!), wifi, coffee, coffee, cake, more sandwiches, you get the idea. In fact in my several return trips I’ve not even had the wine! But I always know its there for me if I want it, and there is something to be said for that.
Lunch: they do a nice little café type lunch (counter service) — great homemade artisan sandwiches (the Thai Chicken is my favorite), soups and several specials on the chalkboard. It manages to always be pleasantly full, but never overbearing or crowded. Many area workers take their lunch to go.
The prices are reasonable for the area, and the quality is excellent in everything I’ve had. The service is fabulous, and they even have a «shop dog» that roams around (he’s actually from next door!).
All around, can’t you see why I’m in love with this place? All the greatness of a Shoreditch coffeehouse/​wine shop without all the bullshit hipster pretense. I’m sold. Let’s get married.

I was shocked that Westland had no reviews or no photos before we came in here. It’s the perfect spot ripe for one of those «this is my favourite hidden gem».
So this is my favourite hidden gem… Ok, maybe not since I just discovered it, but it was excellent. A tiny café and wine bar tucked right in the heart of North London.
You order at the bar in the back, and the staff is incredibly helpful. Or at least, the one guy we met, Paul, who I assume is the owner. We asked about wine choice and he came back with great suggestions (including a «fantastic Riesling» when I asked if he had a glass.) The wine was poured fast and we were sitting and enjoying a beautiful London day in no time.
The only issue that it runs into is that it’s a little small, and every single seat was occupied with someone on their Macbook getting work done (I’m not kidding, you could have filmed an Apple commercial in there.) But it was a lovely day and we were able to grab a bench outside and drink our wine.
There was also an adorable little black Labradoodle who kept wandering around. Apparently he’s owned be a neighbour on the street but comes into the store all the time, so if you’re a dog person, double bonus.
It’s not on the main street so you won’t stumble into this one, but take a side street and sit down. You’ll be happy you did.