The Soho outposts of classy Fernandez & Wells bustle all day with the clatter and chatter of folk on breaks; this plainly decorated yet welcoming café branch (the other two are dubbed ‘food and wine bar’ and ‘espresso bar’) is near perfect on every front.
Coffee is roasted to F&W’s own specifications and produces a consistently smooth, clean-flavoured cup: a black coffee had not a hint of bitterness, even at the last sip. Staff are earnest, polite and eager to please.
The food – inventive sandwiches and an irresistible selection of own-made cakes – clearly uses top-end ingredients. The counter seating and stools don’t make Fernandez & Wells a place to linger, but it’s hard to find a better place in Soho to stop for a coffee.