Please note, this venue is now closed. Time Out Eating & drinking editors, Oct 2016.
Over the past few years, Peyton & Byrne has established something of a museum café empire. This airy outlet of the Brit-themed chain sits in the foyer of the Wellcome Collection. Pass through the bag check at the entrance and grab a seat on the stylish, candy-coloured furniture. A mouthwatering array – including savoury pies, mountains of salads, and trays filled with sweet baked treats – is displayed at a long deli counter.
Food can be hit and miss. A bland-tasting cauliflower and coconut soup came with a slice of limp sandwich bread. Better proof of their baking credentials came with a lamb pie – a crisp, buttery crust encased a flavoursome lamb ragoût. Sweet treats are definitely the main attraction; the own-made cakes, heavily frosted cupcakes and innumerable cookies are hard to resist. A smallish slice of apple and blackberry flapjack turned out to be more of an apple tart, sprinkled with cinnamon oatmeal crumble, while a giant chelsea bun was filled with dark chocolate specks (instead of the usual sticky currants). Not traditional, but good.