Lundenwic

45 Aldwych, WC2B 4DW

Editor's Review

Oli and Dominic formed their Scotch egg company Scotchtails while at university and progressed through various market stalls until they had a spot at Borough Market and products on sale at the likes of Whole Foods and Selfridges. Their latest venture, Lundenwic, is a tiny coffee shop taking inspiration from cafes in Copenhagen and elsewhere. Dwarfed by the historic theatres and hotels at Aldwych, this narrow cafe is well designed and full of natural light.

The space is dominated by a tiled bar with attractive selections of salads, sandwiches and baked goods (and Scotch eggs of course) and presided over by the espresso machine and EK43 grinder operated by skilled barista Vendula. There is a small amount of seating on the ground floor and a delightful lower ground floor area where one can enjoy a fine selection of magazines along with good quality food and coffee - both espresso based and filter via a V60. Coffee is from Workshop.

Food is prepared in the on-site kitchen and we also recommend the Kombucha Kat errr...kombucha, Lemonaid+ sodas and fresh juices.

In case you wondered, Lundenwic was the name of the earliest Anglo-Saxon settlements in London, located nearby. It was probably pronounced to rhyme with Aldwych and was located near the Strand - the Old English word for shore (of the River).

Review by Phil Wain. Photo courtesy of the cafe.