VIBE

One step through the door at Tom’s and you’ll find yourself in a veritable cave of confectionary. The gleaming glass counters and shelves are crammed with fluffy frosted cakes, old-fashioned sweets in heavy glass jars, squat bottles of soda pop, cordial European chocolates gleaming in bright foil, and plum puddings wrapped with brown paper and string. If you can manage to tear yourself away, downstairs is an equally enticing cold deli counter (with salads, sandwiches, sliced meats, and cheeses), while upstairs is a cozy retro cafe/diner. It’s the lofted cafe that draws in hordes of neighborhood hipsters on weekends for hearty brunches and a chance to sit in Tom’s legendary vintage booths (salvaged from old Paris Metro trains). Sunny days bring extra tables in a rear courtyard and balcony, but if you really want to beat the crowds, skip brunch in favor of weekday breakfast or afternoon tea and cake.

CROWD

Trendy Notting Hill types of all ages

WHAT WE WOULD WEAR

It’s casual–go with jeans, a retro t-shirt, and cool sneakers.

GO HERE WITH

Friends; family

WHY WE LIKE IT

The brunches are great: the atmosphere pleasantly bustling, and the funky vintage cafe vibe fun. We also like quieter weekdays here–especially if we can browse the confectionary counter beforehand to pick our treats.

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

Would be nice if we could make reservations, especially for weekend brunch.

GOOD TO KNOW

Take out is available from the confectionary counter and the basement deli. Tom’s Deli is (yet another) Tom Conran (son of Sir Terence Conran) venture–his others include Crazy Homies, Lucky Seven, and The Cow.

CLOSEST COMPS

The Garrison Public House (London); Café Albion (London)

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