A Gold

Gentlemen's Relish anyone? If you want traditional but obscure British food stuffs you may be able to find them at A Gold the grocery store/tea house that sits on the edge of Spitalfields market. Run as a "village in the City" A Gold provides staples to the local community such as ham on the bone, eggs and milk along with British treats such as old fashioned sweets and treacle.

There are only a handful of tables and chairs in the shop but it's a nice place to rest your legs after a stroll around Spitalfields market. It is so quaint that lots of tourists come in just to take photos! I decided to offer my free modelling services to the tourists as that of an actual customer and ordered some tea and cake while flicking through the excellent The London Cookbook which was on their shelves. A Gold is featured in the book along with a range of other London food finds. I learnt that the name comes from Amelie Gold who was a French milliner and the store can be traced back to 1880. The owners, Ian and Sofia Thomas are ex TV producers with a passion for food.

I opted for English breakfast tea (potential sacrilege in the afternoon!) and a slice of lemon drizzle cake. The cake was dense if a little dull, only enlivened by the stain of acidic sweetness. Everything was presented on pretty vintage china however my tea was served in a dodgy little teapot which kept on dribbling everywhere. Still, A Gold is really atmospheric and a nice escape from the bustle of the market.

Details: 42 Brushfield Street, Spitalfields E1 6AG (Ph 020 7247 2487)

Damage: Pricey

5/10