Café in the Crypt

Head to the northeast corner of Trafalgar Square, to the historic church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, and you’ll discover London’s hidden café. The church dates back to 1726 and Café in the Crypt, which has been a firm favourite with Londoners for the last 30 years, is located downstairs. Its original Georgian architecture, with brick-vaulted ceilings and ancient tombstones lining the floor, sets the scene for a unique dining experience, but don’t worry, there are no longer bodies in the crypt.

The menu includes breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, all served in an assisted buffet style. The chefs use local ingredients to prepare sumptuous British classics with a twist.

We visited on a Friday, so fish and chips were a must but there are also vegetarian and gluten-free options, including hot main courses, salad plates and sandwiches. For dessert, we couldn’t resist the apple crumble with lashings of custard. It was difficult choosing between the crumble and range of delicious cakes made by the café’s in-house patisserie chef. What’s more, Café in the Crypt is a social enterprise, so all of the profits are ploughed back into St Martin’s to maintain the listed building and run its community programmes.