The above at its new location
The Counter is expanding!-----
It’s a great pleasure to put my tuppence worth on this place. Three words precede the rest of the review, what a find! With thanks to Nicola and James H for the heads up re The Counter café.
If you don’t live in the immediate area or drive for that matter, the quickest way to reach The Counter is by buses 276 or 488 from either Hackney Wick or Bow Church.
Come 2012, it’ll be a lot easier to come here as The Counter is located within a dessiatine of the new Olympic Stadium. The current state of the café’s location can be described as that of an industrial estate but urban wasteland chic is more apt.
With the exception of under lit and dingy basement establishments, I’m one of those people who can easily adapt to swish places like Le Gavroche or the uncontrived rawness of places like The Counter. 
The deliberate omission of discipline when it comes to the décor and furniture is nothing short of heroic. This place projects an ambience of ‘easy like Sunday morning’ calmness about it, and that includes all the other days the café is open on as well. Architects and interior designers should come here and draw on the no nonsense meaning of urban-rustic ease.
The Counter is owned and run by the lovely Jess (although her Kiwi twang made it sound more like Jizzz).
Like Lantana, this is also one the very few discerning and independent coffee shops that offer cooked breakfasts and lunches. As it’s in the case with the current coffee culture in London, the people who come here are often young and energetic, which then makes me geriatric. Well I don’t give a monkey’s, if I end up with a Zimmer frame, I’ll still wheel myself here because it’s worth the bleeding effort.I’m not giving any prizes away for guessing who supplies the coffee here.
A* Flattus Maximus made by Aussie Will.
The Big Breakfast
The homemade beans and tomato chutney were excellent.
I'm not exactly laden with oestrogens but I wanted to try out the mochaccino.Sod the hot chococlate this is miles better!
I'm definitely coming back...
Second visit.
Another perfect flattie to liven up your day.
Mumbai Spicy Scramble
Typical Kiwi improvisation. An audacious alternative to the usual smoked salmon. Stonkingly sublime.
Addictive homebaked ANZAC biscuit.
Purposeful Long Black to ensure that I stay awake for the rest of my wonderful Sunday here.I’ve had three memorable experiences so far in 2009 and The Counter is one of them. This place is unavoidable, it may well be the holy grail of coffee places in London. A recommendation of paramount importance is thus deserved.
7 Roach Rd,
Hackney Wick
London E3 2PA
www.thecountercafe.co.uk
12 comments:
Are you sure you weren't an Antipodean in a previous life!? You seem to love all things from down that way : )
Sue- How I wish! If I’m a Buddhist I would relish the opportunity to be reincarnated into one, but I’m not. So going to these places religiously is the next best thing.
I'm so pleased you went and enjoyed :)
xx
Nicola- Chuffed and beyond, thank you.
saturday breakfast im there....
I couldn't quite believe it when I found this place. I had walked past along the canal many times, ignoring the small sign pointing to the cafe, assuming that this would be the usual fare of boiling, watery coffee and pre-wrapped industrial muffins.
It is absurd that such a great cafe has sprung up in this most unlikely of places, wish I could get there more often.
Hey Charlie, do let us know how you get on.
Rab C- Nice of you to stop by. Same predicament for me, I simply cannot come here often enough.
Deffo going to plan a trip over this way soon - those scrambled eggs look right up my street! And of course the coffee
IHC- Do try Jess' brownies, they're apparently 2 die 4.
Margaret- I'm grateful, thank you very much.
Hey Bellaphon,
On behalf of The Counter I would like to thankyou for your kind words and positive support for our little cafe. Your blog post has bought us some new customers who were willing to adventure out to find us on your recommendation. Big respect!
Look forward to seeing you again sometime soon.
Thanks again,
The Counter team
Kyle- Thank you for reading in the first place. The pleasure's all mine, see you soon.
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