It's not often that I get a lot of time for weekday coffee shop dallying any more. At least not on the scale to which I was accustomed, and so it was to my delight that one bright autumn morning last week, I had just enough time before a meeting to pause in the sunshine with my colleague, the fiercely fashionable Lauren Luxenberg of Style Savage, at the most perfect café in Putney Bridge.
Doctor Espresso is a darling little spot, just opposite the entrance to the tube station and sits pretty, tucked between a florist and a quaint greengrocer's. The staff are feisty and loving of the coffee that they pour forth from their Gaggia Tipo America, the oldest working espresso machine in London- a small fact passed onto me from Brian of Brian's Coffee Spot.
Not just a hot spot for locals to catch up on neighbourhood gossip, Doctor Espresso is run by a charming and chatty duo who service coffee machines across the city- specialising in the restoration of classic and vintage types. They popped out for a touch of small talk about the weather, the world of blogging and made us feel truly welcome during our 5-minute-dash in the area.
On my way through later, I whipped back in to grab a croissant to satisfy my grumbling stomach and purely to snatch a few more moments looking lustily at the decor- I'm a sucker for cosy corners of communities. The young man there remembered me instantly and generously offered me some pennies off my breakfast dash- what a gent.
I may live entirely the other side of London, but the small attention to detail, the warm welcome and the excellent coffee means I'll always remember to save half an hour for Doctor Espresso when I'm in the area.
And perhaps this bookshop boasting wonderful spines will also be open for a short pause?
