Highbury Arts Club, London

Cafés always seem to follow me.

Popping up in unlikely but conveniently close places, causing me to wonder if it's the universe's way of being kind to me, although it's likely just wonderful coincidence.

Either way, I'm not complaining that Highbury Arts Club opened its doors in the late autumn on 2013, just a short walk away.

Small but perfectly appointed behind large steamed-up windows that peer out onto the street, this café sits just shy of Highbury Barn and offers coffee and brunch by day, with tapas, jazz and comedy by the fall of night.

It is quite clearly a new business venture that's not a hundred percent certain of itself (or its opening times) but one that given a little more running time, could be just the seamless ticket for that gorgeous Sunday morning with papers, or that Thursday eve when it's not quite the weekend but you've come down with that Friday feeling a tad early.

Coffee is good and plentiful- "Would you like more?" the kindly blonde lady asks, and the food is reminiscent of the Barcelona-style brunch craze that blends sunny Australian influence with Mediterranean favourites.

Choose from Spanish or Sydney eggs - think broken eggs, potatoes and serrano ham or poached eggs with yolks the colour of sunshine, crispy bacon and tender asparagus. If you'd rather not generalise locations on a plate, there are plenty of specials from which to select although I did start to wonder from where the smoked salmon and spinach had hailed.

The evening menu speaks of warming caldos (stews) and sharing titbits like salt cod croquettes, smoky meat skewers and homemade flan de queso (that's cheesecake to us Brits).

The wines are ones I shall certainly be returning to try (and probably popping next door to Highbury Vinters thereafter to buy a bottle for enjoyment in the comfort of my casa). 

With all the right ingredients to make it Highbury's lushest local spot, why not swing by and show your support for a small but promising piece of London's café culture. 

You might even catch The Café Cat there herself. 

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