L'Hirondelle, E17 4QH

L’Hirondelle (160 Hoe St) needs little marketing, it’s an incredibly popular coffee shop that easily manages on word of mouth. When I moved to Walthamstow, two friends told me to become an early riser and get down to L’Hirondelle for freshly baked croissants. My sleep habits haven’t changed dramatically, but thankfully L’Hirondelle must be baking more these days because there are still pastries on offer when I saunter in mid-morning.

Best of all is the smell, like walking into a Parisian patisserie, it warms your lungs when you breathe in. And L’Hirondelle behaves like a patisserie: families queue up to take a selection box of cakes home for tea.

They’re great for breakfast, lunch and coffee and cake anytime. Everything is made fresh on the premises, breakfast pastries, cream cakes, fruit tarts, little biscuits and occasion cakes made to order. If you sit there on a weekend, it’s fun to watch people picking up personalised cakes for their special occasions, and to see them smile.

Their coffee is delicious and made using two large brass coffee urns on the bar. It’s strong coffee, but has a smoother taste than coffee brewed at Ricco's. Sadly, they don’t offer soya milk. But when coffee and a croissant costs £2.20 and they happily leave you to sit with your book, it’s impossible to complain!

Newcomers to the Stow underestimate L’Hirondelle. From the outside, it doesn’t look incredibly special but when you enter the guys serving are energetic, friendly and jokey and make you feel welcome. The counter is mirrored and helps create an illusion of more space, and there are three high shelves full of North African tagine pots. It can get incredibly busy, but I’ve always found a table. On Sundays, there is often a congregation of North African or East European men setting the world to rights. It’s open 8am – 6pm.

Accessibility... there’s a small step at the door and it’s too narrow to be accessible to wheelchair users, though buggies are manageable. Seating is on two levels – 4 or 5 tables by the counter, two steps down to 4 more large tables and toilets. From my perspective, it’s worth noting that they have tall backed chairs which are very comfortable for my poorly back!

Popular with... families out for a treat, groups of friends catching up over lunch or a coffee and lone coffee drinkers with a book.