V&A Reading Rooms

Bookworms love to curl up with a good read & a glass of wine, & now that the protracted pedestrianisation of Thurloe Place has finished, more bibliophiles than ever are holing up at this bright, modern café/bookshop. Each of the two reading rooms is wallpapered with black-&-white blown-up photos of book spines, & easy chairs are tailor-made for skimming through a chosen volume from the bulging bookshelves. Meanwhile, the barman dispenses incredibly cheap coffees & teas, plus a modest choice of organic & biodynamic wines, including some magnums – presumably to accompany longer tomes. Posh Italian nibbles such as lemon almonds, mixed olives & charcuterie platters are available for peckish passers-by, who can also take advantage of the tranquil pavement tables now that the hard-hats have gone.