Coffee, cake, breakfast, pretty interiors – just four reasons why I can’t get enough of going to all of my favourite cafes. Every weekend without fail I suggest going out for breakfast, because it’s so nice to not make it yourself, and most weekends Kieran has to reign me and my constant need to eat out right back in again.

I do get my way sometimes though, and obviously when we’re away we have to eat out for everything, which has resulted in me finding some of the prettiest little places. The girls are nearly always up for a cafe visit, I think it’s definitely a girl thing, and Viv can almost always be persuaded. Having said that, sometimes I like taking myself off to sit in one myself, I’m getting much better at not feeling like a loser when I do that!

Here’s some of my absolute favourite cafes of all time!

Pluk, Amsterdam

Words can’t describe how much I love this cafe in Amsterdam. It’s the prettiest by far but it’s so much more than a cafe. Think of Anthropologie and how amazing that place is, then imagine it also being a cafe with cakes, smoothies, delicious food AND all the cute stationary you could possibly want. Thats what it’s like, and it’s set in amongst the beautiful streets of Amsterdam.

So there’s the cafe part upstairs, and when you first walk in, but then further back is a quirky little homeware, and general girly ‘clutter’ shop. If you ever go to Amsterdam then you HAVE to try it.

Ree7, Amsterdam

Owned by the same people that run Pluk, Ree7 is just a few doors down on the same street, and is ‘just’ a cafe. There’s no shop extras or anything here, but the food and drinks are very similar, and it has the same lovely view out the window. If Pluk is for the girls then Ree7 is for the boys. There will be a lot smaller queue here as well.

Bettys, Yorkshire, UK

You can’t think of good British cafes without thinking of Betty’s can you? I’ve ate at the ones in York and Northallerton, and had everything from their Lady Betty’s afternoon tea, to coffee and a cake, and even a full English for breakfast one morning. It gets so busy, with queues often out the door, but the quality of the food, tea and coffee and cakes are obviously very much worth the wait.

It’s definitely the experience of the place that makes it such a favourite, traditionally British, with top quality service and Yorkshire tea, as well as some of the nicest cakes and scones that you can also buy at the shops.

Cafe Royal, Le Village, Paris

Near the Madeleine and Place de la Concorde is the hidden courtyard of Le Village. You’ll find shops such as Chanel and YSL, as well as the most typically Parisian cafe called Cafe Royal. You can eat inside or out, year round, on the tiny round tables under the heaters and canopies. Their signature breakfast comes with everything you would possibly want in Paris, tea or coffee, orange juice, croissants, pastries, pancakes, bacon and eggs any way you want them.

The cafe also does lunch, with wine obviously, and dinner. It’s a perfect spot for breakfast before a day in Paris, or for simply enjoying lunch and a glass of wine and watching the characters that pass through the courtyard. It’s not the easiest to find, but once you do you’ll go back again and again.

Bills, London

My favourite thing about Bill’s in Covent Garden is the Fentimans pink lemonade, and their pancakes. I know you can obviously get both of these in a million other places but I always get both so just associate them with Bill’s. It’s sooooo busy all of the time, so book in advance, but I do love visiting, with it’s wooden tables, and shelves of all sorts of things to buy. I always panic and buy nothing, because there’s just too much choice.

Cafe Reichard, Cologne, Germany

This cafe and particularly the coffee was recommended to me by Katie of Lady From A Tramp. It is located right opposite the giant Cologne cathedral, and is pretty big both indoors, and with an outdoor terrace seating area for when the weather is good.

It serves all meals, including various combinations of breakfast and lunch. We ate for breakfast and had the continental. It was very much like a cross between Betty’s of the UK and Angelina’s of Paris, in terms of atmosphere and beautiful interior, but I have to say without the friendly service you get at both of those places.

We realised pretty quickly that in Germany they don’t wait to seat you, they won’t even speak to you unless you’ve sat yourself down at a table, it’s just the way they are. It is beautiful inside, and has a large shop area that sells deserts, cakes, chocolates – all sorts of treats. It does look quite posh, but there was a total range of clientele in there, from tourists, to football fans, to businessmen, and locals. Definitely visit if you’re ever in Cologne.

Mrs Atha’s, Leeds

My cousins took me to this cafe in Leeds when I visit them, and I wish I’d known about it when I was at uni there. It’s pretty rustic, with home baked cakes on the cake stands upstairs, but very small aka cramped but cosy downstairs.

Arlo, Jesmond

I’ve had many a hungover fry up in Arlo, which are very good and you get baked beans in a tiny little pan on your plate but the real winner at Arlo is the rocky road tray bake. It’s amazing, and actually so are their hot chocolates with all the works – brownies, rocky roads, marshmallows. I also really enjoy lunch at Arlos, sat outside in the sun with a glass of wine. Even in winter you can do the same, they provide blankets and turn the heaters on.

Cake stories, Jesmond

Another of my favourites in Jesmond, obviously for their cake and huge selection of cupcakes. The ladies who run it are so nice, and I sometimes toddle along on my own with my laptop for some piece. As well as their delicious cakes I very much enjoy their breakfast menu, the breakfast in a jar especially, as well as their giant Friends style cups of coffee. Pure heaven sat behind all their little fairy lights.

Dil and the Bear, Tynemouth

Easily my favourite little cafe in Tynemouth! I love their cake pops which you can get all the time in a variety of flavours, but I especially love their one off cakes and pancakes for occasions. They do DIVINE red velvet anything, but their pancakes are my favourite. Keep an eye on their Instagram for their cakes too, the Easter one was pretty special!

It’s a bit more expensive than other places in Tynemouth, but it’s worth it. I also really like how they will move people if they sit at a table with way more seats than people there, its my pet hate when couples sit at the biggest table going, and don’t offer to move when bigger groups come in. Dil and the Bear have signs up reminding people to be polite.

George Fishers, Keswick, Lake District

Probably the cafe I’ve been visiting the longest, since I was a kid and we went to the Lake District every half term holiday. I love the view of the mountains out the attic windows, and the homemade soup of the day. It’s a real country style, farmer’s wife type of place, and really captures the Lakeland feel with all the old fashioned mountain climbing gear on display, and the placemats are maps of the Lake District. It’s also one of the only spots you’ll get good wifi!

Evelyn’s, Manchester

We discovered Evelyn’s when we went on a hen do to Manchester last year. We were staying right in the centre and it was close by. It was so pretty inside, with a lot of copper features making it look extra cute. It was a very healthy menu, the avocado toast was delicious, as was my smoothie. It is obviously very popular as it filled up fast. I’d say it’s the perfect sort of place to go in the summer when you want refreshing food to give you that yessss I can eat healthy vibe without leaving feeling starving.

Any at Montmartre, Paris!

You can’t go to Montmartre and not sit at a tiny little table that line the square at Montmartre, people watching, admiring all the artists work and paying double the price for literally everything! Enjoy coffee in the morning or French wine in the afternoon, and watch the world go by. One of my favourite spots, and I don’t care which cafe! There’s also the very famous Le Consulat nearby, but I’ve never yet managed to get a seat there.

Now I’ve finished this list I’m already starting to think of other ones, so there will probably be a part 2 sometime soon. Where are your favourite cafes? Send me your recommendations!

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Favourite cafes for coffee and cake