London Caffs

Where would we be without the traditional London caff?Milk bars, ice-cream parlours and espresso bars are all a feature of the London landscape that were borne out of the 1940s to 1960s. It is a time when floods of immigrants set up their businesses providing frothy coffee to the city's workers.Today, many of these establishments still function as caffs and have their original elaborate and shiny machines that continue to dispense no end of steam and cups of tea, and still feature vinyl and tiled floors and walls.This book provides an affectionate look at one of London's endangered species', featuring 28 caffs throughout the capital. Each example is accompanied by anecdotal captions which evoke the atmosphere and context of each place, as well as addresses and nearest tube stations, so that anyone wanting a fix of old-style London can go and find it.

Edwin Heathcote is an architect and writer living and working in London. He writes on architecture for the Financial Times as well as other specialist architectural and design journals, and is the author of several books. During his collaboration with Wiley-Academy, he has published Cinema Builders and guest-edited Furniture and Architecture, an issue of Architectural Design. He is also a founder and director of design company izé.

Sue Barr is a photographer and tutor at the Architectural Association in London. Her work has been featured in numerous international journals and publications, including Icon and Architectural Design. A regular collaborator of Wiley-Academy, Sue Barr's photography appears in Barbican: Penthouse over the City and in the forthcoming 70s House, both by David Heathcote.