Exmouth Market Grind review ★★★★★

In a nutshell: the eighth instalment of the Grind ‘cafe-bar’ chain brings a winning combination of artisan coffee, tip-top cocktails a curated selection of sharing plates to Exmouth Market.

The welcome: service is laid back and friendly. Staff have a knack for spotting an empty martini glass and an encyclopaedic knowledge of the cocktail list.

The room: Melbourne-based designers Biasol have immersed the casual/cool mantra into the space. A sleek bar dominates, and becomes the buzzing focal point later in the evening. Small tables spaced out around the edges are ideal for more intimate dining.

The food: it’s the drinks here that steal the show, whether you’re looking for a late morning caffeine boost or a glass of something stronger. When the coffee’s this good, the espresso martini is, of course, an event: velvety smooth and rich, without that sickliness that’s all too common. For those with fruitier leanings, the Clover Club is a tangy combination of raspberry, with a silky slick of egg white.

The food menu is well-suited to catching up over some drinks or refuelling with a coffee. We shared some small and large plates and highlights included beetroot and barrata with a crunch of pistachio, fluffy aubergine drizzled in tahini, and tender octopus cut through with grapefruit and fennel. If you have space after the cocktails, we recommend the chocolate parfait with two spoons.

Would we go again: it’s not the kind of place you’d traverse London for (and with seven other Grinds around the city there's little need to travel) but this latest opening is a lively addition to Exmouth Market.