On a blustery Sunday, after a longer than anticipated walk along the River Lea, my boyfriend and I ended up in Victoria Park eager for some lunch. Luckily for us, we stumbled upon The Refreshment Room, a small, welcoming cafe just off Victoria Park Road.

The cafe is owned by the people who run The Deli Downstairs, a delicious-looking source of foodie delights. The deli used to be located in a basement, hence the name, but now it occupies a light and airy former grocer’s shop in a lovely Victorian building. The cafe is next door in a charming one-storey building and has a number of tables inside plus a handy takeaway hatch for those who only have time for a quick tea or coffee fix.

The furniture is a mix of modern and industrial with some quirky characteristics. I like that the owners have used some of the deli packaging as recycled furniture. I sat on one of the egg carton stools, which was surprisingly comfortable. My warming winter vegetable soup was just what I fancied and my boyfriend’s pulled pork sandwich with fennel received an ‘amazing’ verdict!

The cafe also does small brunch snacks and delicious cakes including the heavenly Guinness cake. Not only did our piece look like a half pint of perfectly poured Guinness (albeit slightly rectangular-shaped), it was just as delicious. The creamy almost mousse-like topping complemented the dark moist sponge of the cake. I think we were both wishing that we had ordered a piece each rather than just one to share! But I guess that’s as good a reason as any for another walk to Victoria Park soon for that second piece.

Images by Rachel Baker