When I first moved here all those years ago, someone recommended this cafe just off Northumberland Street to me, and I never went. Well, I did try once but had left it too late in the afternoon so I slogged up three flights of stairs to find it closed! Now, I felt was the moment to try again!
This time I took the lift, partly because my car park ticket was in danger of running out and in no time I was whisked from street level to a slightly claustrophobic landing. A helpful lady pointed me in the right direction and finally I had made it to Whistles! First impressions: small room, tables slightly closely packed. Approaching counter - oooh nice cakes! Staff were friendly too. I waited only a short while for my pot of tea (two good cups-worth I'm pleased to report) and what I can only describe as a slab of Victoria sponge and a very nice tasting slab at that.
Nice mix of people, some older ladies gathering steam for the next round of sale shopping; some university staff letting off steam about their colleagues; then a long-lost friend of one of the old ladies walked in by chance and we all had a trip down memory lane. More puzzling, people seemed to be emerging from the other side of the counter - where had they been?
It wasn't until I got up to pay (only £3.05, bargain considering the size of the cake) that I noticed the other half of the cafe, reached via an open passage round the till. Here were more tables, this time with a view over Haymarket Metro and the top of Northumberland Street. How lovely to spend it just watching the world go by oblivious to your presence!
Back at street level and dashing for the car park, I glanced back up at the windows. The rounded brickwork of the building had a slightly twenties look to it, sleek and polished. We should look up more, beyond the corporate shopfronts to the individual designs above. So, Whistles was worth it. Another one that I could happily revisit - maybe for chocolate cake next time...
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