The Mae Deli

21 Seymour Place, Marble Arch|££|Have a look!

I caved in and decided to finally try Ella Woodward’s (Deliciously Ella) Mae Deli, situated in beautiful and quiet Seymour Place. I have read many raving reviews about the place as well as other ones stating that it is overpriced and overhyped. I love an occasional sweet treat but would rather avoid the sugary/fat option; so I am trying to discover as many as healthier alternatives as possible. I have to admit, as I don’t follow a vegan diet, I am generally skeptical on the vegan sweet options offered these days mostly as I have been overly disappointed too many times by what I have tried so far. To summarise: I really liked this cute little deli.

I heard that there are queues during lunch time so I opted to go in early evening. The place offers a relaxed environment, it doesn’t have much seating upstairs but if you are lucky to get a seat by the window bar you can enjoy people watching over the pretty little street.

It has more variety on savoury options (salads, warm dishes) but I chose the Mae cake (which is a strawberry filled cake with coconut yogurt topping) and an Americano with brown rice milk. I absolutely loved the cake and from all the veggie milk options I tried so far the brown rice milk one definitely gets my vote.

In terms of prices, I don’t understand why it attracted criticism as an expensive option. I found it reasonably priced, at least no more than any other quality central London deli coffee shop and definitely better priced than the pretentious Notting Hill spot NAMA. But I think that in retrospect, finding a place with – I don’t really believe in the term ‘guilt-free’ but definitely – healthier cakes is really priceless. I am definitely going back.