Kor Blimey, A Kracker Of A Kaff In Woolwich

Sorry, sorry, sorry. I couldn’t resist that heading. Naughty old me. Klearly, I’ve been hanging out in Koffees and Kream a fair bit lately and it’s rubbed off.

I’ll now dispense with the spell-bending shenanigans and offer a little homily to one of my favourite places in Woolwich.

With its quirky interior, Koffees and Kream works well during the day and as a night-time venue.

First, the menu. In truth, there’s a whole lot of menu. It literally has something for everyone. Breakfasts come in sets, numbered one through six, or you can order from a dizzying list of combinations ranging from the modest (two slices of toast with marmite or jam for £1.50) to the legendary Mixed Grill comprising (deep breath) a lamb chop, bacon, mushrooms, liver, egg, sausage, chips, grilled tomatoes, onion rings, and buttered bread or toast (£7.50 the lot). Come ON, what are you waiting for?! Admittedly, I have not yet felt brave, or indeed starved, enough to face this mighty Breakfast Challenge.

Mediterranean Breakfast at Koffees and Kream.

I have, however, embraced the Mediterranean Breakfast of eggs, grilled tomatoes, grilled halloumi, feta, spicy sausage, olives, and fresh tomatoes and cucumber. Washed down with a glass of breakfast red wine (judge away I don’t care) it’s a sunny holiday on a plate and a nod to owner Raif’s Cypriot roots. The kitchen also does a very decent omelette served with chips and salad, and a tasty grilled chicken salad if you’re after a healthy option.

The menu goes on. Pies, jacket potatos, fish and chips, lasagne, fish finger salad (!), lamb shish, lamp chops, chicken shish, steak, calamari, scampi, grilled Scottish salmon, roasts, paninis, wraps and more. Desserts are nursery favourites. Not a part of my Australian upbringing, but I remember some from reading Enid Blyton books: bread pudding, treacle sponge, knickerbocker glory, spotted dick, and banana longboat. The chocolate milkshake is so thick and ice-creamy, it’s a dessert in its own right. All dishes are reasonably priced and boast generous portions. Oh, and the café is licensed. Hurrah!

Chicken Shish, with salad, grilled tomatoes, and fragrant herbed rice. Yum!

The interior also deserves a mention. It’s quirky, cosy, intriguing, and arty. There are booths, banquette seats, and bistro-style chairs and tables. The lighting is imaginative and extra touches include a mural at the back and panels of corrugated steel hung as wall art. It’s a fitout that invites lingering.

Now that the café has been up and running for a few months, Raif is taking it to the next level. His vision for Koffees and Kream is that it will become a focus of the Woolwich and wider community. He’s already held a fabulous night of live music, spoken word performance, and singing, and he’s planning to hold similar on the last Friday of every month and some Sundays, too. Comedy nights could also become part of the mix.

Lusciously ice-creamy, a milkshake at Koffees and Kream is an old-skool treat.

This café belongs in the category of Things That Are Good For Woolwich and it’s heartening to see the place being embraced by locals. We need more people like Raif: professional, friendly, and enthusiastically exploring the potential of his business as well as that of Woolwich.

Follow the café on Twitter at @koffeesandkream or check out www.koffeesandkream.com

Friday nights are called KKs After Dark @kksafterdark

The café is in Calderwood Street in Woolwich, just down from the Sainsburys.