L'ETO Soho

You'll spot the queue before you see the sign – that's how you know you're at the right place on Wardour Street. This polished café has mastered the art of looking effortlessly chic whilst serving some of Soho's best pastries and properly decent coffee. The glass-fronted space feels more Parisian than central London, which explains why it's constantly packed with everyone from theatre workers grabbing pre-show fuel to tourists who've stumbled upon something genuinely good. The pastry case is the real star here – those croissants aren't just Instagram props, they're properly buttery and flaky. Come for breakfast and you'll understand why people don't mind waiting. The coffee's strong enough to fuel a day of Soho wandering, and unlike some places round here, they actually know how to make it. Open until 11pm daily, it's one of the few spots where you can get decent cake and coffee after most cafés have called it a day.