Amber Tree Cafe staff Pic: Kathryn Sunnucks

Just off the frenetic high street of Deptford Market, the Amber Tree Café provides a restorative escape from the crowd with its welcoming open doors and tasty selection of freshly produced food and cakes.

Since its opening on 1 September, the Deptford-based café has taken local residents by storm with a delicious range of gluten free and eggless cakes, along with unique lunch and dinner menus. 

Owner and head chef, Virginia Verbaitiene, said: “[It’s] the first month of the café’s existence and we are delighted to say that more and more people are coming in every day. All our customers told us that our family friendly café is exactly what the high street needed for a long time.”

Inside the Amber Tree Cafe Pic: Kathryn Sunnucks

Married for almost 11 years, the Lithuanian couple who run the business together share their home in Greenwich with their young daughter. The opening of their dream café happened at the right time and the couple claim it was the right choice to make. 

There has been an increase of fast-food chains in Deptford in recent years, and for this reason strengthened Verbaitiene’s wish to teach people to eat differently. The café’s menus are inspired by a mix of European and British international foods. As the café approaches its second month of opening there are plans to have the interior expanded to accommodate more seating after a boom in business resulted in overcrowding in the eatery. 

The message the Verbaitiene’s want to express is simple: “I am cooking fresh, homemade food for my customers and for me. It’s really important that after 10 to 20 years, they will remember me for making good quality, healthy food.”