Inside Curio Cabal. Pic: Curio Cabal.

Tucked away on a quiet part of Kingsland Road is Haggerston’s own self-appointed ‘real sexy coffee shop’. Looking around the café it’s quite clear where this title comes from, with the trendy set of customers chatting while typing away at laptops and cheery, laidback baristas. Matt Broughton, owner of Curio Cabal, himself jokingly describes them as the, “best looking staff I have ever come across”. Walking in you’re greeted with smiles, the ever enticing smell of freshly ground coffee and a cheeky selection of desserts sitting prettily on the counter.

Table Knickknacks. Pic: Curio Cabal.

Curio Cabal, while small on the inside, makes the most of the space it has. The venue is a hybrid; a coffee shop, restaurant, bar and gallery all under one roof. Photographs hang on the walls, which act as the changing exhibition space, and little knick-knacks sit on the tables and windowsills. The café is on a corner allowing them a spacious pavement area which is home to a green paradise. A pergola made of reclaimed wood with vines growing all around covers the outdoor seating, creating a perfect spot to sit and soak in the sun. Given the bright and warm summer that has just passed it’s no surprise that this place has become a local dig for Hackney and one of the leading coffee shops in east London.

Iced latte and flat white. Pic: Layla Hamdi Pacha.

Not to miss the opportunity to try their much talked about smashed avocado on toast, I ordered it in a combination of not one, but two coffees. I decided to make the most of the great weather, grabbed my little table nine flower pot with cutlery, took one last longing look at the brownies in front of me and popped outside.

Smashed avocado on toast. Pic: Layla Hamdi Pacha.

Though relatively busy for a Friday morning I found myself a prime spot in the sun, and sat back to watch passers-by go about their day. My iced Latte and flat white arrived promptly, looking every bit as lovely as a double dose of caffeine can. The smashed avocado followed shortly after, and it did not disappoint. The addition of lemon and pistachios made for a nice variation on the Australian classic.

Curio Cabal is an exciting, constantly evolving space with a positive, relaxed environment. So grab yourself a coffee, bring along your laptop and maybe treat yourself to a little slice of cake while you’re at it.

Check them out at http://curiocabal.co.uk/