Kokova Magazine

You don't often expect afternoon tea in a coffee house, yet luxury Italian coffee house Ca'Puccino bring you more than just a good cup of coffee with the introduction of their Sparkling Afternoon Tea.

Renowned for their authentic Italian food and quality of service, Ca'Puccino are now offering a selection of handcrafted sweet and savoury canapés complemented by delicate flavours of speciality tea and sparkling wine.

There have recently been American and Indian twists on the quintessential British tradition of Afternoon Tea. Now, luxury Italian coffee house and kitchen, Ca'puccino, has unveiled a new Italian vision with their own take on 'Afternoon Tea'.

Tantalise your taste buds with savoury delights, including a walnut layer cake with light Gorgonzola cheese mousse and an indulgent peanut cream and soft peanut biscuit, or try a rich green olive plum cake with a subtle of hint of oregano.

If sweet treats are more your style, try our orange short crust pastry with melt-in-the-mouth texture and indulgent orange cream, a delightfully rich velvety chocolate and almond cake with luscious chocolate cream, or a rich vanilla cream coated in caramelised brown sugar and topped with fresh raspberry on a delicate short crust base.

Pair these delicious delicacies with handpicked, loose leaf and flowering teas from Coccole, or embrace the Italian spirit and have a glass of Franciacorta Cuvée Prestige.

We popped along to Ca'Puccino on the Kings Road last weekend to see for ourselves what Afternoon Tea tasted like 'Italian style'.

The cafe is set to the high side of the road, with ample seating outside and elevated positions on the first floor. More seating is on offer on a lower level, making this small fronted cafe feel like a bit of a Tardis once inside.

We started our meal watching the world pass by in glorious sunshine, and finished with a downpour of rain, in true British style. However, the glass of 'bubbly' certainly helped us off to a good start.

For tea we opted to try the English Breakfast and Earl Grey. Both very clean, clear brews and served in glass pots so that we could see just how pure the level of tea was inside.

A selection of sweet and savoury treats started with the walnut layer cake with a light Gorgonzola cheese mousse. If you only try one item from this menu then make sure it is this stunning flavour combination - followed by the peanut biscuit creation.

For a sweeter tooth, opting for the chocolate and almond cake or rich vanilla cream will prove satisfying, to say the least.

The quality of the cakes on offer, alongside exceptionally good teas, should leave you pleasantly surprised and delightfully indulged, but without the associated heaviness that can come from too many cakes in a selection. The portion size is spot-on for a mid-afternoon break.

We were made to feel welcome and comfortable, without any over-attention or fuss, and left to enjoy our tea without rush. Other diners appeared relaxed and the steady turn around of patrons certainly proved this to be a popular place to be.

As olive lovers we opted to try a selection alongside our pastries and cakes, and found the same level of quality throughout on all we were offered. And the best part? We didn't have to share - with both of us getting our own cake tier each, meaning we got to try every slice and flavour we had chosen from the available selection, in its entirety. And if you love cake you will know how important this is!

Other treats on offer at Ca'puccino include full breakfasts, lunch options and a beautiful array of handmade desserts, accompanied by a selection of speciality coffees, freshly made juices and milkshakes. A classic Ca'puccino tea starts at £14.95.

See the full menu and a list of locations at www.ca-puccino.com and keep up to date with the latest information on Twitter @ca_puccinoUK