by Annie Vischer
Luckily for me, this little cafe is not so secret. It’s actually just at the end of my road. But it feels secret, because it’s nestled quietly away from both the hustle and bustle of Fulham Road, and the cheery hubbub of the Parsons Green green itself. The Retreat Cafe is situated just behind the tube station on Lettice Street, one floor up in the The Power Yoga Company building.
It looks incredibly welcoming from the street. You look up to see floor to ceiling windows that work like an incredibly effective shop display. You can see a side unit full to brimming with super-food-infused treats, and a chalk board covered with smoothie and juice recipes. It’s far too colourful to resist.
You buzz the intercom of a solid wood door to enter, before skipping up the stairs to come face to face with the cafe itself. It’s as if the room has been arranged under the guide of a feng shui master. It has an incredibly calming atmosphere, and even though my home was a matter of footsteps away, I elected to sit in. My friend and I had undergone a fairly testing gym session, so the visit to the Retreat Cafe was to keep our healthy halos firmly in place whilst unwinding. We ordered a mezze platter, comprised of wholegrain toasted bread, humous, cashews and larger than life olives. Two smoothies followed. Everything tasted fresh and pure, that is unadulterated by any added chemicals and flavourings.
Kimberly Parsons is the owner and founder of the Retreat Cafe. She started out as a naturopath, before bravely selling her practice in 2008 and upping sticks to the idyllic area of Chianti in Tuscany, to work as a seasonal chef. She later moved to London’s Notting Hill in 2010, a decision which later led to her opening the Retreat Cafe. So it was a very good decision.
As well as gluten free treats such as granola bars and banana bread, the cafe serves up seasonal salads and freshly made smoothies and juices. One of my favourites has to be the Power Up Superfood Smoothie (£4.50) which is made up of banana, chia, cacao, milk, flaxseed oil and vanilla. You can also add an E3Live Supplement for 95p!
Find the Retreat Cafe on the First Floor, The Glass House, 11-12 Lettice Street, London, SW6 4EH. It is open from 6.30am – 8.30pm on weekdays and 8.30am -6.30pm at the weekend.