It’s a simple formula. Excellent cakes + pretty coffees + millennial pink decor = success. Many London cafes have followed this recipe with good results, but one stands out from the crowd. Yep, if there’s a queen of perfectly pink baking, she lives in the Belgravia palace of Peggy Porschen.
We’ll get the obvious out of the way first: this place is pretty as a picture. It’s also alluringly alliterative – the proper title for this place is the Peggy Porschen Cakes.
Each weekend, an army of Instagrammers and lifestyle bloggers descend on Ebury Street, drawn in by the pastel pink decor, the floral patterns, and the picturesque frontispiece. The best is found inside, though. Spoiler alert: it’s cake.
Peggy Porschen’s website describes their cakes as “edible works of art”, and whilst I’d normally punish this hubris with a scathing comment, it’s actually quite hard to disagree with them. I mean, look at these things – they are undeniably works of art that are also, utterly delicious.
The bakery’s fans include their magnificent seasonal specials, and the cakes have won rave reviews from the likes of Vogue and Vanity Fair. There’s only one downside: you’ll be paying Belgravia prices for a taste, with cupcakes beginning at an eye-watering £5 each.
More reasonably priced are Peggy Porschen’s highly decorative coffees, usually featuring heart, kisses, or ornate patterns. Let’s be honest, they are so cute that they’ll be stone cold by the time you’ve finished taking pictures.
Peggy Porschen’s cake empire extends beyond the Parlour, as you can also request cakes online. Order a full cake for a fancy party, or shame-eat it one Tuesday night. No judgements here.
Peggy Porschen also runs a cake academy, where you can learn to bake, decorate, and presumably eat like a pro. You’ll get a shiny diploma at the end of it to prove you’re a cake boss, which is the only thing from this place you probably won’t wind up eating.
In summer, Peggy Porschen is kind of perfect place to sit outside and watch the Belgravia bunch roll by, cake in hand. Don’t worry about the price; it’s Belgravia darling, you may as well live the high life.
Location: 116 Ebury Street, Belgravia, SW1W 9QQ. Nearest stations are Sloane Square and Victoria. See it on Google Maps.
Opening hours: 8am to 8pm, seven days a week.
Price: cupcakes are £5, a slice of cake is £6.20, coffees and teas are around £3.50.
More information: from their website.