If you find yourself in the busy market in Roman Road and are looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle why not make for Chicchi.
Chicchi (pronounced ‘Kikki’, from the Italian for beans), pitches itself as a trendy Coffee and Art Lounge, a contemporary twist on the widely spread off-the-shelf coffee shops.

On entering one is struck by the blend of the contemporary and classic lines of the décor and furniture, along with the walls crammed with original art for sale by local artists. At once you are greeted by the friendly staff, who are constantly busy blending and mixing home made smoothies and luxurious milkshakes. The coffee here is exquisite, especially in the form of an Affogato, hot espresso poured over vanilla ice cream and topped with whipped cream, whilst the tea ‘menu’ offers almost 30 loose leaf teas from across the globe.

Deciding what to order is another exciting journey through flavours and colours. To satisfy your hunger, choose from a range of sandwiches, pastas, salads & pasta salads all freshly made to order. Not to mention the range of freshly baked Italian breads that are oozing with fillings purchased from quality Italian suppliers. The choice of fillings range from combinations of sundried tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, roasted vegetables, cured meats, or a pungent basil pesto, to a balsamic syrup so thick you would be forgiven to think it was chocolate sauce!

Rustic homemade lasagne, chicken caesar salad or avocado, tomato & mozzarella salad drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, are a far cry from usual pre-prepared tuna nicoise salads often seen in many other ‘Italian’ Eateries.

If your sweet tooth is still itching for its fix, then it will not be disappointed. The Don of all Italian desserts, Tiramisú, served with a tangy combination of fresh fruit coulis, sits proud on the menu, but is rivalled by the talent of the assortment of ice creams and sorbets. And if that wasn’t enough, the waffles are to die for…!

Chicchi is big on food and even bigger on atmosphere. Here the fusion of food, drink and art, all compliment each other and the synergy is quite inspiring. No surprise it’s popular with the local Italians. Has a “slice of Italy” arrived in the East End?

East End Life June 06