Caffe Concerto

Caffe Concerto occupies a run of units in the Market Building at the centre of the Covent Garden Piazza, one of two branches the group runs in the district alongside its Long Acre restaurant. The brand started on Piccadilly, where its head office still sits, and has grown into a chain of Italian restaurants and patisseries across London with further sites in France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The Piazza branch is the one most visitors meet first, with tables looking out over the market arcades.

The kitchen serves breakfast from opening until midday, then moves to a menu of lunch, afternoon tea and dinner that mixes authentic Italian dishes with modern British plates, backed by fine wines, prosecco and handmade gelato. The patisserie is the heart of the business. Every cake is made by the company's own pastry chefs, from gateaux and individual pastries to birthday, wedding and bespoke celebration cakes, with vegan and gluten-free options in the range. A set menu runs from Monday to Thursday, subject to availability.

Patisserie on the Covent Garden Piazza

As a patisserie on the Covent Garden Piazza, the branch trades on its setting as much as its counter. The interiors follow the house style of the group, with velvet seating, panelled walls and a polished, occasion-led feel, and the group stages live jazz, soul and blues at selected venues. It suits a long afternoon tea after a walk round the market, a celebration dinner before the theatre, or simply coffee and a slice of cake between shops.

What to expect on a visit

Table service, long hours and a menu that runs from early breakfast to late dinner make this one of the more flexible places to eat in the Market Building. Tables can be booked online, and group bookings are handled separately. The Piazza is a short walk from Covent Garden underground station. For coffee to take home rather than a sit-down meal, Nespresso has its boutique just off the square on Henrietta Street, and more Covent Garden cafes are listed in the directory.