The Nice Green Cafe at Cecil Sharp House

Cake and folk anyone? I discovered the Nice Green Cafe at Cecil Sharp House in Camden, North London when I was having a little chat with Misty Miller just prior to her gig in the main hall. Cecil Sharp House is home to the English Folk Dance and Song Society and as you well know a little gig was held there recently with some people named Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling.

The EFDSS has existed for nearly 100 years and works to ‘promote the best of the folk arts in a range of mediums including dance, music, song, film, exhibitions, publications and our library collections; engage new generations with the folk arts through workshops, classes and study, and to ensure that the folk arts are a fundamental part of the cultural life of the UK.’. I have a huge adoration and love for the Arts in this country and anything that helps to keep some of the great traditions that exist in England alive, is very important to me. It’s also something that until recently hasn’t really been done and sadly will be very hard to maintain with the impending Arts budgets cuts. Cecil Sharp House houses the EFDSS at the top of Parkway in Camden and it felt like a buzzing hive of creative activity.

The Nice Green Cafe sits in the middle of all the action, a cosy cafe that recently just opened this Autumn. There’s a range of hot meals, sandwiches and of course delicious cakes. The cafe uses sustainable food whilst making some very lovely dishes and it’s really not expensive either. In a way, you totally forget you’re in the middle of Camden Town and feel like you’re sitting in a village hall. It’s perfectly folk.

There was something about the cafe that I felt drawn to; it could well have been the very delightful-tasting cupcakes or that it felt homely. I’m not sure but either way, I’ll go on record to say I’d rather sit at a Cath Kidston covered table at the Nice Green Cafe then any Starbucks, any day. Homemade food, warm friendly faces in an extremely convenient location for a very good cause, it’s really worth a visit, ladies and gentlemen.

Please make sure you check out The Nice Green Cafe at Cecil Sharp House; open Monday to Saturday, 10am-7pm.

Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regents Park Road, NW1 7AY.