This small shop in East Twickenham is a great stopping off point for lunch, particularly if you are walking the Thames Path and looking for somewhere near Richmond that isn’t a chain. I’m pleased that I was able to choose this for my first East Twickenham Cafe review.

Over the years, the smaller cafes and restaurants have been forced out of central Richmond by higher rents and rates. The closure of Chalk wine bar after only a year or so of trading was one of the more recent casualties and indicative of how hard it is to maintain good value hospitality in an increasingly expensive area.

Fortunately, there are a number of good places on the road away from Richmond Bridge (including Nova, which opened a year ago and is still going strong) and Lallapolosa is one of them. Apparently an offshoot of a Kingston bakery, there is a good selection of cakes, sandwiches and salads for lunch or brunch.

It is small inside: There used to be a limited number of large tables which lead to one or two people hogging a lot of space, but these have mainly been replaced by tables for 2, which is more in keeping with the vibe of the place. It is light and airy, with a floor to ceiling window. Sadly, the only view is of the near constant traffic.

The food is good. My companion had a courgette quiche and salad, which smelled excellent. I was allowed a small slice, which lived up to expectations. My pastrami toastie was very good, but too heavy on the mustard. I love mustard on a sandwich, but I don’t expect to need to bring tissues with me to wipe my streaming nose and eyes.

This is one of my regular lunch spots when I fancy something tasty and quick. The sandwiches are under a tenner, and are good value. When you think what you would pay for a salad or a sandwich at Pret, which is equidistant from the river in the other direction, it is night and day in terms of value and quality. And as this cafe is independent, it is worth making a small detour!

Rating: 4.5/5 (usually a 5, but the mustard swung it)

Lallapolosa East Twickenham: https://www.lallapolosa.co.uk/bakery